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.
2011 SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW
Several Indians are eyeing state finals
First-year track coach Brent Niekamp takes over two teams in drastically different positions.
JAY COUNTY
Young Patriots seeking tournament success
When Doug Arbuckle is asked about his 2011 squad, he immediately talks about youth.
SPORTS
MMA unites locals
Surfing. Bungee jumping. Motocross. Rock climbing. Sky diving. Those involved in such extreme sports often cite the adrenaline rush as their main draw.
SPORTS
Fort hoping for tourney run
Trailing 7-1 with the sectional title on the line, Fort Recovery came roaring back.
SPORTS
All about the 'Dogs
The Butler Bulldogs have become the undisputed kings of basketball in Indiana.
2011 SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW
Growth key for the Patriots
When Lea Selvey talked to his team the week before its first game, he relayed a story about the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
SPORTS
Houck to lead Jay golfers
The Jay County High School boys golf team was at its best in the tournament.
SPORTS
Small Starfire team seeking big success
As practice began, Janelle Gresla had the same concern about both of her teams.Her swimmers are small in number.
NEWS
BSU web sites aid in transition
As more and more of the Baby Boomer population reaches retirement, more and more people face the challenges that come with aging.
FORT RECOVERY
Brunswick makes leap
FORT RECOVERY - Holly Brunswick very nearly got to experience the state meet during her freshman season.
SPORTS
Pumped up
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Indians spent the season on a journey they hoped would lead them to the Schoettenstein Center. Now, they’re on what they hope will be a three-day trip culminating in a state championship celebration back at Fort Site Fieldhouse.
NEWS
Myers gets Bronze Star
Nearly 70 years after his death, Max Myers is being honored today for his bravery in World War II.
SPORTS
Rockets top Decatur
For the last several seasons, the Rockets had dominated the series with their closest rival. But this year, they dropped their first two meetings against the Decatur Dirty Birds. On Wednesday night, Portland dusted itself off and rallied from a 3-0 deficit behind a group of area graduates and a returning Rocket in his first home game of the season to hand Decatur a 7-3 defeat.
SPORTS
Boozier seeks inclusiveness
Steve Boozier has always thought of the football field at Harold E. Schutz Memorial Stadium as his Mecca. And he wants the Jay County community to join him there.
SOUTH ADAMS
JC 8th at Hickory Hills
FARMLAND — While most of the Patriot teams were taking part in just their second practice Tuesday, the girls golfers were on the course for their first competition.
NEWS
One funny young woman chases dream
Think about the most common careers pursued by Fort Recovery natives.
JAY COUNTY
State sophomore
A year ago, Maria Murphy considered herself just a "little, baby freshman". Now she'll be competing on her sport's biggest stage.
SPORTS
Patriot girls win
The Patriot girls got off to a tremendous start and kept the field at bay. The boys fought back late, falling just short of pulling off a comeback win.
SPORTS
FRHS blasts Patriots
FORT RECOVERY — The Indians were thrilled to be playing on their home field for the first time this season. For the Patriots, the trip to Ohio to play their season opener was not so enjoyable.
SPORTS
Bunt ends Jay's year
HUNTINGTON - Set in the wooded ravine east of Huntington University, Forest Glen Park has held some bad karma for the Patriots.
SPORTS
Excited for opportunity
“It’s a dream come true. I grew up here. I played basketball here. I teach here. … This is a great opportunity.”
JAY COUNTY
Murphy makes state
INDIANAPOLIS - As Maria Murphy walked to retrieve her discus after her final throw, the look on her face said it all.
JAY COUNTY
Starfires top Jay County
The Patriots edged South Adams in victories 8-7 on Thursday. But the Starfires came out on top.
SPORTS
Nichols wins 800
MUNCIE - The 1,600-meter sectional title barely eluded Tevan Nichols. He wasn't going to let the same happen in the 800.
SPORTS
Fort Recovery falls
COLUMBUS, Ohio — As she was leading the Indians off the floor, senior Abby Huelskamp turned around and gathered her teammates. Although their season ended in defeat Friday afternoon, they deserved one more moment on the basketball court.
FORT RECOVERY
Tribe welcomed home
FORT RECOVERY — The message was clear: We could not be more proud.
SPORTS
Tourney success will be earned
The season is already winding down for the Jay County High School wrestling team. Meanwhile, the gymnasts are just getting started.
FORT RECOVERY
Celina shuts down Indians
FORT RECOVERY — The season opener was perfect, just not for the Indians.
JAY COUNTY
Squaws drop JC to 0-5
The struggles continued Wednesday for the Jay County High School softball team, both at the plate and in the field.
JAY COUNTY
Patriots rebound for split
The Patriots didn't allow one disastrous inning to ruin their entire day.
JAY COUNTY
Perfect SA wins; Jay 3rd
Both local teams walked away from their final meet before Christmas with plenty to be merry about.
SPORTS
Fort rallies for title
ELIDA, Ohio - A season that had so much promise was going to end with a long, quiet and far-too-early bus ride back to Fort Recovery.
JAY COUNTY
JCHS earns 10th win
The journey over their four years has not always been easy. But the Patriot seniors are reaping the rewards of their career-long efforts this season.
NEWS
Plans continue for training center
With or without grant help, plans for a new training center are expected to move forward.
SPORTS
Fort falls short vs. MV
FORT RECOVERY - The Indians just can't seem to get what they need when they need it.
JAY COUNTY
Tourney thriller
HUNTINGTON — It was the opening round of the sectional, but it felt like so much more.
FORT RECOVERY
Jay track tops Tribe
Fort Recovery's Aaron Vagedes and Holly Brunswick were the big individual winners, but it was the Patriots who walked away with the team victories.
SPORTS
No. 1 ML eliminates Indians
COLDWATER, Ohio — Coming off of their biggest win of the season, the Indians stormed out to an early lead in their sectional championship match. But they couldn’t sustain the success against the top-ranked team in the state.
RAYS OF INSIGHT
Believe in yourselves
This week’s newspaper coverage of the Fort Recovery High School girls basketball team’s road to the state finals has included letters from athletics director Barb Sautbine, former coach Diane McClung and Kelli Bihn, the wife of Indians’ coach Doug Bihn. Today, it’s my turn.
SPORTS
Patriots crush Union City
The game was so lop-sided that Lea Selvey had his players stop taking extra bases, stealing and advancing on wild pitches and passed balls in the second inning. And then he cleared his bench in the third.
RAYS OF INSIGHT
Unsung heroes are key
In order to make the state finals, a team needs to have great players and must be well coached.
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