Some interesting letters came in from readers. Maybe some of you have similar feelings ...

"Telling teens no at the fair"

Todd,
 
Your story about the teens made me think, "if only more parents would teach the same lesson to their teens"...you wouldn't have had to be the teacher!  But that's another subject. 

I'm writing you because your Canfield Fair reference brought back memories.  I am a graduate of YSU from back in the 60s.  A Pittsburgh native, I lived in Hubbard while I attended YSU and graduated in '69.  With the technology we now have, it's easy to visit "where you've been" for a look back.  Now and then I visit the Vindicator's website to see what's been going on "back there". 

When I lived in the area, the Canfield Fair was a great event to visit.  Having grown up in the country (where I lived in Pittsburgh, WAS rural, then...) I appreciate the farming heritage of our country and the Canfield Fair was the best.  Being a "motor head" I was a regular Friday and Saturday night spectator at the stock car races that were at the fairgrounds and the Sharon Speedway.  That is my most vivid memory of the Canfield Fairgrounds and I was just wondering if they still hold the stock car races after all these years?
 
As often happens, our pathways take us unexpected places and, thanks (really...!) to the Army I wound up in Colorado in '70 and never left. It was obvious to me rather quickly that this was where God wanted me. It has been a blessing in so many ways, but I am thankful for the part of my life spent at YSU and the Youngstown area.
 
Sincerely,
Roger Brown
Colorado

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"Dish story was offensive"

Dear Editor:

I'm not sure who to contact about this, but I imagine you have the final word, so, here goes. 

I enjoy receiving the Dish. It's interesting and I've used the ads alot. I should write just to congratulate, but of course it took something to upset me to make me write.

I was dismayed to see the front page headline today "Skin Flick", Kevin Smith makes a Porno, (italics mine) etc. I don't need to see that, neit my kids. I'd like to never see those kind of articles, but at least never on the front page!

Needless to say, this issue went into the trash, unread.
 
Name withheld

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"Person has pull at The Vindy"

Dear Editors,

I have a neighbor with personal relationships with local TV and Newspaper personnel. This neighbor has always told my neighbors that she has the "power" to use these connections for her own purposes.

Now such a time has come it seems because a simple case of minor importance, re: an issue of one neighbor suing another over something that happened a year ago, has made the Vindy's pages.

I have to wonder, is the Vindy aware that this type of personal use to publicize a lawsuit in order to torture a neighbor is occurring? Is the Vindy supportive of this type of activity? Should I alert the other media (from Y-town to Cleveland) about what appears to have occurred here?

I am really disappointed to read a story where one neighbor is suing another neighbor and after one of the neighbors bragged about the power to place her side of the story in the public eye through local media.

The courtesy of a reply is requested. 

Reader unnamed

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Here was my reply to the last letter writer:

Reader,

I have a neighbor who supposedly got into an argument with a village official. He supposedly told the official: "This is the kind of crap that needs to get into the Vindicator. My neighbor's the editor and I'm going to tell him."

To which the public official replied to the effect of: "Well, a guy I coach sports with is also the editor of The Vindicator. He likes to hear about this."

I share this only because we cannot control who has what perceived pull with the newspaper. We listen to, read emails from, open letters from everybody and anybody.

But what gets in the paper has to be fair to the reader and to the situation, ultimately.

I'm not stunned your neighbor would say such a thing. I've heard it before. But I would be stunned if your neighbor's perceived pull was ultimately the reason for any coverage of the event.

If I find such an example, it will be dealt with. But again, I'd be surprised.

It may be that regardless of your neighbor's boasting, the situation was a legitimate story.

I need you to share with me the headline of the story, and the day it ran, and who your neighbor is to help ferret out your concern.

Thank you for writing. I will certainly get back to you if you can help me learn specifically what lawsuit story you are referring to.

Thank you,
Todd Franko

PS: I never did hear from my neighbor. I heard from the public official several months after the alleged incident.