ORCHID: To former Warren city firefighter Robert Saffold for his role in breaking down color barriers by becoming the first black fireman in the department back in 1961. Saffold, now 90, was the center of rapt attention at a ceremony last week honoring the Alabama native and longtime Warren resident for his role in serving as a trailblazing role model for other people of color to enter public service. Warren Mayor Doug Franklin, who credited Saffold for his own rise in city politics, said aptly of Saffold and his most deserved honor: “I’m standing on the shoulders of a giant. This is really a great moment for our community.”

ORCHID: To Howland High School student Dominic Morataya for playing a leading role in a creative and educational outdoors learning lab at Howland Springs Primary School. As part of his Eagle Scout project, Dominic has been instrumental to the success of the school’s Reading Woods project. He’s created a Tiger’s Den arch, is building a stage and benches and has raised more than $2,000 for the project. When complete, Reading Woods will enable young students to go outdoors for exercise, social engagement and literacy skill-building along a proposed Storybook Trail. Dominic’s tireless work will lead the way to educational enrichment for Howland youngsters for many years to come.

ONION: To state Rep. Jamie Callender, R-Lake County, for introducing legislation in the Ohio Legislature that would cut state funding to school districts that oppose the massive growth in the state’s EdChoice private school voucher program, including several districts in the Mahoning Valley. In June 2025, Judge Jaiza Page of Franklin County ruled that the expanded EdChoice program was unconstitutional, but the state has since appealed the decision. Though Callender now reportedly says he will amend House Bill 671 to lessen the funding cuts, “The bill will still penalize school districts and continues to be unconstitutional. Whether it is a dime or $1 million, it’s unconstitutional,” Eric Brown, former chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, aptly stated. Moreover, the not-so-subtle threats inherent to Callender’s legislation also represent a direct challenge to the free-speech rights of school districts throughout Ohio.

ORCHID: To the Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership for its ongoing active role in improving the aesthetics, residential charm and economic activity in communities throughout the county. Most recently, it sprung into action to organize a meeting of the minds among residents of Warren’s historic Perkins and Garden districts to update a revitalization plan for that area in and near the downtown. Lydia Lynch of TNP noted significant progress for urban neighborhoods over the past decade, including a 50% decline in vacant properties. Members who attended vowed to jump-start revitalization efforts with continued meetings and projects. We wish them success as their efforts will likely encourage more incoming residents needed to fill new jobs in the Valley to settle in their neighborhoods and add to their enhanced beauty and liveliness.

ORCHID: To the Warren Township Fire Department for implementing a youth cadet training program in an effort to build its fast falling ranks of firefighters. Assistant Fire Chief David King there said, “These programs provide the experience and also teach the fundamentals of firefighting.” The problem of understaffing there and throughout the Mahoning Valley is very real for King. He recently was dispatched by himself to singlehandedly extinguish a fire in the township. The cadet program provides one valuable tool to help ease the burden of short staffing. Other local departments should follow Warren Township’s lead. Such critical staffing shortages also help to build a case for consolidating and regionalizing fire and EMT departments.

ONION: To CoreCivic, operators of the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center on Hubbard Road in Youngstown, for failing to adequately address repeated cases of physical violence among inmates at the private prison. Just last week police were called to the lockup after a prisoner reportedly stabbed his cellmate, a stabbing that took prison employees four hours to discover, according to media reports. That stabbing was the third within one month and reportedly the 20th at the private prison since 2024. On top of that, an inmate reached a private settlement last month in a $25,000 lawsuit against the prison operator for failing to prevent multiple beatings and sexual assaults by other inmates last year. The U.S. Justice Department, which is investigating another CoreCivic-managed prison in Tennessee after reports of excessive violence there, would do well to now turn its attention to NEOCC.

ORCHID: To Lordstown Local Schools Superintendent Greg Bonamase and others in the district for their plans to reopen the high school’s long-shuttered planetarium next school year. Bonamase said the space has been thoroughly cleaned and older outdated items — such as a 1978 projector — have been removed. New state-of-the-art equipment is being installed to provide immersive experiences that engage students in learning about the universe. This rare addition to a public high school may also spark student interest in the many growing STEM fields. In short, the project promises out-of-this-world benefits to students and community members alike who visit it.

ORCHID: To the cheerleading squads from Girard and Jackson-Milton high schools for winning state championships recently in the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators’ annual competition in Columbus. Girard’s team took top honors in the Division 4 nonbuilding category, and Jackson-Milton’s squad was crowned state champions in the Division 6 game-day nonmounting category. We give three cheers to these new titleholders and to all school cheerleaders in the Valley who excel by acting primary ambassadors of school spirit, boosting crowd morale and creating a positive, unified atmosphere at athletic events and school functions.

ORCHID: To the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and the Columbiana Area Chamber of Commerce for finalizing plans this year for a formal affiliation between the two economic development and civic organizations. The linkage is a natural fit as it enables the larger Regional Chamber to assist in development efforts in Columbiana County, which with Mahoning and Trumbull counties is an essential part of the Mahoning Valley metro area. It also preserves some local autonomy for the Columbiana chamber. As its Executive Director Zach King put it,” This affiliation keeps decision-making local while adding resources, stronger connections and capacity to serve the business community. It allows us to deliver more value for businesses across the Columbiana area.”