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Orchids and onions

ORCHID: To Hollywood prop master and Warren native John Zabrucky for returning to the Mahoning Valley last week to take part in the opening of the “Sci-Fi + Hollywood: The Art of John Zabrucky” at the Medici Museum of Art in Howland. The exhibition is built around the hundreds of props he created for major motion pictures and television shows over the past several decades. That full collection that was donated to the Trumbull County Historical Society will become the centerpiece of a new national science fiction and fantasy museum the society is preparing to open on Main Avenue SW in Warren. You won’t want to miss this free pop culture exhibition extraordinaire that runs through June 28.

ORCHID: To Warren City Auditor Vincent S. Flask and members of the city’s finance department for their work that resulted in upgrading the city’s bond rating. Moody’s Investors Services recently raised the city’s rating from Baa1 to A3. The new rating reflects improved financial health with low credit risk and stronger investor confidence. Flask credited his department’s focus on prioritizing long-term financial stability in expenditure decisions for moving out of the lower rating, in which it had been placed nine years ago. We’re hopeful that keeping that fiscally responsible focus will help the city move up even higher on the rating scale in coming years.

ONION: To pet owners who irresponsibly and inhumanely leave dogs and cats unsheltered during periods of extreme cold. In the last round of subfreezing conditions in the Mahoning Valley, pounds and animal welfare organizations throughout the area reported many such cases of abuse. Animals can lose their limbs and their lives by overexposure to freezing conditions. Dog houses are insufficient for adequate protection. They must be brought inside. Ohio law prohibits leaving pets outside in extreme weather without adequate food, water, and shelter. Violators can and should face significant fines and jail time.

ORCHID: To the U.S. Department of Defense for recently delivering a shiny new $110 million C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft to the Youngstown Air Reserve Station. The state-of-the-art cargo plane is the second of eight for the Vienna air base, home of the esteemed 910th Airlift Wing. Compared to the Valley base’s previous C-130H model, the C-130J reduces manpower requirements by two personnel per aircraft, lowers operating and support costs, flies faster, is more fuel efficient and provides life-cycle cost savings over earlier models. The modernization of the major fleet of YARS underscores the federal government’s commitment to the great work that goes on there. It also ensures the base will remain one of the largest and most important cogs in the Mahoning Valley economy for many years to come.

ORCHID: To Jim and Melissa DiBacco, longtime supporters of Youngstown State University, for recently making a $100,000 contribution to the Kilcawley: Centered on the Future Campaign to renovate the student center on campus. “Jim and Melissa’s support of Youngstown State University is a testament to their unwavering commitment to this community,” said Scott Schulick, chair of the campaign. “We are deeply grateful for their leadership and their investment in the future of our university.” Such generous philanthropy is nothing new for the DiBaccos. They have contributed generously to other major successful campus programs, including the Rich Center for Autism and the Family Leadership Center in Stambaugh Stadium. Their good works will leave indelible imprints on the university for decades to come.

ONION: To individuals who rely too heavily on space heaters for heating their homes. When used improperly they can start home fires that can prove deadly. Space heaters were believed to have played a role in the home fire on Youngstown’s West Side earlier this week that tragically claimed the life of a 5-year-old boy. Space heaters should only be used to heat a small area. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimate that portable heaters are involved in about 1,700 fires per year, resulting in about 80 deaths and 160 injuries annually. If they must be used to heat small areas only, CPSC highly recommends keeping them at least 3 feet away from any potentially flammable material. That’s advice all should live by.

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