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
Senior powers Patriot victory
UNION CITY — A Seth Fowler 3-pointer pulled the Indians to within five. Jacob Schlosser wouldn’t let the home team get any closer.
SPORTS
Patriots rally to win finale
Comebacks are common on the basketball court and baseball and football fields. They’re far more elusive in gymnastics.
SPORTS
Vormohr, Patriots seek success
In three and a half decades, no Patriot girls swimmer had ever won a state medal until Anne Vormohr earned her spot on the podium last season.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Candidates focus on experience
The candidates for Jay County Prosecutor both focus on their experience as a strength.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Early voting a week away
Election day is still a month away. But voters can begin casting their ballots next week.
NEWS
Jay fair goes Young
The grandstand at Jay County Fairgrounds was packed last year with 21-year-old Hunter Hayes on the stage. Jay County Fair Board has decided to go Young again.
NEWS
District looking for ways to help
The Jay County Solid Waste Management District board would like to help a Dunkirk glass factory collect more recycled glass. Its members are still considering the best way to accomplish that goal.
NEWS
Sheriff presents annual reports
The population at Jay County Jail has grown each year since its expansion. That trend continued in 2013.
NEWS
Unemployment rate at 6.1 percent
After hitting a five-year low, the unemployment rate ticked up slightly to start 2014.
EDITORIALS
Administrators deserve credit
A letter to the editor came in early this week bemoaning the absence of any administrators at a recent National Honor Society induction at Jay County High School.
NEWS
A love for literacy
PENNVILLE — For the first literacy night several years ago, about 30 people showed up.
BUSINESS
El Matador to open in late March
A new Mexican restaurant plans to open in Portland by the end of the month.
SCHOOLS
State changes test rules
BERNE — A test that had been taken only by some students seeking dual credit will be expanded in an effort to identify students in need of additional help.
NEWS
Vaughn happy with survey results
FORT RECOVERY —E-Days will be used again. Fort Recovery Local Schools officials hope survey results will help streamline the process.
NEWS
SA puts focus on individuals
BERNE — Originally given a C grade, South Adams High School has been bumped up to an B.
NEWS
Extended break
Students in Jay County are getting a much longer winter break than they expected.
SPORTS
Winter off to a strong start
The fall season saw two sectional titles for Jay County and two for South Adams high schools.
SCHOOLS
Fort Recovery uses first E-Day
FORT RECOVERY — There were no students in the hallways or classrooms Monday in Fort Recovery.
SPORTS
Seattle remains the pick
The end of one year and the beginning of the next is a time to look back on what has been and to speculate about what may be.
SPORTS
Jay needed a big victory
There’s really no such thing as a must-win in regular season high school girls basketball.
NEWS
Rate drops to 6.8 percent
After seeing a rise in its unemployment rate for the first time in four months in October, Jay County’s number dipped slightly in November.
NEWS
Landfill to get more traffic
Revenue has been up this year at Jay County Landfill. And the facility will be seeing even more traffic in 2014.
NEWS
Pence visits JCHS
There was positive news for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to help celebrate Friday.
NEWS
FR school board to go paperless
FORT RECOVERY — School board meetings will be paperless sooner rather than later.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Council moves money
Jay County Council spent its final meeting of 2013 shifting money in order to cover costs for the rest of the year.
SPORTS
Defense shines in Indians' blowout
FORT RECOVERY — The Indians’ pressure defense was so effective in the third quarter that it almost seemed like they were running a drill.
NEWS
Unemployment lowest since Oct.
Just two months after hitting its highest number of 2013, the unemployment rate has dipped to its lowest mark in nearly a year.
NEWS
Jay, FR to meet in 2014
The Patriots and Indians have battled on the court, field, course, track and in the pool. In 2014, they will take the fight to the gridiron.
ENTERTAINMENT
Redheads preparing for 1st album
April and Brett Walker have never shied away from adventure.
ENTERTAINMENT
Bryant visit is like a vacation
When Ernie Haase and Signature Sound come to rural Bryant, they will perform three shows in a span of two days Sept. 6 and 7. But they look at their visit to Jay County as more of a getaway than a tour date.
SCHOOLS
FRHS project remains on track
FORT RECOVERY — Progress on the Fort Recovery High School renovation project remains on track.
NEWS
Numbers sometimes lie
The raw numbers from a Ball State University wage study released last week paint a bleak picture for the county and state, but the lead author says he feels Jay County is doing a good job economically given its circumstances.
NEWS
FR approves ordinance
FORT RECOVERY — Fort Recovery took a step to ensure its water stays safe.
NEWS
McCowan gets agrivision award
INDIANAPOLIS — Norm McCowan’s efforts in agriculture have earned him a state award.McCowan, rural Portland, received the Indiana Agrivision Award on Wednesday from Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann at the Indiana State Fair.
AGRICULTURE
Event scheduled for Thursday
Raising hogs is a big part of the agricultural community in east-central Indiana, and it continues to grow.
JAY COUNTY
No. 9 Jets defeat JCHS
Twice in their first week of matches the Patriots have played state-ranked foes.
SPORTS
Format will help Indians' chances
With high school football underway in Indiana, college football starting this weekend and the NFL season opener less than 10 days away, football is on the brain.
JAY COUNTY
Eagles fend off Jay
MUNCIE — For more than 22 minutes, the Patriots played as well against Delta as they have at any time in the last 20 years.
JAY COUNTY
Good things come from loss
It generally takes a mistake-free effort in order to have a chance to beat a rival from Delaware County on the volleyball court.
NEWS
SA to purchase mobile center
BERNE — A quick grant process has led to the purchase of a new mobile classroom.
SPORTS
No point in legal battle
What’s the point?That’s a question that could be asked about a lot of sports topics.
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