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• ORCHID: To former Howland and John F. Kennedy tennis standout Lauren Kraker, a senior at Baruch College in New York, for winning the City University of New York championship. She now advances to the NCAA Division III finals in May. The daughter of Dr. Gary and Leslie Kraker of Howland also was honored recently with the prestigious Scholar Athlete of the Year from CUNY. Such superlative credentials no doubt will make her a smashing success in her pursuit of graduate studies in medicine or research.
• ORCHID: To Hubbard High School senior Gabi Jones for the recognition she received recently in producing, shooting and editing a video she made depicting her teacher's battle against breast cancer. Her "Love Me At My Worst" won the 2022 Governor's Youth Art Exhibition -- Regional Competition and went on to be named one of the top 300 videos in Ohio in the statewide competition of more than 6,000 entries. She joins a growing elite of youthful artists in our region who have gained state and national honors this year.
• ONION: To the woman who pleaded guilty last week to a felony charge stemming from a traffic stop where she is accused of biting a Liberty police officer on the arm. The assault came before a police chase on Interstate 80 in November. Amy Bruss, 39, of Roxbury Avenue, Youngstown, pleaded guilty to charges of attempted assault and failure to comply with signal or order of a police officer. She faces prison time.
• ORCHID: To Do-Cut stores in Warren and Canfield for recently winning the Toro company's prestigious President's Elite Award. The award is a fitting honor for the local company as it marks its 75th anniversary in business this year.
• ORCHID: To Mission of Love, its founder and director Kathy Price and the many Mahoning Valley fire departments that contributed to the mission's latest creative relief effort. The Austintown-based organization collected more than 500 pieces of used fire gear and equipment to send to fire departments in Ukraine. Because of the intense workload of Ukraine firefighters sparked by Russian missile hits, departments there have been running dangerously low on supplies. Kudos to Price and to the local departments, including Austintown, Lowellville, Howland and Struthers, responding generously and swiftly.
• ONION: To those involved in the continued quagmire involved in developing legislative district maps that meet the requirements enacted when Ohioans approved a constitutional amendment spelling out how fair districts need to be drawn. For the fourth time this year the Ohio Supreme Court has struck down the latest set of maps for state House and Senate districts submitted by the Ohio Redistricting Commission. The Ohio Association of Election Officials this week called it "Groundhog Day," a reference to the 1993 movie in which Bill Murray plays a weatherman doomed to relive the same day over and over and over. The debacle will cost Ohioans some $25 million to hold a second -- and completely unnecessary -- primary later this summer.
• ORCHID: To Disabled American Veterans Chapter 2 from Austintown for collecting and donating dozens of scooters, wheelchairs, motorized chairs and walkers to veterans needing them throughout the Mahoning Valley. Since late last year, leaders of the group say there has been a notable increase in demand for the mobility aids. Fortunately, DAV Chapter 2 has risen to that challenge. Those wishing to donate such equipment or monetary donations or any veteran in need of a mobility device should contact the DAV Chapter at 330-774-8479.
editorial@tribtoday.com