Christmas orchids
ORCHID: To Youngstown city officials for their plans to enter into an agreement with Bluelofts Inc. of Dallas to redevelop the nine-story city-owned 20 Federal Place office building in the heart of downtown Youngstown into a 100-unit apartment complex with additional space for retail and commercial businesses. Kyle Miasek, the city’s finance director, said had the city decided to reject Blueloft’s proposal and restart the search process for a developer, it stood to lose up to $24 million in historic tax credits for the project. As we recently editorialized, Youngstown can ill afford additional delays in completing renovation of 20 Fed, which is one of the most critical pieces of the city’s urban redevelopment puzzle. We’re pleased they honored their pledge to make a decision by year’s end so that actual work on The Federal, the proposed new name for the residential and commercial project, can begin in earnest early in 2025.
ORCHID: To Youngstown & Southeastern Railroad for its plans to invest $2.9 million to transform land on Youngstown’s South Side into its Lansingville Railroad Rail Park, a site that will be used to centralize its railcar storage-in-transit, or warehousing, operation. Thanks to a $1.45 million in help from the Ohio Rail Development Commission, the project will entail constructing a five-track yard with capacity for 220 cars on a brownfield site on Poland Avenue. The work also includes installation of about 15,000 feet of new track. This promising project serves as a shining example of the value of public-private partnerships as Lake to River Economic Development, the Valley’s own state-supported economic development district, assisted in transforming this decaying brownfield land back into vibrant productive use.
ORCHID: To Justin Rogers, Mill Creek MetroParks planning and operations director, for overseeing hundreds of thousands of dollars in improvements to the urban natural park during 2024. Improvements ranged from resurfacing park streets, upgrades to parking lots, $250,000 in trail improvements, plus other notable projects at Lanterman’s Mill, Fellows Riverside Gardens, the MetroParks Farm, the Wick Recreation Area and others. For a complete and detailed list of improvements, visit www.millcreekmetroparks.org/informative-presentations. The improvements show that despite a year of controversy surrounding deer reduction projects and bike-trail court battles, the 5,000-acre park district continues to thrive. They also speak to the commitment of the park district to invest hard-earned property tax dollars of Mahoning County residents into the priceless mission of park founder Volney Rogers to preserve an oasis of natural splendor within an increasingly urban community.
ORCHID: To the Tri-State Marine Corps League Detachment 494, Veterans of Foreign Wars Austintown 4237 and VFW Hubbard 3767 for giving away $50 Sparkle gift certificates to the first 300 veterans in line at the Cornersburg supermarket last weekend. The three groups work tirelessly throughout the year to raise money for the project. Each of the three organizations, as well as Sparkle, contributed to raise the $15,000 worth of gift cards. The project aimed to make the holidays a bit nicer for many Valley veterans who could use a helping hand. As Mike Morgenstern of Poland, who is in both the Marine Corps League and VFW 3767, put it, “There is a need out there and we want to fill it.” Judging by the large crowd of veterans in line as early as two hours before the giveaway, clearly the project’s mission was capably accomplished.
ORCHID: To the 1,623 Youngstown State University students for achieving a milestone in their lives by receiving their college degrees at fall 2024 commencement ceremonies in Beeghly Center earlier this week. The pomp and circumstance of the formal ceremonies rightfully highlighted the many years of hard work, sacrifice and passion and perseverance to succeed among the graduate and undergraduate degree recipients. Kudos, too, to the faculty, staff and administrators who facilitated the graduates’ pursuit of success.
ORCHID: To the parishioners of First United Church of Christ in Warren for voting to sell their building to Oakland Center for the Arts for only $1. The generosity of the church, which is closing due to declining membership, brought some members of the Oakland Center to tears. And why wouldn’t it? The new space provides much expanded performance, rehearsal and storage space for the community theater organization that places a premium on youth theater. The Valleywide center also received a generous incentive from the city of Warren of $63,500 in American Rescue Plan funding as an incentive for the troupe to relocate from Boardman to Warren. With so much going for it, we suspect growth in center participation and in audience sizes will follow it to its new home base.
SCRIPTURE
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Luke 2:34-35 ESV
Orchids and onions
ORCHID: To Youngstown City Council for approving demolition of the long-vacant and sorely blighted South High School Fieldhouse. Council last week authorized spending $301,000 to tear down the structure and its outdoor bleachers. That action paves the way for a $9 million project by Valley Christian School to build a 3,000-seat stadium, turf football field and track. That athletic complex, coupled with the ongoing renovation of the former South High School itself, add more luster to a hodgepodge of promising revitalization projects on the South Side.
ONION: To the architects of the $600 million settlement between Norfolk Southern rail company and East Palestine area residents impacted by the disastrous derailment in February 2023, which has resulted in attorneys for the victims getting preferential treatment in payouts. The settlement called for payment of $180 million in awards to attorneys within 14 days of the final settlement, but the victims were required to wait longer – 30 days after that settlement. Now with the settlement finalized but appeals of it dragging on, U.S. District Judge Benita Pearson has ruled against a motion to pause the payment for legal fees until all appeals are exhausted. A favorable ruling would have put attorneys and victims on a level playing field. As a result, attorneys who pounced upon the community stand to be paid promptly, but those most hurt directly by the derailment could wait years to receive any compensation for their pain and suffering. It appears we have yet another case of justice delayed equated to justice denied.
ORCHID: To Penguin City Brewery in downtown Youngstown and Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries Inc. for forming a mutually beneficial partnership. Goodwill workers and clients decorated and donated 13 beautiful Christmas trees to adorn the downtown entertainment complex with dazzling holiday joy. In return, Penguin City is selling the trees with all proceeds flowing to the countless good works of Goodwill. Additionally, throw an extra orchid the way of Penguin City for its plans for a $700,000 expansion of its bustling brewery and entertainment anchor on the east end of the downtown.
ORCHID: To Mahoning County Public Health, the Youngstown City Health Department and Brightview Recovery for distributing free naloxone kits at an event last week at the Richard and Eugenia Atkinson Recreation Center on the East Side. Naloxone, also known under the brand name Narcan, reverses the potentially deadly effects of an overdose of opiates, such as fentanyl or heroin. Naloxone has been credited with reducing the number of overdose deaths in the Mahoning Valley and the nation. It truly is a lifesaver for many. If you missed that event you can still obtain naloxone for fentanyl test strips by visiting www.mahoninghealth.org/project-dawn.
ORCHID: To Drs. Rocco Mele and Mary Bryant for using their talents in veterinary medicine and dentistry to boost the already strong quality of care at Angels for Animals in Canfield. Mele, a 1964 graduate of Ursuline High School, has served in veterinary clinics in Hawaii, Florida, Ohio and, most recently, Arizona. Bryant, a protege of Mele, decided to join him in the great eastern migration. The two medical professionals clearly have earned their wings to join the staff of five vets at the Valley’s largest animal shelter and pet adoption agency.
ONION: To heartless and irresponsible pet owners who leave their dogs and other companion animals outside in the cold now that winter has arrived in full force and frigidity. Dog wardens in the Valley remind pet owners that state and local laws prohibit keeping animals for prolonged periods of time outside in subfreezing conditions. We urge humane officers and police agencies to enforce these laws aggressively and punish the miscreant offenders as harshly as the law permits.
ORCHID: To veteran Mahoning County Treasurer Daniel Yemma for being named second vice president of the County Treasurers Association of Ohio at its recent conference in Columbus.Yemma has certainly earned the prestigious appointment given his 14 years of quality leadership over the coffers of Mahoning County. We’re confident all other 87 counties in the state also will benefit from Yemma’s wealth of experience and expertise.
Jeremiah 23:5-6 ESV
Orchids and onions
ORCHID: To the Ohio Department of Development’s Welcome Home Ohio program for awarding the Mahoning County Land Bank a
$5 million grant to build 19 affordable homes, 16 of them in Youngstown. The project funding scores a win-win for the city and county. First, it will result in visible progress in the war on blight and decaying neighborhoods. Second, it will contribute greatly to ongoing efforts to grow population in the Mahoning Valley, particularly in Youngstown. Just how much progress does this major home-building project represent? Consider this: Over the past 15 years, only 20 new homes have been built in the city. Coupled with another Welcome Home house project in Youngstown, 22 homes will be under construction simultaneously in Youngstown by early 2025.
ONION: To general election candidates and their supporters who have been too lazy to remove campaign signs from private and public properties throughout the Valley. The sign owners have had more than ample time to remove them in the full month since Election Day. When placed, the signs supporting candidates from local offices to the presidency presented a timely message to help impact the outcome of the election. Today, however, they serve no useful purpose and merely stand as outdated visual pollution.
ORCHID: To Youngstown fire Chief Barry Finley for making the city safer by hiring six firefighters last week and bringing the department to full strength for the first time in many years. Given the force now has a full complement of first responders, city residents should be able to count on speedy response times and an end to the temporary closings of fire stations.
ORCHID: To former Youngstown State University President and head football coach Jim Tressel and his wife Ellen for their recent $200,000 contribution to the university’s “Kilcawley Centered on the Future” campaign to massively modernize the university’s student center. Few in the history of the university have given as much of their time, talents and funds as the Tressels. In fact, their lifetime contributions to the university total more than $2 million. Clearly, it is a fitting thank you to the former first couple of YSU that a new meeting room in the renovated center will be named in their honor.
ORCHID: Posthumously to Richard Atkinson, former Youngstown city councilman, board of education member and energetic community activist for his much deserved honor in adding his name to his wife’s name to the Richard and Eugenia Atkinson Recreation Center on Otis Avenue on the East Side. His good works to the city and its residents are countless. His wife Eugenia, a community powerhouse in her own right, clearly was pleased by the renaming. “We’re just ecstatic that we’re able to add his name; it means so much to the community.”
ONION: To slick-talking but sick-acting con artists who use the holiday season as prime time for scamming easily impressionable individuals. In recent weeks, reports of such scams have climbed in the Valley. In one, a woman was contacted by a person posing as a deputy sergeant at the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office requesting $1,000 to avoid her arrest on a facetious charge. In another local case, a couple reported $69,000 fraudulently withdrawn from their bank account after their password and personal information had been hacked. Fortunately, in both cases, the victims’ banks flagged the fraudulent activity. Among the lessons to be learned to avoid being swindled are do not send money to an account requested by an unsolicited caller. Second, monitor your accounts regularly for suspicious activity and make sure your banks keep your accounts secure and alert you of any suspicious activity.
ORCHID: To Buckeye PACE (Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) Inc. for its plans to open three senior day centers, one each in Trumbull, Mahoning and Ashtabula counties, in buildings recently vacated by the Rite Aid drugstore chain. The buildings in Warren, Youngstown and Ashtabula are undergoing massive renovations and will open next year as facilities to provide a wide variety of health and social services to enable senior citizens to continue living independently in their own homes. In addition to the vital health needs the centers will fill, they also should be welcomed with open arms for turning a potentially blighted white elephant into an active, vibrant community asset.