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ORCHID: To volunteers planning to clean up a historic log cabin in Braceville. Cindee Mines of Champion, who is a member of several local historical societies, said she has been in contact with historic building experts on cabins, barns and other buildings. Volunteers plan to clean up unsightly vegetation growing up around the cabin. Given that Trumbull County MetroParks funding is limited, particularly after voters narrowly defeated a small tax levy for the system last year, volunteerism must play an even more vital role in the upkeep of park properties.
ONION: To Newton Falls City Council for approving plans to place a 0.25 percent income tax increase on the November ballot for police staffing, even though it appears members have laid out few plans for how they will spend the money. Officials said the issue will generate funding for providing police protection, whether it is from the Trumbull County Sheriff's Office or from a revived city police force. We believe council members should have laid out a more complete plan before going to voters for this tax initiative.
ORCHID: To Michael Labbiento, Lakeview Elementary School art teacher, for spearheading a project to create a literary garden at the school with posts depicting popular children's book characters. The garden was built by elementary, middle and high school art students. The Lakeview Parent Teacher Organization, K-8, helped raise funds needed for garden installation, and TSK Landscaping provided free services for the truly communitywide project. Most importantly, the endeavor that combined education about literature and the environment, showed young people learning can be fun.
ONION: To the Trumbull County Board of Elections for flying a worn, dirty and tattered flag above its offices. Raising torn flags is incredibly disrespectful to our nation and its ideals, one of the most important of which is the right to vote in free and unfettered elections. When Old Glory is raised in such a manner, it is viewed as a dismantled piece of cloth, rather than a symbol of American pride. Perhaps some patriotic good Samaritan can donate a clean, new flag to fly proudly above the elections board and then properly dispose by burning the disgraceful and scruffy poor-of-an-excuse banner that insults the board and American spirit.
ORCHID: To the Ohio State Highway Patrol in Southington for marking its 90th anniversary recently. It did so by welcoming community members to meet the men and women who serve them. The event attracted youth and others to learn more about the troopers, dispatchers and staffers of the Warren patrol post. As Patrol Sgt. Daniel Morrison aptly put it, such open-house events are essential for law enforcement to build trust in the communities they serve.
ONION: To the growing number of residents in the Mahoning Valley who hoard animals in decrepit, unsanitary conditions. The Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County recently removed more than 90 animals and birds from a Farmdale property. The confiscated critters included 23 dogs, most of which were Jack Russell terriers or mixes, plus hens, roosters, ducks, turkeys and Guinea fowl. Lori Shandor, chief executive officer with AWL, said over the past two years Trumbull and Mahoning counties have seen a dramatic increase in animals in "horrible and neglectful" conditions. Orchids to the AWL and other humane agencies in the Valley for their continued compassionate response and care for the hundreds of neglected animals left to fend for themselves.