Orchids & onions
ORCHID: To the North Jackson Historical Society and prominent Jackson Township business owner Tim Lehotsky for their roles in restoring a more than two-century old cemetery in that community. Lehotsky has earned high praise from NJHS leaders — and rightly so — for playing such a crucial, hands-on role in revitalizing the historic Covenanter Cemetery. He manually repaired and righted numerous fallen gravestones, unearthed bases that had sunk underground,and painstakingly chipped away at a tree to free a gravestone encased in its trunk. Among those he restored were those of American Revolutionary War heroes, which made the dedication of the improvements also a most appropriate part of that community’s America250 celebratory events.
ORCHID: To members of the Struthers Rotary Garden Club for their ongoing successful efforts to beautify Mahoning County’s second largest city. Club members recently completed and installed a miniature greenhouse outside of City Hall. The wide variety of vegetables and flowers planted inside of it are free for the taking by residents in need. Others are urged to do their part to replenish the greenhouse. Club members have earned the freshest and most fragrant orchid in the field as the greenhouse represents its 17th beautification project in the city. We’re confident the club’s civic-improvement activities will only grow more robust in the months and years to come.
ORCHID: To the Schwebel Baking Co. of Youngstown for its more than 100 years of service to the Mahoning Valley and a four-state region. Its announcement last week that it will cease all operations later this summer shocked and saddened tens of thousands in the Valley who grew up savoring Schwebel products and have stayed true to the iconic “Youngstown-born, Youngstown-bread” brand. We hope all assistance possible is given to the approximately 500 workers at its main plant and other Ohio workers who soon will be jobless.
ONION: To summer revelers in the Valley who run slipshod all over rules and laws governing local beaches and state parks. Deputies with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office conducted a crackdown on lawbreakers at Lake Milton earlier this month at the behest of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Fifteen people were cited with summonses for offenses including open alcohol containers, drug paraphernalia possession, marijuana possession and public consumption of marijuana. Kudos to the deputies for ensuring health and safety rules are followed to keep the beaches and park areas inviting for all. The crackdown also serves as a valuable reminder to cannabis users that recent revisions in state law now prohibit marijuana use in public areas.
ORCHID: To Ronald Shaklee and Betty Jo Licata for winning the prestigious Heritage Awards from Youngstown State University recently. Both Shaklee, professor emeritus of geography, and Licata, dean emerita of the Williamson College of Business Administration, both clearly rise to the lofty standards the award recognizes, namely for contributions that have significantly advanced YSU and enriched its legacy. Shaklee, who began his teaching there in 1987, has overseen the growth in numbers and in stature of the university’s honors and scholars program. Licata who served 26 years in her post oversaw construction of a new state-of-the-art building, strengthened programming and oversaw the growth of community-business partnerships. Both clearly have left indelible positive imprints on the university’s legacy.
ONION: To trash collectors who provide poor or no service to their customers in the Mahoning Valley. Several residents of Girard recently attended a city council meeting and issued complaints about their service. They cited examples of trash and debris left all over roads and devil strips and certain neighborhoods of the city being bypassed altogether. Councilman Thomas Grumley agreed: “Trash is all over the place some weeks,” he said. While we recognize sanitation workers face thankless, dirty jobs, any instance of garbage strewn carelessly across properties opens the door to blight and public-health threats.
ORCHID: To the ABC (Austintown, Boardman, Canfield) Water District, Boardman Local Schools and Kent State University for creating a hands-on environmental education laboratory for students in the junior and senior high schools of the district. The project that transformed a former elementary school into the Forest Lawn Storm Water Park carries great value on two fronts. First, the new park serves as a functioning stormwater retention center to reduce or eliminate chronic flooding in that neighborhood. Second, about 50 students are gaining the opportunity to work directly with scientists from Kent State University’s Environmental Science and Design Research Institute to collect actual water samples, document plant life, and observe aquatic organisms in the stream. From all accounts, the partnership has succeeded beyond expectations in both its environmental and educational missions.
ORCHID: To Sandy Ketchum of Boardman for her exhilarating 58-year (and counting) career as a physical education teacher in the Valley and for her traditional old-school teaching philosophy. She has taught children in 10 schools within the Diocese of Youngstown for those six decades and will continue that job at St. Nicholas School in Struthers in the 2026-27 academic year. As for her teaching style, she states bluntly, “”I don’t put up with misbehavior.” She remains a stern disciplinarian to those pupils who do not fall into line. That’s one old-school quality that deserves a revival considering many children these days seem to lack the respect for authority figures that used to be second nature back in the day.
Orchids & onions
ORCHID: To clergy and parishioners at St. Patrick Church of Youngstown for reaching their milestone 100th anniversary earlier this month. Hundreds of current and past congregation members and former pastors gathered for a special Mass and celebratory lunch to mark the proud achievement. The Gothic-style Oak Hill Avenue structure has been a landmark on the city’s South Side for 10 decades now. More importantly, the faithfulness of its members and their dedication to community involvement and betterment of it have long been trademarks of the institution. While throngs of other churches have come and gone in the city over the past century, clearly St. Patrick still stands strong. And its motto — St. Pat is Where It Is At – remains just as vibrant as ever.
ORCHID: To 2014 Canfield High School graduate Mary Elizabeth Monda for her honors on the red carpet of the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival earlier this month for having a film she produced premiere at the fest. The inclusion of her movie “Caity” in the internationally popular festival, founded by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, brings priceless prestige and validation to her work. We hope this achievement serves as a springboard for continued acclaim and commercial success for the proud Cardinal graduate.
ONION: To door-to-door vendors and salespeople in the Mahoning Valley who fail to follow legal protocols — let alone common decency. In Boardman, for example, township Administrator Mark Ragozine recently reported canvassers for a private company had been knocking on neighborhood doors as late as 9:45 p.m. in clear violation of the community’s 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. restrictions. It and others also had failed to properly register and pay for a permit for such solicitation, the official said. Reputable solicitors should have no problems following such reasonable guidelines to protect residents. Those who do should face the music — including charges for trespassing on private property.
ORCHID: To Austintown-based Falco Tech, FIRST Robotics Competition Team 3193, for placing first in the recent Ohio State Robotics Championship in New Albany. The talented team members bested a field of nearly three dozen of the Buckeye State’s most successful robotics squads. We’re certain the valuable STEM skills the Falco champs have acquired will also make them winners in their classrooms and in their chosen career paths.
ORCHID: To John Anthony, guitarist for the Valley’s phenomenally popular The Vindys and rock music educator for Austintown Local Schools, for his inclusion in a ceremony last week in New York City renaming a portion of West Eighth Street “Jimi Hendrix Way” in honor of the legendary and highly influential musician who died in 1970. Anthony’s invite recognized his contribution to preserving the legacy of Hendrix through the Valley teacher’s creation of a lesson on the 1960s guitarist on Teach Rock, an online STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) curriculum. The lesson includes exclusive archival footage of his performances and expert interviews on the icon’s groundbreaking psychedelic sound. To treat yourself to your own Jimi Hendrix experience, simply go to teachrock.org.
ONION: To all who disobey the rules of the road when riding scooters and e-bikes throughout the Valley. Earlier this month, Girard City Council members discussed a recent rise in resident complaints about e-bike riders not following traffic rules and not wearing helmets. With reports of e-scooter accidents on the rise throughout Ohio — some of which have caused fatalities — riders should be reminded they must generally follow bicycle-style traffic rules. The devices are limited to maximum speeds of 20 mph, and no one under 16 is allowed to operate them without parental supervision. With the rise in scooter and e-bike use, we call for communities to follow Girard’s example of increased surveillance of them. Doing so will help ensure maximum safety for those riding them and for those who could be unlucky enough to cross paths with them accidentally.
ORCHID: To U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Bainbridge, for reintroducing legislation recently to help reduce opioid overdoses in American public schools by expanding school access to Naloxone, a proven effective overdose antidote. Joyce, who represents all of Trumbull County, said, “Naloxone has proven to be a safe and effective opioid reversal medication, and expanding access to it could save countless lives.” Clearly, he’s right, and the legislation has merit, considering health officials report a sharp rise in adolescent opioid overdoses and an increase in opioids being spiked with fentanyl, which is up to 50 times more potent than heroin. Sadly, the last time Joyce introduced this legislation, it languished in committee until it died. Members of Congress must not let that neglect happen again this year.
SCRIPTURE
I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants–but let them not turn to folly. Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
Psalm 85:8-9 NIV
Orchids & onions
ORCHID: To Jennifer Blomstrom of Boardman for her potentially life-saving gift of a kidney to longtime friend and Boardman Township Administrator Jason Loree. Loree, who was diagnosed about two decades ago with polycystic kidney disease and today has only 18% normal kidney function, posted a lighthearted request on Facebook recently: “If anybody has an extra kidney laying around, let me know.” Sure enough, Blomstrom, who was born with a third kidney, quickly responded that she did have that extra one and would gladly donate it to Loree. Transplant surgery is scheduled for June 30. We wish both success in the operation and a long life ahead for the respected Boardman leader who leaves his post officially next week. Community members can show their deep appreciation for Blomstrom’s selflessness and compassion by donating to an online account to help defray expenses and loss of income during her relatively long recovery period. Just search “GoFundMe” AND “Support Jen’s Healing.”
ORCHID: To Hadi A. Hadi for his plans to reinvent a treasured Youngstown State campus institution from the past — Pogo’s Pub. The tavern and eatery in the heart of the growing campus has been closed since the early 2000s but was a mainstay for many students from the 1970s through the 1990s. The Youngstown Design Review Committee last week approved exterior improvements to the building at 214 W. Rayen Ave that include new windows, lighting, enclosed patio and more. Hadi also owns the Bull & Bear Neighborhood Grille and Tavern, which opened in 2024 in the former Inner Circle space on the fringe of campus, and has plans yet undisclosed for yet another vacant space adjacent to Pogo’s. We commend Hadi for his supersized commitment to enhancing the total campus experience at YSU.
ONION: To those slovenly sloths who put public health at risk by indiscriminately dumping tires, mattresses, garbage and other debris at random sites in the Mahoning Valley. In Youngstown, a man was recently charged with dumping items — including a dead dog — over a guardrail on a West Side street. His offense is nothing new as Youngstown leaders have long been fighting those who dump tires, mattresses and all kinds of trash. Not only does cleanup of the messes take a toll on public health, it also costs taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. That’s why it’s urgent that residents report any sightings of dumping to local police or the county’s Green Team at 330-740-2060.
ORCHID: To the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force for its stellar work in cracking down hard on the scum of the earth — the johns who facilitate human trafficking and prostitution. According to a report released last week by outgoing Attorney General Dave Yost titled “The Drivers of Demand,” a whopping 762 arrests of sex buyers were made between 2019 and 2025 in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties. That’s more than one-third of the total arrests throughout Ohio’s other 85 counties. Most of those arrests resulted from the skilled investigative diligence of the task force, whose members represent a cross-section of law enforcement agencies in the Valley led by the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office.
ONION: To the growing ranks of shady scammers out there terrorizing victims with lies, fake alerts and high-pressure tactics to steal money and personal information in digital wallet hoaxes. ConsumerAffairs magazine recently reported a noticeable rise in reports involving such shenanigans, particularly those impersonating trusted brands like Apple and major banks. The criminals send fraudulent text messages or emails claiming a suspicious transaction occurred, your account is locked or immediate action is required. Once returning the call, the hucksters try — and often succeed — in acquiring your personal information and bank account numbers. Your best advice should you become a victim: Never call a number from a text: Apple and major banks will not send unexpected, urgent text messages pressuring you to call a phone number.
ORCHID: To the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition for its success in landing a $250,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development’s Industry Sector Partnership Grant program for expanding its youth outreach campaigns and programs. The coalition, which includes 75 business members and 25 associate members, strives hard to ensure school students throughout the Valley are aware of manufacturing and the critical role it plays in the local economy. It does so through school programs, active participation in Junior Achievement’s BizTown at Eastwood Mall, as well as specialty preapprentice and internship programs. Clearly, the coalition is doing a lot of things right as it continues to be recognized and praised by state leaders. In fact, the 2026 award marks the fifth time the MVMC has garnered the grant.
Orchids & onions
ORCHID: To the Youngstown Board of Education for finding a viable and fiscally responsible solution to its ongoing transportation issues. The board last week agreed to outsource its busing needs to Petermann Bus Co., an Ohio-based private company with experience in school transportation. According to Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor, no current drivers or bus aides will lose their jobs. The contract also will reportedly save the financially-strapped district about $3 million per year while providing service to all students, including high schoolers who had been excluded from district service. We also hope that an improved and reliable student busing system also will help reduce the urban school system’s disturbingly high chronic absenteeism rate.
ORCHID: To the Youngstown Radio Reading Service for reaching its milestone 50th anniversary this year as a vital and fulfilling service for the blind and vision-impaired population of the Mahoning Valley. The station, a subcarrier of WYSU-FM, offers a variety of programming, including daily readings of content from The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, talk shows and special interest programming. The station, which can be streamed worldwide, is a mission service offered by Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries. The value of the service is self-evident in promoting independence, lessening isolation and keeping listeners engaged in their community. For more information, to volunteer or to donate to YRRS, call 330-759-7921.
ONION: To teenagers who get their kicks by taking part in so-called “teen takeovers.” A “teen takeover” refers to large, spontaneously organized gatherings of young people who converge on public spaces, retail areas or entertainment districts after coordinating on social media. Sadly, these massive crowds too often descend into chaos, brawls and violence. One such takeover this spring at a skating rink in Boardman resulted in pepper spray being deployed to break up a fight and disperse a large crowd. As summer gets into full swing and the likelihood of such takeovers increases, local police agencies should not hesitate to monitor them closely and break them up quickly. Targeted businesses should not think twice about adopting strict escort policies for those under 18.
ORCHID: To state Reps. Cecil Thomas, D-Cincinnati, and Phil Plummer, R-Dayton, for responding rapidly and appropriately to recent revelations that deaths from domestic violence in Ohio have skyrocketed to shocking new heights. They totaled 157 in 2025, a 37% increase from 2024, and the number of felony domestic violence cases doubled over that same period. The two have introduced House Bill 846, which would require the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation to develop and maintain a publicly searchable database of people convicted of domestic violence more than once. As Plummer puts it, “If we can shine the light on a certain group of individuals that continue to commit domestic violence, we may be able to save some people along the way.”
ORCHID: To responsible safety-conscious drivers and hard-working law enforcement agencies for producing the safest Memorial Day weekend on Ohio roads in two decades. Over the four-day holiday weekend, only six traffic fatalities were recorded throughout the Buckeye State. That compares to 14 last year and 26 deaths in both 2023 and 2024. Part of that steep decline must be attributable to the stepped-up saturation patrols and OVI checkpoints during and in advance of the weekend by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. With traffic fatalities in the state running slightly above last year’s level overall, now the challenge must be to continue and improve upon the holiday weekend’s relatively strong safety record throughout the second half of the year.
ONION: To disreputable home-improvement companies and contractors that pocket sizable down payments from customers but then fail to complete work, do shoddy work or do no work at all. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost recently sued a Mahoning Valley contractor, alleging violations of the Consumer Sales Practices Act and the Home Solicitation Sales Act. “This contractor pocketed down payments only to abandon the projects,” Yost said in reference to the Valley case, in which several complaints of scams were filed. Heed the attorney general’s words to the wise: Check credentials of home-improvement companies before signing any contract and avoid any requiring a large down payment or requiring full payment before the project is completed and inspected.
ORCHID: To the Ohio Adult Parole Authority for last week denying early release of convicted Trumbull County 61-year-old child rapist Ronald Harris from the Marion Correctional Institution. The authority clearly listened to the well-founded pleas of Trumbull Prosecutor Dennis Watkins’ Child Assault Prosecution Unit led by Gabe Wildman and Jennifer Paris. As Paris pointed out in her communications to the authority board, “The facts underlying Harris’ conviction reflect a prolonged and calculated pattern of sexual abuse against … a vulnerable child in his care.” That threatening demeanor, coupled with a relatively recent incident of Harris violating prison rules by engaging in sexual activity inside the prison, clearly indicate he does not deserve an exit door this year from his maximum sentence of life in prison.