ORCHID: To 9-year old Yohance Kambui, a fourth grader at H.C. Mines School in Howland, for his selfless one-boy campaign to assist deserving and needy military veterans as well as victims of domestic violence in the Mahoning Valley. His collection of more than 100 items, including hygiene items, snack foods and household items, have been delivered to Veteran’s Haven for homeless veterans and 100 additional items will head to Someplace Safe domestic violence shelter. Adults of all ages would do well to emulate the compassionate and generous example that young Yohance has so concretely set.

ORCHID: To Warren Safety Service Director Eddie Colbert and other city leaders for recently earning the prestigious Tree City USA designation from the national Arbor Day Foundation. As Colbert put it, “This award represents an important step forward for the city of Warren. Reestablishing the Arbor Commission, addressing hazardous trees and taking a strategic approach to future plantings are helping position our community for long-term success.” Kudos must go, too, to the regional partnership known as the Mahoning Valley Tree Corps, which has distributed hundreds of trees for planting in the cities of Warren and Youngstown over the past year.

ONION: To those heartless and cruel individuals who neglect and abuse companion animals of all varieties. We’ve been appalled over the years over the scope of mistreatment and abandonment of dogs and cats in the Valley. That same concern must also extend to smaller pets that are equally deserving of compassion and responsible care. Last week, Jason Cooke, founder and owner of Healthy Hearts and Paws P Healthy Hearts and Paws Project, rescued two guinea pigs left abandoned in the subfreezing cold at an abandoned gas station in Warren. Fortunately, thanks to Cooke, the rodents are now safe at the HHP shelter. Shame on the miscreants who callously abandoned them and left them to freeze to death. Help Cooke identify and apprehend them by texting GUINEA to 234-855-5847.

ORCHID: To Niles City Council for last week acting in the public interest to expand comment periods for residents at all of its regular meetings. The revised policy doubles the amount of time the public can address city leaders with their concerns, complaints or compliments. As City Council President Doug Sollitto so aptly put it, “They’re taxpayers, and this is their chance to come in and air any grievances or questions or comments or concerns they might have.” In short, the expanded comment period stands as a victory for robust free speech that other public bodies in the Mahoning Valley should emulate.

ORCHID: To state Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, for sponsoring legislation to close a gaping loophole in Ohio law governing the use of student resource officers in nonpublic schools. A recent Ohio attorney general’s ruling prohibits public police departments from using officers to serve nonpublic schools. Poland Township Police Chief Greg Wilson and Sgt. J.R. Jackson testified responsibly in Columbus last week against that ruling and in support of Cutrona’s legislation. Township trustees also presented written testimony for Cutrona’s bill, stating, “We are 100% committed to the safety of children in our schools — public, private and parochial alike.” Ohio lawmakers should recognize that no students in the state should be denied SRO protections and promptly pass Cutrona’s Senate Bill 318.

ONION: To careless drivers who strike and injure crossing guards by speeding through school zones and who then receive little or no penalties for their recklessness. Becky Evans, a former volunteer crossing guard for Franklin City Schools in Ohio, was struck by a car last year while helping students cross the street. She said the driver received only a paltry $48 fine. State Reps. Tom Young, R-Washington Township, and Andrea White, R-Kettering, report more than 225 crossing guards nationwide have been struck by cars throughout the past decade with no penalty or only minor traffic fines. That’s why new legislation introduced last week by Young and White to establish tougher minimal penalties for failing to comply with school crossing guards merits swift passage.

ONION: To the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate for their grievous and inexcusable failure to enact any railroad safety legislation in the long three years since the toxic and devastating derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in the Mahoning Valley. For nearly three years now, the comprehensive Rail Safety Act and similar measures to enhance safety and minimize risks of derailments like that in East Palestine have been stuck in limbo in the U.S. Capitol. Apparently, bowing to the powerful interests of the U.S. rail industry have held more sway over a majority of federal legislators than maximizing public safety for their constituents. It’s long past time for Congress to enact the Rail Safety Act, responsibly co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Salem.

ORCHID: To the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation’s Andrew L. Lipkin Tikkun Olam Fund for awarding the Friends of the Hubbard Library $1,000 to purchase books that combat antisemitism. The council, which represents the Jewish communities throughout the Mahoning and Shenango valleys, selected a most appropriate recipient for the annual award. The gift will expand access to resources that promote cooperation at a time when it is critically needed because of increased and intolerable antisemitism and violence against Jews and other groups in our nation and world.

ORCHID: To Kierstin Richoz, a senior in the interactive multimedia program at Trumbull Career & Technical Center from Girard High School, for her recent statewide honors in designing a snazzy coin for the Ohio Association for Career and Technical Education. She earned first place in the competition by designing two different coins, each with distinctive presentations that well represent the state’s 6,000-member organization for promoting and advocating career-technical and adult education. She also eloquently showcased to state leaders in Columbus her school’s exemplary TCTC Tales literacy program, for which she has produced many fine films of the elementary-school reading program in action.