Ray Cooney
Ray Cooney was elected president of The Graphic Printing Company in December 2023. He became publisher of The Commercial Review on July 1, 2020, while retaining the title of editor he has held since Dec. 1, 2014. He served managing editor from July 2013 through November 2014, assistant managing editor from November 2005 through July 2013 and sports editor from March 2001 through July 2013.
He earned the most awards of any journalist in Division III in the Hoosier State Press Association Better Newspaper Contest for four consecutive years from 2013 through 2016. His first-place honors this year were for in-depth feature, sports feature, general news photo and video.
In his career he has also won HSPA awards for sports commentary, editorial writing, use of graphics, community service, news writing under deadline pressure, sports action photo, sports feature photo, headline writing, editorial page, profile feature and multiple picture group. He had picked up nine Indiana Associated Press Media Editors awards earlier in the year, including first place for business writing, non-deadline sports story and headline writing.
Cooney was honored with the Indiana High School Athletic Association Distinguished Media Service Award in 2012, and also received the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Outstanding Baseball Media Award in 2009.
A native of Avon, Ohio, Cooney graduated from St. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio) in 1996 and Cleveland State University in 2000. He was the inaugural editor of The Cleveland Stater at CSU, and also worked for The Morning Journal (Lorain, Ohio) and The Chronicle-Telegram (Elyria, Ohio) before moving to Jay County.
Cooney lives in Portland with his dog, Scooter.
Bids opened
Both offers came in at more than $13.5 million as Portland Board of Works on Thursday opened bids for a portion of the city’s work that is required as part of its agreed order Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
Getting physical
Jay County High School’s boys basketball team survived a tumultuous third quarter and came out strong in the fourth to put away the Woodlan Warriors 55-42 in the Allen County Athletic Conference opener Friday night.
Contract, increase approved
Jay School Board on Monday approved its contract with Jay Classroom Teachers Association, memorandums of understanding with administrators and support staff, and pay increases for substitutes.
WJCC to celebrate
Pam Robbins, West Jay Community Center’s administrator, visited Dunkirk City Council on Monday to report that the facility will host an open house beginning at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8.
Regional finish
Alexis Sibray’s 112th-place finish in a field of 246 girls led the way for the Jay County High School cross country trio during the regional meet host by New Haven on Saturday at The Plex.
Plan reviewed
Jason Clearwaters of engineering firm Butler, Fairman & Seufert gave a brief overview of the plan during the board’s meeting Wednesday, with few changes from previous versions.
Process paused
Local officials made clear that something needs to be done about the former Hunt’s building. But demolition is not imminent, yet.
Tentative agreement detailed
Jay School Corporation and its teachers have reached a tentative agreement, which calls for average raises of 7.5%.
Heritage goes heavy
In the annual battle of the Allen County Athletic Conference’s Patriots, Heritage’s 12-place, 61-yard drive that lasted nearly seven minutes to open the second half put it in firm control as it handed Jay County High School’s football team a 28-6 defeat.
Dirksen drops sectional final
MUNCIE — Thirty-seven members of the Dirksen family were together Thursday night.
Coming down
Portland Board of Works on Thursday awarded the job to demolish the Bailey Building on Main Street on the west side of the downtown area and opened bids take down the former Hunts building on Meridian Street.
Huskies blank Jay
Addyson Ferguson’s score with 5:10 left in the first half broke the lengthy stalemate and sparked her Hamilton Heights Huskies as they ended Jay County’s season in the IHSAA Class 2A Sectional 24 opening round Tuesday at Yorktown Sports Park.
School board hires Corwin
Jay School Corporation has a new leader for its transportation department.
Glass Days returns
Glass Days is coming back.
Inaugural event
“Let’s have a Jeep show.”
Dedicated to Dunkirk
Dunkirk City Council on Monday approved a resolution to accept the dedication of the streets in Quincy Place to the city.
Locked in late
A late-game interception and five rushing touchdowns helped the Jay County High School football team to a 34-29 win over the Woodlan Warriors in a mistake-filled game Friday night.
Radio show performing Saturday
Tom Cherry’s Old Time Radio Show will be back with a performance Saturday.
Funds shifted to roof
Portland Redevelopment Commission on Friday approved allowing LeeAnn Miller to shift the $30,000 grant it had previously approved for work on her downtown building renovation project to instead be used for the roof.
No changes planned for CIP
Portland Board of Aviation isn’t looking at any major changes to its plans for capital improvements at Portland Municipal Airport.
Turf, "cleathouse" move forward
Jay School Board on Monday awarded bids for projects to construct a “cleat house” at the northeast end of Harold E. Schutz Memorial Stadium and install artificial turf at the facility.
First for Karn
Michael Karn, a 2008 Jay County High School graduate, earned his first win as a head coach Saturday as the Elwood High School football team knocked off the Blackford Bruins 22-12 at Indiana Wesleyan University.
Fight falls short
Playing against an undefeated, state-ranked conference rival for the second week in a row, the Patriots fought. Even down 19 points less than three minutes into the second quarter, they fought. They fought to within 11 yards of a one-score game in the second half.
Findings presented
Rundell Ernstberger Associates representatives shared the results of focus groups and an open house and their suggestions for Portland Redevelopment Commission's redevelopment plan for downtown Portland.
Working toward plan
A day-long series of focus groups and an evening open house led by design and planning firm Rundell Ernstberger Associates were the first steps in a three-day process that is part of Portland Redevelopment Commission’s push to update its redevelopment plan for downtown Portland.
Out of reach
Jay County High School’s football team hung with Class 1A No. 2 Adams Central for about 16 minutes Friday night. But when the Jets took the momentum, the game shifted in a hurry as the visitors dominated the rest of the way to beat the Patriots 42-7.
Buildings addressed
Portland Board of Works on Thursday opened the lone bid for the demolition of the Bailey Building and took the next step toward potentially taking down the structure 208 and 210 N. Meridian St.
Jay Co. sweeps Tigers
Bella Denton only had one block in the Patriots’ first Allen County Athletic Conference matchup, but it was a big one.
Talking trash
Portland City Council members on Tuesday had another lengthy discussion about the pick-up of large trash items in the city. They also held the public hearing on the city’s 2024 budget and approved several ordinance changes.
Explosive second
PONETO — It was a tale of two halves for the Patriots. The first they’d like to forget. The second they will hold onto.
Contribution reduced
Portland Redevelopment Commission during a special meeting Friday adjusted its latest financial commitment to the ongoing Meridian Street storm sewer project because of an error by city officials.
Equipment purchase approved
Portland Board of Works on Wednesday decided to buy the new self-contained breathing apparatus through Donley of Indianapolis. The purchase, which is being predominantly funded through a federal grant, will provide new equipment for all of the county’s six fire departments.
Revitalization loan approved
Dunkirk City Council on Monday approved a $25,000 downtown revitalization loan for Rock Fuqua for upgrades at 128 S. Main St.
Building lineups
The pair of returning regional qualifiers led Jay County High School again Saturday in the Celina Rotary Invitational at Wright State University – Lake Campus as the teams continue to work to build the lineup behind them.
Jay rate up to 3.8%
Indiana Department of Workforce Development estimates released this week show Jay County had an unemployment rate of 3.8% in July.
Commons project awarded
Jay School Board on Monday awarded the contract for improvements to the commons area at Jay County Junior/Senior High School to C&T Design and Equipment of Fort Wayne at a cost of $738,015.12.
Exception granted for processing facility
Jay County Board of Zoning Appeals on Thursday approved a special exception to allow Alvin Brenneman to operate a custom meat processing facility on the north side of county road 650 North between county roads 650 West and 750 West.
Airport will need to adjust plans
Jason Clearwaters of engineer firm Butler, Fairman & Seufert explained to Portland Board of Aviation during its meeting Wednesday that infrastructure bill rules limit use for reimbursement.
Order affirmed
Portland Board of Works on Thursday affirmed Jay/Portland Building and Planning’s unsafe building order for 208 and 210 N. Meridian St.
Thomas tosses
Bob Thomas, a member of the inaugural Portland Rockets team in 1959, throws out the first pitch prior to Sunday’s doubleheader against the South Bend Royals at Portland Memorial Park's Runkle-Miller Field.
LOCAL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
COVID leads list
Coronavirus pandemic is the top story for the second consecutive year
SPORTS
A grand grin
Jay County junior Renna Schwieterman eclipses 1,000 career points in rout of South Adams
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Tribe pulls away from Lancers
FORT RECOVERY — Calm down. Finish strong.
LOCAL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
Still red
COVID-19 case counts are high but improving as hospitals experience their largest pandemic surge
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Broken glass
FORT RECOVERY — The Indians dominated the glass all night.
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