Your Morning Matters: April in Youngstown

Good morning and welcome to your Morning Matters.

It’s Tuesday, April 27, 2021, and I don’t care what, I’m going to spend some time outside today. 

Last week? Snow. This past weekend? Just like October: Gray and spitting rain and too cold to enjoy anything outdoors. Suddenly: It’s spring! The high today will be 83, if you can believe that. What’s more weird: The hottest day on record for April in Youngstown was set on April 27, 1990 when the temperature hit 88 degrees!

When we first moved to town in 2008, we were excited to hit a few Mahoning Valley Thunder arena football games in May and June. I naively asked a co-worker why the crowds were so light. It was football. In Ohio! FOOTBALL! And the games were a good time.

He said, “Look, by May, everyone is too tired of sitting indoors. It’s been gray and cold and wet since October. Around here, when the weather turns, everyone wants to be outside, not sitting in some arena watching indoor football.”

By 2009, the Thunder had folded. And we had our first gazebo on the patio with some tables and chairs we had lugged from Illinois to Florida to Ohio. Now with lights, landscaping, plants and a second gazebo, it looks like a tropical circus. We dubbed it “The Flamingo Lounge” in 2019 and is where we live for six months of the year.

So, 13 years later, I’m clearly an official Ohioan. I can’t wait to head outside!

And how will you make today count?

Here’s what you need to know about the Mahoning Valley today:

Youngstown could face an approximate $700,000 federal penalty for apparently being a year behind on just one part of its plan for mandated wastewater system improvements, records show. City officials also said they’re “stalled” on the plan’s second phase for lack of financing..

Since 2002, the city has been working under a federal consent decree from the U.S. EPA, in which it’s ordered to make a total $160 million in improvements to its wastewater treatment system and eliminate sewer overflows into the Mahoning River and Mill Creek Park caused by heavy rainstorms. Reporter Justin Dennis has the details.

Pandemic facts

• In the U.S.: 31,733,400 confirmed cases; 567,666 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine at 8 p.m. April 26.
• In Ohio: 1,065,702 confirmed and suspected cases; 19,122 deaths.
• In Pennsylvania: 1,136,057 confirmed cases; 25,988 deaths.
• In the Mahoning Valley: 21,150 confirmed and suspected cases in Mahoning County; 15,779 in Trumbull; and 8,636 in Columbiana.
• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Closed at 33,981.57, down 61.92 points, or 0.18 percent.

Other matters

Here’s some good news: The Rotary Club of Youngstown’s third annual Groundhog Craft Beerfest — canceled in February due to the pandemic — is now scheduled for July 10 in the parking lot of Stambaugh Auditorium. Mahoning Matters

Questions about local control returning to school districts remained unanswered after the third town hall meeting to discuss an end to House Bill 70, the so-called Youngstown Plan. Mahoning Matters

Job hunting during a pandemic is tough enough as it is. Now cyber criminals are making it harder for job seekers to tell the real opportunities from the fake, authorities say. We tell you what to watch for. Mahoning Matters

A California-based automaker has expanded its allegations against Lordstown Motors Corp. to include charges of conspiracy, fraud and violations of the RICO Act. The Business Journal [May require registration.]

The grandson of the 94-year-old victim of convicted murderer Jacob LaRosa blames Ohio’s elected officials for giving the killer a chance for freedom in 19 years — and then every five years after that. The Vindicator [May encounter paywalls.]

The Liberty High School football team helped the Trumbull County Animal Welfare League move 24,000 pounds of litter on Sunday. WKBN

The lawyer representing Rachel Powell, a Capitol riot suspect from Mercer County, says she did not wear a mesh face mask to mock a court order. A U.S. District Court judge gave her until Monday to explain why she shouldn’t be held in contempt for mocking a court order that she wear a mask whenever she leaves her residence. WFMJ

In case you missed it

Blue Wolf Tavern is celebrating its 20th anniversary and owner and executive chef Joe Rzonsa described the restaurant’s menu as diverse. It’s filled with a combination of “Youngstown staples” like chicken parmesan and fried greens, seafood that’s delivered to the restaurant five days a week, grilled and barbecued ribs, steaks and pork chops that are smoked in-house, a variety of pasta dishes and more. Mahoning Matters

This story was made possible by Farmers National Bank.

Your comments matter

“I’m glad she’s okay. From my own experience and some precarious situations, I would never rely on just a cell phone for mapping trail information or for rescue.”

— Judith Marie Horner, on Courtney Leasure of Warren who, along with her dog Marley, was rescued earlier this month after getting lost and falling during a hike on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Registered readers can comment on a selection of our stories, and all readers can comment on stories on our Facebook page. Opinions published here do not reflect the views of Mahoning Matters.

Event of the day

The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley will host its annual meeting at 11 a.m. at the Lake Club, 1140 Paulin Road. The event will celebrate the success of the 2020 campaign and milestones achieved by the organization. The top campaigns and volunteers will be recognized for their contributions during the program. The event also will be livestreamed here.

To see what else is going on around the Mahoning Valley, check out Mahoning Matters’ event calendar here, or click the Events tab on the top menu at mahoningmatters.com.

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