There were a lot of disappointed folks around Darke County with the cancellation of the Greenville fireworks program that was scheduled for Sunday night at the Fairgrounds. With the unfortunate injuries sustained by two of the workers for the company hired to put on the display, it was the right decision to postpone this year’s activities.
On a different scale, what a tragedy suffered by the residents of central Texas due to the unprecedented rains and resultant flooding. Your heart has to break for everyone, and particularly for the families of the many young girls who perished while attending a summer camp along the banks of the Guadalupe River. How do you deal with the emotional distress and the overwhelming sense of loss? Thoughts and prayers almost seem inadequate, but are necessary as the area starts to recover from the devastation that befell the “Heart of Texas”.
Here’s an interesting fact that could be a testament to the power of television and radio broadcast revenue in putting together strong Major League Baseball rosters. Of the Top Ten teams in current playoff positions, seven come from the top seven markets in the U.S. and Canada by population figures. Based on 2024 estimates, (1) the Yankees and Mets, (2) the Dodgers, (3) the Cubs, (4) the Astros, (6) Blue Jays, and (7) the Phillies all represent their respective metropolitan areas well. Only the Diamondbacks from (5) Phoenix are letting down their fans to this point of the season!
Something else of interest to those of us here in West Central Ohio and Eastern Indiana— Columbus is the fifteenth largest market, and Indianapolis is the sixteenth. Boston, to my surprise, was only twenty-fifth!
Here’s today’s trivia question—who is Cal Raleigh?
If you get the chance, take a look at the latest “Round Table” discussion here on MyCountyLink.com. State Senator Steve Huffman was the guest of Gaylen Blosser, Mike Stegall, and myself in a discussion of the 2026-2027 Ohio state budget. Of interest to sports fans would be the anticipated $600 million subsidy given to the Cleveland Browns to help in the construction of a new stadium in suburban Brook Park. When asked about the approval of the Senate and House in aiding the $2.5 billion project, Senator Huffman stressed the economic impact of a covered stadium on Northeast Ohio.
In comparing a $400 million contribution to the Bengals Huffman related that while the Bengals will be merely upgrading Paycor Stadium and still hosting only 10-15 events per year, the new Browns facility and surrounding area would be able to host an almost unlimited number of games, programs, shows, etc. with the resulting increase in jobs, revenues, and economic growth.
The proposed financing of these two projects, along with others, will come from the $4.8 billion Unclaimed Funds account held by the State of Ohio. These funds have been held in some cases for well over twenty years and have gone unclaimed by individuals, businesses, etc. A new provision in the latest budget will free these funds after a ten-year period has passed.
If interested in becoming a donor to the new Greenville Alumni Stadium information may be obtained at various businesses around the Treaty City, here on MyCountyLink, or by contacting Jim Sommer at (937) 423-9372 or Dick Brown at (937) 423-2306. Various giving levels are available with donors’ names to be displayed on a plaque at the new facility or in a booklet to be published at year’s end. A worthwhile project for the Greenville area, well deserving of your consideration!
Cal Raleigh is the Seattle Mariners’ catcher and is tied with the Yankees’ Aaron Judge with a MLB-leading 35 home runs. The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani has hit 30, making this only the fifth time in MLB history that three players had at least 30 homers before the All-Star break. As Raleigh receives little national media attention due to the time difference (I know I never heard of him until lately!) in comparison to the New York and Los Angeles markets, it’s great to see him rewarded with an All-Star starting position in next week’s game in Atlanta.
Check this out—Remember the old Marlboro cigarette commercials on television (for all of you youngsters out there, yes, cigarettes used to be advertised on TV)? For several decades, starting in 1954, six men posed as “Marlboro Men”, the rugged epitome of masculinity. Of the six, four passed away from lung cancer—must be a message there somewhere!!
