ORCHID: To Warren native Bill White for earning the distinctive and prestigious John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Board of Directors. The HOF announced White’s award last week, and he will receive it at the annual HOF Weekend in Cooperstown, New York, in July. White, a 1952 Warren G. Harding High graduate, grew up in a segregated housing project in the city but overcame challenges to become a star player for such MLB teams as the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals. He is an eight-time All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner and served as president of the National League from 1989 to 1994. Clearly, White has earned the HOF kudos headed his way.

ORCHID: To Leah Marsh, assistant principal of Niles Middle School for the honor she brings to the school district by being selected a finalist for the National Association of Secondary School Principals National Middle Level Assistant Principal of the Year award. Marsh last summer distinguished herself as the recipient of the 2025-26 Ohio Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year. It’s no wonder why. She is credited with driving substantial academic growth at the school, reducing suspensions by 32% and increasing attendance and lessening chronic absenteeism through programs such as the “Stay in the Game” initiative. Best of luck to her in gaining even more well earned national recognition for her cornucopia of achievements.

ONION: To Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine for breaking a vow to Ohio residents about one of the most prominent and controversial issues in the state: capital punishment. Three months ago in December, DeWIne said he would make a formal statement on the future of the death penalty in the state early in the new year. “I’m going to spend a little time at Christmas writing my statement,” DeWine told reporters at the Ohio governor’s mansion. “We’ll be talking to you in January.” Well, January, February and more than half of March (as of presstime midweek) have passed without that long-awaited statement. Considering capital punishment has languished in a state of limbo and informal abolition for eight years now in Ohio, it’s high time the governor proposed or implemented a clear course of action. His failure to speak up as promised has rightly angered many.

ORCHID: To Genevieve Ramey, a Lincoln PK-8 School student in Warren, for winning the 93rd 21 WFMJ Regional Spelling Bee last weekend at Stambaugh Auditorium in Youngstown. Genevieve bested about 60 other school-champion contestants from elementary, middle and junior high schools from throughout Mahoning and Trumbull counties. “I was nervous, but I was happy to do my best,” Genevieve said immediately after the competition. We are confident she will continue to do her best and represent the Mahoning Valley excellently at the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., two months from now.

ORCHID: To Girard Mayor Mark Zuppo and Struthers Mayor Catherine “Cat” Cercone Miller for joining forces to bring primary health care clinics to their cities. Zuppo and Miller are working together on an initiative aimed to build brick and mortar facilities to provide free health care to residents. The collaboration makes eminently good sense on two fronts: The two cities share similar sizes and demographics, and both cities are home to an increasingly aging population. We hope their collaboration with KO Consultants and QuickMed bear fruit toward finding grant funds for the project. Such regional cooperation on projects of mutual value should serve as a model for other endeavors and other communities in the Valley.

ONION: To state Rep. Tom Young, R-Washington Township, for last month introducing House BIll 698, legislation that would require state colleges and universities to file “justification reports” to the state regarding employees who previously worked on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Those initiatives were essentially banned last year by passage of Senate Bill 1. Critics, including the Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors, argue the bill is an “unreasonable” overstep into academic freedom and university autonomy. Others describe the employee inventory requirement as creating a “watch list” that raises constitutional questions and smacks of “McCarthyism.” Considering the provisions of SB1 have been in effect only for several months, we and others consider Young’s measure premature at best and unnecessary at worst — at least for now.

ORCHID: To Liberty Township safety service personnel for their heroic and professional work in responding to a fatal house explosion in the township last June. At last week’s township trustees meeting, fire Chief Doug Theobald presented meritorious service honors to police Sgt. Dave Rankin and officers Tyler Beck, Kenny Griffin and Colin Trayes as well as firefighter/EMT Alec Coman and firefighter/paramedic Erik Lyszaz. Theobald also presented fire lieutenants Ronnie Simone and Matthew Gray with the Medal of Courage for their assistance during the explosion “The firefighters demonstrated exceptional bravery, decisive action and unwavering commitment to duty,” the chief said. Township residents are fortunate to have such keenly professional safety servants watching over them.

ORCHID: To the 2026 inductees into Women’s Hall of Fame of League of Women Voters of Greater Youngstown. Each of the nine inductees clearly meet and beat the standards for induction that include exceptional leadership, professional excellence and a lasting commitment to improving their communities. Cheers to all of them: Marie Dockry, Amanda Fehlbaum, Julie Green, Lisa Lee Kohler, Jessica Lev, Sarah Lown, Brandi Shamara, Cheryl Saffold and Jorine Stone.