Remembering Mom on her day

Remembering Mom on her day

Just as Frank Sinatra put it, Mom was top of the heap, chairman of the board, judge and jury, and chief cook and bottle washer in our South Side home.

She was a kisser of skinned knees, but believed Vicks VapoRub could cure anything, including pneumonia.

When it came to looking good, she put ribbons in my hair and agreed at 13 that I could use Tangee lipstick.

In my eyes, Mom was a goddess in sensible shoes and a cotton house dress that came from McKelvey’s basement store. Never one to introduce hair dye into her beauty routine, she shampooed with whatever hair product was available and on sale at the corner drug store.

Old Blue Eyes would have loved her. She did it her way.

Jean Deibel, Canfield

Voters missed a chance at change

I see the voters of Youngstown voted down the anti-fracking amendment. How easily people forget. December 2010 my house got rocked by a big explosion along with the other surrounding communities, especially the West Side of Youngstown. An earthquake? Not in Ohio.

The people who fought to get this amendment on the ballot remind me of the “hippies” protesting the Vietnam War. You know what, the hippies were right. We fought a useless war where many of our men got killed for nothing. The anti-fracking people are fighting to keep our air and water clean.

Some day when we have to walk around with surgical masks like the people of China and Japan do and glow in the dark from our water, it will be too late. I hope I am not around when these people get to say I told you so.

Andy Pappagallo Sr., Mineral Ridge

Bicycles outrun motorcycles

For as many years as I can remember, every July 14, a benefit motorcycle ride has been held in Youngstown. It has been labeled the Fallen Officer’s Memorial Ride. It has been called the Michael Hartzell Run, in memory of fallen Youngstown Police Officer Michael Hartzell. It started at Jolly Joe’s years ago and had moved a number of times, all within the Youngstown area. It brings many, many motorcyclists averaging 500 riders a year, into the area for a good cause as well as a great time.The ride brings in between $5,000 to $23,000 a year depending on many factors such as weather and venue shifts and all of money is donated back to the community.

The ride is always scheduled the second Sunday of July.

Over the last few years, the event was staged in downtown Youngstown, a few times staging at the Covelli Center. The Blue Knights, Youngstown Chapter, prepares the ride and all that goes along with it to include the route, traffic escorts for safety, and also setting up food and bands, and parking downtown. The Blue Knights begin planning for the next year’s ride as soon as the ride is over. This means “reserving” the July 14 date. At last week’s Blue Knights monthly meeting, it was decided, unfortunately, that the ride as we have come to know it has been “suspended.” Why? Because the bicycle race again has taken precedence over this ride. The July 14 date was given to the Blue Knights and then as plans were set into motion, the date was taken away, for the bicycle race.

Downtown Youngstown is starting to come to life with all of its events. The Fallen Officer’s Memorial Run is now practically non-existent. And the reason given is ”we cannot do it at the same time as the bicycle race because it ties up downtown and no one can get through if they are not familiar with downtown”.

The ride had the date. The ride date was given to the Blue Knights and then taken away. My question is, why?

Tom Johnson, Poland

Hold onto your balloons

I saw yet another event in The Vindicator whereby balloons were to be released into the atmosphere as part of the ritual for that event. Please, find some other ritual.

Balloons are hazardous to the environment, especially to animals that ingest them after deflation. Do not use balloons to remember loved ones, celebrate weddings, send messages, or whatever other misguided reason for releasing balloons. Think about that poor bird or animal who may die because they mistook it for food.

Barbara E. Spencer, Youngstown