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.
NEWS
Inaugural impression
It wasn’t perfect. The weather took care of that. But overall the reviews were positive Saturday for the inaugural Jay County Show Choir Spectacular.
SPORTS
D sparks Recovery
Baskets off of turnovers were key in a 23-point third quarter for the Fort Recovery High School boys basketball team Saturday, and size inside helped seal a 48-39 victory over the Arcanum Trojans.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
FR cutting ties with coaches
Fort Recovery Local Schools will move next week to officially cut ties with its two softball coaches who have been charged with murder.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Knoxville knock out
NEW KNOXVILLE, Ohio — The Rangers threw the first punch in the opening quarter. The Indians’ haymaker in the second put the game out of reach.
SPORTS
Indians run away
Fort Recovery closed the opening half on an 11-2 run, then scored the first dozen points of the third quarter as it cruised to a 50-28 victory Thursday over the Rangers to stay in contention for the conference title.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Love above Indy
Devin Nelson wasn’t looking at anything from the 33rd floor of JW Marriott. He intended to. But once he saw Alli Campbell, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
NEWS
Spectacular hosts
Jay County High School is seeking to draw more attention, both locally and throughout the state, to its growing program as it plays host to a show choir competition for the first time this weekend.
NEWS
Documents detail alleged murder plot
Investigators believe a dispute over child custody sparked a murder plot that led to the death of a Portland man.
SPORTS
Ousted in opener: Boys are unable to sustain success
Since joining the Allen County Athletic Conference in 2014-15, at least one Patriot squad had played for a tournament title every season.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Ousted in opener: Girls fade in 3rd
The Patriot girls gave away their chance at advancing in the tournament in the form of turnovers, struggling to hold onto the ball in the third quarter.
SCHOOLS
FR working to offer certifications
FORT RECOVERY — There are different pathways available to graduation. Fort Recovery High School is working toward offering another option for one of them.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Patriots drop ninth straight
When it rains, it pours. That’s been the case with the weather over the last few days. It’s been true for the Patriots for about six weeks.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Second by one
Anyone who needed proof that every race and ever place matters got it Saturday.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Out of sync
On one hand, the Patriots didn’t play very well this week. On the other, they still came away with two wins.
NEWS
County needs to adjust salary ordinance
The county’s salary ordinance will need a slight adjustment.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Incumbents in
One incumbent commissioner had already announced his intention not to seek another term in office. The other wasted no time signing up for another round.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Just enough
It wasn’t pretty. The 27 turnovers prove that. But the Patriots were able to do enough, just enough, to get a W.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
A legend gone
Darrel “Pete” Brewster, the most accomplished athlete in Jay County history, died Friday at Belton Regional Medical Center in Belton, Missouri. He was 89.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Fatal first
The Patriots dominated the first eight minutes of the season. Since then, the first quarter has not been their friend.
SPORTS
UFC ascension
Millions of little boys and girls dream about becoming professional athletes at the top level of their sport. Few ever get the opportunity to make those dreams come true. Casey Kenney did.
SPORTS
Turnover trouble
HUNTINGTON — Putting the ball in the basket has been a problem at times for the Patriots this season. That wasn’t the case Friday. Instead, it was the turnovers that bit them again.
NEWS
Gibson, Aker depart city council
Thirty-six years. That’s the amount of experience that is departing Portland City Council in the form of just two of its members.
SPORTS
Seven straight
Attack, attack, attack. That was the Patriots’ mentality. And it paid off.
NEWS
Cook is gone from JC chamber
Carey Cook’s stint leading Jay County Chamber of Commerce is over after less than five months.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Muhlenkamp wins Lilly
Sara Muhlenkamp walked into the TV studio at Jay County High School unsuspectingly.
SPORTS
Five in a row for 5-0
After a slow start, the Patriots have strung together five straight wins to get above .500 for the first time this season.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Three and D
NEW CASTLE — Pick a number, any number. None of them were good for the Patriots.
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Storied nativities
Baby Jesus in a manger. Mary and Joseph at his side. Wise men, shepherds and animals surrounding. An angel overhead.
SPORTS
Out-dual-ed
The Patriots admittedly set big goals heading into this season. One of them was to compete for an ACAC title. Having a chance at the dual-meet crown got a lot more difficult Friday.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Requesting consideration
The Purdue Extension office would like funding to turn a part-time position into a full-time role.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Bearcats buried
During a 1-5 start, there wasn’t much opportunity for the Patriots to show killer instinct. In recent wins, they saw double-digit leads slip away. But in the third quarter Tuesday, they made sure Muncie Central would have no opportunity to rally.
NEWS
Final cleaning
A former industrial site on the southeast side of Portland is in the final stages of the clean-up process.
SPORTS
Zoned out
Down by 10 with 3:20 to go, the Patriots finally got a little spurt of offense. It wasn’t enough against a Woodlan squad that hit its first 10 free throws in the fourth quarter.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Trojans thwarted
The Patriots saw their first double-digit lead slip away. They didn’t allow it to happen again.
NEWS
It's not us
It took only a moment after Chuck Huffman answered the phone this morning for those gathered at Community Resource Center to know the news they were about to get.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Work to do
The Patriots and Bulldogs were trading matches back-and-forth. The home team seemed primed to take its first lead of the night.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Playing with puppets
Bringing animated humans to life on stage is one thing. Portraying a reindeer and a little snowman is another.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Arts expansion
A project that has been more than half a decade in the making is getting closer and closer to becoming a reality.
SPORTS
Thrilling opener
FORT RECOVERY — Gavin Thobe dribbled the ball off his leg. It was rolling toward the left sideline. Coach Jim Melton was trying to call a timeout. As players dived toward the loose ball, a whistle blew.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
I&M route is set
Routes for planned electrical infrastructure updates have been announced.
SPORTS
Setting big goals
Mason Winner expects a state medal, preferably the one that places him atop the podium.
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