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ORCHID: To Warren artist Aaron Chine for painting a colossal 100-foot-long, brightly colored musky fish on a retaining wall near the city's Summit Street bridge. The supersized public art is certain to be a head turner for the approximately 9,000 motorists who pass by it each day. More importantly the giant-sized fish stands as a fitting metaphor for the giant-sized progress that continues to be made in revitalizing the Mahoning River and the city of Warren. Kudos, too, must generously go out to the leading sponsors of the project. In addition to the city, the Fund for Warren's Future and a grant from the Sherwin-Williams Corp. made this eye-catching addition to the Warren landscape possible.
ORCHID: To Warren native Bill White for receiving the distinctive and prestigious John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Board of Directors at its award ceremony in New York last week. 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, the 92-year-old White has earned the distinctive HOF kudos.
ORCHID: To Cortland Fire Chief David Rea for his 33 years of superlative first-responder service to the community. Rea retired last week after a long and distinguished career with the Bazetta/Cortland Joint EMS District and the Cortland Fire Department, where he had served as chief for the past 13 years. He has overseen growth in the department, modernization of its equipment and planning for a new state-of-the-art safety-service complex for the city. Rea thanked city council for its recognition of his service and noted his career has been a roller coaster ride filled with ups and downs. We wish him nothing but ups as he begins a well-earned retirement.
ONION: To leaders of athletic booster organizations in our region who unconscionably use their position to boost themselves rather than the young people they and their organizations are designed to support. Though innocent until proven guilty, a former leader of a wrestling and soccer booster club in Liberty faces felony theft and first-degree misdemeanor credit card misuse in a case in which over $40,000 was discovered missing from the club. Earlier this year, a Mahoning County grand jury indicted a leader with the Struthers High Band Boosters organization with grand theft. Any individual who chooses to lead and oversee any organization that promotes youth development should have this one overriding purpose in mind: to selflessly serve the best interests of the young people, not to serve their own greedy get-rich-quick interests.
ORCHID: To the Trumbull County Planning Commission for gaining positive international recognition via a feature article in Business in Focus, an international business magazine. Nick Coggins, director of economic development for the planning commission, said the multi-page feature, titled "Steel Roots, New Horizons," showcases the county's economic transformation, industrial heritage and continued commitment to business growth and community development. The nearly 2,000-word illustrated article heaps praise upon praise to the county and its Planning Commission for our region's growth and continued progress in business attraction and in quality of life. To see for yourself how complimentary Business In Focus was to the county, read the article online at https://businessinfocusmagazine.com/2026/06/trumbull-county-planning-commission/
ORCHID: To the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for its recent well-reasoned decision to deny blanket wastewater permits for all data centers in the state. Instead, the agency said it would decide on a case-by-case basis whether to grant individual permits for the discharge of wastewater into Ohio waterways. Potential environmental risks of discharging heated cooling water into small local streams or lake basins are many, most notably their potential to lower oxygen levels and stimulate harmful algal blooms. What's more, public input overwhelmingly opposed blanket permitting. We're pleased EPA leaders listened to the rational pleas of its constituents and will study each permit application closely on its own individual merits or lack thereof.
ORCHID: To the Marjorie Hartman Family Foundation for its recent generous $1 million gift toward Youngstown State University's Centered on the Future campaign to massively overhaul and update Kilcawley Student Center on campus. In recognition of the endowment, the iconic Rock area near the center officially will be christened "Marjorie Hartman Plaza." As university President Bill Johnson put it, "The Marjorie Hartman Family Foundation has been an extraordinary partner to YSU, and this latest investment not only helps transform this iconic space, but also permanently connects Marjorie Hartman's legacy with one of YSU's most cherished facilities and traditions." Hartman, of course, is best remembered as an animal lover extraordinaire, and her foundation has contributed more than $2 million to pre-veterinary programs at YSU.