Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To Youngstown City Council for unanimously authorizing $120,000 for a thorough state audit of the city's safety forces after unacceptably high rates of overtime pay in the police department was reported by this newspaper. Earlier this year, The Vindicator reported 15 city officers earned $50,000 or more in OT last year. The review to be conducted in State Auditor Keith Faber's office will focus on resource management, staffing and overtime practices. We hope the state bean counters can complete the audit as expeditiously as possible and issue concrete recommendations that will lead to greater efficiency and time management in both the police and fire departments.

ORCHID: To Bike Share Youngstown for rolling along to enhance urban revitalization in two legacy South Side neighborhoods and to promote bicycling as a safe, accessible and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. The organization will host its YO! Motion Mobilizing Midlothian Community Bike Ride and Health Fair 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday starting at the Youngstown Playhouse. Bikers will travel through and witness ongoing renewal in the Midlothian and Idora neighborhoods and will encourage greater use of the new Midlothian Corridor bike lanes. Of course the shindig also will reinforce the many health benefits of unmotorized two-wheel travel, namely improved cardiovascular fitness, proper weight management, improved joint mobility, increased strength and flexibility and reduced body fat.

ONION: To those cable and telecommunications company workers who have been wreaking havoc on properties in the Mahoning Valley in their quest to install state-of-the-art fiber optic lines with Energizer Bunny speed. Boardman Township trustees recently got an earful from angry residents about the damage and destruction such work has caused on private properties. Attorney John Shultz was one of the loudest: ''They have destroyed driveways ... they have knocked out street lights" and parked heavy equipment in yards without permission. Because of limited government rules of townships, trustees unfortunately are relatively powerless to deal with the mess. We join trustees in urging affected property owners to report such destruction to the Federal Communications Commission.

ORCHID: To the governing board of the Western Reserve Port Authority for voting unanimously last week to begin the effort to rid downtown Youngstown of two major white elephants. Specifically, it authorized WRPA Executive Director Anthony Trevena to negotiate for the purchase of properties at 39 S. Champion St. and 101 E. Boardman St. -- better known respectively as the Harshman Building and Thomas Humphries Hall of the defunct Eastern Gateway Community College Youngstown campus. The major buildings have been essentially lifeless since the closing of EGCC last year. Given that they are instrumental in the revitalization of the East End of downtown, we wish Trevena nothing but success in the quest to purchase and then find new and productive uses for the properties.

ORCHID: To the Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past for sponsoring an educational and exciting slate of events for middle school students this week during its Freedom School at the Tyler History Center in Youngstown. The programming included special focuses each day of the week on key moments in the tumultuous civil-rights history of our nation. It concludes Saturday with a tour of Underground Railroad sites and a visit to a new statue of Abraham Lincoln in Salem. That impressive series of events further reinforces the stellar reputation of Sojourn as a force for promoting interracial understanding and nonviolence in our community.

ORCHID: To the Mahoning Valley Tree Corps and its partners for their successful efforts to beautify Youngstown and Warren. The corps, whose partners include CityScape, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. and the Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, is working to enhance the tree canopy in the Valley's two largest metro centers. Residents there would be foolish not to take advantage of the tree corps' offer to plant a tree in their yard or devil strip -- free of charge -- by calling 330-742-4040 in Youngstown or 330-599-9275 in Warren. The campaign is rooted in the many benefits fresh shade trees provide: reducing air pollution from cars and factories, providing needed summer shade, cooling homes, reducing energy bills, encouraging outdoor physical activity and improving mental health and wellness.

Letters to the Editor

Sound off!

Just read in The Vindy today that a person who threatened a police officer with a knife (the officer was not injured) was sentenced to 4-6 years in prison. The Trumpers who attacked our nation's Capitol building, causing countless injuries and millions in damages, were pardoned by Trump because they were "patriots." This country is broken beyond repair. God help us.

-- Youngstown

While Trump and Musk were taking a chainsaw to the government he was wasting and making money. Faux news won't tell you this but Trump spent $45 million on a birthday parade, $26 million golfing, another $134 million to send the National Guard and Marines to L.A. And he was doubling his net worth from $2.4 billion to over $4 billion with mean coins. Now he's planning to sell cellphones. The presidency is nothing but a money making venture for him.

-- Campbell

While we're viciously arresting immigrants no matter how long they have been productive members of society, and not as criminals, will ICE be marching into Mar a Lago and Trump's properties unannounced, ready to wrestle HIS illegals to the floor in order to hand and ankle cuff them? Oh wait, they just realized they need some of them for all of their service industries and food gathering, so they will be retained since Trump and pals have to eat, and they are cheap labor. Such shame.

-- Liberty

As a young person, I remember seeing news clips at the movies, showing Hitler's soldiers and tanks on parade. Gave me a chill watching Trump's parade Sunday. I turned it off.

-- Boardman

I believe the Third World disease comment is appropriate as these immigrants are coming from Third World places. Also, it seems the letter writer was trying to convey how sick our community could become. These are people from Detroit and Cleveland not our local community that our sheriff made the deal to take. That's where Texas Gov. Abbott sent some buses northward to…Cleveland and Detroit. So sickness could come here brought to us unnecessarily.

-- Youngstown

Kristi Noem should stick to shooting puppies as Senators, especially Democrats, fight back. Her fellow Clown Cabinet members should resign. By the time voters dump Trump they may. For now, be confident the troops driving inside those tanks were raising a single finger salute as they paraded past the felon grifter-in-chief.

-- Canfield

As Trump's budget bill is big to obfuscate what's in it, and what's in it is trashing most useful programs and lowering taxes for the extremely wealthy and corporations, it should be renamed the Magnificent Meadow Muffin to broadcast what it is through and through. Another effort by our would-be dictator to baffle us with b.s. as he fails to awe us with brilliance. And, it stinks.

-- Canfield

Trump didn't leave G7 early because he was working on stopping another war. … He left because he wasn't the center of attention!

-- Liberty

In his letters to the editor, Jim Cartwright, of Canfield, says it like it is, has such a way with words, and speaks for me and countless Valley residents. Thanks, Jim!

-- New Springfield

Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To John Leseganich, new president of Mahoning Valley Crime Stoppers, for his ambitious and impressive plans to make the crime-fighting tool more effective throughout the region. As his first improvement, he has acquired a dedicated office space for Crime Stoppers operations at Oakhill Renaissance Place in Youngstown. The new office will facilitate business operations and enable expansion of community forums and workshops on crime prevention. He's also working to restructure and increase rewards for tipsters to the agency's hot line. We look forward to greater visibility of Crime Stoppers, which we hope results in more tips from individuals with knowledge of crimes and in speedier arrests and prosecution of criminals. Its phone number that everyone should keep handy is 330-746-CLUE.

ORCHID: To Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge John Durkin for rightly denying a request from former Austintown Township trustee and Poland Township police officer Steve Kent for early release from prison. Kent was sentenced in 2023 for destroying evidence by performing a factory reset on his phone within a day of learning that a parent in the Poland Local Schools was going to report allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student to authorities. We agree wholeheartedly with Ohio Assistant Attorney General Kara Keating who said Kent's early release was not appropriate: ''At the time of the offense, (Kent) was a law enforcement officer, sworn to uphold the law, protect the public and serve the community. Knowing that an investigation was (or about to be) in progress, (Kent) broke the law he swore to uphold for his own selfish interests."

ORCHID: To Wally Sinn, a funeral director with Lane Funeral Homes, for his dedication, compassion and endurance for 60 years at the company. Lane recently honored Sinn for his loyalty with a luncheon to celebrate that impressive 60th anniversary milestone. Location Manager Candace Rivera sings Sinn's praises: "He's the most wonderful human being I've ever met. He's adapted to all the changes over the years and he's a wonderful resource to all the staff we hire." With so much going for him, we wish only the best for Sinn as he heads toward a seventh decade of providing expert comfort and support to all who have lost a loved one.

ONION: To those pathetic perpetrators of a text-message scam in which recipients are told they have an outstanding traffic violation and risk driver's license suspension if they do not pay up now. Don't fall for it. The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles sent out an emergency alert last week identifying the statewide swindle as a hoax designed to trick residents into giving up personal or financial information. The BMV urges any victims to not click on any of its links, delete the message immediately, contact local law enforcement and report the scam attempts to the Federal Trade Commission by visiting reportfraud.ftc.gov.

ORCHID: To the Pollock Foundations and PNC Bank for each donating $100,000 to the Kilcawley Centered on the Future campaign to extensively renovate Youngstown State University's student center. With a philanthropic relationship with the university spanning more than 35 years, the Pollock Foundations' total giving to YSU exceeds $1 million. As for PNC, Ted Schmidt, the bank's regional president for Youngstown, called YSU a vital cornerstone of the community. With those two gifts announced last week, the vital campaign for the $50 million project has gained considerable momentum and should have no problem reaching its finish line by year's end.

ONION: To those slovenly sluggards who carelessly dump tires, couches and mattresses on curbs or other properties only to let them linger to create blight and public health nuisances. In Girard last week, a city councilman complained about couches and trash left on curbs for days on end. In Youngstown, after numerous reports of dumping, city council members are considering a crackdown on the approximately 80 tire shops in the city that accept used tires to better ensure the companies dispose of them properly. Considering the environmental and public health dangers associated with such dumping, action to control the problem cannot come soon enough.

ORCHID: To the strong cohesive partnership of local and state agencies that has resulted in the construction of the first house in Campbell in years. Those partners -- the city, the Mahoning County Land Bank, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. and Welcome Home Ohio -- have worked diligently together to help plan and fund the new home on Whipple Avenue, groundbreaking for which took place last week. Mayor George Levendis could hardly hold back his enthusiasm: "This project brings new life into Campbell's neighborhoods . . . It strengthens our tax base, stabilizes our community and shows that Campbell is a place worth investing in." We hope this success story built on solid partnerships can replicate itself many times over in Campbell and throughout Mahoning County.

Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To officials of FirstEnergy involved in creating a new and much improved plan to construct a power line in Youngstown as part of an overall strategy to lessen outages and improve electricity services. The new "preferred route" starts at the Riverbend substation in Youngstown and traverses a 6-mile route of open, uninhabited properties to reach the Lincoln Park substation in Campbell. Many will recall community opposition -- and our opposition -- to the original route of the power line that would have placed unsightly high-tension power lines in full view of downtown and behind the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre, Wean Park and Covelli Centre. We commend FirstEnergy for working closely with city officials and community members and for incorporating their concerns in the widely applauded new route.

ONION: To those bird-brained Youngstown residents who openly flout the city's laws on keeping chickens on their private properties. City Councilwoman Amber White, I-7th Ward, rightly cackled at a city council committee meeting this week about "lots of free-range chickens kind of going everywhere through the streets." Youngstown officials acknowledge most people do not follow codes limiting the number of chickens permitted per household (it's eight) and requiring conditional use permits to own them. Likewise, Michael Durkin, the city's code enforcement and blight remediation superintendent, admitted the city rarely prosecutes violators. Youngstown leaders are now considering tougher standards and enforcing them more rigidly. Given the serious health and safety dangers associated with prodigious poultry populations, city officials should not chicken out on this initiative but act quickly to implement and enforce a meaty crackdown on chicks gone wild.

ORCHID: To the 15 local elected leaders in communities throughout Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties who gathered recently to publicly present a united case against efforts to lessen or eliminate local tax funding from marijuana sales at cannabis dispensaries. We have supported their efforts editorially because tinkering with the funding recipients' shares of tax revenue violates the will of the people who voted to support recreational marijuana legalization and its funding protocols two years ago. We also hope that the same leaders - county commissioners, mayors, township trustees and others - will continue to work together to build a solid front for all common public policy issues affecting the Mahoning Valley as a region.

ONION: To those sun worshippers who throw caution to the wind in attempts to look bronzed and beautiful. This newspaper last weekend presented the poignant story of Jenn Frederick of North Lima who contracted skin cancer that had spread to her lungs and eventually to her brain. She attributes contracting the disease to her years of overexposure to the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays and her visits to tanning salons. We wish her well in her ongoing recovery and commend her for her bravery in bringing this health issue to the fore. She particularly wants to warn young people to be aware of the sun's potentially deadly danger. To that end, people of all ages should follow tips from the American Cancer Society to avoid this most common form of cancer: Seek shade often, wear protective clothing and eyewear, use sunscreen and avoid tanning beds.

ORCHID: To U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his department's brass for giving final approval last week to a $25 million award to the Youngstown Air Reserve Station to finance construction of a new, modern and spacious fire station for the air base. As Josh Prest, Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission's executive director, aptly put it: "This new fire station is critical for the air base and the 910th (Airlift Wing) as we welcome eight new C-130J model airplanes to the Mahoning Valley." From our perspective, the recent outpouring of federal support for numerous base projects indicates YARS will remain a vital cog in the nation's military and the Mahoning Valley's economic vitality for decades to come.

ORCHID: To incoming honorees to the Mahoning County Democratic Party Hall of Fame. The party recently announced it will induct this summer labor leader Bill Padisak, former state and U.S. Rep. John Boccieri, former state Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan and Board of Elections ballot coordinator Ann Simms into the HOF and give its special Trailblazer Award honors to Mahoning County Administrator Audrey Tillis. Although all have been active in party affairs, all also have contributed to community enrichment in the county that benefits residents of all political stripes.

ORCHID: To the Ohio Controlling Board for awarding Youngstown-based Meridian Healthcare a $1 million award to improve and expand its urgently needed services. The funding will finance expansion of its office space, including an in-house pharmacy for easier access to patients. Meridian is a nonprofit that has provided expert primary care, mental health services and substance-use treatment in the Mahoning Valley for more than 50 years. This grant should ensure Meridian remains a vital force in health care in the Valley for years and decades to come.

Editorials

Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To leaders and participants in the Mahoning Valley's Red Rose Club for opening the doors of opportunity to girls interested in the many challenges, joys and benefits of competitive wrestling. The club has attracted dozens of girls from first grade through high school, which illustrates the popularity of girls wrestling as one of the fastest growing sports in the nation. Lexi Beadle, 19, a member of the Baldwin Wallace University wrestling team who helps coach the club, said the sport gives girls confidence and teaches them to rebound from adversity. The club typically meets twice weekly at Dinger's Athletic Facility in Columbiana. Email www.redrosewrestlingclub@gmail.com for information on joining.

ORCHID: To the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber for taking concrete action to combat the brain drain that has plagued the Mahoning Valley for decades. The agency has launched a student engagement and workforce retention initiative to create pathways for skilled young professionals serving internships to remain in the region after graduation by immersing them in the area's professional, social and cultural assets. As Brenda Linert, director of Community Impact for the chamber, aptly put it, "By introducing interns to the dynamic opportunities and supportive professional community here, we're encouraging them to envision a future rooted right here in our region."

ORCHID: To Gateways to Better Living and Grizzly Bean Coffee Shop in Austintown for partnering on a creative project that highlights the skills and ingenuity of adults with developmental disabilities throughout the Mahoning Valley. Every coffee (while supplies last) purchased at Grizzly Bean will come wrapped in a one-of-a-kind sleeve designed by a local artist served by the agency. Kristie Murphy, community engagement director at Gateways, calls the partnership "a celebration of ability, creativity and community." We agree and urge Gateways clients to continue their artistry and for members of the community to support them by purchasing a creative and meaningful cup of Joe.

ORCHID: To Roberta Hiller, CEO of the Youngstown Columbiana Association of Realtors, for her recent honors from the National Association of Realtors. Hiller has been awarded the Realtor Association Certified Executive designation, which recognizes exceptional efforts made by its association executives. This designation commends Hiller for professional growth and expertise in Northeast Ohio housing markets. We congratulate Hiller on her achievements, particularly coming as they do during this most difficult time of downturn in the U.S. housing market, punctuated by elevated mortgage rates and a general slowdown in sales.

ONION: To those dim-witted daredevil motorists who use public roads as NASCAR racetracks and thereby risk death and injuries to themselves and others. Recently, the Ohio State Highway Patrol cited two drivers for zooming 127 mph in a 65 mph zone in Butler County. Locally, since the start of 2025, about 180 drivers have been cited by the patrol in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties for exceeding posted speed limits by 30 mph or more. We have two words for those reckless drivers: Speed kills. The proof is in the numbers. Since 2020, the OSHP has recorded 1,976 deaths caused in high speed-related crashes statewide.

ORCHID: To Jackie Popovec and The Vindys, as well as acclaimed rocker Lita Ford, for lending their five-star talents to this year's benefit concert for the Rich Center for Autism. The concert, which took place last weekend at the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre, was a resounding success thanks in large part to those two sensational female-led acts. As the Youngstown State University-based Rich Center this year marks its 30th anniversary, that lineup was no coincidence. It drives home the point that a group of five women who saw a need for services in the area for those affected by autism rallied together to create the much needed center. Today, thanks in large part to those women, the Rich Center's innovative education and service programs have helped thousands from age 3 to 21 on the autism spectrum from throughout the Valley.

ORCHID: To Flor "Shorty" Navarro for making a $1 million gift to the Kilcawley: Centered on the Future Campaign at Youngstown State University in memory of his wife, Elba Lillian Navarro. In addition to their scholarship support and the Kilcawley gift, the Navarros have previously contributed toward the Nunziato Veterans Resource Center at YSU, the Navarro Commons in Meshel Hall and the newly endowed Elba Navarro Youngstown Community Music Project. "YSU is honored to have supporters like Shorty and Elba Navarro. Over the years, they have shown their love for our university by continually enriching the lives of countless students through their philanthropy," said YSU President Bill Johnson.