Their comrades are working on a more fitting tribute for Lawrence County’s fallen soldiers.

The Disabled American Veterans Chapter 51 has gotten permission from the Lawrence County Commission to expand and beautify the area around the war memorial on the Lawrence County Courthouse lawn.

DAV Commander Stephen Saunders said plans are to create a roughly 15-by-5 foot, semi-circle in front of the existing memorial that would have border bricks, mulch, a small platform area and small stands for wreaths.

“Right now, we put wreaths down and they have to pull them up to mow under them,”

Saunders said. “This would give us something to where we could anchor the wreaths. We want this to look good. We want to be able to put wreaths out and not have them blow over. After we’re finished it’s going to be a nice area.”

Plans call for the memorial enhancements to be finished in time for the DAV’s annual Memorial Day weekend ceremony May 24. The DAV is paying the cost of having the work done.

Also at Thursday’s county commission meeting, the commissioners agreed to send the area’s elected officials in Columbus a letter asking them to consider a price break on gasoline used for off-road purposes, such as farm equipment.

Right now, farmers and others receive a price break on the purchase of diesel fuel used for their tractors and other equipment. Commissioners said they have gotten calls from some area farmers who said it is becoming more and more difficult to keep their equipment in operation with the rising price of gasoline.

“It’s getting harder and harder for farmers to try and get a livable profit out of it,” Commission President George Patterson said. “They have a point there. They already get a diesel break. That’s legitimate what they’re trying to do.”

Also Thursday, the commission approved a resolution designating May as Older Americans Month. This came at the request of representatives from the Area Agency on Aging District 7.