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.


OPINION

Lectures aren't kindling the fire

Let the record show, I am not a drop-out.

NEWS

Intersections will get stop signs

Traffic on Jay County road 200 South is going to be a little slower and a lot safer in the not-too-distant future.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

State to fund flood response plan

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security wants Portland to plan its response to the next flood while the sun is still shining.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Board votes to refinance '08 bond

BERNE — South Adams School board set in motion the refinancing of a 2008 bond issue Tuesday in hopes of saving an estimated $1.4 million in interest costs.

OPINION

Temps don't cool fans' enthusiasm

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

NEWS

Historic expansion

A little elbow room can make a world of difference.

OPINION

Listening has gotten complicated

Everyone remembers Don McLean's song "American Pie" about "the day the music died."

NEWS

Flooding progress

The Army Corps of Engineers is ready to take a look at flooding problems on the Salamonie River.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Officials respond to criticism

Criticism of the Jay County Commissioners' job performance by the president of the Jay County Council drew a sharp rebuke Monday.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Hunts had photographer hopping

Have you ever noticed how — especially at Easter time — people tend to get cute with the word "egg"?

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Inmates approved to be on Medicaid

Medicaid coverage was extended to inmates at Jay County Jail on Monday under a contract with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration.


HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Boy meets bunny

Eighteen-month-old Draven Bell isn’t quite sure what to make of the Easter Bunny (Arnold Clevenger) on Saturday afternoon at Miller’s Merry Manor, near Dunkirk. Holding Draven is his grandmother, Teresa Bell. (The Commercial Review/Jack Ronald).

NEWS

River watch

The plan is done, but in some ways the work is just beginning.

OPINION

City's flooding issues are not new

The pile of papers has stories to tell.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Initial report ready

Jay County Commissioners have some homework to do.

AGRICULTURE

Agriculture economy will stay lean

The American agricultural economy is undergoing a re-set, and it’s going to take a little while before farm incomes are healthy again.

OPINION

Hike went well off the beaten path

It was one of those late winter/early spring Sunday afternoons.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Process allows 90 days for rules review

Jay County Commissioners expect to receive proposed changes in confined feeding rules in writing next week.

NEWS

Sale of property remains an issue

BERNE — Sale of the former school property at Indiana 218 and U.S. 27 continues to be a challenge for South Adams Schools.

OPINION

Itch for baseball getting stronger

The itch is inevitable.

NEWS

Verizon presents tracking system

Jay County Commissioners are considering technology that would allow for electronic monitoring of the county’s fleet of highway department vehicles.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

There was no escaping jury duty

"Brian's not here all week," someone said to me as I walked in the door.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Bees need help

The jury’s still out on the cause of a decline in the honey bee population, but there are clear steps that can be taken to address the problem.

OPINION

The work is still worth savoring

"When are you going top retire?" the woman asked.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Gazetteer sparks trip to Clear Lake

When you reach a certain age — hang on, kids it's going to be another one of those columns, seems the geezer is at it again — you never know when you're going to fall into a memory hole. When you reach a certain age — hang on, kids, it’s going to be another one of those columns, seems the geezer is at it again — you never know when you’re going to fall into a memory hole.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Bee knowledgable

Dustin Stillinger believes it’s important to understand the processes at work in nature.

NEWS

Nominations open for Cole award

It’s a chance to put the spotlight on someone who is doing good things.

NEWS

Wind farm now aims at 2017

Bluff Point Wind Farm isn’t on the horizon for 2016, but supporters of the project think 2017 will see it happen.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Thumbing his nose at calendar

The calendar said January, but the thermometer said spring.

NEWS

Finalists announced

Winners won’t be named until March, but the finalists for the Jay County Community Awards were announced Thursday at the annual meeting of the Jay County Chamber of Commerce.

OPINION

Switching roles proved to be fun

The tables were turned.

NEWS

Church reorganizing

First Baptist Church is looking for a re-birth.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Fire from twigs still serves purpose

Last week’s gusty winds brought twigs and small limbs down into our front yard.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

SA delays property decision

BERNE — Action to extend a commercial real estate listing on 4.81 acres of property in the heart of Berne has been tabled until the South Adams School Board meets in February.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Now preparing ... Portland

The wheels have been set in motion for a public television special featuring Portland.

NEWS

Little local library

Katherine Saunders loves libraries. Now she has one in her front yard.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Silly Christmas present was a hoot

It was either the best Christmas ever or the silliest.

OPINION

Worthy the new Star Wars film is

We walked in late.

HOMEPAGE TOP

WIPB-TV plans Portland program

WIPB-TV — the Public Broadcasting station affiliated with Ball State University — is coming to town. The station is launching a new series of “Our Town” videos, and Portland has been chosen for the initial outing.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Joy of Christmas is the act of giving

Kids, listen up.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Navigation systems should get lost

Does anyone really get lost anymore?

NEWS

Broker proposes 'team' effort

BERNE — It’s prime real estate.

OPINION

Toy stores carry a certain magic

There’s something about toy stores at Christmastime.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

As one era ends, another begins

“It’s the end of an era,” the guy in California said.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Dream cruise

It’s a proud parent’s dream.

NEWS

A Giant advocate

John Goodrich doesn’t remember the year it started.

NEWS

Endless ephemera

Larry and Maria Hiatt have their work cut out for them this winter.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Mother's smile brings back joy

At first, I wasn’t sure what I was watching. Then I saw my mother’s face smiling back at me.

BUSINESS

Move is still in the works

Back in February, it looked as if Community and Family Services was ready to move into a new home in Jay County in 2015.
PORTLAND WEATHER

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