Orchids & onions
ORCHID: To Poland McKinley Elementary School teacher Samantha Alexee and all students in the school for recently wrapping up a compassionate and fantasmagorical fundraising drive to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. The students raised a whopping $26,000 during the monthlong campaign in the community. As Principal Matt Beard aptly put it, “Our kids are always wanting to help others, and this year they took the ball and ran with it.” That penchant for giving carries on as well, as illustrated by Poland Middle School student Sophia Jones who led a successful fundraiser for Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley that raked in $850 and many large bags of toys. Congratulations to all for setting such a fine example for other schools throughout the region.
ORCHID: To Zac Brown Band percussionist Daniel de los Ryes and drummer Chris Fryar for taking time out of their busy touring schedule to visit Boardman High School last week to mentor members of the award-winning Boardman rock orchestra Project Mayhem. The value of the Grammy-winning artists’ visit to the high school cannot be overstated. Boardman Band Director Bill Amendol sized up its impact succinctly: “It’s life-changing for some of these kids to interact with people that are professional at that level.”
ORCHID: To Rayen Early College Middle School student Josiah Jackson for being selected among 200 city students as Youngstown’s student ambassador to a national conference on nonviolence and violence prevention this summer in Washington, D.C. His honor capped his participation in the national Do the Write Thing initiative, which encourages middle school students to write about violence in their lives and how to prevent it. In his essay, Josiah hit the nail squarely on the head in writing “You can do many things to express to other people how you feel without resorting to violence.”
ONION: To the scores of perverted adults in Ohio, mostly men, who continue to prey on teens and children to satisfy their deviant sexual desires. Despite widespread crackdowns on johns in recent years, it’s clearly evident such scum remains a major stain on the Buckeye State. Fortunately, battling the scourge continues aggressively. A statewide crackdown dubbed Operation Spring Cleaning organized by Attorney General Dave Yost this month concluded statewide stings that netted 122 arrests. Among those are 11 from the tireless work of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. We salute the task force and all participants in the success of Spring Cleaning but urge them strongly to continue to seek out and prosecute perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law. The long-term physical and mental harm to victims demands nothing less.
ORCHID: To the Liberty Township Trustees for their recent actions to ensure the impact of this summer’s grand America250 celebration of the nation’s semiquincentennial hits close to home. Trustees recently approved a $2,500 donation to the Liberty Community and Historical Society celebration, which will include a heritage tour to various sites in the township with significant ties to American history. For example, five Revolutionary War veterans are buried in Liberty’s Seceders (Corners) Cemetery. Such events can help all residents recognize that even in their own little corner of the world, they and their forebears have played critical roles in the growth of our mighty nation.
ORCHID: To Noelle Venerose of Hubbard for her courage, strength and perseverance in battling Crohn’s Disease, in raising public awareness of the condition all the while soaring as a super mother to three young children. Venerose has faced difficult health challenges throughout her life with Crohn’s Disease, an inflammatory bowel disease. Nonetheless, she has overcome most of those challenges and in the past seven years has married and is raising three young boys. Her story of resilience now can be spread nationally as she is a candidate for New Beauty magazine’s Super Mom award for 2026 for which super model Heidi Klum is contest ambassador. We wish Venerose the best in her quest for the national title. In our book, however, she’s already proven herself a Super Duper Mom.
ONION: To irresponsible outdoor grill users who trigger avoidable disasters by placing grills too close to flammable structures, leaving them unattended, neglecting grease buildup or mishandling fuel. These careless habits can cause catastrophic property damage, severe injuries and deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports an average of 21,682 people are treated in emergency rooms each year for outdoor grilling injuries. As summer grilling season gets in full swing, follow these simple safety measures closely: Keep your grill in a well-ventilated space, at least 3 feet away from your home, and never leave them unattended while cooking.
Orchids & onions
ORCHID: To Dr. Robert Ricchiuti and Phyllis Ricchiuti for their prestigious and deserving honor as winners of this year’s Friends of the University Award from Youngstown State University. The high honor shows appreciation for their extraordinary leadership, philanthropy and lasting impact on YSU and the Mahoning Valley. More specifically, the Ricchiutis financed and launched The Paula and Anthony Rich Center for the Study and Treatment of Autism 31 years ago in memory of family members. Since then, it has grown into a formidable and nationally recognized institution that transforms the lives of children on the autism spectrum while providing invaluable hands-on learning opportunities for YSU students. As YSU President Bill Johnson aptly put it, “Bob and Phyllis represent the very best of what it means to be a Friend of the University.”
ORCHID: To students in the Austintown Fitch High School skilled trades program for constructing a set of custom-built sheds for use at the all-inclusive Walnut Grove playground in Canfield. The project provided students with valuable hands-on experience in such skills as framing, roofing, door construction, teamwork and project planning. At the same time, their labor and generosity provided an invaluable community service that will have a long-lasting impact.
ONION: To those thousands of short-sighted motorists in the Mahoning Valley who routinely drive without first buckling up their seat belts. According to a study released last fall by the Ohio Traffic Safety Office, the Valley, part of District 4 of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, reports the lowest seat belt compliance rate in the state at 83% compared with the national compliance rate of 92%. In Mahoning County alone, that rate is even more alarming at barely 80%. Although the patrol’s annual Click It or Ticket campaign officially ends shortly after this Memorial Day weekend, we hope troopers and other law enforcement agencies crack down on the state’s many seat-belt sluggards year-round and that state legislators finally answer Gov. Mike DeWine’s call to make failure to buckle up a primary traffic offense. After all, the proof is abundantly clear that seat belts save lives.
ORCHID: To the Ohio Senate for unanimously passing a bill last week sponsored by state Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, to designate a portion of state Route 11 in Canfield as the Trooper Nicholas P. Cayton Memorial Highway. Cayton, many will recall, was the Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper who was killed when his cruiser was struck by a semitruck while Cayton was providing assistance to a disabled motorist. The designation is fitting in that it pays tribute to the stellar service and ultimate sacrifice made by Cayton in his pursuit of keeping Ohio’s highways safe for all. The Ohio House of Representatives should waste no time in also unanimously passing this most appropriate legislation.
ORCHID: To the nearly 50 recipients of Youngstown Police Department awards at a ceremony last week at St. Dominic Church in the city. Police Chief Sharon Cole distributed the well earned honors to recognize the bravery, valor, initiative, professionalism and life-saving work of members of the police force. Taking home the coveted excellent duty award was Detective Sgt. George Anderson, which is awarded to an officer who shows “continual, evident, professional performance during the entire year.” Specifically that award recognizes Anderson’s amazing success at investigating nine homicides and receiving convictions of suspects in every single one of them. Congrats to him and all award winners. Too often, the critical work of our Valley’s men and women in blue goes unrecognized and underappreciated.
ORCHID: To AIM Transportation Solutions headquartered in Girard for its inclusion on Transport Topics’ 2026 list of North America’s Top Dedicated Contract Carriers. The annual ranking highlights the largest and most successful dedicated contract carriers on the continent, based on evaluations of fleet size, service capabilities and overall operational strength. AIM, one of the largest, privately owned truck leasing companies in the world, can rightfully boast of 100 operations, 11,000 vehicles and 1,000 employees. This newest honor adds yet another feather to the AIM’s cap, including honors from Newsweek magazine’s as Most Loved Workplace in the U.S. award and the Top Company Award for Women to Work in Transportation from the national Women in Trucking Association. Given such strength, we’re confident AIM will keep on truckin’ powerfully and productively for the long haul.
ONION: To thoughtless and cold-hearted pet owners in the Mahoning Valley who neglect to keep their dogs and cats cool and comfortable as summer nears and temperatures soar. Earlier this week, the Mahoning County dog warden reported two dogs died from heat stroke as the mercury reached 90 degrees. When temperatures get that high and higher, dog pound officials say any dog tied up outside for more than a few minutes is at severe health risk. Responsible pet owners therefore should follow these potentially life-saving tips: Never leave pets in parked cars; always provide fresh, cool water; limit outdoor activity during peak heat hours; and walk dogs in the early morning or late evening.
Orchids & onions
ORCHID: To Brandi Parker, Axess Family Services assistant director of Veterans Services, and her associates for moving swiftly in their needed community mission to assist homeless veterans in the Mahoning Valley. Last week, Parker showed off progress that has been made in constructing 14 apartments for homeless military veterans out of steel shipping containers in Youngstown. The complex, complete with a commons area with special services for veterans, is expected to be ready for occupancy this fall. But Axess is not stopping there. It has purchased land on each of the three other corners of Hillman Street and West Warren Avenue with plans to build single-family housing units there as well. This new housing development not only provides needed assistance to military veterans, it also brings new life to a key corridor of the South Side.
ORCHID: To David “D.J.” Colella for being named a quarterfinalist for the 2027 Grammy Award for Music Educator of the Year. That award recognizes current public and private school educators across the United States who have made a significant and lasting contribution to music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The 11-year veteran instructor and band director in Girard clearly has made his mark in those noble goals. We wish him the best moving forward to semifinalist status for this striking achievement, particularly in showing the important role music education plays in a students’ curriculum. In addition to mastering the artistic and technical skills of their chosen instrument, solid music education programs have been proven to boost overall academic performance, enhance cognitive development and foster mature social-emotional skills.
ONION: To the seemingly growing ranks of fraudsters who in their seedy quest for easy money target senior citizens over the internet. One such scammer, Shreyas Baldevbhai Chaudhary, 25, of Gandhinagar, India, pleaded guilty earlier this month in U.S. District Court in Cleveland to conducting a money laundering conspiracy in which six older adults, including one 77-year-old man in Columbiana County, lost a total of $5 million in the hijinks. To prevent such elder abuse, seniors are urged to ignore unknown pop-ups, refuse to share personal information with strangers, never send payments via gift cards and use updated security software.
ORCHID: To the Ohio State Highway Patrol for launching an Operating a Vehicle Impaired Checkpoint blitz and heightened saturation patrols across the state this week. The campaign clearly is warranted. According to the patrol’s OVI dashboard, Ohio has already logged more than 60 fatal crashes and nearly 200 serious-injury crashes tied to impaired driving since the start of 2026. In Mahoning County, OVI citations by the patrol have increased from 76 at this point last year to 161 so far this year. In Trumbull County, the increase from 84 to 110 is lower but still troubling. We hope the aggressive patrol campaign launches a needed downward trend in those numbers. Meanwhile, motorists should heed these tips from the patrol: schedule a sober ride, use rideshare options or a designated driver and call in unsafe drivers when you see them.
ONION: To those pinheaded motor-vehicle operators in the Valley who foolishly insist on texting while driving. In Canfield, for example, police Chief Chuck Colucci recently reported his department has issued 17 such citations and issued 13 texting-while-driving warnings since February. Need we remind all that texting while driving in Ohio is illegal under a 2023 “hands-free” law, with violators facing up to $500 fines and two license points. Most importantly it is extremely dangerous, making drivers 23 times more likely to crash, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.
ORCHID: To the James and Coralie Centofanti Charitable Foundation for last week pledging an additional $500,000 gift to continue its support of the longtime Centofanti Symposium and lecture series at Youngstown State University. That free lecture series to the public has enriched our community with such well respected and knowledgeable speakers as Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Gloria Steinem, W. Kamau Bell and Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini. With this new gift, the foundation has now donated more than $3.2 million over the years to the university, including contributions to the Rich Center for Autism and the Carl Nunziato Veterans Center.
ORCHID: To the major award winners at last week’s annual awards luncheon by the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board. The ceremony takes place to shine a spotlight on those individuals and projects that promote healthy and productive mental well-being in our community. We particularly tip our hats to several of the major winners at the event at Our Lady of Mount Carmel social hall in Youngstown. They include Boardman Police Chief Todd Werth for his department’s opening of the Clarence W. Smith Mahoning Valley First Responder Wellness Center, Austintown schools Director of Security Sgt. Kathy Dina for her expertise and stellar planning skills in rescuing and relocating more than 130 Phoenix House residents after an explosion there last fall and to Austintown Trustee Monica Deavers and Administrator Mark D’Apolito for their work in establishing a Safe Haven Baby Box at a township fire station. Bravo to all!
ORCHID: To the Youngstown State University men’s and women’s track and field teams for maintaining their long record of front-runner status in the Horizon League. Both teams finished first again last weekend in the league championships in Rochester, Michigan. The men earned their seventh straight title, while the women captured their 17th Horizon championship. Their consistent speed and stamina bring home honor to themselves, their team and their university.
Orchids & onions
ORCHID: To Mark Lamoncha, president and CEO of Columbiana-based Humtown Products, for being honored by President Donald Trump earlier this week as Small Business Person of the Year for the U.S. Small Business Administration. Lamoncha was selected among all other state nominees for the prestigious honor. And for good reason. He has overseen amazing production and hiring growth in recent years at Humtown, a global leader of conventional and 3D printed sand cores and molds. In his remarks, the president said the federal government could use more leaders just like Lamoncha. Truer words were never spoken.
ORCHID: To the board of trustees of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County for voting last week to make the logical and fiscally responsible decision to close the current Poland library branch and construct a new one. For months, the decision on whether to close or renovate the library created significant controversy and deep division among residents of Poland and surrounding areas. The board, however, acted in the best long-term interests of taxpayers. After all, the cost of repairing and maintaining the current location would far exceed the costs of constructing a new building. In coming weeks and months, we hope the community can rally around the sound decision that ensures quality and state-of-the-art library services without breaking the bank for decades to come.
ONION: To those responsible for providing grossly inaccurate data about Youngstown City Schools’ student enrollment to the state Department of Education and Workforce’s Chronic Absenteeism Dashboard. As of its most recent update this week, the ODEW had listed total enrollment in the district as 5,602, but state report card data from last fall and a city schools’ spokesperson say the enrollment is approximately 4,500, a difference of more than 1,000 students. That inaccurate data that has been posted several weeks now clearly would skew (and worsen) the district’s already lamentable standing of a 63% chronic absenteeism rate. ODEW spokesperson said the enrollment data posted is provided by local school officials. Regardless of who is at fault, we hope the error is corrected promptly and, more importantly, that Youngstown schools’ leaders continue to work aggressively to increase regular school attendance among all of their students.
ORCHID: To Ron Daniels, a Youngstown native and longtime civil rights, social and political activist, educator, scholar and college professor, for the rightful honors he received last week at a benefit dinner in his honor at New Bethel Baptist Church in Youngstown. Older residents may well remember the civil rights leader’s long-running local TV show and his organization Freedom Inc., both of which focused on black empowerment and nonviolent political action in Youngstown. He went on to become an associate of the Rev. Jesse Jackson and ran for president in 1992. At 84, he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. As the honoree himself put it so well at the dinner, “I have had a blessed life, and the Lord isn’t finished with me yet.”
ORCHID: To the 20 student ambassadors from Youngstown East and Chaney high schools for their commitment to ensure a seamless transition when the schools merge to create Youngstown High School this fall. The students have accepted the colossal responsibility of establishing a cohesive and peaceful school environment for the first group of Defenders, the new school’s mascot. Already, they’ve been hard at work to help their peers better resolve conflicts peacefully and to create a positive school environment. To those tasks, we would hope the ambassadors work to persuade their peers of the necessity for regular school attendance as the district and particularly its high school students have among the highest chronic absenteeism rates in the state.
ORCHID: To officials of Campbell City Schools and the Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries Inc. for forming an exciting new partnership that brings with a plethora of benefits for students, the community and the clients of Goodwill. With the assistance of the school district, Goodwill plans to open an indoor retail store and outside donation center at the Campbell Health and Community Development Center. Students will gain invaluable hands-on experience in sales, retail management, marketing and advertising, the community will receive a new hometown shopping option, and the new operation will further Goodwill’s mission of assisting individuals facing barriers to employment and economic independence.
ONION: To primary election candidates and their supporters who have been too lazy to remove campaign signs from private and public properties throughout the Valley since Tuesday’s election. The sign owners have had ample time to remove them. When placed, the signs supporting candidates for a variety of local offices presented a timely message to help impact the outcome of the election. Today, however, they serve no useful purpose and merely stand out as an outdated sign of visual environmental pollution.
ORCHID: To the Ohio Parole Board for recently making the eminently correct and just decision to deny parole for two of Trumbull County’s most notorious criminals. Board members denied early freedom for Alfonsia Perry, 68, and Christopher Daniel, 57. Perry was convicted in 1994 for beating his Hubbard girlfriend with 71 blows from an ax handle in front of her young children. Daniel was convicted in 1989 of the savage, fatal attack of a couple in Warren 1988, killing the husband and permanently blinding the wife. Both are scheduled for their next parole hearings in 2029; both again should be readily denied.
Orchids & onions
ORCHID: To the dozen schools in Mahoning and Trumbull counties that recently earned the coveted Purple Star awards from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Those schools are Canfield High School and Canfield Village Middle School, both of which had their star renewed, plus new honorees Lakeview High School, Mineral Ridge High School, Niles Primary, Niles Intermediate, Niles Middle and Niles McKinley High schools, B.L. Miller Elementary in Sebring, Southington Elementary School, South Range Elementary School and West Branch Middle School. The award highlights a school’s significant commitment to supporting military-connected students, who often face unique challenges such as frequent relocations and parental deployments. They also go above and beyond in recognizing and honoring military veterans in their districts and in playing a vital role in taking care of those who serve the nation.
ONION: To drivers who continue to hit the roads drunk as skunks. A sobriety checkpoint in Youngstown last week netted a whopping eight Operating a Vehicle Impaired arrests in a few short hours. The arrests reportedly included a Youngstown police officer. Recent OVI checkpoints in the Mahoning Valley typically have netted one, two or even zero OVI arrests. The steep increase clearly illustrates that some pig-headed drinkers still have not gotten the message that excessive alcohol consumption (or drug use) mixed with operating a motor vehicle simply don’t mix well. It also illustrates that the need for ongoing checkpoints and regular saturation patrols by the task force and all law enforcement agencies to rid roadways of these menaces must continue unabated.
ORCHID: To the recently announced 25 Under 35 honorees for 2026 of the Mahoning Valley Young Professionals organization, an affiliate of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, for strong skill sets that are making an impact through leadership, innovation and community involvement. The honorees, too numerous to list here, include representatives from banking, financial management, the arts, retail, marketing, education, local government and more vocations. Their achievements and successes not only bring honor to themselves, but they also could help stem the high tide of outmigration of young people from the Mahoning Valley. After all, the 25 honorees rise as concrete examples for other aspiring young people that great opportunities and livelihoods are available right here in their own back yards of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.
ORCHID: To 20-year-old Juliette Dietl of Boardman for her courage, optimism and resilience in dealing with her second bout of glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. Her positive attitude and unbridled desire to beat the odds of the often-fatal diagnosis have won her admiration of many fellow victims of the disease. Her narrative of overcoming her challenges also has gained her more than 15,000 followers on TikTok. We’re certain her positivity brings a ray of sunshine into the lives of others facing the same or similar diagnoses. Kudos must also go out to her mother, father and fiancé who have provided unconditional support to Juliette. Those who wish to help this spirited young woman continue her needed treatment in Germany should plan to attend fundraisers on her behalf at the Riverview Golf Club in Newton Falls on Sunday or at The Lake Club in Poland on May 14.
ONION: To perpetrators of a new and seedy text-message scam throughout Ohio regarding totally false accusations of traffic violations to recipients. According to county sheriffs, motorists are getting messages claiming to be a “Final Notice – Court Enforcement Action” for an alleged traffic violation tied to their vehicle. These messages demand payment, may appear to come from a court and often include a QR code. They are false. The sheriffs also offer this sage advice: Never click on a link or scan a QR code from an unknown source. Targeted victims of this scam also should report it immediately to their local law enforcement agency.
ORCHID: To Columbiana County Republican Party Chairman Dave Johnson for his recent election to Ohio’s Republican National Committee. Johnson, of Salem, is one of the longest-serving county chairmen in the state, having first been elected to the post in 1989. Over the years, he has been regarded as one of the most influential members of the party in the state and in playing a major role in shifting the state and the Mahoning Valley from Democrat dominance to Republican control. In his new role, Johnson will oversee the party’s fundraising, strategy coordination and the 2028 presidential nominating process. The former Ohio state representative’s inclusion on the state’s national committee rises as a natural and well deserved extension of his years of dedicated and honorable political and community service.
ORCHID: To the Ohio Supreme Court for unanimously acting last week to remove a potential barrier to convicted murderer Danny Lee Hill’s legitimate and well-deserved death sentence. The justices ruled 7-0 that Hill cannot use civil rules to challenge his punishment of execution. The court reversed an appellate decision that allowed Hill to use a civil rule to argue against his conviction based on intellectual disability. Sadly, however, the case must now go back to the Warren-based 11th District Court of Appeals to follow the proper postconviction relief process. His date with death has been rescheduled to July 18, 2029, which itself is a travesty for someone convicted in 1986 of the 1985 brutal rape and murder of 12-year-old Boy Scout Raymond Fife in Warren. His mother Miriam and other family members have been denied justice and closure for far too long already.
ORCHID: To students, teachers and staff at Struthers High School and Youngstown Chaney High School for recently earning the prestigious Governor’s Momentum Award from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. That award is aptly named as it recognizes schools that have zoomed upward in their overall Performance Index on 2025 state report cards by three or more points from the previous year. These significant improvements validate schools’ efforts to improve student achievement, enhance schools’ reputation and boost community pride. They also serve as models for other districts in the Mahoning Valley in demonstrating that measurable academic improvement is attainable and well worth actively pursuing.
ORCHID: To Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office Detective John Dina for spearheading the office’s first internship program for criminal justice students at Youngstown State University. In the program, the interns receive hands-on exposure to nearly every facet of law enforcement. Ben Phillips, 19, a first-year criminal justice student, recently spent 90 hours rotating through the sheriff’s office operations from the ins and outs of making arrests to overseeing convictions in local courts. That hands-on experience paid off handsomely for Phillips. “It cemented more that this is the career that I want to continue with,” he said after finishing the internship and applying for a job as a corrections officer. Such results also benefit the sheriff’s office and other law enforcement agencies in conquering common challenges of understaffing and lackluster recruitment efforts.