Your Morning Matters: XXX auction, anyone?

Good morning and welcome to your Morning Matters — with reporter Jess Hardin.

It’s Friday, July 9, 2021, and after three years of living in the Mahoning Valley, I’ve learned nostalgia plays a major role in Valley residents’ relationships to the region. There’s even a Facebook Group titled: Good old days in Youngstown, Ohio in which current Valley residents and members of the Youngstown diaspora post vintage Valley advertisements and wax poetic about lunch at Woolworth’s. “Does anyone remember….?” many a post begin.

The sweet achy pangs of Mahoning Valley nostalgia have a hold on me, too. Heck, after the old Vindy closed, I even purchased an orange plastic newspaper box someone posted on Facebook about having found. (Shout-out to MM supporter Lori Factor!)

This week, I was working on a story about Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation’s latest project, the renovation of the old Foster Theatre, which, for the last few decades, has shown porno flicks — much to the dismay of nearby South Side residents. YNDC is now tasked with the unenviable job of literally and figuratively scrubbing the iconic structure of its unseemly past. One of the first things the organization did was change the marquee, which for years, has read “XXX videos,” to YNDC’s tagline, “Revitalize.” It got me thinking: For a town that loves to look back, what do we do with the seedier elements of our past?

Well, we could auction them off.

On Wednesday, I talked to YNDC Director Ian Beniston about repairing the Foster Theatre’s marquee. To help fund the project, YNDC started a GoFundMe. When I suggested he lease the marquee for ad space, he said he’s considering auctioning some of the, uhhhh, we’ll call them “wares,” YNDC was bequeathed in the sale. Someone actually reached out to buy a plywood sign that read “Youngstown’s Finest Adult Theater.” which, if disinfected, could be pretty cool, right?

Thinking there might be some vintage Hollywood paraphernalia, I texted Ian asking if there were any wholesome items among the bunch. “Nothing wholesome,” he responded, “and nothing from the original days of the theater like original posters.” So, stay tuned. If the GoFundMe is a little traditional for you, you might be able to help fund the project by scoring some relics of the theater’s seedy past. And, don’t worry. If there’s a porn theater auction coming up, you’ll hear about it here.

P.S. Come visit the Mahoning Matters crew tomorrow at the Youngstown Rotary Club Beerfest!! We’ll have a booth in the Stambaugh Auditorium Parking Lot. Editor Mark Swetwood will return right here Monday. Have a great weekend! Stay safe out there.

Now, here’s what you need to know about the Mahoning Valley today:

It’s another big weekend in the Mahoning Valley. Have you made your plans yet? Don’t forget, our events calendar is available whether you are at home or on the go. The great film “42” is part of the Youngstown Summer Movie Series tonight!

In Weekend Matters, we have details on Rotary Club of Youngstown’s third annual Groundhog Craft Beerfest and the Atomic Punks/Michael Weber Show at the River Rock at the Amp on Saturday and Greenwood’s Hubbard Chevrolet hosting the 15th annual Corvette & Classic Car Show on Sunday.

Pandemic facts

• In the U.S.: 33,790,114 confirmed cases; 606,468 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine at 10 p.m. July 8.
• In Ohio: 1,113,383 confirmed or suspected cases; 20,366 deaths.
• In Pennsylvania: 1,213,543 confirmed cases; 27,729 deaths.
• In the Mahoning Valley: 22,453 confirmed or suspected cases in Mahoning County; 16,616 in Trumbull; and 9,058 in Columbiana.
• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Closed at 34,421.93, down 259.86 points, or 0.75 percent.

Other matters

A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association found no evidence that Ohio’s Vax-a-Million increased the number of adult COVID-19 vaccinations. Gov. Mike DeWine’s office calls the study “flawed.” Reporter Jess Hardin looks at the issues. Mahoning Matters

A dozen people have been charged since March in Columbiana county courts with human trafficking or other sex-related crimes, many involving children. Reporter Justin Dennis looks into the uptick in cases. Mahoning Matters

This week in “Your Legal Rights,” attorney David Betras looks ahead to the fall U.S. Supreme Court session: “The case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization poses the most serious threat to a woman’s right to choose since Roe v. Wade was decided 48 years ago.” Mahoning Matters

Video lottery wagers at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course declined for the third consecutive month in June, but that didn’t keep the Austintown racino from posting record revenue for the fiscal year. The Business Journal

Since vaccination percentages range between 12 to 25 percent among African Americans in the Valley, that community is more vulnerable to the coronavirus. The Delta variant is more easily transmissible and more dangerous, raising new concerns. WFMJ

The Courthouse Inn and Restaurant owner Renee Lewis announced on her Facebook page she is delaying reopening her Lisbon business because she can’t find line cooks and a chef. WKBN

Trumbull County commissioners discussed the recent meeting among elected officials, business owners and other entities to discuss American Rescue Plan funds to which the press was not admitted. The Vindicator [May encounter paywall.]

In case you missed it

Gov. Mike DeWine plans to sign an Ohio House bill Friday naming the state Route 164 bridge at Interstate 680 in North Lima the Don Manning Memorial Bridge. The ceremony is set for 3 p.m. Friday at the Ohio Department of Transportation Outpost in North Lima. Mahoning Matters

Your comments matter

“Here’s an interesting observation: Lana’s father / my grandfather, had Youngstown’s first outside-downtown into-the-neighborhood theater at a cost of $100,000, which is what the prior owner had paid, and just about what YNDC paid to purchase it from her. That initial investment was made in 1938 and would be a cost in today’s dollar of just over $1.9 million!! This is a building worth saving, for sure!”

— Steven “Shags” Shagrin, on YNDC’s fundraising effort to repair the Foster Theatre marquee.

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

As part of the Youngstown Summer Movie Series, the film 42 will play at the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre, 201 S. Phelps St., Youngstown, at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Patrons are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. Parking and attendance are free.

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 July 9, 2021 at 6:55 AM.