ORCHID: To Jade Davis, one of Ohio’s leading public affairs and energy executives, for his appointment as new chief executive officer of Warren-based BRITE Energy Innovators. According to BRITE’s board chair Michael Stacey, “We are confident that under Jade’s guidance, BRITE will continue to accelerate the advanced energy economy and solidify the Midwest as a national leader in innovation.” Davis will have his work cut out for him as he succeeds Rick Stockburger who transformed the fledgling energy incubator into a respected national clean-energy enterprise that has supported more than 650 advanced energy companies, secured over a billion dollars in third-party investment and created over 2,100 jobs.

ORCHID: To the Grand Resort of Howland for earning this year’s Distinguished Golf Destination Award with exceptional status from BoardRoom magazine in partnership with Forbes Travel Guide. That merit-based designation recognizes exceptional golf courses throughout the nation that exceed expectations in the quality of service and amenities, facilities and the teamwork of the staff and management. The recognition comes on top of the expansive facility’s accolades this summer from U.S. News & World Report. That publication ranked the Grand Resort the No. 1 resort in Ohio. Given the tourist spot’s many luxurious amenities and a recent $1 million upgrade to the property, we look for such prestigious accolades to keep rolling on in.

ONION: To those irresponsible and reckless drivers who continue to operate vehicles while distracted by cellphone talking or texting as well as any other preoccupation that keeps their eyes and minds completely on the road. Such distractions can prove deadly, as indicated in the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s initial report on the crash that killed a Canfield trooper last month. According to the OSHP, Ohio has recorded 57,824 distracted driving crashes since 2020, of which 1,757 caused fatal or serious injuries. Such gross indiscretion also rises as a serious problem in the Mahoning Valley as the OSHP has made 2,268 citations for distracted driving here since the beginning of this year alone. Clearly the patrol and other law enforcement agencies have their work cut out for them, and we urge aggressive enforcement of the state’s tougher distracted driving laws that can result in fines up to $500, four points on your license and a 90-day driver’s license suspension.

ORCHID: To Kimberly Garrett for her recent appointment as executive director of the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library system. She brings to the leadership post a wealth of hands-on experience and knowledge as deputy director of the WTCPL, director of the Kinsman Library and a manager of the McKinley Memorial Library in Niles. She also has served as president of the Northeast Ohio Regional Library System Board of Trustees and has a master’s degree in library science. With such an impressive background, we’re confident she will continue the library’s noble tradition of continued growth and expanded community services.

ORCHID: To Champion High School English teacher James Sheldon for guiding his 11th- and 12th-grade English classes through a project of tangible and beneficial community service. His “Make A Difference” project has its roots in a lecture by a Carnegie-Mellon University professor on the importance of achieving dreams through helping others. This year, the students tackled such initiatives as collecting cereal donations for the Warren Family Mission, donating blankets, food and other items to the Animal Welfare League and mowing the lawns of elderly neighbors. In doing so, the students lived up to Sheldon’s lofty goal of truly making a positive difference in the lives of others.

ONION: To Newton Falls Village officials and council members who supported an original plan that could have thwarted a legitimate voter referendum on the use of unstaffed speed cameras in that community. The lawmaking body had planned to consider an ordinance last week to approve the immediate use of speed cameras that would have upstaged the citizen referendum approved for the 2026 ballot. Fortunately the proposed ordinance has been tabled. But given our longstanding opposition to the use of such cameras, we share the anger of 2nd Ward Councilman Brian Axiotis: “I was appalled that it was even on the agenda in the first place. These people went out of their way and got signatures so they had the ability to referendum this and vote on this themselves. … That strikes me as shady and terrible.”

ORCHID: To Meijer store workers at its Mahoning Valley locations for giving back generously to their communities via the Meijer Team Gives program. Thanks to the corporation’s commitment to community engagement, each store receives $10,000 to distribute to nonprofits chosen by that store’s employees. Local recipients this year included Every Dog Matters, a dog rescue organization; the Brightside Project in Salem and the Howland Local School District’s Tiger Backpack Program. Nationwide, Meijer donated $3 million to 500 organizations this year. That proves the big-box store truly puts its money where its stated purpose — enriching lives in the communities we serve– is.