A local man detained in North Korea since May has been terminated from his job with the city of Moraine, where he has worked for more than 25 years.

The decision about Jeffrey Fowle's job, which became effective Thursday, includes more than $70,000 in severance pay and the ability to be reinstated, according to documents obtained by the Dayton Daily News.

The 56-year-old West Carrollton man is one of three U.S. citizens being held by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, where he is awaiting trial. Fowle, a Beavercreek High School graduate, said in a recent interview with CNN that he was deeply concerned about his employment status, as he is the main financial provider for his wife and their three children.

"We had hoped this action would not be necessary," states a letter dated Sept. 16 from Moraine City Manager David Hicks, "but in light of your continued incarceration in North Korea resulting from your (a) unilateral decision to travel to North Korea against the advice of your family and acquaintances; and (b) running afoul of North Korean restrictions on 'anti-government' activities, and as stated, the exhaustion of your accrued vacation time, we have to act in the best interests of the city of Moraine and its residents."

Fowle's attorney said the move comes as no surprise.

"The city of Moraine has bent over backwards on behalf of Jeff and his family," said Tim Tepe, who received a copy of the letter this week. "They were obviously in a position where they had to do something, and the family understands that. There are certainly no hard feelings.

"We certainly respect all the leeway that they've given Jeff," he added. "The bottom line is that his benefits have run out now. So we have to move in a different direction. But there's no hard feelings whatsoever between the family and the city of Moraine. I certainly appreciate everything they've done for Jeff over the past several months."

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Jeff Fowle of West Carrollton

A Springfield kennel is partnering with a national nonprofit rescue group to help bring six dogs displaced in Louisiana by Hurricane Harvey.

Neal Kennels, 3945 E. National Road, will be boarding the dogs so they can receive veterinary care and be prepared for adoption, according to co-owner Karen Neal.

RELATED: Clark State nursing grad helps rescue a dozen Houston families

Neal’s business is working with National Great Pyrenees Rescue and is anticipating the dogs will arrive at the Springfield facility sometime Saturday afternoon.

National Great Pyrenees Rescue spokeswoman Barbara Mattson told News Center 7 the nonprofit was tasked with rescuing the dogs and has raised $25,000 in the final two days of its fundraising campaign to assist with dogs displaced by Hurricane Harvey. The rescue is caring for the dogs by providing them with the veterinary care they need.

The Springfield kennel will be taking in three puppies and three adult dogs, Neal said.

Neal said the dogs were loaded up Saturday in Monroe, La., to come to the Miami Valley.

It’s not clear yet how long it will take for the dogs to be ready for adoption. 

A Clark State nursing grad put his kayak in the water to help rescue about a dozen families in Houston.

Kyle Scarbrough, a registered nurse who works at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center in Austin, Texas, said he felt to compelled to help.

“I started hearing the reports from Houston, and I had my gear and kayak with me,” he said. “On a whim, I drove into the middle of Houston ... and flagged down a group of rescue boats. I joined them for about 16 hours of rescue missions,” he said, according to a media release from his alma mater, Clark State Community College.

RELATED: News Center 7 crew in Texas: Floods frightening, victims so optimistic

At night official rescue efforts are suspended, when he and his team worked with the Cajun Navy, a group of volunteers assisting with rescue efforts.

News of his volunteer efforts came as no surprise to Mary Cornell, associate professor of registered nursing for Clark State Community College-Springfield Regional School of Nursing.

RELATED: Dayton Public Schools athletics aids Hurriane Harvey victims

“That’s the kind of person Kyle is,” she said. “He has those qualities that you want in a nurse: a caring spirit and a critical thinker. I am very proud of him.”

Scarbrough also was called to assist in a shelter housing evacuated nursing home and hospital patients, Clark State reported.

RELATED: EMTs from Preble County respond to Texas

“Service and volunteering, even in our own communities, gives a sense of purpose and broader perspective of the world,” Scarbrough said.

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Kyle Scarbrough Houston Rescue

Kyle Scarbrough Harvey Rescue

Kyle Scarbrough

Approximately 100 veterans from World War II, Korean and Vietnam wars traveled today to Washington D.C. to visit war memorials.

"The Dayton International Airport is proud to be the host Airport and work with Honor Flight of Dayton in this great opportunity to honor our veterans," says Terrence G. Slaybaugh, Director of Aviation for the City of Dayton.

RELATED: Vietnam veteran talks about taking Honor Flight

The flight left Dayton International Airport around 6 a.m. Saturday and is scheduled to return around 10:30 p.m., according to a news release.

As the veterans exit the plane on their arrival home they will be greeted by a military guard of about 200 United States Air Force personnel.

Nationally, over 20,000 veterans were flown to Washington D.C. through the National Honor Flight Network in 2016 and since Dayton’s program began over 3,000 veterans have been flown.

Hurricane Irma has gained strength in the eastern Atlantic and is now considered a major hurricane.

Irma is now a Category 3 storm.

As it moves into cooler waters on its west-southwesterly track, it may level off and maintain its Category 3 strength throughout the weekend.

>> Live Doppler 7 Interactive Radar

By early next week, current trends show Irma may re-enter the warmer waters near the Lesser Antilles and intensify further to a Category 4 storm.  

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