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
2020 - the year in photos
A year ago, we decided that in addition to our annual list of top 10 stories of the year we’d also put together a package featuring our top 10 photos.
NEWS
One year in
It’s been hectic. But progress is being made. That’s how Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins evaluates his first year in office.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Projects planned at IU Health Jay
Upgrades are coming to IU Health Jay. Remaining funds will likely be set aside for future health-related initiatives.
NEWS
75 and counting
Fishing Packing of Portland continues tradition in meat with third generation leading the way.
NEWS
Freeman retiring after nearly 4 decades
Ron Freeman held a degree in secondary education and had spent his short career working in college admissions and marketing.
NEWS
Jay County shifts to orange
Two days before Christmas, the “red” designation is gone.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Redkey tables animal control proposal
REDKEY — Town council will wait until after the new year to dive into a discussion about potential participation in a county-wide animal control project.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Going remote
Students were expecting to be away from school for a dozen days. Seventh through 12th graders will tack another week onto that number.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Virtual improvement
The verdict is in. The first extended virtual learning of 2020-21 proved to be an improvement over the experience from the close of the previous school year.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Ottawa acquired
A Portland-based convenience store and gas station chain has grown by more than 60 percent.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
James retires
Redkey clerk-treasurer has stepped away after decade of service following appointment in 2010
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
School returning to in-person
Jay County Junior-Senior High students will be back in their classrooms Monday.
NEWS
A blessed bond
Shared experience forged friendship between Jay County High School student and his teacher.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Eley to fill Redkey vacancy
Dominic Martyne didn’t have to look far to find Redkey’s next clerk-treasurer.
SCHOOLS
Board approves weekly delay
Teachers and staff will get a couple of extra hours each week to help them deal with the expanded workload caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
NEWS
Jay Schools business manager died Monday
Jay School Corporation business manager Tarinna Morris died Monday evening at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie. She was 57.
NEWS
Memories discovered
A scrap of paper tucked in a pocket. A short paragraph in vast archives. There’s no telling where an unknown local connection might come from.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
County posts a new record
Cases of COVID-19 have been spiking nationwide. Jay County posted a new high number Tuesday.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Public spars about JCDC, tourism
Some call for removal, others come to defense of employees.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
500 cases
Jay COVID rates continue to increase with 100 new cases in the last six days.
NEWS
Celebrating 25
Help wanted: Community foundation director. It was a newspaper ad in September 1995 that drew Doug Inman’s attention.
NEWS
James retiring as clerk-treasurer
REDKEY — The town will be looking for a new clerk-treasurer.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Formal school policy now in place
A week after Jay School Board passed a resolution authorizing superintendent Jeremy Gulley to formalize COVID-19 exclusion protocols, those policies are now in place.
NEWS
Reitz earns seat on school board
In the lone contested race for Jay School Board, voters had a pair of former Jay Schools employees to choose from.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
County backed president 75-25
Nationwide results of the presidential election were still up in the air this morning. But there was no question who Jay County supported.
LOCAL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
Jay posts 30 new cases
Jay County posted a single-day case record Wednesday.
SCHOOLS
Schools provide COVID info
Jay School Board took the opportunity Thursday to provide some COVID-19 clarity.
SPORTS
Late takedown helps Kenney get UFC win
Jay Co. graduate beats Wood, cashes in as fight of the night.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Kenney to fight tonight
Casey Kenney is no stranger to getting ready quickly.
NEWS
Virtual funding
E-learning came to Jay Schools for the first time in 2019, an effort to save days of classes lost to inclement weather. In March it became a necessity because of coronavirus pandemic shutdowns. Now, it’s a way of life.
ELECTION
Campaign sign complaint dismissed
Complaints against two school board candidates about improper signs were dismissed at a Jay County Election Board hearing Thursday.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
DAV out as event sponsor
An event this weekend will be held as scheduled. But it is no longer affiliated with the local chapter of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
NEWS
Candidate commentary
Educational programs, infrastructure and health care were among the issues addressed by candidates in a forum Thursday night.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Contract includes 4% raises
Jay School Corporation teachers will likely be getting the largest raise they’ve received in at least four years.
LOCAL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
Rate of cases is increasing
Cases of COVID-19 in Jay County are growing at a faster rate than at any time during the ongoing pandemic.
SPORTS
Jay delivers October surprise
MUNCIE — In politics, there’s often talk of an October surprise, an unexpected development that can shift an election.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Massive mural
DUNKIRK — Drivers headed south on Main Street through Dunkirk for years saw a crumbling wall that remained from a downtown building that had been demolished.
BUSINESS
JCDC approves budget
Meeting for the first time in eight months, Jay County Development Corporation did some catching up.
HOMEPAGE ROTATING ARTICLES
Kenney’s kicks batter Alateng
Jay Co. native dominates his way to fourth UFC victory.
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
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September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.