Cheers and Jeers
CHEERS to all police officers and members of the community who paid their respects to retired K-9 officer Rock at a memorial held at the Martins Ferry Recreation Center this week. Rock was remembered as a protector of the city and valued partner to handler John Bumba.
CHEERS to Tracy McBride, an employee of Thomas Garage in St. Clairsville, for receiving a Most Valued Professional award from Chrysler Group. McBride is part of the company’s top six percent of salespeople and the only woman in the Great Lakes region to be recognized. She sold 182 new vehicles in 2015.
CHEERS to the 56 wrestlers who reached today’s Ohio Valley Athletic Conference semifinals. Good luck as you take to the mat at WesBanco Arena in downtown Wheeling.
JEERS to the thief or thieves who targeted The Country Store at Hopedale. The business has been robbed twice within the past two weeks, and police believe the same person may have committed both crimes.
CHEERS to the Bridgeport Rotary Club and Citizens Bank for donating three iPads to the Bridgeport Exempted Village School District for student use. Depending on the availability of funds, club members say more of the devices may be donated in the future.
JEERS to the drivers who failed to recognize the danger of driving too fast during icy conditions on Tuesday. Police said that by driving too fast for conditions or being generally careless, motorists on local roadways caused more than 15 accidents throughout the day.
Cheers and Jeers
CHEERS to the Monroe County Port Authority for the purchase of 49 acres of land in Salem Township as this is designed as a forward step in economic development in that county.
CHEERS to the Joint Committee on Gaming and Wagering for urging Ohio lawmakers to consider revoking tax exemptions to gambling parlors “to protect the interests of Ohio’s schools, local government and taxpayers.” Reportedly, tax freebies to casinos total more than $650 million.
JEERS to the former Ohio teacher convicted in Ashland County of the illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material. He had been accused of secretly recording kindergarten students using the bathroom through the use of a tiny spy camera.
JEERS to the nonrenewal of the contract of Dianna Vargo, superintendent of Ohio County schools. Not only is her professionalism in education evident, but she also is involved in other activities to help students such as the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference.
CHEERS to state and local governmental officials with the hopes that as they will make decisions to help the general public as they assume their duties in the new years and cheers to outgoing officials, who have served well.
JEERS to a theft suspect who bit off part of a man’s ear in Youngstown as the injured man was trying to stop the suspect from breaking into a friend’s vehicle. Shades of Vincent Van Gogh! (Van Gogh is known as the tortured genius who reportedly cut off his own ear in 1888 although two German historians a few years ago contend he lost his ear in a fight with a friend, another artist.)