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.


NEWS

Commissioners agree to deal

Jay County Commissioners and incoming Sheriff Dwane Ford formalized a contract Monday morning setting Ford’s salary at $98,000.

OPINION

We’ll celebrate together, as family

It’s inevitable, I suppose, that we get a bit sentimental and reflective during the holidays.

SCHOOLS

Jay looking to refinance

Jay Schools will move forward with refinancing about $13.8 million in debt related to the 2006 renovation project at Jay County High School. But the school board has not yet decided how to put to use the estimated $1.6 million in savings.

NEWS

Deal set with sheriff

Sheriff-elect Dwane Ford and Jay County Commissioners tentatively agreed on a new contract Monday that sets Ford’s salary at $98,000 and continues to send revenues from prisoner meals and tax warrant collection fees to the county’s general fund.

BUSINESS

Blankenbakers leave jewelry business

When Bill Blankenbaker first started work in the building at 213 S. Main St. in Dunkirk, he was a sophomore in high school learning to be a meat cutter.

OPINION

Faded photo holds many memories

The clipping was brittle and yellowed.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Newton, Ford are collaborating

Jay County Sheriff Ray Newton told county commissioners Monday he’s working with sheriff-elect Dwane Ford to assure a smooth transition going into the new year.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Travels included odd musical mix

“Who put this mix together?” asked my wife.

NEWS

Service is coming to an end

The list is a long one.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Remembering Thanksgiving over the years

Thanksgiving is a day for family memories.

BUSINESS

For Fishers, it’s all in family

This is a story about love. About family. And about meat.

NEWS

ArborShire carves out niche

Sometimes it’s easier to put your toe in the water than plunge into the deep end.

OPINION

Weekend was busy with wife away

I don’t do nothing well. That’s not really a double negative. What I don’t excel at is doing “nothing.”

SCHOOLS

Curriculum updated

Curriculum at Jay County High School is being revamped to help academically qualified students earn an associate’s degree or significant college credit hours at little or no cost before graduation.

SCHOOLS

School bonds could be refinanced

Jay Schools could save about $1.6 million in interest payments by refinancing the bonds used for the high school renovation project in 2006.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Poet's powerful words still endure

A poet died last week, a guy you’ve probably never heard of.

OPINION

Wizards always gave best effort

They were, in their own way, almost like wizards.

NEWS

Donnelly makes stop

A month after a young Hoosier was identified as the next target for beheading by the Islamic State, Sen. Joe Donnelly is still hopeful he may be released.

NEWS

Claytor touts experience, balance

The office of Indiana State Auditor may sound obscure to some, but Mike Claytor believes it’s essential to providing balance in the highest levels of state government.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Route eventually put pinball on tilt

A confession: I nearly lost my job as a newspaper carrier.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Having more is not always better

The movie had subtitles.

NEWS

Jay Schools expands program

A pilot program putting technology in the hands of ninth graders will be expanded to all class levels at Jay County High School next fall.

NEWS

Responsibility is key

Shon Byrum isn’t opposed to confined animal feeding operations, but he’d like to see a better balance between their development and the community’s needs.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Escape from 'jail' came just in time

The email came from one of my sisters.

ELECTION

Civility highlights forum

Civility, mutual respect and a love of Jay County dominated a “Meet the Candidates” forum Tuesday in Portland.

SCHOOLS

Long welcomes accountability

Accountability in the realm of public education isn’t going to go away. And that’s just fine with Jay Schools superintendent Tim Long.

OPINION

Phone issues cropped up quickly

Maybe my old phone clued in my new phone.

NEWS

Help for habitat

When Carl Walker roamed the fields as a kid, bobwhite quail were commonplace.

OPINION

Buzzing the race was a bad idea

It’s been more than 25 years, so the statute of limitations has probably expired. That means it’s safe to tell the story.

OPINION

Simple idea has changed the world

Every third grader in Jay County heard this story last week, so it’s worth sharing with a larger audience.

NEWS

Jay Schools’ budget OK’d

A Jay Schools budget topping more than $37 million was approved Monday night for 2015.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Jay, SA are on delays today

Jay Schools are on a three-hour delay today. South Adams is on a two-hour delay.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Artifacts have no historic value, yet

In some ways, I blame it all on Neil Armstrong.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Postcards don't give a full picture

The last of the Indiana license plates disappear about the middle of New York State.

NEWS

JCTA, board reach a deal

Jay Schools and the Jay Classroom Teachers Association has reached agreement on a 2014-15 contract, even though last year’s contract is still embroiled in a legal battle.

NEWS

Breaking: Teacher contract approved

Jay Schools and the Jay Classroom Teachers Association have reached agreement on a 2014-15 contract, even though last year’s contract is still embroiled in a legal battle.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Trip to Roadshow was worthwhile

8:15 a.m. EDT — We are sitting at the South Bend airport, waiting for a train. I know that sounds a little goofy, but the South Shore Railroad — the cheapest, best, no-hassle way to get into Chicago from Indiana — has its eastern-most station at the airport.

NEWS

Davis is retiring from OCRA

Bill Davis is retiring as executive director of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs as of Sept. 2.

NEWS

Dunkirk, Redkey hit hard by flooding

It rained. And it rained. And it kept on raining.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Kayak was a little less than stable

There’s nothing to worry about, the woman said. It’s next to impossible to fall out of a kayak.

OPINION

Nothing beat a fried egg sandwich

It was the first — and only — thing my father ever taught me to cook.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Waitress outshined surroundings

It was, without a doubt, the worst hotel in South Bend.

OPINION

Children’s songs could be worse

It’s a wonder we survived childhood.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Trip to Ethiopia gets grounded

I am not going to Ethiopia.

OPINION

Music festival had crowd bouncing

The crowd wasn’t so much dancing as it was bouncing along to the music.

NEWS

Budget gets board approval

A $36.7 million budget for Jay Schools was approved Monday for 2014, but school board members expressed concern about the school corporation’s year-end cash balance and hope changes in employee health insurance can provide some relief.

OPINION

Jay County is still home

George Miller’s reasons for stepping down from the presidency of Martin University in Indianapolis aren’t clear.

NEWS

A fitting designation

“Fitting” was the word of the day Saturday as Geneva was recognized by the Indiana Audubon Society as the first Bird Town in the state.

NEWS

Test results show little change

Preliminary ISTEP results from the glitch-plagued spring exams showed Jay County’s scores down one-tenth of one percent.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Familiar faces headed for playoffs

Footballs are flying, but it’s still baseball season at our house.
PORTLAND WEATHER

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