Highs, lows being in national spotlight

The New York Times came to town last week, and as always, it drew a buzz.

This time, it was the story “Boom in energy spurs industry in the Rust Belt.” Six local people and places got mentions, including deli dean Jack Kravitz, manufacturing boss Greg Hess, downtown developer Dominic Marchionda and lawyer Robert Roland (ex-local now in Canton).

You would have thought it was 600 people and places the way the story got linked and shared across the Valley.

It’s always a cool spotlight for the Valley to get some national shout-outs. That folks still get excited when the Times comes calling is also a nice salute to the sustaining power of print media.

The Times has a fondness of sorts for us, as we are not strangers.

In December 2006, they profiled the city’s creative shrinkage; in February 2008, we were a canvas for a presidency story; in June 2008 the region was again highlighted in a piece on boxer Kelly Pavlik; in December 2010, our vacant housing challenge was a story; and in December 2011 and January 2012, they injected themselves into our earthquake/fracking situation.

Last week’s Times piece had fracking at its core, with it being the reason for the boom of sorts we are encountering.

When the piece came out Monday, the Facebook shares popped up.

Kravitz found that aspect the most interesting. “I asked people if they got the paper. Almost all said they read it from a Facebook link. Some buddies in New York City gave him the most feedback — mainly razzing. Marchionda said he got a lot of feedback.

What’s most interesting when put on such a national stage such as a Times piece is the look we get at ourselves from outsiders.

The Times does a neat job with reader comments. They segment those opinions based on staff favorites and reader favorites. In total, 442 people chimed in on the Rust Belt economic boom story. A majority were from anti-frackers. Here’s a glimpse at some of the comments I enjoyed:

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David in Norcal:

Congratulations on your good fortune. You are getting a do-over, which is rare in life.

Lay the groundwork while the easy money of oil extraction is flowing so that your areas don’t die when the oil is played out. What is going to support your community two decades from now? Start setting aside money now; don’t accept the present tendency for the profits to be hoarded privately while the community bears the costs, pollution and disruption. Do it right! Take advantage of this chance!!

Tom in Tx:

Very glad to hear the valley is coming back after so many hard years. The do-gooders would love to see the people continue to wallow in poverty and depression. Hopefully the people will not be fooled by this scare tactic. Go for it. Frack it out.

MSL in Pa:

I live just over the border from Youngstown in western PA. This article paints a far too rosy picture of what is happening, especially as it relates to the number of jobs. Many of the jobs are being performed by highly skilled workers who are brought in to Ohio from Texas and other places. I for one do not see a booming economy. They keep telling us the same things here in PA and other than some people making quick cash by renting their land to speculators and selling their mineral rights, we are far from the Houston of the Midwest.

Krish in Lock Haven:

The transformation of the rust belt is not Youngstown, but Pittsburgh, the very buckle of the rust belt. Pittsburgh remade itself using computer technology and is a world leader in computer software and IT services. When some kid somewhere discovers an alternative to natural gas, Youngstown will be history, but Pittsburgh will still rule.

Mike in Poland:

All of these dire predictions that the planet will die a painful death because of fracking are silly. In the first place, any impending doom of the planet Earth is a global issue. Nothing being done presently in Youngstown, Ohio, will have any effect on the future of the planet. Youngstown has been at the center of the great American Industrial Devolution. It’s fitting that we should be at the forefront on the way back.

Gerry:

Raping the earth and destroying the water supply for money — sounds familiar enough, but heart-breaking to see The New York Times touting this.

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Some people will pause when another newspaper comes to town to do our story, like there’s a journalist version of “West Side Story” about to break out. But I’m all for the national discussion over our town. About the only downside for us when this has happened before, was a period a while back when a Vindy hater at Youngstown State University would take every national story and use it as a chance to poke us with a “Why didn’t you write this story?”

From our standpoint, we write these stories day in and day out. That a national group parachutes in once a year is a great chance for others to watch us, and for us to watch that outside examination.

We’re probably better in the hands of the Times than, say, “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon.

Fallon took a fun poke this week at U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan for his recent comment that if Sen. John McCain were president, he would have us in seven wars by now.

Said Fallon:

“... as opposed to now when it’s only like [pause] six wars. Good point though, good point,” Fallon said.

Ryan survived it with a laugh, though.

I guess any national stage is a good national stage — whether the Times or Fallon.

Todd Franko is editor of The Vindicator. He likes emails about stories and our newspaper. Email him at tfranko@vindy.com. He blogs, too, on vindy.com. Tweet him, too, at @tfranko.