Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To the Safe Mobility Project and Akron Children's Hospital for sponsoring a program for more than 100 Boardman High School students last week on the dangers of distracted driving. The program placed students in go-cart vehicles armed with their personal electronic devices. It did not take long for participants to recognize that driving and texting do not mix. We hope these students will put those lessons to good use once they take the driver's seat in the real world.

ORCHID: To the David and Helga Ives English Festival Endowment for recently changing the focus on its endowment to Youngstown State University's annual literary event that attracts thousands of high school students to campus each spring. The current market value of the David and Helga Ives endowment is $893,979. It will provide the English Festival with more than $32,000 in annual funding. We share the sentiments of Scott Schulick, co-trustee of the estate, who said, "With the change of focus of the Ives Endowment to the English Festival honoring Helga and David, we hope that other donors will be encouraged to help grow the English Festival Endowment to keep the festival alive for generations to come."

ONION: To irresponsible parents who fail to lock up firearms in their homes. The tragedy of such carelessness played out again early this week in Youngstown when a 7-year-old boy was fatally shot in what police are calling an accidental shooting. Though details of this heart-wrenching incident remain unclear, the child's death should serve as a warning to parents to ensure any and all firearms in their household are locked up securely and out of reach of any children or teens.

ORCHID: To the Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Group for spearheading efforts to open a centralized center for senior citizens in the city. Thanks to the efforts of the Western Reserve Port Authority and 1st Ward Councilman Julius Oliver, MYCAP CEO Shelia Triplett received the keys this week to a building on Ridge Avenue near Market Street to begin its transformation to a senior center. "This is the culmination of a lot of conversations" going back five years "talking about our vision for the seniors," Triplett said at a ceremony. We hope the center can be equipped and its programming organized quickly to fill a void and benefit thousands of seniors in the city.

ONION: To Boardman home improvement contractor John P. Bartos III of Gridiron Windows & Doors LLC, convicted of bilking many Mahoning Valley clients from Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties out of tens of thousands of dollars for work that he collected on but never performed. He attributed the thefts to a gambling addiction. Bartos now has pleaded guilty to numerous cases in each county, including theft and passing bad checks. While Trumbull Common Pleas Judge Andrew Logan scolded Bartos during sentencing last week on 10 felony counts of theft, we were disappointed to see the sentence include only 120 days in county jail plus probation and restitution.

ORCHID: To members of Man Up Mahoning Valley, a prostate cancer survivors awareness group, who volunteered several hours of work this week to repair the porch for the Liberty widow of one of their own. Group member Larry Seifert of Liberty died of prostate cancer last year. Tuesday, eight men from the group volunteered their time to rebuild the porch at his widow's home.

ORCHID: To Girard city administrators and legislators for adopting a new ordinance aimed at improving security in multi-resident dwellings. Going forward, all apartment complexes with four or more units must have main entrance doors secured and locked. Mayor Jim Melfi and other city officials spent time meeting with tenant associations regarding building safety, and fire and police have made arrangements to access building lock boxes in cases of emergency. It appears much thought rightfully went into this decision. We urge landlords to rise to the occasion and follow these new rules for the good of their tenants.

Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To the Struthers City School District for being honored with the Bronze Recognition Awards for the Ohio Department of Education's Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports Systems. The school district has developed one of the Valley's model programs for promoting and rewarding positive behaviors among students. Its success has been recognized year after year by the state.

ORCHID: To the 2023 winners of The Boardman Civic Association's Community Service Awards in recognition of their philanthrophy and contributions to the sprawling township's betterment. The winners are Kenneth G. Goldsboro, Premier Bank's senior vice president of commercial banking; Lefty Hazimihalis, co-owner of Keen Property Group LLC; Joseph Rzonsa, who owns the Blue Wolf Tavern and Garden Kettle restaurants; Tom Grantonic, vice president of facilities operations for the Davis Family YMCA; and BCP Development LP.

ONION: To individuals at public meetings who use their speaking time to demean leaders and officials. A case in point comes from this week's Mill Creek MetroParks Board meeting, at which several audience members expressed their opposition loudly, clearly and emotionally during their allotted speaking time. One audience member, however, resorted to rude attacks on a park employee, calling him incompetent at any job he attempts. The Mill Creek police appropriately stepped forward and removed her from the podium.

ORCHID: To Youngstown State University for opening its John M. and Doris M. Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness Center to the public. The state-of-the-art facility, which boasts one of the tallest rock climbing walls in Ohio, has long been the exclusive turf of YSU students and staff. Its expansion to public membership will promote greater fitness opportunities for far more people and will benefit the center financially through membership fees.

ONION: To the U.S. Senate for stonewalling action on the common-sense Railway Safety Act for many months. The legislation was introduced in early March by Republican U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance and Democrat U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in response to the disastrous Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk-Southern train in East Palestine. The bill would enhance and strengthen rail safety and mandate, among other things, wayside defect detectors, two-person crews, increased fines against rail carriers and new regulations on hazardous waste transport. We share these sentiments of an exasperated Vance: "Enough is enough -- it's time for the Senate to pass the Railway Safety Act."

ORCHID: To Penny Wells, the Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past organization's executive director, for her well-deserved induction into the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame last week. The induction honors outstanding Ohioans who are pioneers in civil and human rights and who have furthered the goals of inclusion and equality. Wells personifies those compassionate traits. She is a longtime history teacher in Youngstown City Schools and is known for organizing the Sojourn group. The group is known for its annual student field trip to historic civil-rights sites in the South and for the group's work to establish Nonviolence Week throughout Ohio the first week of October every year. Orchid, too, to Veronica I. Dahlberg, founder and executive director of Ashtabula-based HOLA Ohio, an advocacy organization for Latinos, immigrants and farm workers that has done work in the Valley.

ORCHID: To Milton Township Fire Department Lt. David Dunn Jr. for winning the 2023 Mahoning County Firefighter of the Year award, sponsored by The Vindicator and SERVPRO. Dunn was chosen for the award after being nominated by two firefighters whom he trained. The honor came during national Fire Prevention Week, marked each year in recognition of the Great Chicago Fire in October 1871. That week and every week, firefighters like Dunn deserve special recognition and appreciation for service and sacrifice they make for health and safety of their communities.

ORCHID: To the Veterans Outreach organization in Liberty for coordinating a project to repair the leaking roof of Navy Veteran Michael Hogan of Youngstown. Also deserving recognition are Cover Pro, which provided labor for the repair; Banner Supply, which provided the materials; and the Neil Brant Memorial Fund, which provided funding for the repair work. This generous gift typifies the commendable service the nearly 30-year-old organization provides to veterans in need of essential goods and services in the Mahoning Valley.

editorial@vindy.com

Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To musical instrument manufacturer Gibson Brands for making a substantial donation of instruments and other gear to Austintown Fitch High School through its Gibson Gives program. The gift comprised electric guitars, electric basses and acoustic guitars, as well as amplifiers, guitar pedals, cables, picks and guitar straps. The generous donation strengthens the high school's Rock Band classes and accents the value of arts education in today's classrooms.

ORCHID: To the hundreds of thoughtful and compassionate Valley residents who showed up in dreary and rainy conditions this week for the annual CROP (Christian Rural Overseas Program) Walk to fight hunger in our community and around the world. Church groups and others from Mahoning and Trumbull counties marched around Wick Park in Youngstown to raise funds to fight hunger and food insecurity in the Valley and throughout the world. Sponsored by Church World Services, CROP Hunger Walk supports overseas relief and local agencies. Protestant Family Services and the ACTION Mobile Food Truck are local recipients of funds this year.

ONION: To those who vandalize, steal or desecrate outdoor campaign signs during this political season. Josie Lyon, Republican candidate in Youngstown City Council's 7th Ward race, this week reported to police that at least 22 of her campaign signs have been stolen or destroyed in the past month. They include at least two supersized 4-foot-by-4-foot versions. Such crimes against legitimate political campaigns must never be tolerated, and we hope the vandals are apprehended quickly and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

ORCHID: To the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley and Youngstown State University Foundation for partnering their expertise and resources to make a stronger philanthropic footprint in our region. The new partnership announced last week will enable donors to the YSU Foundation to maximize impact of gifts not only to the university but to the wealth of programs, nonprofits and initiatives supported by the CFMV. The union opens a strong donor pool of 104,000 YSU alumni to support their alma mater as well as many other deserving causes throughout the Greater Youngstown area.

ORCHID: Posthumously, to longtime Youngstown State University English professor, history enthusiast and local philanthropist Richard "Rick" Shale, who left more than $6 million from his estate to six organizations, including four in the Mahoning Valley. "Rick began planning for future gifts long before most of us do," Shari Harrell, president of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, said this week. "He knew that he wanted to continue supporting the many organizations and initiatives that impacted his daily life and saw having a plan as a necessity to ensure that would happen." The Rick Shale Fund was established at the CFMV at the end of June with a distribution from the Rick Shale Trust of just over $3.7 million.

ONION: To the person who burglarized a Warren home and unnecessarily brutally beat the homeowner's 17-year-old small blind and deaf dog. The attack, captured on the homeowner's doorbell surveillance camera, included throwing the tiny dog like a "shot put" down the driveway and then striking the dog several times with a shovel. The dog had to be euthanized. Eatta Clardy of Campbell was arrested and has pleaded not guilty to charges of burglary and injuring animals.

ORCHID: To Realtor Michael Stevens for receiving the 2023 Realtor of the Year Award, a recognition sponsored by Ohio Realtors. Stevens, owner of Coldwell Banker EvenBay Real Estate and the president of the Youngstown-Columbiana Association of Realtors, has been rightfully honored for his achievements in the local, state and national Realtors associations. We're particularly proud of his recognition because part of his community outreach has included his informative regular columns in The Vindicator's Real Estate pages throughout 2023.

editorial@vindy.com

Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To musical instrument manufacturer Gibson Brands for making a substantial donation of instruments and other gear to Austintown Fitch High School through its Gibson Gives program. The gift comprised electric guitars, electric basses and acoustic guitars, as well as amplifiers, guitar pedals, cables, picks and guitar straps. The generous donation strengthens the high school's Rock Band classes and accents the value of arts education in today's classrooms.

ORCHID: To the hundreds of thoughtful and compassionate Valley residents who showed up in dreary and rainy conditions this week for the annual CROP (Christian Rural Overseas Program) Walk to fight hunger in our community and around the world. Church groups and others from Mahoning and Trumbull counties marched around Wick Park in Youngstown to raise funds to fight hunger and food insecurity in the Valley and throughout the world. Sponsored by Church World Services, CROP Hunger Walk supports overseas relief and local agencies. Protestant Family Services and the ACTION Mobile Food Truck are local recipients of funds this year.

ONION: To those who vandalize, steal or desecrate outdoor campaign signs during this political season. Josie Lyon, Republican candidate in Youngstown City Council's 7th Ward race, this week reported to police that at least 22 of her campaign signs have been stolen or destroyed in the past month. They include at least two supersized 4-foot-by-4-foot versions. Such crimes against legitimate political campaigns must never be tolerated, and we hope the vandals are apprehended quickly and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

ORCHID: To the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley and Youngstown State University Foundation for partnering their expertise and resources to make a stronger philanthropic footprint in our region. The new partnership announced last week will enable donors to the YSU Foundation to maximize impact of gifts not only to the university but to the wealth of programs, nonprofits and initiatives supported by the CFMV. The union opens a strong donor pool of 104,000 YSU alumni to support their alma mater as well as many other deserving causes throughout the Greater Youngstown area.

ORCHID: Posthumously, to longtime Youngstown State University English professor, history enthusiast and local philanthropist Richard "Rick" Shale, who left more than $6 million from his estate to six organizations, including four in the Mahoning Valley. "Rick began planning for future gifts long before most of us do," Shari Harrell, president of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, said this week. "He knew that he wanted to continue supporting the many organizations and initiatives that impacted his daily life and saw having a plan as a necessity to ensure that would happen." The Rick Shale Fund was established at the CFMV at the end of June with a distribution from the Rick Shale Trust of just over $3.7 million.

ONION: To the person who burglarized a Warren home and unnecessarily brutally beat the homeowner's 17-year-old small blind and deaf dog. The attack, captured on the homeowner's doorbell surveillance camera, included throwing the tiny dog like a "shot put" down the driveway and then striking the dog several times with a shovel. The dog had to be euthanized. Eatta Clardy of Campbell was arrested and has pleaded not guilty to charges of burglary and injuring animals.

ORCHID: To Realtor Michael Stevens for receiving the 2023 Realtor of the Year Award, a recognition sponsored by Ohio Realtors. Stevens, owner of Coldwell Banker EvenBay Real Estate and the president of the Youngstown-Columbiana Association of Realtors, has been rightfully honored for his achievements in the local, state and national Realtors associations. We're particularly proud of his recognition because part of his community outreach has included his informative regular columns in The Vindicator's Real Estate pages throughout 2023.

editorial@vindy.com

Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To the Mahoning County Republican Party for its continued hard work in attracting and scheduling excellent timely and interesting speakers for its local dinners and functions. This week Tim Ballard spoke; other recent past speakers included Tulsi Gabbard, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kellyanne Conway. The speakers generally are not immediately seeking office, which we see as even more valuable because the political topics discussed are interesting and timely -- much more than they would be if it were just a campaign stop.

ORCHID: To state Rep. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, for offering to mediate a resolution to the dispute over the condition of the former pond in the William Holmes McGuffey Wildlife Preserve in Coitsville. The William Holmes McGuffey Historical Society turned over the preserve to Mill Creek MetroParks decades ago, but the pond and dock have fallen into disrepair, becoming a point of contention. "We need to find a pathway forward that is acceptable for everyone this is affecting. I'd be happy to help facilitate a public forum to discuss the issue from all angles," McNally said in a letter last week. Since the dispute has been dragging on for way too long with no end in sight, we urge those involved, including the Mill Creek MetroParks and the William Holmes McGuffey Historical Society to take up McNally on her offer.

ONION: To the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation for keeping secret not only the name of the local police officer who shot and killed a suspect in Hubbard this week, but also for refusing to release the name of the police department where the officer worked. For no good reason, investigators consistently insist on making secret their investigations into police officers. The practice is not the same for investigators who are probing shootings by civilians suspected of shooting and killing others. The public absolutely has a right to know the details of shootings involving public employees. This routine practice of operating in the dark must end.

ORCHID: To Vienna-based Millwood, Inc., a local business launching a large expansion and planned addition of 40 to 50 new employees. Millwood makes pallets, crates and other wood- s products, as well as other products used for shipping. Headquartered right here in our Valley, Millwood has facilities at 39 sites in 13 states.

ORCHID: To Trumbull County commissioners for actually working together this week in a workshop session to review remaining American Rescue Plan funds in order to decide where to spend the remaining $10 million. It seems odd to give an Orchid to a government body for simply doing its job, but given the track record of arguing and angry debate, we can't help but express our satisfaction when the board members actually act like adults and work toward accomplishing an important task. Now, let's hope the cooperation carries on in other areas of county business.