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ORCHID: To the estate of the late Thomas R. Pigott of Southington for recently donating a vast and historically significant archaeological collection decades in the making that permanently preserves the prehistory of the Mahoning Valley. Pigott spent considerable time acquiring and investigating his finds. It contains irreplaceable original research, documented artifacts, field notes and photographic records from some of the few archaeological excavations ever conducted in Trumbull County. As such, its value to the historical society's growing collections can never be overstated. And Savannah Moss, collections and research manager for the Trumbull County Historical Society, clearly was not mincing words when describing the gift as "unprecedented."
ORCHID: To the Newton Falls Board of Education for displaying model fiscal responsibility by agreeing to explore sharing a district treasurer with another nearby school system. Board members last week agreed to allow board member Rachel Rankin investigate options over the next 30 days. The shared services model appears to be working quite well in the Mathews and LaBrae districts. To be sure, such consolidation of services saves districts precious taxpayer dollars and generally provides better, more efficient service. Other school districts in the Valley would be prudent to explore such models as well.
ORCHID: To Warren City Council for recently authorizing the transfer of city-owned property in the former Westlawn area of the city to the Western Reserve Port Authority. The WRPA continues to work with an aluminum extrusions manufacturing and warehouse project planning to construct a 152,000-square-foot facility that is projected to create 70 jobs. This project, in the same vicinity as the massive $800 million Kimberly Clark production campus, shows the Westlawn and former Western Reserve High School areas of the city remain ripe for additional industrial development. We urge city leaders and regional economic development officials to build upon that momentum as aggressively as possible.
ORCHID: To Flying High Inc., a Mahoning Valley nonprofit focusing on workforce development, for its Adopt-A-Bed fundraiser that has potential to cultivate lasting rewards on two fronts. First, participants in the program at the Mahoning Valley Greenhouse in Mineral Ridge learn critical agricultural skills in raising healthy vegetable plants. Second, once the vegetables are fully grown, Flying High will use its mobile market to distribute the healthy food to pantries and underserved food deserts in the Valley. For all those wishing to see this program grow by adopting one of the limited supply of plant beds, visit www.fhipdc.org.
ORCHID: To the group of 53 Hubbard High School Future Educators of America members for generously volunteering time working as student aides at Fairhaven School for special-needs students in Niles. Last week club members spent the day at the school working with and assisting children on coloring, puzzles and other projects. Josh MacMillan, Hubbard High art instructor and FEA club adviser, summarized well the many benefits of the annual program in instilling "appreciation, gratitude, empathy and humility" in the student aides and by giving them opportunities to oversee projects in a real-world learning environment. This mutually beneficial partnership between Hubbard High and Fairhaven serves as a great model for other schools and FEA chapters to emulate.
ORCHID: To U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, for gaining a seat on one of the most powerful committees in the upper chamber of the U.S. Congress. Republican leaders selected Husted for the appointment last week to fill a vacancy caused by the departure of Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, after he was confirmed as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Husted, the first Ohioan to serve on the panel in 15 years, will have a major say in exercising direct control over federal spending and shaping national priorities through the power of the purse. As an added fringe benefit, typically members of that committee also get more money for their state in discretionary funding.
ORCHID: To the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for awarding nearly $3 million to 122 water systems in the state to support critical improvements to ensure safe, reliable drinking water. The funds specifically will strengthen protection of the water source, properly close inactive wells and invest in emergency generators. In the Valley, Canfield, Sebring, Lordstown, Newton Falls and several mobile home parks will be on the receiving end. These investments reinforce the strong image the Gov. Mike DeWine administration has earned over the years for clean water management, particularly through its H2Ohio initiative.