Orchids and onions
ORCHID: To the Canfield Board of Education for displaying exemplary fiscal responsibility by deciding to slash the amount of a bond issue this fall for school district improvements. Last November, voters overwhelmingly rejected a 7.5-mill bond levy that would have brought in $105 million for new buildings and renovations. Board members are now exploring greatly downsized options and cutting its cost to taxpayers by as much as 50%. Board member Betsy Ahlquist said “We need to show we listened to the voters. We can’t have another $100 million price tag of any sort.”
ONION: To the hooligans caught on video vandalizing the exterior of the Wells Building at 201 W. Federal St. in downtown Youngstown last week. Windows and three pricey porcelain tiles were defaced, and repairs could cost as much as $3,500, a victim of the damage said. The Wells Building underwent a major transformation several years back. The Ohio Historic Preservation Office oversaw the restoration of the distinctive terra cotta-faced building into prime downtown space for offices and luxury apartments. Here’s hoping the scoundrels are apprehended and punished to the fullest extent of the law.
ORCHID: To Dr. Patrick Durrell, professor of astronomy and director of YSU’s Ward Beecher Planetarium, for co-authoring an academic paper about strange star clusters in a distant location, known as Galaxy AM 1054-325. An image of the galaxy was featured in a Feb. 8 news release by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope team. His research group used imaging data from Hubble to identify and study the effects of galaxy collisions on the formation of star clusters. We hope Durrell continues to pursue such noteworthy out-of-this-world research.
ORCHID: To the 450 friends, family members and co-workers of Hubbard’s Eagle Joint District firefighter Matthew Halicki for taking part in a fundraiser to help defray costs of his cancer treatments. Halicki, who has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, underwent 28 rounds of radiation and chemotherapy, and eight rounds of intravenous chemo. Surgery in January has taken him out of work for eight weeks. The success of the benefit illustrates the community’s compassion and appreciation for Halicki’s more than two decades of service as a firefighter in Hubbard. Those who missed the event still can donate to the cause by sending a check to Matthew Halicki or Patricia Halicki, Eagle Joint Fire District, 33 W. Liberty St. Hubbard, OH 44425.
ONION: To the Mahoning County Republican Party for its decision to endorse GOP candidates in primary races, a solid break from its longstanding tradition of remaining neutral until the voters spoke at the polls. As we editorialized recently in praising the Trumbull County Republican Party for its decision to refrain from showing such favoritism so early in the process, primary endorsements can severely weaken and deeply stain party unity. In addition, the endorsees gain unfair advantages during the final weeks of the campaign season in positive publicity and other privileges.
ORCHID: To Youngstown State University officials for inviting students from Eastern Gateway Community College to transfer there in the wake of the community college’s financial troubles that led to a halt to new student enrollments for the foreseeable future. YSU leaders have said they will work to ensure EGCC students’ courses of study are uninterrupted. If YSU is not the best fit for them, the university also pledges to assist them in finding spots elsewhere.
ONION: To sleazy scammers who use the telephone and the internet to trick Mahoning Valley residents out of their hard-earned money. Mahoning County Prosecutor Gina DeGenova addressed such flimflams at a forum in Boardman this week. She said her office is currently investigating several such crimes. Her sage advice to targets of such swindles — oftentimes senior citizens — is to never fall for pleas to pay for services upfront, to purchase a gift card to settle a false debt or to fall for hard-luck stories for which cash is needed immediately. Instead, be firm, hang up, log off and report the scam to local authorities immediately.
editorial@vindy.com
Orchids and onions
ORCHID: To Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown, city economic development director Stephanie Gilchrist and city planning consultant Hunter Morrison for unveiling a major plan for redevelopment at a public forum earlier this week. The project targets a roughly 10,000-acre site on the East Side known as the Crab Creek Corridor. According to Morrison, the area that includes Crab Creek could have the potential to see 35,000 to 45,000 jobs, with 38 million to 48 million square feet of new industrial space. A lot of hard work remains before even coming close to realizing that goal, but we’re heartened that the city is thinking big about the city’s long-term future.
ORCHID: To the United Way of Youngstown and Mahoning Valley for setting a record in its 2023 fund drive by raising a whopping $3.7 million. The United Way funds a hodgepodge of essential social service operations and operates its own valuable programming, specifically in schools. The record reinforces the Valley’s long-standing reputation for generosity and compassion for our own.
ONION: To irresponsible parents and guardians of children who leave guns and other weapons in easy reach of their kids. In Youngstown, according to the Youngstown Education Association, an 11-year-old East Middle School Student brought a loaded gun to school and a third grader was caught with a knife by a teacher at Harding Elementary this month. Fortunately, both weapons were confiscated before any harm to other students or staff could unfold intentionally or accidentally. The school district is wise to revisit its security measures to prevent such safety threats from recurring
ORCHID: To the College of Graduate Studies at Youngstown State University for its success in expanding its enrollment when most departments of higher education in the state and nation are witnessing tumbling student numbers. The college reports a record-high enrollment of 2,529 students this spring semester. With such strong results, we’re confident the college will use and strengthen its recruitment strategies to increase enrollment even higher come fall semester.
ORCHID: To the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee for voting last week to designate the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna as a “primary airport,” which would make it eligible for higher status and funding. Without the designation, the airport is missing out on $850,000 per year in Federal Aviation Administration funding for maintenance, planning and development. It also would make the regional airport more attractive for commercial airlines to consider restoring regular service here. The full Senate should waste no time in giving its approval.
ONION: To state Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, and state Rep. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, for sponsoring and co-sponsoring respectively, House Bill 411 introduced this week in the state Legislature to increase dramatically the lowest base pay for public school teachers. Under provisions of the bill, the base teacher salary would jump to $50,000 per year statewide from the current $35,000 for teachers with a bachelor’s degree. While we agree that teacher salaries in the state are comparatively low, the massive increases proposed likely would place many school systems at or near the brink of financial distress. The unfunded mandates of HB 411 also would further erode local control over public school districts’ operations and finances.
ORCHID: To Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and his staff for their investigative work that led to indictments this week against two former FirstEnergy officials and to a Summit County grand jury that followed through with indictments. Although a former state House speaker, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio official and others already have been convicted and sentenced, the seedy saga will not reach closure until all parties involved in it receive justice for their roles in that dirty-tricks assault on state residents.
ORCHID: To the Hubbard Board of Education for two noteworthy community-minded actions recently. First, the board agreed to work with the Hubbard Youth Coalition to transform the district’s closed Roosevelt Elementary School into a community wellness center to serve the entire community, not just athletes. The board also agreed to open a food pantry for needy students in cooperation with the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley. Orchids, too, to the Cody A. Pitts Foundation, which donated funding to make both civic projects realities.
Orchids and onions
ORCHID: To the clergy and parishioners of St. Anthony of Padua Church in the Brier Hill section of Youngstown for marking the parish’s 125th anniversary recently. The church is among the oldest Italian churches in northeast Ohio. It has become well known and well savored over the years for its scrumptious food prepared by the parish members, including Brier Hill pizza, Easter bread, spaghetti dinners and Italian sausage. Over many decades, the church has played a vibrant role in one of Youngstown’s most historically significant neighborhoods. We’re confident the church and its loyal parishioners will continue to keep that neighborhood thriving.
ONION: To jurors in local criminal trials who disobey the orders of a judge to refrain from reading — or even glancing over — news media reports of the case in which they’ve been empaneled. In a child rape case this week in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, Judge Maureen Sweeney had to dismiss one juror because she acknowledged scanning a news story about the case the morning the trial was to start. Sweeney did the right thing by replacing that juror with an alternate but at an unnecessary cost of delaying proceedings and triggering a request from the defense for the trial to be declared a mistrial, which Sweeney wisely rejected.
ORCHID: To former Vindicator Editor Brenda Linert for dedicating nearly 30 years of her talents and professionalism to this newspaper and its parent, The Tribune Chronicle of Warren. Linert this week began a new and exciting venture as director of Government Affairs and Community Impact for the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber. Given her proven devotion to superlative public service over her long and distinguished tenure as a reporter and editor at the newspapers, we have no doubt that she will become a shining asset to the chamber. Her newly appointed successor, Editor Greg Macafee, truly has some mighty big shoes to fill.
ORCHID: To the Mahoning Valley’s state House of Representatives delegation — state Reps. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown; Al Cutrona, R-Canfield; Nick Santucci, R-Howland; and Mike Loychik, R-Bazetta — for successfully including about $25 million worth of valuable projects for our region in a bill recently approved by the House that allocates about $350 million in unused federal COVID-19 funding the state received but did not spend. The projects range from about $10 million to construct a new student center at Youngstown State University to others that target valuable projects for the Youngstown Playhouse, Animal Charity, Eastwood Field, the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, Mosquito Lake and others. Too often, the Valley plays second fiddle to the three Cs of Ohio — Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. We’re pleased that our delegation aggressively worked to ensure the Youngstown-Warren metro area was not again shortchanged in this vital capital projects legislation.
ONION: To scofflaws who park illegally, are ticketed and then fail to pay their fines promptly. In Mahoning County, one Boardman man has outstanding violations in Youngstown totaling more than $6,000. Collectively, about $1 million in fines remain unpaid in that city. Those delinquent fines put a dent in a community’s coffers and repeat offenders — particularly those able-bodied individuals who steal handicapped parking spaces — deny disabled drivers who legitimately need premium spaces their rightful priority.
ORCHID: To students in the Lariccia School of Accounting at Youngstown State University for volunteering to offer income tax preparation and filing services free to Mahoning Valley residents. The students are part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Given that commercial tax preparation services can charge hundreds of dollars, this free service is a godsend for cash-strapped taxpayers. Given that the IRS has been infused with tens of billions of dollars in new revenue and thousands of new employees, this is not the year for anyone to give short shrift to proper, accurate and timely filing of tax returns.
ORCHID: To Hubbard High sophomore Isabella Williams for creating and organizing the Shoot for Change basketball game to benefit the Potential Development school for students on the autism spectrum in Youngstown. Isabella brainstormed and launched the benefit last year as part of a class project. It was such a roaring success that the second annual edition of it took place last weekend. The event not only raises funds for the school but also gives PD students an opportunity to participate in an exciting interscholastic competition. This year’s event featured sales of 60 gift baskets — twice the amount of last year — as a sign of its growth and popularity. Other schools in the region should take advantage of this win-win proposition and invite the PD team onto their home courts.
Orchids and onions
ORCHID: To the Eastgate Council of Regional Governments for taking an active role in working to restore the Mahoning River. Its plan, known as “The River of Opportunity,” seeks to rebrand and reidentify the river to allow it to become a centerpiece for the Valley in both recreation and economic growth. Along with its many partners, Eastgate has made considerable progress in working to clean the river and rid it of its many dams that block progress. We look forward to continued advances to make the river and its environs a crown jewel for economic revitalization and tourism in the region.
ORCHID: To the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County and Mahoning County Public Health for together launching a valuable community service. The library has distributed Deterra Drug Disposal Bags at several of its locations. The bag allows users to dispose of and deactivate safely unneeded pills, patches, lotions and films at home.The joint campaign wards against improperly disposed medicines that could adversely affect the environment and increase the risk of drug misuse or accidental poisoning.
ONION: To errant motorists who willfully disobey commonly accepted and legally required safety practices such as stopping at safe distances behind school buses and, worse yet, passing stopped school buses. According to state data, released by Gov. Mike DeWine this week, between 2018 and 2023, the other driver was at fault in 68% of school bus crashes involving minor injuries, in 80% of crashes involving serious injuries; and in 75% of crashes involving fatalities. Strengthened penalties for drivers who disobey school bus safety laws are among a set of recommendations from a committee convened by DeWine and announced this week. The Legislature should act speedily to adopt them.
ORCHID: To Jermae Thomas, Trinity Gilmer and Leeasia McKinley for shining as part of the first Choffin Career and Technical Center’s YOUMED Dental Assistance class to pass the rigorous State Dental Radiography Licensure exam recently. The three students were duly recognized and honored at last week’s Youngstown Board of Education meeting. Their success and that of the career center in launching this viable program are evident in the internships the three students already have secured with a Youngstown dental office.
ORCHID: To YSU President Bill Johnson and university first lady LeeAnn Johnson for pledging $100,000 toward construction of a new student center. The new president, in office for only two weeks, made the announcement last week. “Our students are some of the most impressive and resilient people in the Youngstown community. They deserve the very best experience while they work toward their futures here,” Johnson said. The generous student-centered gift should serve as a model for other individuals and institutions in the Mahoning Valley to follow.
ONION: To the hooligan or hooligans responsible for desecrating a statue honoring Jackie Robinson for his role in desegregating Major League Baseball at a park in Wichita, Kansas, last month. According to news reports, the burnt remains of the statue were discovered by that city’s fire department in a trash bin. Such wanton and potentially racist vandalism must not go unpunished. Orchids, however, go to Youngstown 1st Ward Councilman Julius Oliver, city police and others who have reacted swiftly by ensuring Youngstown’s similar statue in Wean Park — one depicting Robinson shaking hands with white teammate George Shuba of Youngstown — receives added protection.
ONION: To Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro for adopting a profanity-laced phrase as his slogan in office. The intent of the phrase “Get S- – – Done” is harmless enough — to demonstrate that his administration will bring constructive progress to our neighbor, the Keystone State. But the use of profanity or even implied profanity makes it come off as a publicity stunt, and one we suspect will be ill received by many.
ORCHID: To Mahoning County Prosecutor Gina DeGenova for this week activating a Special Victims Unit to provide legal and emotional support to victims of crime. The unit has partnerships with organizations that can provide needed specialized social services in such cases as domestic abuse, animal abuse, human trafficking and crimes against children, the elderly and those with developmental disabilities. Too often, crime victims are hesitant to step forward and sometimes treated with less empathy than that afforded their perpetrators. We wish the new unit success in its mission of ensuring crime victims are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.
editorial@vindy.com