ORCHID: To the Warren Board of Education, Superintendent Steve Chiaro and other school district leaders for shepherding to completion the district’s dazzling $36 million Recreation and Wellness Center near Harding High School. Gov. Mike DeWine visited Warren last week to take part in the center’s long-awaited grand opening.“This center is a real game changer,” he said, adding, “It combines health, education and recreation in one place, giving students opportunities that will help them succeed not just in school, but in life.” Adding to the luster of the center is that grant funding – and not taxpayer dollars – financed a healthy chunk of its construction costs.

ORCHID: To Jason Miner, Warren Township’s assistant fiscal officer, for coming to the aid of financially strapped Vienna Township. He was hired last week to serve as interim deputy fiscal officer there. In light of the recent resignation of Vienna Fiscal Officer Corrine Hardman, the township was left in the lurch. The post is particularly critical in Vienna because of the state’s declaration of a fiscal emergency there last summer because of its deficit fund balance of more than $1 million. Trustees would be wise to spend the two-month duration of Miner’s service to complete a comprehensive search for an experienced public sector finance specialist to guide the township successfully out of its fiscal emergency.

ONION: To general election candidates and their supporters who have been too lazy to remove campaign signs from private and public properties throughout the Valley. The sign owners have had more than ample time to remove them in the full month since Election Day. When placed, the signs supporting candidates from local offices to the presidency presented a timely message to help impact the outcome of the election. Today, however, they serve no useful purpose and merely stand as outdated visual pollution.

ORCHID: To Tom Fleming, founder, chairman and CEO of Girard-based Aim Transportation Solutions for earning a top-level five-star rating on this year’s list of most loved CEOs in the world by the Most Loved Workplaces Institute. According to the institute, this accolade highlights Fleming’s decadeslong commitment to developing a work culture where everyone is valued, supported and inspired to excel. With such strong leadership, it’s no wonder Aim, a national leader in commercial fleet services, was named a most loved workplace earlier this year for the second consecutive year.

ORCHID: To William Greene for his nearly three decades of exemplary service to the Hubbard Police Department. A celebration took place last week to mark Greene’s retirement from the force. He was rightly saluted for his dedicated and courageous service, as well as for the many personal sacrifices he made to protect township residents. Fortunately, the community will not lose Greene’s skills in law enforcement as he soon will become a resource officer at Hubbard High School.

ONION: To slick-talking but sick-acting con artists who use the holiday season as prime time for scamming easily impressionable individuals. In recent weeks, reports of such scams have climbed in the Valley. In one, a woman was contacted by a person posing as a deputy sergeant at the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office requesting $1,000 to avoid her arrest on a facetious charge. In another local case, a couple reported $69,000 fraudulently withdrawn from their bank account after their password and personal information had been hacked. Fortunately, in both cases, the victims’ banks flagged the fraudulent activity. Among the lessons to be learned to avoid being swindled are do not send money to an account requested by an unsolicited caller. Second, monitor your accounts regularly for suspicious activity and make sure your banks keep your accounts secure and alert you of any suspicious activity.

ORCHID: To former Youngstown State University President and head football coach Jim Tressel and his wife Ellen for their recent $200,000 contribution to the university’s “Kilcawley Centered on the Future” campaign to massively modernize the university’s student center. Few in the history of the university have given as much of their time, talents and funds as the Tressels. In fact, their lifetime contributions to the university total more than $2 million. Clearly, it is a fitting thank you to the former first couple of YSU that a new meeting room will be named in their honor.