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ORCHID: To the Board of Mahoning County Commissioners for recently allocating $60,000 of federal opioid settlement funds toward hiring a mental health professional for the county's jail. That "navigator" will serve as a liaison among jail staff, inmates and the county court system. He or she will ensure that court officials are informed of mental-health challenges prisoners face and to determine what resources they need, particularly to avoid reincarceration. Given that local and county jails have effectively become de facto mental health hospitals for many inmates, the potential benefits of this added service cannot come soon enough.
ORCHID: To staff and volunteers past and present of the McGuffey Centre on Youngstown's East Side for marking its milestone 100th anniversary this month. Last weekend the center marked McGuffey Day, a homecoming that united volunteers, athletes, employees and neighbors of the vibrant community hub. In conjunction with its centennial, the community center is launching its 100 for 100 fundraising campaign to support programs and overall operations. Given the successful recent revival of a plethora of valuable youth, adult and senior skill-building programs at the center founded by Birdie Welcher in 1926, McGuffey has clearly demonstrated it is worthy of broad-based support for years and decades to come.
ONION: To U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Salem, for violating The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, which requires members of Congress to publicly disclose individual stock trades no later than 45 days after making them. According to government news website NOTUS, the Mahoning Valley congressman failed to disclose 22 personal stock trades, the most tardy of which dates to 2024. Though it appears the late filings may have resulted from problems with his managed account broker, the 6th District House of Representatives member has declined all comment on the matter. In the future, we urge Rulli to ensure prompt public disclosure of his market trading to guarantee he lives up to the letter of that law enacted in 2012 to combat unseemly insider trading.
ORCHID: To Beloit siblings Zayden Wooten, 13, and Kenzie, 15, for snaring prestigious prizes in lamb show competitions at the 2026 Ohio State Fair in Columbus. Zayden, an eighth grader at West Branch schools, won the Southdown Breed Championship at the Junior Market Lamb Show, among competitors showing 553 market lambs from across Ohio. Kenzie, a junior at West Branch High School, won the Outstanding Market Exhibitor award in the Junior Lamb Show. To even qualify for showmanship at the state fair, entrants must meet grueling standards set by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Clearly, Zayden and Kenzie exceeded those standards in their exemplary showmanship. Be sure to congratulate them early next month when they will exhibit their lambs at the 180th Canfield Fair.
ONION: To the apparently soaring number of motorists who are speeding through 21 school zones in Youngstown for their recklessness that endangers the safety of children. Though we are no fans of unstaffed speed cameras there or anywhere, the number of speeders they photographed skyrocketed from 37,367 in the 2024-25 school year to 56,259 in the 2025-26 school year. That sends a chilling signal to students and their parents on the threshold of the new academic year. We therefore urge city police to beef up their in-person patrols in such zones at peak hours to provide a more visible message that warp-speed racing there will not be tolerated.
ORCHID: To Gary Borman for his amazing 50 years of service as fire chief in Beaver Township. Borman tendered his resignation to township trustees last week and received a well-deserved standing ovation from the audience and proclamations of honor from state and federal officials. Over his long and distinguished career, Borman led the way in lowering the township's insurance rating, upgrading from 2.5-inch to 5-inch supply hoses and installing dry hydrants in the township. His dedication over five decades toward improving safety in the community and modernizing the department has earned him a rich and fulfilling life in retirement.