Editorials

Orchids & onions

ORCHID: To Canfield-based Troop 25 of Scouting America, formerly Boy Scouts of America, for robustly enduring the test of time with their ongoing successes in youth and community development. The troop last weekend celebrated its 100th anniversary with a festive picnic at Canfield Presbyterian Church. Members and former members gathered to share in the great history of the troop and the lasting contributions its Eagle Scout members have made in community improvements over the decades. We salute past and present troopers for the stellar wilderness and leadership skills they have acquired and for the lasting Scouting-inspired contributions they continue to make for their families and communities.

ORCHID: To the Mahoning County Soil and Conservation District for joining Mill Creek MetroParks personnel in a volunteer cleanup of the expansive Lake Newport area of Mill Creek Park in Youngstown and Boardman. Civic- and environmentally-minded individuals last Sunday grabbed trash bags and gloves, and went to work picking up litter and garbage in and along the critical Mill Creek Watershed. Such socially responsible volunteerism benefits the health of us all as it prevents trash and other pollutants from flowing into other bodies of water connected to the watershed. Of course, it also helps to keep Mill Creek Park, aka "the green oasis," clean and pristine for tens of thousands to enjoy.

ORCHID: To Patrick S. Kiraly for his recent appointment as interim president of Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown. By all indications, Bishop of Youngstown David Bonnar made a most fitting selection for the critical leadership post of the Youngstown Catholic high school. Kiraly, a Mooney and Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate, brings to the post 30 years of leadership experience including his service as a member of the high school's board of directors. Kiraly said he is eager to strengthen and grow Catholic education in the diocese. To be sure, that stands as a challenging task given the downsizing of Catholic education in our six-county diocese and across the nation. Kiraly, however, appears more than up to that challenge.

ORCHID: To the seven former Mahoning Valley Scrappers players who recently upped their game considerably by being selected for professional Major League Baseball franchises in the recent 2026 draft. This strong showing from our Valley's boys of summer reflects the team's and the Draft League's depth and the high-profile talents of their players. Congrats to each of them: Nick Williams (Washington Nationals), Carlos Sanchez ( Baltimore Orioles), Ethan Stade (Atlanta Braves), Ryan Nelson ( Cincinnati Reds), Luke Guth (Chicago Cubs), Chase Frey (Boston Red Sox) and Colton Coates (Boston Red Sox).

ONION: To Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine for recently signing into law a misguided bill that will now require all public school teachers in the state to add yet another burdensome nonacademic task to their list of state-mandated duties. The bill in question here is Senate Bill 276, which requires that students also be told they should -- in this order -- obtain a high school degree, find a full-time job, get married and only then have children. In doing so, according to the bill, they will be following a "success sequence" that makes them "overwhelmingly less likely to live in poverty in adulthood." Sadly, such a sequence, while fitting for many, is not one-size-fits-all. As we editorialized in strongly urging a veto earlier this month, the new law stands to stigmatize many nontraditional family structures, ignores a range of differences that have led to inequity and tarnishes "success" achieved by a different path.

ORCHID: To Ultium Cells for keeping its commitment to its workforce by recalling about 850 workers laid off in January back to their jobs beginning later this month. Ultium Cells, a joint venture between General Motors Co. and LG Energy Solution, laid off about 1,300 workers this year due to a downturn in the EV market. Now that the markets for EVs and the batteries that Ultium produces to power them is rebounding, we hope the remainder of the Valley workforce at the Lordstown plant also can be recalled as soon as possible. The impact of the recalls will be formidable. As Guy Coviello, president and CEO of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, put it, "The return of these employees will provide a boost to our regional economy, supporting local businesses, families and communities across the Mahoning Valley."

ORCHID: To KO Consulting, a community service and economic development company, for its success in securing a handsome $2.1 million in grant dollars for the city of Girard over the past three years. The Youngstown-based company attracted major public and private funding for the city for a variety of projects, most notably for the Ohio Leatherworks property and city cemetery. At a time when municipal budgets face tight constraints, such outside funding permits services and projects to flourish that otherwise would have been impossible. We do agree, however, with some city leaders who have urged greater openness with the city on the types of grants and potential matching city costs necessary for the opportunities KO pursues.

Editorials

Orchids & onions

ORCHID: To the Poland Township Police Department for its statewide honors and recognition as this month's Agency of the Month for outstanding community policing from The Law Enforcement Foundation and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police. The award is most fitting, given the police force's hodgepodge of community engagement programs that include its Citizen Police Academy, Coffee with a Cop, Safety Forces Appreciation Picnic and many others. The value of such transparent and highly accountable community policing programs can never be overstated. They include fostering greater trust with residents, ensuring stronger neighborhood stability, maximizing smooth crisis intervention efforts and reducing crime. Other police forces in the Mahoning Valley should take a clue from Poland's exemplary programming.

ORCHID: To Mahoning Valley artists Pat McGlone, Willie Duck Jr., Christina Bunevich and Daniel Madeline for their superlative, colorful and mammoth public art mural that adorns the west wall of the Purple Cat Disco Garden on West Federal Street in the heart of downtown Youngstown. The mural, titled "America250: Layers of Legacy," is stylized as a vintage "Greetings from Youngstown" postcard and its details highlight key moments and personalities in the city's history. Kudos, too, to the city's Economic Action Group, which sponsored the project. While taking in the postcard mural, viewers also won't want to miss another must-see EAC-sponsored project across the street. Adorning the many display windows of 20 Federal Place is now an extended mural depicting the proud history of the Strouss Department Store that for many decades had been the go-to place for tens of thousands of Mahoning Valley shoppers.

ORCHID: To the Canfield 10-and-under Little League softball players for bringing honor to their team and their community through superlative play that captured a state championship for the team last weekend.The Cardinals defeated state powerhouse Wheelersburg 11-2 at Boardman's Field of Dreams to seal the deal on the state title and to advance to the regional tournament. Hearty congratulations and best wishes at regionals go out to the team and its top-notch coaching staff. We second the sentiments of Canfield coach John Grover, "I could not be more proud of those girls."

ORCHID: To outgoing Austintown Township Trustee Robert Santos for his five years of dedicated, energetic and productive service to the township's 36,000 residents. Santos last week announced he is resigning his township leadership post to accept a position with Mahoning County government as project manager for capital programs, which will focus on economic development. Santos, who won this newspaper's endorsement in his successful 2025 reelection bid, has fought vigorously for the interests of his constituents. Most notably, he successfully lobbied before the Ohio General Assembly to restore local governments' 35% share of the 10% excise tax the state collects from the sale of recreational marijuana. Clearly, his fellow trustees will have their work cut out for them in selecting a replacement that comes close to matching Santos' zeal for public service.

ORCHID: To the Kimberly-Clark Corp. for its leading role in landing the state of Ohio national honors as the 2026 recipient of the Silver Shovel Award from Area Development magazine. The prestigious award recognizes states that have demonstrated exceptional performance in attracting high-value economic development projects that create significant jobs and generate substantial capital investment. Clearly, K-C's $800 million investment in a massive new Trumbull County production plant fits that bill. Sharing in the honor also must be the numerous economic development agencies in the Valley -- from Lake To River to Western Reserve Port Authority to Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber -- whose collaborative efforts succeeded in landing one of the largest investments in the Valley's future in decades.

ONION: To those who sponsor or engage in the despicable game of dogfighting in the Mahoning Valley. A home in Coitsville Township recently was raided and Ashley Maldonado, a humane agent in Mahoning County, said many pieces of evidence recovered there revealed tell-tale indicators of dogfighting. Dogfighting clearly ranks as one of the most severe forms of animal cruelty, causing profound physical, psychological, and social harm to the animals. Authorities in the Valley and throughout the state and nation must aggressively work to bring its perpetrators to harsh justice and maximum penalties, which in Ohio can amount to fines of $5,000 and 18 months in prison.

ORCHID: To the Rowan Sweeney Memorial Foundation for donating $145,000 last week to Boardman Park toward financing an all-inclusive playground in loving memory of the 4-year-old boy who was shot to death during a brutal home invasion in Struthers in 2020. Rowan's Memorial Park, groundbreaking for which is scheduled next month, will be modeled after Walnut Grove Park in Canfield for use by children of all ages and physical abilities. When complete, the park will stand as a lasting legacy to the adorable young boy who so loved playgrounds and parks. Those who wish to contribute to the continuing fundraising campaign can do so easily enough by going online to rowansweeneymemorialfoundation.com or by visiting any Huntington Bank branch in the region.

ORCHID: To state Rep. David Thomas for rightly winning the 2026 Public Service Award from the Ohio Realtors organization for his successful work at achieving measurable property tax relief for all Ohioans. Thomas, R-Jefferson, who represents portions of Trumbull County in Columbus, received the honor for his tireless work to achieve property tax relief in the Ohio General Assembly. He played key roles in drafting and passing the state's most significant property tax overhaul in half a century last year that resulted in over $3 billion in savings for taxpayers. We congratulate him and urge him to keep up that stellar constituent-minded work.

Editorials

Orchids & onions

ORCHID: To Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine for his prompt and professional response to the devastating storms that walloped Mahoning County over the holiday weekend. DeWine signed the declaration less than 24 hours after an EF-1 tornado and 10-mile macroburst ripped through parts of Boardman, Canfield, Austintown, Poland and Youngstown last Sunday. He also toured the most impacted areas and promised all available state assistance would be forthcoming to deal with massive damage. The declaration allows state departments and agencies to expedite and deploy services, equipment, supplies, and personnel, and it also lays groundwork for federal emergency assistance. Despite the devastation, all can find some comfort in knowing the storms did not result in any reported serious injuries or deaths.

ONION: To U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., for callously thwarting the latest and best opportunity yet to make thousands of Delphi salaried retirees whole. As many have known for years, those 21,000 retirees, including hundreds in the Mahoning Valley, were denied their full pensions when Delphi filed for bankruptcy in 2009. The proposal in the U.S. House would have provided a lump-sum payment covering the pension benefits they should have received with 6% interest added to account for the delay. Foxx, chair of the all-powerful Rules Committee, simply said an unidentified lawmaker opposed the plan so she dropped it from the larger pending Defense spending bill. Despite this latest defeat, we urge U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, and Valley Reps. Dave Joyce, R-Bainbridge, and Mike Rulli, R-Salem, to continue this fight for equity and fairness for the retirees.

ORCHID: To the Legacy Dog Rescue and Never Muzzled animal-care organizations in the Mahoning Valley for their recent highly successful fundraiser in Austintown to rescue cats, dogs and other pets who endure smoke inhalation from structure fires. Specifically the two groups collaborated for a day of basket raffles and other events that raised more than $30,000, which will finance 240 pet oxygen masks for first responders in fire departments throughout Trumbull and Mahoning counties. The groups also collected a whopping 700 pounds of pet food to give to owners in need. If you could not make it to the fundraiser, visit each group's Facebook page to find ways you can help.

ORCHID: To 2006 Boardman High School graduate Nicholas Sainato for his songwriting prowess that shot his current hit "Hate How You Look" straight to the coveted No. 1 slot on Billboard's Country Airplay list last week. Sainato co-wrote the song along with several other musical lyricists, and Josh Ross recorded it on the MCA Records label. Sainato, a longtime music aficionado and former drummer for the wildly successful Vindys, has released other songs with more than 500 million streams. We're confident the chart-topping work of Sainato will propel his overall success and acclaim to new heights in no time flat.

ONION: To perpetrators of the so-called "Veterans Savings Program" scam in which our nation's military veterans are maliciously swindled out of key personal information and hard-earned cash. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Northeast Ohio Healthcare System last week issued alerts warning veterans about fraudulent postcards sent to them promising extra monthly benefits (typically $185) and free dental coverage. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs strongly urges recipients of this flim-flam not to respond to such unsolicited attempts by scammers. Meanwhile the VA should investigate the scam thoroughly and prosecute the fraudsters to the fullest extent of the law.

ORCHID: To Home City Ice in Austintown for donating 500 bags of ice to help keep dogs cool at the Trumbull County dog pound during the recent blistering heat wave. The shelter in Howland relies heavily on ice to help keep kennels cool and to provide refreshing treats for the animals during the summer. Many other individuals chipped in with the cool cubes as well. To learn how you can help the facility during our long hot summer -- or any time of year for that matter -- contact the pound at 330-675-2787.

ORCHID: To U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, for stepping up to the plate on behalf of about two dozen downtown Youngstown customers of the troubled SOBE Thermal Energy Systems LLC. Moreno said he is working with the U.S. Department of Energy in efforts to receive federal loan guarantees for owners of the buildings to install their own heating and energy systems. Those businesses that have gone through intervals of poor service or no service from SOBE now face rate increases as high as 163%, which likely would be prohibitive for some. As such, we urge Energy Department leaders to expedite such loans at low interest levels long before next winter's heating season begins.

ONION: To those who disrespect public park property or who break park rules and end up hurting all would-be respectful park users. In Austintown last week, eight padlocks were reported stolen and in McDonald, city council was informed recently that several park activities had to be canceled earlier this summer due to an increase in rule-breaking by park users. These antics serve as a reminder for parents to watch closely over their children while at play and to instill in them rules of common courtesy to others and to park property.

Editorials

Orchids & onions

ORCHID: To the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfield grant program for awarding the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. a $1 million grant to continue the great progress that it already has made toward revitalizing the Glenwood Avenue corridor on the South Side. The new funds will finance cleanup of at least two contaminated sites on the heavily trafficked road and do testing on others. Among the successes achieved have been targeted sidewalk replacements, ongoing commercial building restorations and the development of a five-year master plan to guide future growth. We hope YNDC can soon make substantial progress on renovating the blighted former Foster Art Theater in the heart of the corridor into planned apartments and retail space as it's been more than three years now since that promising project was unveiled.

ONION: To the sleazy depraved vandals who desecrated the Youngstown Fire Department's Firefighters Memorial statue at the entranceway to downtown Youngstown on West Federal Street last month. According to the police report on the despicable crime, the display's firefighter helmet and respiratory equipment were broken off and stolen, and its fire hose was cut. The stolen pieces had a value of about $500, but the dollar value of the destruction pales in comparison to the symbolism of hatred and destruction toward firefighters that the now seemingly headless firefighter unfortunately depicts. Here's hoping the statue can be restored expeditiously and the responsible hoodlums are captured and punished to the fullest extent of the law.

ORCHID: To the Western Reserve Transit Authority, the Mahoning Valley's primary mass transit agency, for ceremonially breaking ground last week on a new, larger and state-of-the art bus barn to house its upcoming new fleet of battery-operated electric buses. The $7 million investment, funded almost entirely by grants and state support, will help to revitalize the western gateway to downtown Youngstown. Moreover, it signals WRTA's full-throttled commitment to keep Valley residents on the move for decades to come.

ORCHID: To Madeleine Devlin, a recent 2026 Ursuline High School graduate for doing the Valley proud by placing third in storytelling among some 7,000 students across the nation in the recent National Speech & Debate Tournament in Richmond, Virginia. Madeline, the daughter of Karl and Lisa Devlin of Austintown, clearly impressed the national judges with her polished and savvy oratorical skills. We second the commendations from J. Scott Wunn, executive director of the National Speech & Debate Association, to Madeline and other winners: "These students are the next generation of leaders and change makers, and their voices will build a stronger future."

ONION: To the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency for allowing hundreds of thousands of life-threatening fentanyl-laced pills to hit American streets without seizing them on the spot. An investigation by The Associated Press revealed that between 2023 and 2025, DEA agents repeatedly monitored -- but chose not to seize -- massive shipments of fentanyl. The agency defends its policy, arguing that long-term investigations require agents to trace shipments to dismantle cartels and catch bigger fish. But given the immediate death sentence fentanyl-laced drugs obviously can cause, clearly that policy needs to be reexamined. Meanwhile a criminal investigation has been launched of this disturbing public health travesty.

ORCHID: To members of Canfield's ace Cardinal Joint Fire District for receiving statewide honors from Ohio Auditor Keith Faber for their heroic efforts in responding to the fatal crash on state Route 11 last fall that resulted in the death of Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Nick Cayton. A representative from Faber's office presented the awards to the following CJFD members at a recent Canfield City Council meeting: Capt. Josh Grossman, Capt. Herb Fogle, Justin Hofstetter, Gio Melia and Pete Oberacker. Also honored that evening were CFJD first responders Ed Orr, Capt. Rob Tieche, Lt. Dave Hess and Michael Sofranko for their heroic efforts in saving the life of a newborn baby who was born along Route 224 but was not breathing when they arrived. Clearly, the Canfield community is indeed fortunate to have such professional, compassionate and responsible first responders on the lookout for them.

ORCHID: To Korea Southern Power Ltd, Korea Overseas Infrastructure and Urban Development Corp and Siemens Energy for their successful partnership that resulted in the opening of the $1.2 billion Trumbull Energy Center in Lordstown. Korean, U.S. and local officials recently celebrated completion of the facility. The natural gas-fired plant is designed to provide clean, reliable and efficient power generation while helping meet increasing electricity demand driven by advanced technologies, artificial intelligence and data centers. Together with the similar nearby Lordstown Energy Center, the two facilities can generate enough electricity to power 1.8 million homes. We're confident this mega power center will help fuel additional economic development and growth throughout the Mahoning Valley.