Reagan's Youngstown visit recalled fondly by reporter

Reagan's Youngstown visitrecalled fondly by reporter
EDITOR:
Thought I would share a "Reagan in Youngstown/Vindicator" memory with you.
My first encounter with Ronald Reagan also brought me public criticism in the Youngstown Vindicator.
I was a young anchorman at WFMJ-TV in the late '70s, assigned to cover Ronald Reagan's speech at a downtown theater, the name of which has long since left me.
He had not yet announced his interest in the presidency, but the former California governor was traveling the country on a speaking tour and doing daily radio commentaries.
I walked through a waiting audience at the theater to do a scheduled news conference with Reagan backstage before his speech. We waited backstage for Reagan while the audience waited and waited in the theater. He finally arrived very late, but full of charm, smiles and jokes for the Youngstown reporters. He also deflected my questions about rumors he might run for president.
After the brief news conference, the future president walked on stage to deliver his speech to an audience that included someone who was convinced that I was personally responsible for the delay. He wrote a letter that was printed in the Youngstown Vindicator complaining that the audience was kept waiting for Reagan's speech so WFMJ anchorman Greg Todd could conduct an interview with him.
That wasn't exactly true, but it remains among my many fond memories of the Mahoning Valley nearly 30 years ago.
GREG TODD
San Diego, Calif.
X After leaving Youngstown, the writer worked in Indianapolis and Seattle and is now a reporter and meteorologist for the San Diego Fox affiliate, XETV.
We're all better for havingbeen served by Reagan
EDITOR:
We have known it was coming for a long time now, but that doesn't lessen the feeling that I'd been punched in the stomach when I heard the news of President Reagan's passing. He will be remembered as a man of courage, dignity, character and honor.
He won the Cold War, thereby ending the daily threat of nuclear annihilation from the Soviet Union.
He brought the economy back from the brink of depression.
Perhaps most of all, Reagan brought back a renewed sense of patriotism. He has inspired more than two generations and made them proud to be Americans.
Reagan was a great leader. He kept the expectations of his detractors low and in so doing he far exceeded the fondest hopes of his supporters.
Reagan was the embodiment of everything good and pure and honorable about public service, and he was the antithesis of everything unseemly about it.
We all are forever indebted to him.
God bless America and God bless Ronald Reagan.
J. BREEN MITCHELL
Austintown
President Reagan spoke,and the wall tumbled down
EDITOR:
A tribute to Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States, 1911-2004.
His favorite candy, jelly beans. His favorite food, cheese and macaroni. A humble man in a complex world.
He had a heart very rich with courage and was a visionary in his own right.
"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall," he said, and down came the wall.
STEVE KOPA
Weirton, W. Va.