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
Eternal history
"The sooner things start popping, the better I'll like it and I aim to be on it. The sooner we all get in there, the sooner we'll get to go home. If I ever get back to Portland, I'll never leave the old town again."
SCHOOLS
Forecast shifts after fiscal 2020
FORT RECOVERY — School finances look strong in the short term but could take a turn down the road.
SCHOOLS
School board picks Chartwells
Local schools are charting a new course for food service.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Farmers may get a break
Local farmers may finally get a chance to make some planting progress by the end of this week.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Tax caps hit Jay County hard
The impact of circuit breakers hit Jay County hard in 2018.
NEWS
Mayors survive challenges
Both mayors survived primary challenges. But the results of Tuesday’s election left one local party without its leader.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Betts makes departure official
It's an off-year for school board elections, but Jay School Corporation's governing body will still be getting a new member.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
A fresh take
The event has always been about connecting. This year, there is a greater focus on engaging as well.
NEWS
Jay! named Stellar finalist
Four years after Dunkirk was a finalist for the Stellar Communities designation, all of Jay County now has the chance to reach for the stars.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
JJCL gets another partner
John Jay Center for Learning has another partner.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Addressing ACE
Negative experiences endured as a child can have an impact throughout life.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Firks leaving FR for Bethel
FORT RECOVERY — Add superintendent and elementary school principal to the list of open positions.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Security steps
Following Jay County Commissioners' lead, Jay County Council was quick to take steps to improve courthouse security.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Watch, schools launch effort
Watch Communications and Jay School Corporation are now officially working together on the dual track of providing high-speed internet service and improving school security.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Making progress
PENNVILLE — Efforts to make the town better are showing progress.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Decisive debut
PHILADELPHIA — When ring announcer Bruce Buffer revealed that one of the judges had scored the fight 30-27, Casey Kenney lifted his left arm in the air.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Virtual support
Taking the first step toward providing help with addiction recovery is now as simple as pushing a button.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Council amends salary statute
The county’s salary ordinance has been adjusted to acknowledge the different schedules worked by sheriff’s office employees.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Fighter's chance
Casey Kenney got the offer Monday afternoon. By 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, he was on a plane.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Pleasant grant
More than $2 million worth of paving work was already planned for Jay County this year. That number has jumped even higher.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Wellman resignation announced
The county will be getting a new highway superintendent.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
District will help with tire removal
A local business will get some help cleaning up its new property.
NEWS
Prepare to pack
Take a couple of hours to help feed the world's most underprivileged children.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Stellar goals
Paving is scheduled for this year. Wind farm construction is possible. And officials are hoping for a Stellar designation as well.
NEWS
Fence will be built around dump
REDKEY — The town has a solution for dealing with its former dump site.
NEWS
Board reviews busing issues
FORT RECOVERY — More time will be taken to review transportation issues.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Band is in need of more members
Band is a key component of the Jay County culture.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Redkey school to get makeover
Redkey Elementary School will get more than a spring cleaning. It has an appointment for a makeover.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Watch is looking
An internet service provider is planning to expand broadband access in Jay County.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Focus on finals
One hundred middle school teams advance to the robotics state finals. Jay County has three of them.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Farm future
Indiana and Jay County are strong in agriculture, and there remains room to grow.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Breakout season
Four years ago, Susan Denney took Patriot Edition to a single competition.
NEWS
Education, rural issues top agenda
Education, rural broadband, agriculture. Those were the three topics on J.D. Prescott's mind midway through his first legislative session representing District 33.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
First anniversary
New uniforms. New equipment. New evaluation systems.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Policy shift is proposed
FORT RECOVERY With an eye on student safety, superintendent Justin Firks is proposing transportation policy changes.
NEWS
District awards teacher grants
Jay County Solid Waste Management District is providing more than $2,500 to help teachers promote the reduce, reuse, recycle mission.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Variety of issues
Travis Holdman spent about 15 minutes explaining two of the key issues in front of the state legislature this year. Jay County residents had other topics of interest to discuss.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Boys fall short of record
The Patriots knew what it would take to give themselves a chance to extend their season.
JAY COUNTY
Hot-start by Knights dooms Jay County
Levi Leidig hit a 3-pointer. Then Will Geiger went to work. Garrison Brege facilitated their scoring.
NEWS
Dems dispute Watson
A challenge has been filed against a candidate for Dunkirk clerk-treasurer.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Wind ordinance updates nearly ready
Updates for the country's wind farm ordinance are nearly ready to move forward.
NEWS
Waiver granted
The school year will still stretch into June. It just won’t be as deep into the month as previously expected.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Personnel discussions
Jay County's personnel committee has been, and will continue to be, busy.
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September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.