The hard part; the fun part

I love my job, as I think I’ve said a few times here. And weeks like this are why.

The job has some hard aspects, and that was unfolding on two fronts this week just in time for a breakfast visit with the civic group Tri-County Networking at A La Cart Catering in Canfield. Vindicator reporting — how and why we do the things we do — made for great chatter with the group.

Carl Pelini is possibly getting hired as an assistant football coach at Youngstown State University this week, despite his checkered past.

The Mahoning County Auditor’s office this week was the scene of a new boss, controversial raises, surprise bonuses, a fired No. 2, a state attorney general inquiry, a confiscated computer and lots more.

Both events were reported in detail this week and also were Tri-County breakfast talk.

Sportswriter Joe Scalzo’s story on Pelini was not an endorsement of Bo’s brother. Joe even said he thinks the pending hire is a mistake and that Carl might be the most unpleasant coach he ever had to deal with from Carl’s days at Austintown Fitch High School.

Those are tough words.

But they also are honest, truthful and what the community deserves to ponder for the most high-profile operation at YSU.

The auditor coverage was equally dicey as we sniffed out rumors of pay raises in an era of pledged frugality. We were among many stunned to learn the raises were just half the story. Bonuses also were doled out by Mike Sciortino as he exited what likely will be the last public office of his life.

Our work also detailed that the county commissioners — who so passionately sold taxpayers on a sales-tax hike in November — had much less passion to carry out their right to baby-sit the embattled Sciortino as he made his exit. His actions were monitored no differently the last 60 days than they were the last 60 months.

These are hard things to write for us because we know it raises the blood pressure of many.

It’s especially tough work for folks such as Scalzo or Bertram DeSouza or Dave Skolnick who apply critical context as they navigate the toughest news events of the Valley. Their faces attached to comments such as “unpleasant person” makes the work a bit more personal.

It’s that work that separates what The Vindicator does from any other media in the Valley. We might not be to every car crash or charity event. We’d like to be. But trust that when critical events occur, we’re the medium most comfy with holding officials and actions accountable.

For balance, we try to create fun, too.

That’s what you’ll see starting at noon Monday and for the next five weeks as we launch The Vindicator’s High School Music Video Challenge on Vindy.com.

For three months, 12 high schools have each been making their own music video to a great tune from local singer-songwriter JD Eicher of Canfield. His work is worthy of the top radio stations in the U.S. once he gets the notoriety. Hometown efforts such as this can help propel his work.

The schools put in tremendous work: dancing principals, mascot mayhem and singing students among the 1,000 or so participants.

In short — it’s awesome.

And Monday starts a five-week path to find out which school’s video gets voted the best.

You all will get to vote.

Special judges also will vote. And like common TV-reality contests, we will work our way down to two final schools that will compete for the title.

You’ll see this event promoted on Vindy.com, 21 WFMJ-TV, on our social media, as well as from the participating schools.

We hope you all stop by Vindy.com every week for the next five weeks and see the work of the students and hear a great tune from Eicher.

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.