Ray Cooney

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.


SPORTS

Patriot depth beats Tigers

The Patriots’ No. 1 swimmers did their jobs, winning each event. And their No. 2s, 3s and 4s pulled in plenty of points behind them.

SPORTS

Time is now for FR football

“You know how you turn coal into diamonds?”

SPORTS

Patriots pounce on Panthers in season opener

The Patriots said they wanted to run more this season. They got that accomplished with a dunk off of the opening tip.

NEWS

Nearly complete

The process took years.

JAY COUNTY

Sports brief: Jay boys win opener

A dunk off the opening tip set the tone Saturday as the Jay County High School boys basketball team opened its season with a 71-33 win over the visiting Lakewood Park Christian Panthers.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Sonrise plans to build hangar

It’s been a year of expansion for Portland Municipal Airport. And more is planned for 2016.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Stars fall in opener

BERNE — Sometimes it comes down to something as simple as putting the ball in the basket.

NEWS

A second walk

Shad Fields saw the smoke as he was driving south on Meridian Street in Redkey.

CHURCH

Grid is the guide

Grid Zurcher called a student to the front of the room.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Pettus in Pittsburgh

Think about the possibility of having a wish granted.

SPORTS

Coaching 'right' for Rigby

RICHMOND — On the court with more than an hour left before game time, the Indiana University East players shoot around. Along the sidelines, coach Mark Hester and assistant David Sanders watch their players.

RAYS OF INSIGHT

'Stuff' is more fun than it seems

It must stink to have to watch that stuff all the time.

BUSINESS

No buyer for Bluff Point

A drive through southern Randolph County reveals a landscape dotted by windmills.

NEWS

Jay rate 29th highest in state

While unemployment in Jay County remains relatively low, its rate in relationship to the rest of the state continues to head in the wrong direction.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Waste district to offer grants

With its finances in good shape and getting better every month, Jay County Solid Waste Management District is looking for more ways to promote recycling.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

FR schools test scores remain strong

FORT RECOVERY — Test results for 2014-15 were similar to those from previous school years.

NEWS

Officers wrote 141 truck tickets

The hope was that after a month of writing ticket after ticket for vehicles being off the assigned truck route, drivers would get the message.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

County seeks outside help

With big financial decisions looming, Jay County has decided to get some outside advice.

NEWS

More credit being earned

Jay Schools has put an emphasis on increasing the percentage of its graduates who attain post-secondary education. As part of that effort, more and more students are getting a head start on the process.

NEWS

Court rules in favor of JCTA

For the first time in a contract dispute that has lasted two years, Jay County’s teachers had a decision fall in their favor.

SPORTS

Emotion is key to a great interview

No one likes an early deadline.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

News brief: Dual credit increasing

Jay School Board learned at its meeting Monday that the number of students in Jay School Corporation earning college credit and the number of courses taken has continued to increase.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

No-shave sheriff’s office

The deputies and other staff at Jay County Sheriff’s Office have taken on a different look this month.

SPORTS

Cardinal cousins

Since the first time they dived into a pool for a competitive race, Anne Vormohr and Sophie Bader have been synonymous with Jay County swimming.

RAYS OF INSIGHT

Tip-off time has arrived

It’s basketball time.

NEWS

Simulated scenarios

Portland police officers had a busy evening Thursday. They made a variety of traffic stops.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Breaking: Geesaman re-elected

Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman overwhelmingly earned a second term in Tuesday’s election, defeating Republican challenger Milo Miller Jr. by a margin of more than 2-to-1.

SPORTS

Dream becomes a reality Friday

There’s a tendency to be short-sighted.

ELECTION

Courts in question

Donald Gillespie and Chip Phillips are running unopposed in Tuesday’s election for city court judge positions in Portland and Dunkirk respectively.

NEWS

District to offer electronics recycling

Residents will again have a local option for electronics recycling.

SPORTS

New York will ride pitching to World Series title

The readers came through.

SOUTH ADAMS

Grabau sisters help Starfires end nearly two-decade drought

WOODBURN — Churubusco fought off one match point. And then another. And then another.

SPORTS

No. 10 Indians fight off St. Henry

The Indians have scored plenty of points this year. But defense has also been a calling card. After giving up a couple of big plays early Friday night, the Tribe defense could not have been much better.

NEWS

Taking flight

One of the goals for a small, local airport is to build an interest in aviation.

NEWS

Area rates drop

Jay County’s unemployment rate continued its downward trend, but remains higher than more than half the counties in the state. Adams County, on the other hand, is trending toward No. 1.

NEWS

FRLS to have budget surplus

FORT RECOVERY — The financial picture for Fort Recovery Local Schools just keeps looking brighter.

SCHOOLS

News brief: FR finances strong

FORT RECOVERY — The financial picture just keeps looking better for Fort Recovery Local Schools.

NEWS

State grant expected to fall by $415,000

With the first enrollment count of the 2015-16 school year in the rearview mirror, Jay School Board now has an idea of how the continued decrease in enrollment will impact its bottom line.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Board hears ideas, questions

A chunk of Jay School Board’s meeting in September was devoted to the presentation of a building use study that included several cost-cutting options.

RAYS OF INSIGHT

Colts fans should be ecstatic despite loss to Patriots

How do you feel?

JAY COUNTY

Record runs

As she neared the end of the race, Megan Wellman glanced up at the clock and gave a slight, satisfied smile.

AGRICULTURE

Yields have a wide range

Consistent rain from June 1 through mid-July resulted in flooding in downtown Portland, the cancellation of Fort Recovery’s Harvest Jubilee and a variety of schedule changes for the Jay County Fair. It was also a scourge for local farmers, with experts in July projected at least a 30-percent crop loss for Jay County.

NEWS

Davis will face life in prison

A man accused of murdering a 5-week-old girl now faces the possibility of life in prison.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Watson, Ritter to meet again

It’s time for a rematch.

RAYS OF INSIGHT

Senior conquers injury

Injuries are awful.

JAY COUNTY

Wellman wins sectional

MUNCIE — Megan Wellman never felt comfortable during the 2014 season. Injuries made sure of that.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Packed barn leads to selling

When does a buyer turn into a seller? When his barn is so full he no longer has room for new treasures.

HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES

Proud to help the Patriots

The cheerleaders at Jay County High School are proud to be Patriots.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Schools, JCTA reach contract

Jay School Corporation and Jay Classroom Teachers Association have agreed on a contract.

RAYS OF INSIGHT

Success awaits Patriot squads

Who’s ready for a trip to Yorktown?
PORTLAND WEATHER

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