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ORCHID: To the Ohio Parole Board for recently rejecting early release from prison for Fred Joseph Jr., the monster convicted of killing a Niles police officer in 1982. Joseph, many will recall, posed as a drug informant and then ambushed and shot Officer John Utlak in the head in a secluded Mineral Ridge parking lot. For that brazen crime, Joseph truly deserved the life sentence he received. His actions since imprisonment -- 46 violations of breaking prison rules and verbally abusing correction officers -- also prove he clearly is unfit to return to society. As Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins accurately pointed out, "Fred Joseph does not qualify to get in the return-to-society recycling bin of inmates; he needs imprisonment until he dies."
ORCHID: To the 10 Niles Intermediate School and Niles Middle School students who scored in the highest tier of the Spring 2026 Ohio State Tests.Toni D'Urso, district testing coordinator, expressed her unbridled enthusiasm and pride to the scholars thusly: "For our district to have 10 students who tested perfectly is an extraordinary accomplishment. To say we are incredibly proud of these students, their families and their teachers is an understatement." The school district should also take great pride in its teachers and staff who made the incredible accomplishment possible. Cheers to this honor roll of those grade-A+ students: Franklin Bassett, Lillian Baugh, Milo Biviano, Mia Burns, Kingston Clay-Dunn, Merliah Lagunay, Mackenzie Mechling-Coursen, Kya Miller, James Trunick and Greyson Wiseman.
ONION: To all pranksters taking part in creepy and dangerous online "Cat in the Hat" threats on TikTok. The misguided macabre trend uses artificial intelligence and digital editing software to create eerie and frightening images and videos of the classic Dr. Seuss character. In many of them, they include threats of attack toward individuals and schools. The threats have caused widespread panic nationwide, forcing some schools to cancel classes entirely and increase police presence on campuses. Several Valley schools have reported instances of this unseemly trend and at least one local teen faces possible criminal charges. Not only does the twisted "Cat in the Hat" dishonor the proud legacy of renowned children's author Dr. Seuss, it also creates undue panic and disrupts the learning environment. Local schools and police agencies should not think twice about tossing maximum discipline and penalties the way of those who denigrate this classic character of children's literature.
ORCHID: To Brookfield Township Trustees and volunteers for their key roles in preserving and expanding attractions at the township's park. They recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the opening of the park with an accent on its key role in providing close-to-home recreational activities for residents. Trustee Mark Ferrara said it is important to thank and remember the many volunteers who built the park and have supported it through improvement and maintenance over the past five decades. The park recently added a disc golf course and tentative plans call for considerations of renovating or rebuilding the pavilion and constructing paved walking trails. The growth is particularly noteworthy and praiseworthy considering that Brookfield, unlike many other township parks in the Valley, operates without a dedicated tax levy for park upkeep and services.
ONION: To Democratic Party Ohio governor candidate Amy Acton for refusing to debate Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican gubernatorial candidate in this fall's hot and close statewide race. Ramaswamy said he's accepted invitations from CNN and others to debate offers, but Acton has emphatically stated she will not engage in a one-on-one give and take with her challenger. She cites the Republican "scam artist's" unflattering ads against her as a primary reason.
Though some of the pro-Ramaswamy ads may indeed go too far and be a bit misleading about Acton's personal life and tenure as state health director, such no-holes-barred and over-the-top campaigning has regrettably become all too commonplace. More importantly, Acton's refusal to confront Ramaswamy on a formal and controlled platform such as a debate stage denies Ohio voters an important side-by-side comparison of the stands of both candidates, neither of whom have ever held elected office.
ONION: To all who fail to follow safety and security protocols at high school football games. A Youngstown man recently was arrested after he had a run-in and argument with a Warren police officer standing guard at the Warren Harding-Youngstown football game. The man was irate over Mollenkopf Stadium staff saying they would refuse to let him re-enter if he left after halftime. High schools across the country routinely enforce rules that prohibit new entry or re-entry into a stadium after halftime as a proactive safety and crowd-control measure. Those who refuse to respect the rules would be better off staying home.
ORCHID: To the Rev. John Michael L. Oliver, executive director of the African-American Wellness Agency-Mahoning Valley, for his selection by the Trumbull County Planning Commission as the recipient of this month's "Something Good Initiative." His commitment to enhancing the health of black men in the region is boundless. Oliver has dedicated his life to improving health equity, expanding access to preventive healthcare and strengthening underserved communities through collaboration and service. He's also been a leader in the Mahoning Valley Fatherhood Coalition. As Planning Commission Assistant Director Nicholas Coggins aptly put it, "His servant leadership and dedication have created opportunities that strengthen individuals, families and communities throughout the Mahoning Valley."
ONION: To CoreCivic and those in charge of overseeing its Northeast Ohio Correctional Center for seemingly failing to adequately address repeated cases of physical violence among inmates at the private prison in Youngstown. Just last week police were called to the lockup after a prisoner reportedly stabbed another with a large metal shank after an altercation over walking over a freshly painted area. The suspect is an alleged member of the brutal MS-13 gang from El Salvador. The stabbing reportedly is the 22nd over the past two years at the privately operated lockup. That's unacceptable for inmates and staff at the prison. The U.S. Justice Department, which has investigated another CoreCivic-managed prison in Tennessee after reports of excessive violence there, would do well to now turn its attention to NEOCC.