Your Morning Matters: Oh, I’ll bring the summer all right ...
Good morning and welcome to your Morning Matters.
It's Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, and whether I like it or not, fall begins today at 3:21 p.m.
When I was much younger, fall was my favorite season. Beautiful leaves. Bonfires. FOOTBALL!
Then I got older. Living in a house surrounded by 22 trees, each with several tons of leaves that I need to remove. Living in a house made of wood surrounded by a wood deck and 22 trees each with several tons of leaves that could all easily burn if a bonfire got out of control. And, of course, the Chicago Bears break my heart every freakin' year!
So I adopted more of a summer vibe. Margaritas. Jimmy Buffett. Sunshine and warmth. Margaritas. Yes, summer is my favorite season. Even with Ohio summer, or as we call it, "Those two weeks in July that I normally miss because I'm in Florida."
And I never really thought seasonal affective disorder was an actual thing until I moved to Ohio. After I arrived from Florida and made that known, people would look at me and say, "Why did you move to Ohio?" I would deadpan, "For the weather." By the time the 100th person told me, "You know, we're second only to Seattle for cloudy days ..." I was a believer. There's not a trace of doubt in my mind.
Speaking of which, Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith are on the Monkees farewell tour. And their epic 2016 reunion album "Good Times" has the song "You Bring the Summer," which tells us:
I'll lay the basket and blanket out neat;
Even though weathermen say there'll be sleet;
When you come around;
You bring the summer.
Look for me outside today at 3:19 p.m. On a blanket. Bringing the summer until the end.
Let's make these last few hours of summer count!
And here are more of the things you need to know about what's happening in the Mahoning Valley:
Private employers are increasingly considering whether to require proof of vaccination amid lingering COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and the rapidly spreading delta variant.
But individual state regulations, some of which prohibit employers from doing just that, have added a layer of confusion. Combined with President Joe Biden's vaccine and testing requirement affecting millions of American workers, some companies are at a loss. Now legal experts are trying to provide clarity. McClatchy reporter Hayley Fowler has the details.
Pandemic facts
- In the U.S.: 42,391,981 confirmed cases; 678,205 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine at 7 p.m. Sept. 21.
- In Ohio: 1,358,918 confirmed or suspected cases; 21,596 deaths.
- In Pennsylvania: 1,387,872 confirmed cases; 28,932 deaths.
- In the Mahoning Valley: 26,831 confirmed or suspected cases in Mahoning County; 19,790 in Trumbull; and 11,617 in Columbiana.
- Dow Jones Industrial Average: Closed at 33,919.84, down 50.63 points, or 0.15%.
Other matters
In her "An Inclusive Table" column this week, Eartha A. Hopkins discusses "When meritocracy goes wrong," and notes, "Just as it would take time to develop and support a young player to compete in the professional football arena, the same approach is necessary in the business arena." Mahoning Matters
Among the Valley institutions in today's Business Updates are the Aviation Maintenance program at the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center, Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, The Take Out, Big Benz Towing & Repair, Real Living Ministries' Warehouse of Worship and DOYO Live. Mahoning Matters
Lowering the Medicare eligibility age may have some financial perks for older adults, according to a new study. Researchers say that shaving off one or two years could save people in their early 60s who spend a majority of their "disposable income on health care costs" a lot of money. Mahoning Matters
Bekka Russell said she's the victim of vandalism after standing up for her children. After speaking in favor of masking in Salem schools, someone set her American flag on fire in her front yard. WKBN
Hartford Orchards, a Trumbull County family business that dates back to just after the Civil War, has been the target of vandalism just as the busiest season got underway. WFMJ
The Organizació;n Cí;vica y Cultural Hispana America will host its annual fundraising gala Oct. 29 at The Maronite Center in Austintown. The gala begins at 6 p.m. and includes dinner, live music, dancing and items up for auction. The Business Journal [May encounter paywall.]
Workhorse Group Inc., an early equity investor in Lordstown Motors Corp., has voluntarily dismissed its protest over the U.S. Postal Service's decision to award a lucrative contract to build the mail carrier's next-generation delivery truck to a competitor. The Vindicator [May encounter paywall.]
In case you missed it
Mahoning County Public Health will host multiple flu shot clinics this fall from Sept. 30 through Nov. 4. We have all of the details. Mahoning Matters
Your comments matter
"If only they would have done more. So sad."
— Lori Mitchum, on a 911 call in which a man told Utah police he saw a couple in a white van in a "domestic dispute" when the man started "slapping the girl." The couple referenced in the call was later identified as Gabby Petito — whose remains were found Sunday — and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie.
Registered readers can comment on a selection of our stories, and all readers can comment on stories on our Facebook page. Opinions published here do not reflect the views of Mahoning Matters.
Event of the day
Enjoy a glass of wine and listen to live music at 5 p.m. on the Café Terrace, outside the Garden Café at the D.D. and Velma Davis Education & Visitor Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens in Mill Creek Park. Admission is $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers, which includes two glasses of wine.
To see what else is going on around the Mahoning Valley, check out Mahoning Matters' event calendar here, or click the Events tab on the top menu at mahoningmatters.com.
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This story was originally published September 22, 2021 at 6:55 AM with the headline "Your Morning Matters: Oh, I’ll bring the summer all right ...."