Signs heralding Middletown as the hometown of Vice President-elect JD Vance will soon be installed along roadways entering the Butler County community.
"We find this to be a significant accomplishment that someone from little McKinley Street here in the city of Middletown has made it to the second highest office in the land," says Clayton Castle, Middletown's communications manager. "We want to make sure that when you're entering into the city how significant that achievement is."
The signs — which will read, "Hometown of JD Vance, 50th Vice President of the United States of America" — will be installed in seven or eight locations shortly after Vance takes the oath of office.
"They're going to be installed in, primarily, our main thoroughfares into the city. So that would be your Route 4, your Ohio 122, which is right off the highway, off of I-75. It'll be Germantown Road. It'll be several other places throughout the city, as you're entering into the city in all directions," Castle tells WVXU.
RELATED: Middletown H.S. band to march in Presidential Inaugural Parade
Castle says the signs are being made in-house using materials the city already has, so it is not incurring any additional expenses.
"We want to be able to honor someone who is one of us, someone who graduated from Middletown High School, someone who did not necessarily have a lot growing up, but was able to take that motivation and take it to the White House."
The Middletown High School marching band and cheerleaders are also getting in on the (vice) presidential celebration. Vance invited the groups from his alma mater to participate in the inaugural parade in Washington, D.C. The school is covering the costs of sending the groups to the event. A successful fundraising campaign generated enough funds to cover travel expenses and some extras, such as some new equipment, a banner, and various commemorative items, according to CityBeat, which reports Vance himself has not contributed to the campaign.
The parade takes place following the swearing-in ceremony and luncheon on Jan. 20.
