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ORCHID: To the Cardinal Joint Fire District of Canfield city and Canfield Township for winning the 2023 Mission: Lifeline EMS Award from the American Heart Association for the fire department's excellent response to heart attack and stroke calls. Fire district Chief Don Hutchinson said the award is based on speed at which the department gets a 12-point EKG to the hospital and how quickly it recognizes signs of a stroke. Speed and professional efficiency no doubt have saved many lives, making the award richly deserving.
ONION: To illicit harvesters and sellers of ginseng in Ohio. A two-year investigation into illegally grown ginseng in the Buckeye State and six other states resulted in 110 defendants committing 259 violations. Charges included the illegal harvest of ginseng, falsification or failure to keep ginseng records, illegal purchase of ginseng and harvest of ginseng without permission. We commend the The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for cracking down on these herbal poachers.
ORCHID: To Rebecca Leasure Fife of Youngstown for her tireless years of work to give her great-uncle, a World War I veteran, a proper memorial site. She and several other relatives of Fireman 1st Class Frank Elmer Wright gathered last week at Lake Park Cemetery where a recently installed memorial at last gave his descendants a place to grieve. Wright died in an accident at sea at age 19, and his remains never were found. Fife spent two years researching her great-uncle's military service before getting the proper documentation needed for the permanent marker. Her determination and patience have paid lasting dividends.
ONION: To Ohio Department of Transportation for failing to speak with any Austintown officials about a $2.2 million project to replace a traffic light with a roundabout at the intersection of state Route 46 and New Road. "We feel very discouraged that we have not been involved. … The state's lack of communication is very disheartening," Austintown Trustee Robert Santos said earlier this week. Though public hearings are planned later and roundabouts have been shown to enhance public safety, ODOT, out of courtesy, owed it to township trustees and the township administrator to touch base before going public with the project announcement.
ORCHID: To Mercy Health-St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital for receiving three prestigious awards from the American Heart Association recently. St. Es "Get With The Guidelines" achievement awards recognize the hospital for its commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke. The new awards, added to countless others received by the hospital, reinforce the 112-year-old health care facility's reputation for excellence.
ONION: To the growing number of residents in the Mahoning Valley who are hoarding animals in decrepit and unsanitary conditions. The Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County recently removed more than 90 animals and birds from a Farmdale property. The confiscated critters included 23 dogs, most of which were Jack Russell terriers or mixes, plus hens, roosters, ducks, turkeys and Guinea fowl. Lori Shandor, chief executive officer with AWL, said over the past two years Trumbull and Mahoning counties have seen a dramatic increase in animals in "horrible and neglectful" conditions. Orchids to the AWL and other humane agencies in the Valley for their continued compassionate response and care for the hundreds of neglected animals left to fend for themselves.