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
Dunkirk short on police officers
DUNKIRK — The city’s police department is hiring.
SPORTS
Kenney suffers third split-decision defeat
HOUSTON — Casey Kenney has been here before.
SPORTS
Kenney, Yadong meet on UFC main card
HOUSTON — Step by step, Casey Kenney has climbed the ladder.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Condo plans earn initial OK
A planned condominium development west of Portland has received preliminary approval.
NEWS
City presented with vehicle proposal
Buy or lease? That’s a question the City of Portland is considering after Portland Board of Works heard a presentation Thursday afternoon from Enterprise Fleet Management.
NEWS
Jay still blue, but COVID numbers are up
Jay County remained the state's lowest risk for spread of coronavirus. But there has been a recent increase in cases of COVID-19, both locally and statewide.
NEWS
Council zoning decision set for Aug. 16
Portland City Council will make its decision Aug. 16 on U.S. Aggregates’ rezoning request for expansion of its stone quarry.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Council passes 65-cent increase
After two months of discussion, a 2022 raise was approved for City of Portland employees. It was not unanimous.
NEWS
Local groups earn grants
Three local organizations have been approved for funding through state grant programs.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Dunkirk applying for more paving
DUNKIRK — While one round of Community Crossings paving is being completed this week, the city will be applying for another.
NEWS
Weather slows progress
Recent weather has not been conducive to much progress toward extending the local airport’s runway.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Jay ranked 12th again
Jay County continues to perform well in monthly unemployment statistics. Its neighbor to the north is best on the list.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Returning to normal
Coronavirus restrictions eliminated for 2021-22 school year
NEWS
Markle receives 6-year sentence
A Portland man who was charged in connection with his son’s death will serve four and a half years in prison.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Showmanship is in their blood
Campbell, Heitkamp win in supreme competitions
NEWS
4-H horse show postponed
There will be no 4-H horse and pony show at the Jay County Fair this year.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Council tables raise request
A decision on raises for 2022 will wait at least another two weeks.
NEWS
Board OKs initial condo plans
Development is slated for southwest corner of Indiana 67 and 75 South
NEWS
Favorable recommendation
Portland plan commission backs rezoning request for expansion of U.S. Aggregates stone quarry operation
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Marshals of service
Parade honorees chosen for commitment to the community
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
JCC project creates options
NBA All-Star Legacy Grant funded bulk of renovation
LOCAL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
Jay rate for May is 3.2 percent
Local unemployment is tied for 16th-lowest in Indiana
NEWS
Hopeful tone
Jay County High School celebrates graduation with messages focused on inspiration, possibility
SCHOOLS
Board moves forward on unused properties
City of Portland, Pathfinders Inc. have expressed interest in Judge Haynes
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
TORNADO HITS
A tornado ripped across northeast Jay County and into Mercer County near Fort Recovery late Friday afternoon, leaving a swath of destruction in its wake.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Shauver starts her new role on Monday
The county has been without a director of community development for seven months. That drought will end next week.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Extension underway
Construction is underway on the first phase of Portland Municipal Airport’s runway extension project.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
COVID numbers continue to be low
Jay County was already in the midst of its longest stretch of low coronavirus numbers since last summer. This week, the state joined in.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Celebrating 100
The American Legion celebrated its 100th birthday in 2019. Portland’s Post 211 had planned to celebrate its century of existence a year later.
NEWS
Arachnid experiment
Lisa Wood has been teaching the lesson about conducting ethical experiments and producing valid results for a decade.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
New COVID-19 cases have been low
County has recorded two or fewer for 18 straight days; rating level remains ‘blue’
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Updated Inn
It took longer than had been expected. But a Portland hotel unveiled its new look Friday.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Portland council updated utility reserves
Study shows strong funds, possible need for future increase
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Change of plea set for Markle
A change of plea hearing has been set for a Portland man who faces criminal charges in connection to his son’s death.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Condominiums proposed
A Geneva developer is hoping to bring new housing to property west of Portland near Jay County High School.
NEWS
Jay returns to ‘blue’ coronavirus rating
After a COVID-19 spike in early May, the county returned to the lowest risk rating this week.
NEWS
Extension enthusiasm
Rain will hold off the start of construction for a few days, but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm for Portland Municipal Airport’s runway extension.
NEWS
Parks donate
Portland Park Board donated some unused equipment to another Jay County community.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Funding OK’d, position is filled
It was a busy day in development Tuesday.
NEWS
All lit up
A dreary Friday was marked by rain, wind and cold. By late in the evening, though, the light came shining through.
RAYS OF INSIGHT
Unexpected make sports special
It's been a while since I made a point to sit down and watch golf. That changed Sunday.
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September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.