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Ask Matt ... about friendly greeter at Sam's Club

Ken Malo, an Air Force veteran, is a friendly and familiar face at Sam’s Club.

By Matt Matteson, Published: July 8, 2019

Q. Who is the friendly guy who you often see at Sam’s Club checking out customers at the door? I think he used to work at NASA.

That would be Ken Malo, a 79-year young U.S. Air Force veteran. Malo has been a regular at Sam’s Club for a dozen years. “This is the perfect job,” said Malo. “Easy hours, nice people, and no stress.” And he doesn’t need any because he’s wearing a pacemaker. Malo put in 22 years in the Air Force including two tours in Vietnam as a flight engineer. That led to a civilian job at the Kennedy Space Center that lasted 10 years ending in 1999. “I retired right,” said Malo. “Up here we have great medical facilities and I have very good insurance – government insurance.”
Malo was a NASA electrical technician and his resume includes work on the space shuttle. He recalls that some of the work down on the launch pad was tough and often his tools got too hot to pick up. Malo shared another story about a project while assigned to Dover AFB. His team restored an old B-17G Flying Fortress bomber and actually flew it in 1988 from Delaware to Dayton, Ohio to be added to the aircraft collection at the National Museum of the Air Force. The Museum’s website touts the Flying Fortress as one of the most famous airplanes ever built where it served in every combat zone in World War II. “Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby,” then a popular song, was painted on the bomber’s fuselage by the plane’s crew. The bomber flew its last mission over Poland in 1944 when engine problems forced a landing in Sweden. 
 The father of two children, Malo had open heart surgery in 1997. “I was a vegetable for two years but my wife took good care of me. She passed away recently.” Through a family reference, Malo found Hendersonville and quickly joined the volunteer cadre at Pardee Hospital. After eight years he signed on with Sam’s Club. He likes the fact that he can exercise easily here in Hendersonville. “Florida is too hot to walk any distance,” said Malo, who likes the open spaces and high ceilings at Sam’s Club. “They suit me just fine.”

Q. Is a person’s voting party registration public information?

Yes. When your neighbor’s yard sign or bumper stickers are not enough proof, you can look up their voting registration yourself online. Go to hendersoncountync.gov/elections and click on “Search statewide voter registration.” You’ll need to know the individual’s first and last name. Keep in mind that the majority of Henderson County registered voters (32,279, or 41%) are unaffiliated with any party.

Q. Who was flying the drone at the May Rhythm & Blues concert on Main Street?

The drone was enlisted by Downtown Hendersonville. According to Lew Holloway, footage will be used for promotional photos. The actual video of the street scene can be viewed on Facebook. Maybe you can spot yourself. 

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Send questions to askmattm@gmail.com.