Orchids and onions
ORCHID: To Mahoning County commissioners for awarding $100,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to the Youngstown Lifeguard Academy. Kevin Tarpley, executive director of the academy, attended a recent commissioners meeting to thank them for the donation to support and expand this sensational skill-building and character-building program for city youth. Accompanying Tarpley was Anthony Jones, a graduate of the program who has become a certified professional lifeguard, a certified scuba diver, a candidate for dive master and a member of the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Dive Team. His multiple accomplishments serve as a compelling microcosm of the value of the academy.
ORCHID: To Lucy Papini, a senior at Boardman High School, for being one of two high school students from across Ohio to win a state watershed grant to establish a rain garden in the courtyard of the home of the Spartans. The garden, now complete, helps filter out pollutants in runoff and provides food and shelter for butterflies, songbirds and other wildlife. The grant award serves as a fitting tribute to Lucy’s passion for gardening and environmental science.
ONION: To Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost for overstepping his authority by rejecting a voting-related ballot petition solely because he objected to its title, “Ohio Voters Bill of Rights.” The initiative petition launched by a coalition of civil rights organizations in the Buckeye State responded to Ohio’s enactment last year of tougher photo ID requirements and other changes in voting law. The Ohio Supreme Court last week sided with the civil rights groups ordering Yost to revisit his decision. The attorney general’s initial decision was particularly curious given that his office had certified nearly identical title language for a “Nursing Facility Patients Bill of Rights” in 2021 and an earlier “Ohio Voters Bill of Rights” in 2014.
ORCHID: To JoAnn Truax for overseeing Western Reserve Methodist Church of Canfield’s Helping Hands Closet and for coming to the rescue of a Youngstown family of 10 left homeless by a house fire on Boston Avenue last month that is a suspected arson. Truax responded immediately to the dire needs of the family, John and Alecia Forester, and their eight children ranging in age from 7 to 17. Her church’s charity gave the family a strong helping hand by providing all of them items of clothing at no charge. Such exceptional outreach serves as a model for all church charities and helping organizations in the Mahoning Valley.
ORCHID: Posthumously to Bessie Veck for leaving Youngstown State University a gift of $2.3 million as part of her estate. The donation will support scholarships of more than $80,000 annually. Bessie, a 1950 graduate of Youngstown College (the predecessor of YSU), left a 30-year legacy of quality teaching as an educator in Youngstown City Schools. As YSU President Bill Johnson put it, “This generous estate gift is a testament to Bessie’s enduring commitment to education and the students of Youngstown State University.” Her monumental gift should inspire others to also consider YSU in their estate planning.
ORCHID: To the Trumbull Career and Technical Center for receiving a perfect five-star rating in the recent state report cards for the 2023-24 academic year. The vocational school has scored particularly well in career technical assessments, overall academic achievement and for its high percentage of students who earn bona fide industry credentials. This singular honor reinforces the career center’s record of excellence over the past five decades.
ONION: To negligent vehicle owners who fail to lock their parked cars, thereby inviting thefts of items inside them and, worse yet, theft of the car, truck or SUV itself. Over the past couple of weeks, about 20 auto-theft reports have been reported in Boardman Township, many of which were facilitated by careless owners who left doors and / or windows open to their vehicles. Boardman Police Detective Sgt. Glenn Patton has this sage advice as the holiday season and prime time for upticks in such crimes approaches: Keep car doors locked, keep valuable items out of sight of would-be scalawags, and keep a close eye on your neighborhood for any strangers who appear to be scoping out their potentially ill-gotten gains.
Orchids and onions
ORCHID: To Evan Sweder, a 2024 graduate of Boardman High School, for recently earning his Eagle Scout award for his project constructing eight bluebird houses along a trail in Springfield Forest in Mill Creek MetroParks. The carefully constructed and attractively designed bird houses required considerable time, effort and talent. To make the project more meaningful, Evan affixed information on the houses about several features of the birds such as habitat, food sources, predators and more. Evan, like his brother Jason before him, truly earned the highest and most prestigious honor in the Scouting movement.
ONION: To registered voters in the Mahoning Valley who fail to vote on or before Election Day and thereby shirk one of the most vital responsibilities of citizenship. All votes matter, and in some local races, a mere handful of additional votes, would have changed outcomes. Such apathy toward playing a role in our participatory democracy also forfeits the missing-in-action voters from rights to complain about the type of leaders others have elected for them. Don’t be one of those people. Vote Saturday or Sunday at county boards of elections or at your local poll site from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
ORCHID: To Sarah Boyarko, vice president of economic development for Lake to River Economic Development, for her recent induction into the Association of Ohio Commodores, an organization that helps the state with economic development growth. Gov. Mike DeWine appointed her in recognition of her outstanding contributions to economic development in the Mahoning Valley and the state. Since taking on the post at Lake to River, Boyarko and her team have already generated $72 million of pending investment throughout the region that could result in the creation of 200 jobs. Such a short term record of achievement bodes well for long-term progress in the Valley under Boyarko’s astute leadership.
ONION: To comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, a Youngstown native, for the crude and racist joke he delivered at a Make America Great Again rally in New York City’s Madison Square Garden last weekend. Hinchcliffe has made a name for himself nationally by disparaging Puerto Rico as “garbage” but it is notoriety that likely will harm his career more than help it. We are at least pleased international reports on the joke did not sully the reputation of his hometown. It appears today that the joke’s on him.
ORCHID: To Phantom Fireworks owner Bruce Zoldan for donating $5 million to support programming at the Youngstown State University Dana School of Music. Zoldan, a philanthropist extraordinaire for YSU, reversed his earlier decision to withhold donations to the university over its hiring of President Bill Johnson one year ago. We applaud Zoldan for putting community betterment above politics with this donation. Kudos, too, for his plans for another fundraiser for the internationally acclaimed music school that he hopes will raise $10 million.
ORCHID: To Warren-based 717 Credit Union for launching a $1 million initiative to assist small businesses in downtown Youngstown that were adversely affected by the explosion at Realty Tower and road detours over the past few years. For every auto loan refinanced through 717, it will give up to $250 in gift cards to support downtown businesses. 717 has taken a special interest in revitalizing the downtown as a primary sponsor of the recent celebration, The Open. We’re certain businesses in the central city are fortunate to have 717 to bank on as they revive their livelihoods.
ORCHID: To the Youngstown Model Railroad Association for its honor of being selected for an eight-page presentation in the January 2025 issue of Model Railroader magazine, the largest magazine in the nation devoted to the hobby. The feature will focus on the impressive HO scale train scene layout at its headquarters on Four Mile Run Road in Austintown. Fortunately, those of us in the Mahoning Valley can get a closeup view of the layout during the association’s open house scheduled the first two weekends in November and December.