Jack Ronald

Jack Ronald

Jack Ronald (1948-2002) served as president and chairman of the Graphic Printing Company from 1985 until the time of his death April 23, 2022. He was publisher of The Commercial Review for 38 years and editor for 32 years.

He is a member of the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame.

Ronald earned a litany of journalism awards from Hoosier State Press Association, Indiana Associated Press Media Editors and Inland Press. He received the Charlie Biggs Community Commitment Award from the Hoosier State Press Association in 2014.

A 1970 graduate of Earlham College, he became a Fulbright Scholar in 1998 and a Fulbright Senior Specialist in 2012. He won the Indiana Journalism Award from Ball State University in 2004.

The Portland High School graduate is a strong supporter of community journalism and has also used his skills to teach journalists around the world. He has served as a trainer in Moldova, Kyrgyzstan and most-recently Myanmar.


Sometimes we need a superhero

“The dam has broken,” said the voice on the phone.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Think about those who are at risk

Last year, I rounded out 2020 by reflecting on those I had lost during that first year of the pandemic. This year, it seems appropriate to reflect on those at great risk.

OPINION

Spirit of Santa always lives on

Columnist reflects on the different Santas he has known.

OPINION

Homeowners have defied the odds

The document in front of me was terrifying.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Chat on flight home was non-stop

Her name was Phyllis.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Fighting for Riz

Jay County couple is working to help their friend from Afghanistan

OPINION

Loom is ready for assembly

It started with a conversation at the dedication of the newly expanded campus of Arts Place in Jay County.

OPINION

Panthers won, and the bully lost

It was probably October 1958.

OPINION

Quirk of General Shanks is missed

I miss General Shanks.

OPINION

Grandpa’s effort amounts to little

The call came in the middle of a meeting.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Hike wasn’t easy, it was awesome

“This’ll be fun,” I said.

OPINION

Sometimes bed wins over baseball

“What inning is it?” I asked as I lifted my eyelids and attempted to drag myself from the warm embrace of the family room sofa where I had been dozing. Truth to tell, I may as well have asked, “Who is playing?”

OPINION

Trip was as advertised before rain

“So,” someone said, “how’d that camping trip go? That one with the grandchildren.” Fair question.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Strong opinions are in the genes

Hard to believe, but if my mother were alive today she would have turned 103 this month.

OPINION

Memories of Minor League endure

Why watch minor league baseball?

OPINION

Your stories are worth preserving

Ever heard of StoryWorth?

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Differences can’t break community

Has enough time passed for us to go to the land of uncomfortable memories?

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Spend time with some good books

Maybe, as the month winds down, it’s a good time for my annual book recommendations.

OPINION

It's good to have time to run free

Summertime in childhood had its own special rhythm.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

‘Last Waltz’ should be played loud

This column should be read loud.

OPINION

Clear-eyed chief was a good friend

Bill Clinton walked into the room.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Helpless feeling will not go away

One of my favorite Neil Young songs has a plaintive refrain: “Helpless! Helpless! Helpless!”

OPINION

Child-proofing is simply impossible

“It’s not as if the queen is visiting,” I said to my wife. That was undeniably true. The queen of England isn’t known for domestic mayhem. Then again, the queen of England isn’t two and a half years old. Our youngest grandchild is.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Bird seed will stay put for a while

I was buying birdseed, and I was feeling kind of stupid about it.

OPINION

Is it about time to stop writing?

Should I just shut up? Should I just put a sock in it?

OPINION

Camping return comes in August

Why did we camp as a family when I was a kid?

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Myanmar layoff was no surprise

I have been laid off.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Learning can impact what we like

Sometimes what you learn can get in the way of what you like.

OPINION

Rain delay turned out just fine

Maybe I’ve told this story before. At my age, that happens. But the Indianapolis 500 got me thinking about things, and one memory triggered another.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Chamber and tourism should unite

Here’s a modest proposal.

OPINION

Weather thwarts plans for baseball

My wife and I tend to get a little premature when it comes to spring and baseball.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Jetson is in need of a new hobby

It seemed like a good idea at the time. But even the best ideas play themselves out.

OPINION

Youngest will be far from the last

Let’s talk about Khin Myo Chit.

OPINION

Standardized test taking is scary

It’s testing season. ISTEP may be gone, but ILEARN is alive and kicking as any kid, teacher or parent could tell you.

OPINION

Haircut is a step toward normalcy

As I write this, it is “haircut eve.”

OPINION

Inscription kept book on the shelf

Several years ago, my sister-in-law in Minnesota instituted a rule: If a new book came into the house, another book had to leave.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Myanmar work includes new rules

It’s been a little over a month since that Sunday night when my wife came in to tell me the news. I was on the computer, and it was about 7 p.m. when Connie came in to tell me that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had been detained. It was a shock, but it was not a shock.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

It's tough, but confidence is strong

My father popped up in a dream the other night. He was still a youngish man in the dream, probably in his 40s. And he was smiling.

OPINION

Old house has its quirks

We live in an old house, a really old house.

OPINION

Side effect of vaccine? Euphoria

As is so often the case during this pandemic, it came down to a matter of chance.

OPINION

Winter sports? Nah, grab a broom

The term “winter sports” has always struck me as something of an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms.

OPINION

Dreary days of winter are finite

And so it begins: The long slog toward springtime.

OPINION

Voicing an opinion led to prison

The news came two days before Christmas.

OPINION

Grief lingers from loss of friends

As the year winds down, it’s only natural to reflect on milestones and those we’ve lost along the way.

OPINION

Desk is not ready for prime time

My old friend Paul Stevens made a request the other day, and I still haven’t been able to fulfill it.

OPINION

The gift exchange came up empty

Much as I love Christmas — and I love it a lot — I can’t say I’m a fan of the Christmas gift exchange.

OPINION

COVID can't dampen holiday joy

To decorate or not to decorate? That is the question.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Remember key lessons

Some things I have learned over more than 70 Thanksgivings: Leave room for dessert.

NEWS

End of an era

It's the end of an era — almost.

FAMILY

Second chances

Nathan Springer believes in second chances.
PORTLAND WEATHER

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