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Monday Morning Coffee with Alejandro Gutierrez

Sedona AZ (July 24, 2017) –  Join real estate insider Alejandro Gutierrez, Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, as he shares his Monday Morning Coffee with you from Sedona, Arizona:

The Fed now faces a bit of a dilemma regarding current policy. The Fed’s stated target for inflation is 2.0%.

Last year, it appeared that inflation was slowly climbing to that level, as Fed officials had forecast.

This year, though, inflation has reversed direction. The release of the core PCE price index, the inflation indicator favored by the Fed, showed that in May it was just 1.4% higher than a year ago, down from a year-over-year rate of 1.8% just three months ago.

While many Fed officials believe that the decline in inflation this year is due to temporary factors, recent comments indicate that some officials would prefer to wait and see if this is true before further tightening monetary policy.

Thus, mortgage rates remain at extremely attractive levels for home buyers!

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A Trooper’s Story ~ By Jack Graham

(Editor’s note: This story is sad, but true about a U.S. soldier who lived in Boonville, New York and was killed in Iraq. It is taken from a letter written by Senior Investigator Jack Graham of the New York State Police to his fellow members of the NY State Police and to the Syracuse Police who, on April 17, 2003, participated in a hastily planned ceremonial escort for the soldier. This is the kind of story that makes you proud to be an American.)

Here is the letter:

On Thursday, April 17, 2003, you participated in an escort detail for GREGORY P. HUXLEY JR who was killed in action in Iraq on April 6, 2003.

On behalf of the entire Huxley family and from me, personally, I want to say “Thank you very much.”

Your professionalism, dedication and sincerity meant so much to the Huxley family, that words cannot describe their feelings at this time.

What most did not know was that the US Army had promised the family members that they would be taken to Dover, Delaware to be present when their son arrived from Iraq and there would be a full military ceremony in Dover for Gregory.

Unfortunately, there was a communication problem and they were not present during that ceremony.

Then, they were informed that the body of their son was being flown to Syracuse and that the funeral director could pick up the “fallen soldier” at the cargo area of the airport and that somebody would help them remove the casket from the cardboard shipping container for transport to Boonville, NY.

The funeral director felt that unacceptable for a nineteen year old young man that gave his life for this country and for the freedom of so many others.

As a family friend, he contacted me to see if anything could be done. We now had six hours before Gregory arrived in Syracuse. Phone calls were made to State Police in North Syracuse and SGT Nick Harmatiuk took over from there.

Vietnam Veteran

What you participated in and observed the rest of that day was truly an outstanding display of what this agency can do in very short time. What happened was just visually and emotionally overwhelming.

The procession left SP North Syracuse led by eight Syracuse PD motorcycles, followed by the hearse, four cars with family members, and followed by ten State Police and Syracuse PD cars.

How ironic it was that when the procession was traveling parallel to the runway, the  plane carrying Gregory landed next to it.

We were able to enter the plane’s cargo area and remove the shipping crate from the casket and drape the American flag over the casket. When the casket traveled down the conveyor belt, fifteen New York State Troopers and the same amount of Syracuse Policemen lined the path to the awaiting hearse – all at attention.

A hand salute was executed as six State Troopers proudly bore the flag draped coffin to the hearse. After a short prayer, the family was given some time to welcome their son home.

The entire airport was so quiet. I looked up at the concourse windows and saw a hundred or more people. They were all standing, watching, with their hands over their hearts, saluting a young man that they did not know.

Somehow they learned that a fallen soldier had come home and they wanted to honor his sacrifice.

The casket was then placed in the hearse and the procession left the airport in the same fashion as we arrived, only this time with a young hero that our hearts will never forget.

The motorcade was escorted to the Thruway entrance by the Syracuse Police Department’s motorcycles. All traffic was stopped for the procession and we headed east towards Boonville.

After getting off the thruway, we found that every intersection that the procession encountered was controlled by State Troopers, allowing us a safe, unimpeded passage.

At each intersection, the State Trooper stood at attention, saluting the fallen soldier and his family, giving him and his family the respect that they deserved. How emotional that was to see and now to reflect on.

When entering the Village of Boonville, the main street was decorated with an infinite number of American Flags and yellow ribbons. As we approached the center of town, all of the church bells began to peal at once recognizing and saluting Gregory’s arrival.

Hundreds of people holding American flags lined the street, some with their hand over their heart and some weeping for Gregory for what he sacrificed, for us and his country.

As we drove by the village park, the National Anthem was being played, for Gregory, and I think, for all of us.

At the funeral home, eight veterans lifted the casket out of the hearse and into the home with the family.

Gregory had returned home.

Gregory’s family said to me later that the images I have just described will always be etched in their hearts, forever.

But the one memory that will always be there first, was of the State Troopers at the airport, standing at attention, saluting, with tears running down their cheeks for their son, a fallen soldier. A hero whom those Troopers never personally knew.

Our jobs take many different avenues in life. We hope that during our day or shift that we have made a difference, a positive contribution.

On this occasion you did just that. An entire family knows that you cared to do your very best to honor their son. Their words and expressions told me just that.

You made a difference yesterday, and you did it well.

The rewards we receive for details like this one do not come from anywhere but from the heart. Take pride in what you accomplished, because it was distinct and without equal in this Trooper’s eye.

I have had so many good things happen since I have been a State Trooper, but in those twenty four years, I have never been more proud of the New York State Police as I was yesterday – a fallen soldier, a hero, a son, a brother has finally come home, in grand deserving style, thanks to all of you.

Jack Graham
Senior Investigator
New York State Police

It has been a pleasure sharing Monday Morning Coffee with you. Selling a home is always difficult because it’s like leaving a part of you behind and buyers don’t always appreciate aspects of it in the same way you do. Buying the right home is also difficult because if the Realtor did not really understand your needs, or was in a hurry for his commission, you may end up in the wrong house. So, if you are looking for a Realtor that can empathize with you and help you navigate through the entire process, without rushing you to decisions, then you should consider calling Alejandro Gutierrez at 928-821-8552. He has lived in Sedona since 2007 buying, remodeling, and selling many properties as well as representing many clients under the prestigious Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty brokerage, 20 Roadrunner Drive, Sedona, Arizona 86336.

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