Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To Youngstown native Pamela R. Goodwine for overcoming myriad tragedies to triumph as Kentucky's first black female Supreme Court justice. Goodwine, a 1978 graduate of the former South High School, took her seat on the Bluegrass State's high court bench earlier this year after winning the post in the November 2024 general election. Her resilience and passion for the legal profession are exemplary. Despite many setbacks, including sacrificing a college scholarship to help her ill father and the murder of her mother, Goodwine never gave up in her quest to pursue her dream. In so doing, she became the first female black judge in many jurisdictions in Kentucky, leading to her ascension to the highest judicial post in the state. Her perseverance, determination and hard work serve as models for young people everywhere challenged by discrimination, setbacks and tragedies.

ONION: To potential candidates for public office who do not follow the rules for petitioning for the ballot. Last week, for example, the Mahoning County Board of Elections refused to certify two Republicans for races in Youngstown and Struthers. Both contained fatal -- and totally avoidable -- errors on their nominating petitions. One candidate did not have sufficient valid signatures and that candidate also signed her own name to petitions, which is not permitted. The other disqualified candidate failed to write the precise office he was seeking on his petitions. Anyone seeking public office should accept the responsibility of following ballot-access instructions to the letter. Those who do not deserve disqualification. The lack of attention toward simple ballot procedures reflects poorly on those candidates' attention to detail, a character trait sorely needed for any public officeholder.

ORCHID: To the Rev. John Keehner, a Youngstown native ordained in 1993, for earning his appointment to bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa, from Pope Francis. The long-serving Diocese of Youngstown priest said he is "truly humbled and grateful for the Holy Father's decision." Keehner's ascension is well deserved given his robust record of service within the Youngstown Diocese. Keehner has served as Newman Center chaplain for Youngstown State University, rector of St. Columba Cathedral and as pastor of St. Christine Church in Youngstown, St. Luke Parish in Boardman, among many others. As Bishop of Youngstown David Bonnar aptly put it, "The Diocese of Sioux City will come to know very quickly his many gifts along with his pastoral, kind and humble zeal."

ORCHID: To the Mahoning County Land Bank, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp, Youngstown City Council and other partners for the recently completed revival of a South Side neighborhood. Representatives of those groups last week celebrated completion of the first phase of new home construction on Cliff View Avenue off Glenwood Avenue. Work on the $2 million project included clearing more than 500 cubic yards of debris; installing new curbs and sidewalks, as well as street paving, and other infrastructure improvements; finishing home repairs for existing property owners; building, then selling, three finished residences and preparing lots for the three new homes about to be built. As Councilman Julius Oliver, D-1st Ward, put it, the project "proves that nothing in Youngstown is dead and can't be brought back." We're counting on many more such projects this year to help reverse the city's longstanding population decline.

ORCHID: To the Hynes Finnegan Foundations for donating a whopping $475,000 to the Kilcawley: Centered on the Future Campaign at Youngstown State University. Their contribution will play a crucial role in enhancing the university's student center, ensuring it remains a dynamic space for future generations of students. This most recent gift continues a long and generous tradition of philanthropy from the foundations to the university. The Hynes Finnegan Foundations' lifetime giving to YSU has exceeded $2 million, earning them a place in the NGS Transformation Society, a group of donors who have contributed between $2 million and $4,999,999 to the university.

ORCHID: To state Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, for co-sponsoring Senate Bill 9, which would provide added tax relief to victims of the February 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine. That legislation, which passed the Senate last week, would remove any state taxes on federal relief payments those victims received to help recover from the disaster. It is a no-brainer complementary bill to federal legislation enacted into law that exempts such compensation from federal income taxation. As such, it deserves a bullet-train ride through the state House and speedy enactment by the governor.

ORCHID: To the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office for being among the first 10 law enforcement agencies in the state to complete the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. The accreditation brings added stature to the sheriff's office and benefits the safety of all county residents. "This new standard will save lives by requiring accredited Ohio law enforcement agencies to submit all firearms and fired cartridge casings recovered or seized in connection with a criminal investigation to be analyzed and entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network and National Tracing Center eTrace system," said Andy Wilson, director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. "This information sharing and cooperation will help agencies close cases and bring justice for victims and their families."

Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To Thousand Oaks, California, pizzeria operator and Youngstown native Mick Mahan for his compassion in donating and delivering hundreds of pizzas to firefighters battling the historic wildfires in Southern California last month. He and his two sons organized an ongoing effort to make and deliver the pies to overworked firefighters, including those on the front lines of some of the most destructive blazes in Pacific Palisades. Mahan, whose talents also include playing bass guitar for rocker Pat Benatar, attributes his giving persona to his South Side upbringing based on integrity, humility and loyalty. As such, he serves as a superlative ambassador of the Mahoning Valley to the Golden State.

ORCHID: To Chase Bank for its commitment to investing in downtown Youngstown by opening a new branch there. The city's design review committee last week approved a request from the nation's largest banking institution to install two sets of illuminated signs and logos on the west and south sides of the Stambaugh Building at 44 E. Federal St., where it plans to open a branch next month. It would have been easy indeed for Chase to abandon its decades-long presence downtown after the devastating gas explosion that destroyed its former office on Central Square and killed one of its employees last year. That investment also reinforces the importance of downtown Youngstown as a banking and financial center for the entire Mahoning Valley.

ONION: To Youngstown Police Chief Carl Davis for allowing overtime in his department to mushroom out of control in 2024. Fifteen city police officers each made more than $50,000 in overtime in 2024, with one getting $150,681 -- more than twice his regular salary. Shame on city management for allowing any one city worker to collect such outrageous amounts of overtime -- all paid by the taxpayers. As most private employers would tell you, overtime must be managed. It should not be accepted as a certainty. As excessive overtime has been a recurring problem in the police department for several years now, we agree with some on Youngstown City Council who urge the Ohio Auditor's Office to conduct a thorough investigation of the YPD to ensure no abuses of the system are taking place.

ORCHID: To Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Jared R. Paine of the Canfield Post for recently receiving the prestigious Robert M. Chiaramonte Humanitarian Award, which recognizes officers dedicated to humanitarian causes on the highway and in their communities. Paine, along with his wife, founded a nonprofit organization called the Emma Elf Project in honor of their daughter who was diagnosed with nonverbal autism. The Mahoning County-based organization brings together children with developmental disabilities and neuro-typical kids to work on adaptive art projects. Paine's stellar community service is matched by a superlative record in keeping Ohio's highways safe. In 2023, he was named Post Trooper of the Year, and he also earned the Master Trooper designation in 2024.

ORCHID: To state Rep. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, for introducing legislation to provide a $1,500 personal income tax deduction for taxpayers who purchase memberships to gyms and personal training centers. That legislation, The Make America Healthy Again Act, provides a double whammy of benefits. First, it provides some substantial relief for weary Ohioans drowning in a sea of sales, property and income taxes. Second, it provides motivation for healthier lifestyles that could result in significant savings down the road in health care costs. State senators and representatives should waste no time in approving the measure.

ORCHID: To the Cleveland Clinic for its plans to open five new satellite offices in the Mahoning Valley. The facilities formerly were operated by the now-bankrupt Steward Health Care group. Through negotiations with Insight Hospital and Medical Center Trumbull, new operators of the former Steward-owner Trumbull Regional Medical Center, facilities in Austintown, Howland and Kinsman will reopen this month under the prestigious Cleveland Clinic brand. Many of the primary care physicians who used to be part of Steward Medical Group are now employed by Cleveland Clinic Foundation, so the expansion should be seamless. It also ensures that health-care options for Mahoning Valley residents will not be diminished.

Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To the Youngstown Foundation for its plans to award $983,250 in grants to 19 local organizations, including $200,000 for the Youngstown YMCA to support free memberships for Youngstown youth and kitchen improvements at the downtown branch. The donation to the YMCA is particularly noteworthy for its potential to greatly strengthen youth programming and services at the Central Y on Champion Street. It will give far more inner-city youth opportunities for constructive recreational and personal development activities. And it will steer many of them away from the risky street behavior that could threaten their well-being and public safety.

ONION: To Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown for hiring his daughter-in-law Micaela Brown for a $51,280-per-year job as the city's recreational program supervisor. Though the mayor and others in the city administration insist this was not a bona fide case of nepotism, the hiring still smells rotten. For one, she ranked third out of seven candidates for the job. She was boosted to the top spot only because of bonus points for maintaining a residence in Youngstown. Moreover, though, responsible applicants should know that even the appearance of impropriety in municipal hiring should be avoided at all costs. Youngstown city government has a long and soiled reputation as a hotbed for corrupt practices. To avoid any renewal of that reputation, Micaela Brown should do the right thing and resign.

ORCHID: To Girard City Auditor Julie Coggins and her office staff for their work toward collecting a record amount of income taxes for the city in 2024. Total income tax collected last year was $5.8 million. Another fringe benefit of the record collection is the city's highest end-of-year general fund balance in its history at $3,110,242. That means Girard will be in a fiscally stronger place to assist in 2025 projects ranging from street paving to renovation of the downtown Wellman Theatre. We urge Coggins to double down even more in 2025 to keep the city's exemplary finances strongly intact.

ORCHID: To state Rep. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, for her election to the leadership team of The Ohio Democratic Women's Legislative Caucus for the 136th Ohio General Assembly. McNally, a former Youngstown City Council member, has acquired a reputation for passionately fighting for women's issues. The new position is therefore a perfect fit for her as the goal of the caucus is to develop and pass policies and legislation that improve the lives of Ohio women and their families; to identify and support emerging women leaders by serving as mentors; to educate and empower women and increase women's involvement in public life and in the Ohio General Assembly. Her job should be made easier during this new two-year legislative session because for the first time in state history, women make up an equal share of Democratic lawmakers.

ONION: To state Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, for attempting to water down the will of Ohio voters by tinkering with the state's legal recreational marijuana law. Huffman and his supporters seek to raise taxes on recreational weed by 50% while making it less potent. Specifically, It seeks more restrictive limits on THC content with a 35% max for plant products and 70% for concentrates and extracts. Huffman also seeks to limit-home grown plants from 12 to six. Ever since 57% of Ohio voters passed a state issue in 2023 to legalize recreational marijuana with specific standards, some in the Legislature have tried their darndest to overturn the will of the electorate. Those actions -- including Huffman's newest proposal -- must be squashed.

ORCHID: To Greg and Alice Greenwood for making a $50,000 donation to the Kilcawley: Centered on the Future campaign at Youngstown State University. The Greenwoods' contribution will play a pivotal role in ensuring Kilcawley Center remains a vibrant hub for generations of students to come. But their generous philanthropy doesn't stop there. in addition to their $50,000 gift to the Kilcawley Center campaign, the Greenwoods also have committed $100,000 to support renovations at the Beeghly Center. That ongoing campaign seeks to modernize the main sports and entertainment arena on campus. Both projects are sorely needed to keep two major facilities on campus of the highest quality for students and visitors.

Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge 155 in Canfield for reaching its milestone 175th anniversary this year. The lodge has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 1850 under the leadership of Elijah Whittlesey, who served as Secretary of the Treasury under President Zachary Taylor. The lodge has long been in the forefront of charitable giving in the community and it continues its mission to honor with dignity and decorum deceased military members and veterans. The lodge and its auxiliary, Rebekkah's of Lodge 155, show no signs of slowing down, In fact, they just keep growing. This year the lodge received two trophies for having the most new members. The lodge has 47 members and the Rebekah's have 30. We congratulate the lodge and wish it well as it continues to put a decidedly positive spin on the adjective "odd" in its community service and charitable giving.

ORCHID: To the U.S. Department of Defense for recently delivering a shiny new $110 million C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft to the Youngstown Air Reserve Station. The state-of-the-art cargo plane is the second of eight for the Vienna air base, home of the esteemed 910th Airlift Wing. Compared to the Valley base's previous C-130H model, the C-130J reduces manpower requirements by two personnel per aircraft, lowers operating and support costs, flies faster, is more fuel efficient and provides life-cycle cost savings over earlier models. The modernization of the major fleet of YARS underscores the federal government's commitment to the great work that goes on there. It also ensures the base will remain one of the largest and most important cogs in the Mahoning Valley economy for many years to come.

ORCHID: To students in the Youngstown State University Sokolov Honors College who participated in a monthslong fundraising campaign for the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley. Students painted YSU designs on the driveways of faculty, staff, students, alumni and others with connections to the university over about five months last year. When completed, they had raised $10,000 that recently was donated to the community service organization. The level of community outreach displayed in the UW fundraising venture also aligns with YSU's overall efforts to further reach out to those in need throughout the region. We congratulate the honors students for their ongoing commitment to scholarship and for their proven community-service commitment to the betterment of the Youngstown-Warren area.

ONION: To pet owners who irresponsibly and inhumanely leave dogs and cats unsheltered during periods of extreme cold. In the last round of subfreezing conditions in the Mahoning Valley, pounds and animal welfare organizations throughout the area reported many such cases of abuse. Animals can lose their limbs and their lives by overexposure to freezing conditions. Dog houses are insufficient for adequate protection. They must be brought inside. Ohio law prohibits leaving pets outside in extreme weather without adequate food, water, and shelter. Violators can and should face significant fines and jail time.

ORCHID: To Jim and Melissa DiBacco, longtime supporters of Youngstown State University, for recently making a $100,000 contribution to the Kilcawley: Centered on the Future Campaign to renovate the student center on campus. "Jim and Melissa's support of Youngstown State University is a testament to their unwavering commitment to this community," said Scott Schulick, chair of the campaign. "We are deeply grateful for their leadership and their investment in the future of our university." Such generous philanthropy is nothing new for the DiBaccos. They have contributed generously to other major successful campus programs, including the Rich Center for Autism and the Family Leadership Center in Stambaugh Stadium. Their good works will leave indelible imprints on the university for decades to come.

ONION: To individuals who rely too heavily on space heaters for heating their homes. When used improperly they can start home fires that can prove deadly. Space heaters were believed to have played a role in the home fire on Youngstown's West Side earlier this week that tragically claimed the life of a 5-year-old boy. Space heaters should only be used to heat a small area. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimate that portable heaters are involved in about 1,700 fires per year, resulting in about 80 deaths and 160 injuries annually. If they must be used, CPSC highly recommends keeping them at least 3 feet away from any potentially flammable material. That's advice all should live by.