Profile 2016 by Tri-State Living

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Citizen of the Year Deb Hagerty A Day in the Profile 2016

Take a look at what a day in the life of these people are like

A supplement to The Tribune

Profile 2016

Table of Contents 20 50

18 22 40

Citizen of the Year...................................6

Finding his focus...................................48

Unsung heroes........................................8

Knows everybody’s name.......................50

Following God’s calling..........................14

Getting the news out.............................52

Growing a garden..................................18

Kindergartners perspective....................60

Quick, quick, slow.................................20

Creatures great and small......................66

Here, it’s more than hair........................22

More than a bus driver...........................68

There at the worst.................................24

Running his own race............................70

Finding his calling.................................28

Keeping streets safe..............................72

Spreading kindness...............................32

Hardship to happiness...........................76

Living the dream....................................36

A life of law...........................................78

Duty is calling.......................................40

Pretty in pink........................................80

Profile 2016

CITIZEN of the Year Deb Hagerty

By Benita Heath | The Tribune

hether it’s donning a white wig, red velvet dress and white apron as Santa’s better half to make sure children still believe or chopping up pounds and pounds of cabbage for Thanksgiving cole slaw at the city mission, Deb Hagerty is always there. The volunteer par excellence. Those who have worked with her know she can be counted on. That’s why Hagerty is The Tribune’s Citizen of the Year for 2016. “First of all, she absolutely loves people and has an incredibly generous nature,” said the Rev. Sallie Schisler, priest at Christ Episcopal Church, where Hagerty worships and is a prayer intercessor. “When you combine those, it just overflows. She is also so good at seeing people who have a need and finding creative ways to support them, always in terms of seeking a relationship.” The South Dakota native moved to the Tri-State in the late 1980s after she was discharged from the Air Force. One of her first forays into the world of volunteering came when she moved to her North Fifth Street home and noticed cars parked at the Ironton City Mission the day before Thanksgiving. “The first year I walked past it,” Hagerty said. “I was too chicken to go in. The next year, I followed in some people I knew and asked ‘Do you want some help?’ They threw an apron on me and some gloves and said ‘You are now a turkey picker.’” So now every Thanksgiving Hagerty is at the mission by 7:30 in the morning pulling meat off the carcasses of dozens of turkeys. “We don’t want any bones to go on the plates so we pick the meat off the bones,” she said. “We call ourselves turkey pickers. We go in the day before

“

She is a wonderful volunteer who brings laughter along with her great ability to work with others and the public.

”

— Carol Allen, IIB co-chair and clean the fruit, cut carrots up and get the cabbage ready and break bread for the stuffing.” At Christmas time, Hagerty is at the mission again to arrange the toys to be given away and hand out food baskets. Christmas is a special time for Hagerty when she pops up throughout the season in her special Mrs. Claus costume. She started dressing up when she worked at Liebert for company Christmas parties. “They first started asking for an elf,” she said. “Can you see me as an elf?” Now she shows up at Ironton aLive’s holiday concerts at the Ironton City Center. Summertime is just as active for Hagerty, who is one of the backbone volunteers for Ironton In Bloom, whose beautification work is one of the reasons she is happy to call Ironton home. “She is a wonderful volunteer who brings laughter along with her great ability to work with others and

the public,” Carol Allen, IIB co-chair, said. “She does not want to be a leader in our organization but works at each of our projects. She is a very capable leader, but saves that for the work at the church and her ministry there. She is one of the top community people that I know, as far as touching so many facets of Ironton.” At Christ Church, Hagerty has been called to work as a prayer intercessor. “It is a gift I feel the Lord has given me,” she said. “People call me who need special prayers and I pray for them throughout the week.” Besides the prayer ministry, Hagerty also volunteers at the church during the week from opening up for Wednesdays’ noontime vigils to visiting parishioners at home or in the hospital. “I don’t know what Christ Church would do without her commitment and countless hours,” Schisler said. “She is a shining example.”

Profile 2016

UNSUNG Tom Eaches

om Eaches is an unsung hero. He is an outstanding example of the many unsung heroes who take care of recreation sites and serve on the frontlines of public service. Tom has been dedicated to serving the public for 51 years and still going strong. Tom is one of the many obliging civil servants who go unnoticed. They go about the business of providing clean, safe, and beautiful forests and parks where visitors can relax and enjoy nature. These recreation technicians, day-after-day and year-after-year, clean restrooms, pick-up trash, remove hazard trees, patrol crowds, and mow grass. Over the years, Tom cleaned and re-cleaned restrooms providing sanitary toilets and showers, picked-up trash providing beautiful, mowed grass to reduce exposure to ticks, mosquitoes, bees, poison ivy, snakes, and rodents, cut hazard trees and limbs, filled in holes, painted building, removed graffiti and other signs of vandalism, patrolled campgrounds and picnic grounds providing security; cleaned ditches to provide safe roads, places signs to provide direction and safety, built fences and bridges. Tom planned detours so that visitor could be directed away from hazard and to beautiful and safe areas. Fixed leaking plumbing, clogged sewers, not working electrical leaving dark rooms, testing water, installing caution ropes and fences, Over the years, Tom cleaned hundreds of restrooms, mowed countless miles of grass, installed thousands of signs, picked-up tons of trash, cut hundreds of hazard trees, painted many gallons of paint, drove millions of patrol mile, and dealt with or prevented incalculable emergencies. Between all these duties, Tom has dealt with visitors small and large emergencies. During his fifty-one year career, Tom has found and brought home safely more than 500 lost visitor groups, led crews to put out over 2,000 wild fires, performed CPR on co-workers and visitors, and answered millions of questions. The question can be as simple as “how do I get to…” which Tom answers with his invaluable knowledge of the local region. The question may as important as “I forgot my prescription (heart meds, blood pressure, insulin, etc.) at home over a hundred miles away, what do I do?” and Tom calmly directs them to the local pharmacy who calls the visitors home pharmacy to get them their needed live saving medicine. Tom has dealt with victims and their loved ones in many situation from drowning, broken backs, broken legs, exhaustion, minor cuts, and automobile accidents. Tom has dealt with many of drunks, irate spouses, neighborly fights and other criminal acts to protect visitors and their families while visiting the Wayne National Forest. After the accidents are dealt with, then Tom discreetly goes back to cleaning restrooms, mowing grass, picking up trash, patrolling campgrounds, and other routine duties. — Carol Boll, Edie Gillenwater, Donna Stephenson

Heroes Bob Leith

ormer Ohio University Professor Bob Leith is truly an unsung hero in Ironton and the surrounding area. He has helped countless students achieve their dreams. For decades he supported and gave his time to scouting and Camp Oyo. He is a blessing to his elderly neighbors and others needing help. — Steve Shaffer

Thomas Lewis

om is the kind of person you would want for a neighbor. He is kind and helps anyone who needs help. He is a good Christian man and is very active in his church. Tom and the Rev. Metz put in hand rails when I had my knees replaced. He also drove me to Tri-State Airport when it was too snowy for me to drive. — Doris Noe

Mark McFann

believe Mark McFann is an unsung hero for not only putting his life on the line in our community as a state patrolman, but by his work in the Rock Hill School System and his church. Mark is the most unselfish, giving person I have ever met. Mark is a true mentor and positive role model to the youth he coaches at Rock Hill. Some of these young kids don’t have a father and Mark steps in and takes them under his wing. Mark often transports the kids back and forth who otherwise couldn’t participate if it wasn’t for him. Mark has often bought shoes, warm ups and whatever else he sees fit to ensure all the kids have a sense of belonging. Mark always has a positive attitude and knows how to motivate these kids in a positive way. — Crystal Fizer

Profile 2016

Gene Cox

y nomination for Profile 2016 is Gene Cox. Gene has been the Decatur Township Volunteer Fire Department’s chief for the past eight years. In that time he has obtained over $100,000 in grants to supplement a department that only gets $2,000 a year to operate on. He has spent countless hours (and out-of-pocket money) repairing and maintaining hand-me-down equipment so the fire department could respond to any emergency that arises. He has performed lifesaving CPR, water rescues, aided car wrecks victims, overturned tractor trailers, structure fires, brush fires and he even rescued a German Shepherd who was stuck on a steep hillside. The department cannot afford a monthly heating bill but the fire truck and tanker would be ruined if the water lines froze so he has spent many chilling nights adding donated wood and coal to a small stove in the building. A few years ago he remarried and took on two young stepdaughters. Since then he’s welcomed two biological daughters. But he shows the same love and affection for all the kids equally. He has dedicated time, attention, discipline and teaching these girls in a way that most men these days do not care to bother with, especially when they’ve already raised two boys. The oldest girl (and most difficult to bond with) recently told him, “I know there are a lot of kids in the world who don’t have a daddy and really want one. I’m glad you picked us to be your daughters.” The almost-2-year-old told him the other day, “You’re the best daddy ever.” (A phrase she heard on the television but lovingly applied to him). As his wife I have the opportunity to see both his strengths and weaknesses. One of his most admirable strengths is his propensity to help anyone in need. If a car is broken down on the side of the road, without fail, he stops to offer his help. Someone calls at least once a week wanting him to fix something and he always tends to them. He faithfully gives what money he has on him to veterans, fellow firefighters, and youth fundraisers in town. He has taken bags full of groceries to the food pantries and sent me off to buy coats and scarves for a homeless family he encountered. This great capacity for empathy also puts him in situations to be taken advantage of. I asked him if that bothers him and he said, “If God put them in my path then it’s my duty to help them. What happens after that is between them and God.” As a great man of faith he has encouraged Biblical teachings in our home and set a terrific example of how to live out a life dedicated to Christ. Now, plenty of people in our area exemplify these wonderful qualities but what sets Gene apart is the tremendous burden he has carried this past

Gino Zimmer

am nominating Gino for this award because I am blown away by his patriotism and commitment. He is a humble man who lives his life through these commitments. Gino is married to his wife, Lisa. They had a son, Nicholas, who was killed in Iraq in 2004 on Memorial Day. They were devastated as any parent would be when losing a child. This prompted Gino to form the Ohio Flags of Honor. It was his way of working through his son’s death. It helped him grieve and to find his way to go on without his only son. Little did he know, this was going to turn into something that would help many parents and families across Ohio. He travels through Ohio with American flags with soldiers’ names on them who have been killed since 9/11 in all branches of the military. All of Gino’s travels setups, up keep of the flags and his vehicle are done by the donations given by the great people he visits every year.

year. He had what was supposed to be a routine eardrum repair surgery. However things went terribly wrong and he was left completely deaf in one ear and with permanent vertigo. For weeks after the surgery he could not walk through the house or out to the car without assistance. He couldn’t drive for well over a month. Just as he was beginning to improve he suffered a heart attack. What started as chest pain quickly escalated into him being shocked twice in the ambulance on the way to the hospital where he underwent emergency surgery that same night. At that time I was pregnant with our second child and, of course, was worried sick that he would never meet his much longed for youngest daughter. The last thing he said to me before coding again was, “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Thank you for loving me. I’ll love you forever.” Miraculously he came through the surgery and recovered to attend our daughter’s birth. He has lasting effects from the heart attack as well as COPD and emphysema, which has caused significant fatigue but hasn’t slowed him down. At 64 years of age most of his peers spend their days sipping coffee and casting fishing lines while, maybe, occasionally entertaining their grandchildren. Gene has dedicated his time to raising both his children, and the ones he inherited, with enthusiasm and resolve. He is also a fun, involved grandfather of 7. While continuously battling debilitating health problems he still seeks out ways to help others. He is a devoted, loving husband: affectionate, sincere, loyal and supportive. His reassurance has given me the confidence to pursue goals and ambitions I didn’t think I was capable of. I serve on the board for Ironton aLive, the Historical Society, Genealogical Society and the Lawrence County Bicentennial Committee. After hearing all about my fascination with the iron furnaces he spent months helping me clean up Olive Furnace and, as a result, I now own that property. While it may seem silly to some, acquiring the most magnificent furnace in our area was a dream come true. Lawrence County has many fine, upstanding individuals worthy of being recognized in the Ironton Tribune. I know many of them, have been mentored by several, and proudly call a few my friends. I’m grateful to have married one of the best. His reputation can be verified by anyone who knows him (from prestigious politicians to the unfortunate vagabond under the Second Street overpass), but you’ll never hear him brag about his accomplishments. He is humble, friendly to everyone and down to Earth. Many good deeds would go unnoticed if it weren’t for the amount of time we spend together. Everyone who knows Gene can give at least one example of a time he’s lent them a hand. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting dozens of his friends and acquaintances and they all say the same thing over and over: “Gene is one of the best men I know. You’re quite a lucky lady.” I know I am. And I hope the Tribune can honor this man who has spent a lifetime serving others. — Nicole Cox

Gino has been to Lawrence County five times and each time is as breathtaking as the time before. If you have been there, you know it is very emotional. Many of our local families who have lost someone have been there and there is not a dry eye anywhere once the event begins. It is heartbreaking to know what each American flag out there stands for. It is phenomenal to be able to talk with Gino and listen to how it all got started and all of his travels to the different towns in Ohio. To be able to participate in the setting of the flags is such an honor. His event draws so many hurting people and families together, veterans alike. He will stop and talk to anyone and everyone, no matter what he is doing. Gino is an honorable, hardworking, caring man who struggles with life every day, but has found a way to help so many others at the same time. He is a down-to-earth person. He’s had his ups and downs, just like we all have, but he never lets it get the best of him. He is a kind soul who would help anyone if he can. The world needs more people like you, Gino. In Lawrence County, we love you, Gino. See you this year, buddy. Safe travels. — The Riedels

Profile 2016

UNSUNG Ralph Kline

hrough tedious hard work, numerous negotiations, early morning and late night meetings, talking with people on the state and local levels, Ralph Kline has been willing to do all he can to help bring businesses, medical facilities, housing, infrastructure and jobs to all of Lawrence County. He would modestly tell you that it is teamwork that does this, but he most often is that team leader. While he prefers to remain in the background, Ralph is willing to help do whatever he can to bring commerce and prosperity to the area. Employed by the IrontonLawrence County Community Action Organization since 1981, Ralph is well known throughout Lawrence County and is often the first person thought of when a project comes along that needs help to get going. In addition to his work with the CAO, he can often he found planting flowers in downtown Ironton or working the farmers market on Saturday with Ironton In Bloom, working various events with the Friends of Ironton, or doing what he can to help Ironton aLive. Then in his spare time, he can be found baking hundreds of sweet rolls and other goodies for the St. Joe Charity Fair to help out his church and schools or cooking at the Knights of Columbus on Friday nights. While he is a true unsung hero to those of us who work with him, be it through business or charity here in Lawrence County, he has recently taken on a more personal role in his life, that of a grandpa. And you can bet Addison and Carly would tell you their grandpa is a true hero to them, too. — Kimberly Griggs and Cindy Caskey

Stephen Martin

e is a wonderful Christian man and a great neighbor. He was instrumental in getting my husband a great job at Collins Career Center where he works. He has helped my mom and dad with jobs they couldn’t do at their home and would never take a dime and always gives candy for Christmas to his neighbors. Anytime you ask him where he’s going, his answer is, “I’m doing the Lord’s work.” He also delivered a very nice Thanksgiving box with a turkey and lots of vegetables and canned goods to us and others and also a very nice cake for Christmas. He doesn’t want glory for anything for himself, just for Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior. — Margaret Sexton

Heroes Mary Ann Monte

ary Ann Monte is a real blessing to many. Not only caring for her family members but her church community and with her husband, delivering and collecting items for poverty areas throughout the years. She also coordinates her parish funeral meals after their burial service for all attending and ask for nothing in return. — Joyce Lewis

Profile 2016

UNSUNG Tom Carey

r. Carey has served the village of Coal Grove and its institutions in many capacities. From school board members to Lions Club president to a leader in the Nazarene church (in his earlier days), Tom Carey is extremely proficient in the organization and implementation of ideas and services to assist others. He established an auxiliary branch of his Lions Club for young students at Dawson-Bryant High School (the Leo Club) and is an important part of the community pancake breakfast and providing contact with Santa Claus. If Tom Carey and his Lions hear of someone in dire need, the response will always be immediate. — Anonymous

Linda Fulks (Linda Lou)

Heroes Florence Boyd

y mother is went to Heaven since Feb. 7, 2014. She showed how to love unconditionally and trust God in troubled times. Her smile put one at ease. I know she is at peace with God. Her face shined in likeness with God. Everyday she worshiped and praised God, which taught me to worship and praise God also. She read the holy Bible before she became blind. She knows how to reach God’s throne in prayer and answering always came from God. Mom trusted God because God is a possibility doing miracles. Mom is an angel come from Heaven, as I always told her. She was an example of a Christian woman, taught me how to worship and praise God and trust him each day as she taught me to do. Mom said to treat people good and always pray for the hurting people. And God always answers her prayers. Mom is a grand Christian woman and a great mother. I miss her everyday but I always remember to pray, praise and worship God. She said that’s the only way and never forget to read the holy word. That’s why she is my hero. — Diana Boyd

inda Fulks, AKA Linda Lou, in Crown City, is my unsung hero. She owns the Linda Lou Beauty Shop in this small town and is on her feet before 7 a.m. and doesn’t leave until dark. She cuts hair for $5 and goes to the shut-ins to do their hair and even to the funeral homes to do hair. She is amazing. She is an active member at Crown City Wesleyan Church, faithfully comes to sing in the choir and supports out teens and children at the church with anything to help. She is amazing and is a hero in so many eyes in our community. Just ask around. — Rachel Stonecipher

Jeff Price

Mike Morgan

his man has given many years to students — other people’s sons and daughters. He retired from the Ironton City School District as a social studies instructor and taught multiple social studies course. He, at present, teaches at St. Joseph Central High School in Ironton. Besides being an excellent instructor for our youth, he has been a coach for our youth in many different sports: football, baseball, soccer, girls basketball and other competitive contests. Mr. Morgan will always be known for his fairness to students and his willingness to provide extra assistance to those who may be struggling. He has impacted hundreds of young lives. — Anonymous

he handyman of Orchard Street, he is the epitome of helping others and volunteering. In our neighborhood, he has patched roofs, trimmed trees and cleared debris from the floodwall levy. He has volunteered during Gus Macker tournaments and at Bellefonte Hospital. He also advises shut-ins about their health care options and compares Medicare plans. He has been a faithful “behind the scenes” prop man for his wife’s high school plays. With this neighbor’s friend, the “price is always right” because he has always helped others and seeks no remuneration or recognition. Thanks, Jeff. — Anonymous

Dennis Dickess

his person does go above and beyond the call of duty by supporting his church, his country, his family, community and anyone he knows is in need. He is a veteran of the United States Army, serving in Vietnam. He always travels many miles to visit his kids and grandkids who live away. He serves as a volunteer for many community functions. This man cannot stand it if he is not helping someone. — Anonymous

Following God’s calling Baptist preacher is there for others By Dustin Melchior | The Tribune

Pastor Eric Barns addesses area residents during a vigil back in November. THE TRIBUNE/JESSICA ST JAMES

reaching at services, helping the children of the community and hospital visits are only a few parts of Eric Barnes’ routine as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Ironton. Barnes has served as the pastor of the church for two years after serving as the youth pastor for 15 years. However, a profession in religion was not always in Barnes’ plans. “I wouldn’t have chosen this for myself,” Barnes said. “I was scared to death to talk in front of people.” Barnes was just out of college, graduating from Shawnee State University with a business administration degree in finance and accounting, when he said he got a call from the Lord at 22 years old. “I just finished playing college basketball and received a letter in the mail to travel to Australia to play with a team,” he said. “In the process, we linked up with a missionary that started getting us into schools to speak.” Barnes said as he began talking to the schools about the church, he knew that it was something he wanted to pursue further. “God used my natural gifts of athleticism to get me where I am today,” he said. Arriving back in the United States after about eight months in Australia, Barnes attended Kentucky Christian University and was working at FedEx, before receiving a job in the Kentucky Christian University administration offices, although he said that he never applied for the position. “The president of the university called me into his office and said ‘I know you just got hired, but we need someone else to go to

A Day in the Profile 2016

churches and schools and teach the families about our school,’” Barnes said. “I traveled all over speaking in churches and schools. I’d preach on Sunday mornings and meet with families who had high school students to talk to them about Kentucky Christian University.” Barnes spent two years traveling to talk about the university, where at the same time he was able to take classes on preaching at the university for free. “It got to a point where six different churches called me within a two or three week span and asked me if I’d take a job in the ministry. I figured that’s what God had in store for me,” Barnes said. “I’m not doing anything that I went to school for, or chose. It’s just something God set up for me. It was more of a calling than a choice.” Barnes added that although he didn’t necessarily choose the career path that took him, he enjoys being a pastor. “I know what I do everyday is eternal,” he said. “When I get up everyday, someone doesn’t have to motivate me because what I do truly matters to people’s eternal salvation. I’m very privileged to have a position like that.” As pastor of Ironton First Baptist Church, Barnes prepares for Wednesday and Sunday services, helps provide after school services on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week for about 60 children each day,

Profile 2016

visits shut-ins to minister to those who can’t get out, meets with deacons, the church’s finance committee and the board to make sure the business side of the church is running smoothly and helps out with the church’s sports ministries of men’s and children’s leagues. Serving as the youth pastor of the church before becoming the pastor, Barnes feels helping the children of the community through after school programs three days a week is very important. “We set it up on the bus hours of Ironton Elementary School. We load the kids who signed up for it in the church vans, but any student can attend if they get dropped off,” he said. “We have a meal prepared, they eat and then we bring them upstairs in the sanctuary to do a biblical lesson and apply it to how it can help in their life.” The group is then broken up into two groups for 20 minutes, where one works on homework and plays games, while the other group is in the gymnasium before flipping. On top of all of that, Barnes said he also helps people who call and need counseling, attends various ceremonies and events and still manages to find time to get his own prayer time in. “I try to get up early to pray and read the Bible. If I didn’t, I’d drain dry myself,” he said. “It’s definitely not easy. You have to be there for some of the hardest times in people’s lives. But also you’re there for all of the greatest days like graduations and baptisms. It has its ups and downs, but it’s never the same.” The church provides a clothing closet as well, which helps needy people of the community. Barnes said the church tries do anything it can to help. “When we can, we try to meet their needs, but there are times when we just can’t,” he said. “It’s a great thing to feel like you’re doing something special to help others and honor God. I’m thankful to be in this position.” 

Profile 2016

Growing a garden Kroger produce manager delights in job, customer service By Benita Heath | The Tribune

ost people’s alarm clocks have yet to go off when Greg Frazer is hard at work. That’s because managing the produce department at MidTown’s Kroger means starting work at 5 a.m. For the next hour Frazer is on the floor by himself checking the freshness of the fruits and vegetables in the shelves in the section right off the entrance door to the store. “You see what you need,” he said. “You assess what you need.” By 8 a.m. one of the six produce trucks that come up during the week from Roanoke, Virginia, is back at the loading dock of the megastore. Frazer is ready to unload it into the back room and the adjoining cooler. Having worked produce for almost all of his

38 years as a Kroger employee has made Frazer immune to the 42-degree temperature in the cooler, even in short sleeves. Finished with that, it’s close to 9 a.m. Time for the huddle where someone from each department gathers at the deli or in the back to review the week so far. “We discuss the daily sales,” Frazer said. “It is a motivator to see where you are daily.” The rest of the day Frazer makes sure every shelf, called racks in the grocery business, are filled with fresh produce. Sometimes that takes a little more than just unpacking boxes. For instance, heads of leaf lettuce are first conditioned by trimming them and then soaking them overnight in cold water in the cooler. Then they are crisp and ready for customer approval the next day. In the less than decade Frazer has been produce manager he has seen massive changes in

Profile 2016

“

This job is rewarding.You’re making a part of people’s dinner. I think about stuff like that. You meet a lot of nice people.

”

— Greg Frazer

his customers’ tastes and what the industry can offer. “It has been amazing to see the differences,” he said. “There is more variety. Cooking shows have made that. Like Portobello mushrooms. We used to not carry that. And the variety of apples has just exploded. The market is always changing. A year ago it was the Gala apple that was the rage. Then came the Honey Crisp.” As if she knew the conversation, a regular Kroger customer comes up to Frazer asking for any blackberries. Frazer calls to someone on his team, who isn’t sure, but goes to the back room coming out with two boxes. “That’s all we have until the truck comes in,” he said. Outsmarting Mother Nature seems part of the produce business nowadays. “Years ago, you would never have watermelon after Labor Day,” he said. “Now we have it yearround.” Frazer started out at the Ironton Kroger when it was where the Dollar General store is today as a cashier right out of Ironton High School. One aspect that has kept him working for the company is the family atmosphere with his coworkers. “We are close,” he said. “We do a lot of things together, go out to dinner.” And so are his customers like family as another regular knocks on the door of the backroom to bring him some baklava. “This job is rewarding,” Frazer said. “You’re making a part of people’s dinner. I think about stuff like that. You meet a lot of nice people.” 

Profile 2016

Quick, quick, slow Couple found calling on dance floor By Heath Harrison | The Tribune

ail Patton says she and her husband Paul, of Huntington, were married for 28 years before they even danced one step. “He wouldn’t even get up to goof off at a wedding,” she said. But the couple, who now teach under the name Top Hat Ball Room Dancing, found their calling after their children were grown and moved out. They were looking for things to do with their newfound extra time. “We tried the gym, but it didn’t engage the brain,” she said. Their nephew invited them to try a dance class, and they soon fell in love with it. “It’s systematic,” she said. “You have to think to be on time to the music. We’ve always had a love of music.” The couple, married since 1973,

Instructors Gail and Paul Patton give instruction during a dance class. the tribune/jessica st. james

have now been dancing for 12 years and teaching for six years, and both still work full-time. Paul is in senior management for Richwood Industries, a mining equipment company in Huntington, while Gail works as the executive director for Unlimited Future, Inc., a small business incubator. The Pattons teach four classes a week, with two a night on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each class focuses on a different dance, concentrating on one a month before switching. Dances include the waltz, fox trot, tango, Viennese waltz, rumba, cha-cha, swing and the night club two step. Summer dances are also offered, such as salsa, bachata and merengue. Classes range from beginners up to indefinite advanced levels and are offered in Barboursville and Huntington. Tuesday’s class, held at Trinity Episcopal Church, featured

four beginners, Harris Webb, Leigh Scaggs, Bucky Stevens and Sondra Stevens, all from Flatwoods, Kentucky, learning to do the rumba. Bucky came prepared for the class, wearing special felt-bottomed shoes, which he said makes it easier to move on the church’s wooden floors. Gail said the classes can range from as little as two people to as many as 12. The age range varies, but she said the bulk of their students are people the same as them, looking for something new to do after their kids leave home. “We joked about calling it Boomers Ballroom,” she said. The class alternates between dancing and then a time out for discussion. The Pattons dance to demonstrate moves, then they step back and observe the students as they try it. “Quick, quick, slow,” they repeated, explaining the moves. Paul said it’s important to focus on the music as you dance. “Music keeps everybody hon-

est,” he said. “Mind the cadence of the music.” The students did the moves well, Gail said, but suggested they needed to focus on not looking down while making turns, a common mistake for beginners. “Rumba is supposed to be the dance of love,” Paul said. “One thing that is not romantic is doing it with your partner and pretending they don’t exist.” He also emphasized the visual aspect of the performance. “Believe it or not, people watch when you dance,” he said. “People get pleasure from watching people dance.” In addition to teaching, the Pattons host and organize dances in the area, one or two a month, which are open to the public. She said they feature a wide variety of music from all over the world at different tempos. “You don’t have to fox trot to attend, but it helps,” she said. They’re also involved with various

Profile 2016

Harris Webb and Leigh Scaggs take a dance class at Trinity Episcopal Church in Huntington. the tribune/jessica st. james

Bucky and Sondra Stevens practice their dance moves during class. the tribune/jessica st. james

events, such as “Dancing with the Tri-State Stars,” which ran for a few years and featured local figures and celebrities in a competition patterned after the hit ABC series. “We helped out with the routines and were judges,” she said.

Gail said she’s also taught horseback riding, while her husband has a bachelor’s degree in science and was an education major. She said the couple’s philosophy of teaching is systematic. “We’re very particular about teaching the same

way every time and breaking it down so people can understand it,” she said. She said that neither she nor her husband are the best dancers. “We really enjoy teaching and breaking down the steps,” she said. 

Local hair stylist Lou Pyles styles Linda Black’s hair during a monthly visit. Lou has been a hair stylist for more than 30 years. The Tribune/jessica st. james

Here, it’s more than hair

Woman dedicated to making people look good By Benita Heath | The Tribune

y 1:30 p.m. Wednesday Lou Pyles had been on her feet for the past six hours. But looking at the diminutive woman with the steel gray pixie cut, no one could tell. On the front wall of the hairdresser’s shop, right in her line of vision is a plaque with the slogan, “Keep Calm and Carry On.” It’s a philosophy Pyles obviously takes to heart. Many in Ironton know Pyles for all the hours she puts in volunteering in her adopted community from organizing the annual Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade to leading the Ironton Lions Club. But to just as many Pyles is their hairdresser, confidante and most importantly, their friend. “You want a trim, want some hair off,” Pyles asks the woman in the barber chair who has come to the Fifth Street shop every five weeks for decades. Sectioning the woman’s thick, wavy white hair with a comb, Pyles attaches cutting clips and the scissors click away.

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White hair begins to fall on Pyles’ black heavy soled shoes. Soon that will be swept up and popped into the trash, one of the constants in the hairdressing business where an immaculate shop is mandatory. The two reminisce, joke and laugh. One of the many reasons Pyles has been in business for the past 42 years. “My customers are like an extended family,” she said. “My customers have been there for me. They have had my back.” The Hanging Rock native studied cosmetology and management at the onetime Ironton Beauty College, down from the Ironton City Center. The nine-month course taught more than how to put in a perm or section off hair for a cut. “You learn the nerves and muscles in the face,” Pyles said. “It is the equivalent of nine months of nursing training. I had good instructors. They would go the extra mile. “We would practice hands on. We’d start with mannequins and do pin curls, waves, learn to roll a perm and a basic haircut. Everything else you learn yourself. You pick it up mostly by trial and error.” Her first job out of beauty college was at Kathy’s Wig and Beauty Salon in downtown Ironton where she worked for about five years. “That taught me so much about being in business, how to deal with people,” Pyles said. “Running a business is stressful. You have to look ahead, have to plan ahead, the economy, people moving away because jobs are gone.” In her four decades in business, Pyles has seen the economic roller coaster crunch her profession. “There used to be two or three shops on a block,” she said. All of a sudden over in a corner the shop’s phone rings and sends Pyles flipping through her appointment book. “I don’t have anything until Jan. 6 or 7,” she tells the person on the other line. Next up is another trim with a long-time customer. Again, the easy rapport between the two women is apparent. “Some days I am like a bartender and some days like Dr. Phil,” Pyles said. “My people will come and talk to me, when they won’t talk to anyone else.” Downturns in the economy aren’t the only challenges the hairdresser has had to face. There’s the toll the work takes on her physically. “It hurts the waist, back, neck and arms,” she said. “You keep your arms up all the time. But someone will come in and tell a funny story and it takes the pain away.” Thinking back on why she chose her profession, she says there wasn’t a time when she didn’t think she wanted to be a hairdresser. “I loved hair, messing with it,” she said. “I’d mess with my dolls and my grandmother’s hair. It just hooked me. You have to have imagination and dedication, how to love what you are doing and have respect for it. I like to make people look good. Your head is my business card.” 

There at the worst

Firefighters life savers for community By Dustin Melchior | The Tribune

he clock hits 7 a.m. and the new crew at the Ironton Fire Department begins its shift. For the next 24 hours, the crew of firemen won’t know what will come their way, while at the same time completing their daily routines. Every day, the crew on that day first gets all of the gear ready to go, but always staying ready to respond. As Lt. Daryle Foglesong put it, “if your gear isn’t ready, you’ll be toast.” Next, the crew will complete radio checks and talk to 911 to make sure there are no communication issues. Routine maintenance follows including sweeping the floors, wiping down the trucks, making sure all the fire extinguishers are full and tools are in place and making the trucks start and there’s water in each one. “There’s some days where there’s nothing to do but the work around the station and some days when there could be several calls,” Ironton fireman Aaron Collins said. “You just never know.” Though the 24 hours on, 48 hours off schedule for fire crews can get extremely difficult at times, all of the firefighters at the

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the tribune/jessica st. james

Chief Mike Mahlmeister

Ironton Fire Department said they enjoy what they do. “Being a fireman has always been a dream of mine,” Collins said. “Growing up in the house on the corner of Fifth and Jefferson, everyday I’d walk to Tipton’s or Revco and stop and talk to the guys at the station. Even as I got older, at 15, 16, 17 years old, I’d hear the trucks go by in the middle of the night and thought that would be really cool.” Collins carries 17 years of total firefightProfile 2016 ing experience, spending four years as a fireman in the Air Force and 13 years in Ironton. Also from Ironton and another previous Air Force firefighter, Lt. Foglesong said being a fireman wasn’t something that he originally thought he was going to do. “After high school, I knew I wanted to go into the military,” he said. “The Air Force recruiter asked me what I wanted to do and then asked if I wanted

A Day in the

the tribune/jessica st. james

Seth Saunders inspects the boat inside the garage at the Ironton Fire Department.

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the tirbune/jessica st. james

(TOP) Seth Saunders gets one of the fire trucks prepared for inspection during his shift at the fire station. (LEFT) Captain Craig Thomas helps with daily activities. (ABOVE) Inspector Captain Jeff Joseph inspects one of the work trucks at the fire station before heading out for his daily duties.

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to be a fireman. From my first day at the Air Force Academy, I’ve loved it ever since.” Foglesong spent seven years serving as a fireman in the Air Force before joining the Ironton department, where he’s spent the past 20. When the firefighters aren’t out battling the blazes, every day presents new chores at the station for the crews depending on which are working on which days. Monday is equipment check day. Tuesday is the day where the living quarters are cleaned, Wednesday the public areas of the station are cleaned, Thursday the department does laundry, Friday all the windows are cleaned and finally on Saturday, the trucks are pulled out of the garage and the bay floors are cleaned. As a firefighter, part of the nature of the beast is that one sees many things throughout a career, both good and bad. “Every call you get or fires that you go on are all unique,” Collins said. “You reflect on the good ones, but the ones that are crazy or memorable as ones that stand out to us are always tragic and devastating to someone else.” Ironton Fire Chief Mike Mahlmeister, who was promoted to chief from inspector last year, agreed and said he’s seen his fair share of incidents that stick with him from his 23 years at the Ironton Fire Department. “There’s been a couple big fires that I’ve been

a part of; Anderson, BC Tool, Muth Lumber,” Mahlmeister said. “Those big fires are the ones that stick with you, but I’m glad things didn’t turn out bad.” Mahlmeister added that he did get hurt in the Muth Lumber Co. fire and was out for a while, but in the grand scheme of things, it was minor. “The bad things that stick with you are pulling teens out of cars and dead people out of car vs. train accidents and things like that. Thankfully I haven’t had to pull a dead kid out of a house,” he said. “You wish that stuff never happened, but you know in this job those things will happen.” As fire chief, Mahlmeister’s duties are to check any kind of mail or paperwork coming in and out and getting that in order, daily payroll and investigations on fires, as it is the chief’s job to determine the cause or origins of the fire. Although Mahlmeister doesn’t work on the 24 hour on, 48 hour off schedule as chief, he said he still likes to be a part of first responding. “I come in everyday at 7 a.m. I like to see what goes on at shift change and it gives me a gague of how the crews are getting along while making sure everything runs smoothly,” Mahlmeister said. “I still like to go on runs when they have runs because I like to keep my hand in the firefighter business. I don’t want to just stay here (at the station) all the time.” Becoming a firefighter was a dream of

Mahlmeister’s since he was a young child. He attended Marshall University and obtained his degree in teaching. After substitute teaching for a while, he said he decided to follow that dream when there was an opening at the fire department. “A lot of times when you’re a kid, you get an image of being a fireman, and it just stuck with me,” he said. “When there was an opening here, I thought it was an opportunity to follow my childhood dream. Twenty-three years later, I’m the chief. I made it.” Through all of the negative experiences firefighters face on a regular basis, a major factor in keeping them going and staying motivated is knowing that they are there to help serve the community. “Knowing that you’re there to help in some way is a good feeling,” Collins said. “We also sponsor ball teams, donate to food pantries and once a year go out and see the little kids at the schools during fire prevention month.” One instance in particular that sticks out to Collins was a simple task to help out the students at St. Lawrence School raise their flag as the students said the Pledge of Allegiance and sang the Star Spangled Banner, something he said was very cool to be a part of. “My favorite part about this job is dealing with people at their worst and hopefully you can make a difference,” Mahlmeister said. “Sometimes you can’t, but when you can, it makes it worthwhile.” 

Finding his calling Principal dedicated to his students By Heath Harrison | The Tribune

outh Point Elementary Principal Chris Mathes says the best part of his job is working with children all day. “It’s very rewarding,” he said. Born and raised in the village, he’s lived and worked there his entire life. “I started off in engineering, did it a year and decided it wasn’t for me,” he said. “I took a year off, went back to school and decided I would rather be around kids.” He’s now in his 21st year in education, having started as a fifth grade math teacher at the school, then, after seven years, he moved into the assistant principal position for a year, before beginning his 13 years as principal over the student body of 380 children. “I now have kids of kids, and have seen generations come through here,” he said. While he has superintendent certification to do any job in the district, Mathes said he’s in the type of school he prefers. “I’ve always been partial to elementary school,” he said. “It just suits me.” Mathes said the bulk of his time at work is spent reviewing curriculum, personnel and instruction. Arrival Every morning starts with his arriving at school in advance of the students, where he goes to his office to check on emails, something he says can occupy much time, with his receiving as many as 30 an hour. As soon as the bell rings, he goes outside for bus duty, greeting the children, who range from kindergarten to the fifth

A Day in the Profile 2016

grade. He said he is especially mindful to check in with the children he knows are having issues at home to see how they’re doing. “I want to be the first face they see when they come in and the last face when they leave,” he said. “We welcome the kids and try to start their day off right.” From there, it’s off to the cafeteria, where breakfast is served, which he says about 250 of the students enjoy each morning. Once the meal is wrapped up, the students are off to their classrooms, and Mathes heads back to his office to catch up on work. Mathes said he doesn’t deal with discipline so much, as that duty falls to administrative assistant Bill Christian, who serves in the capacity that a vice principal would at other schools. “He handles those day to day operations,” Mathes said. “Unless it gets to the point that I need to be involved.” “We used to deal with that more,” Mathes said of a principal’s duties. “Now, with Common Core, we need to be involved with classrooms, rather than be the face of the building.” Lunch At about 11 a.m., it’s back to cafeteria for lunch duty, where he works with three to four other adults. “We try to help them get through the line, get seated and clean up,” he said,

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also noting that he has to make sure the students are well-behaved. “The kids usually do good,” he said. “If they get rowdy, then we have to take it down a notch.” Mathes said they also have to make sure the students are eating. “You’d be surprised how much could be wasted,” he said. “A lot of them want to eat like birds. We encourage them to eat.” He said all of the school’s children enjoy a free lunch, which is the practice statewide in Ohio. The lunch period runs for 40 to 45 minutes. Mathes said the first half is spent in the cafeteria and, then, following the meal, the students go out to the playground, if the weather permits. On rainy, snowy or cold days, they have indoor recess in the classrooms, where teachers provide board games, crafts, cartoons and other activities. Afternoons From there, Mathes returns to catching up on paperwork and the continuous checking of email. He takes his own lunch at about 1 p.m. each day. It’s in the afternoons that he does most of his communication with the central board office, which he found is the best time to reach them. After an afternoon of office work, he heads out to bus duty at about 3 p.m., where he works with others to direct the kids to their buses. They file in, with the younger classes first, and then are guided to the color-coded buses for each route. Mathes and his staff remain on the lot until the last bus pulls out on to the road 20 minutes later, then he goes back to the office again. At this point, he said he devotes the remaining time of his work day to making phone calls to parents and returning contacts from earlier in the day, before leaving at about 4 p.m.

Structure and discipline Mathes said the biggest misconception about a principal’s job comes over the enforcement of guidelines and regulations, such as dress codes and attendance. “The guidelines are not to create arguments,” he said. “They’re there for safety and discipline.” He cited parents who would bring their children to school tardy. “We want kids here every day, all day,” he said. “They’re missing valuable instruction time.” He said faculty is not trying to be difficult in following the rules. “We’re trying to do the best jobs we can. Rules and discipline are needed for productivity.” Mathes said the biggest challenge for the job comes in the area of curriculum and with Common Core and state testing. “They tell us not to teach to the test, but there’s so much value put on that,” he said. “The report cards on the district that you see on TV don’t tell the full story. We have to find the balance between the hard work of staff and parents to meet the requirements set on us.” Rewarding work Mathes said he greatly enjoys his job, and that the children and their parents are a great clientele to work for. “I enjoy representing our community and doing something productive and meaningful,” he said. “That’s a responsibility many people don’t get to take.” He said he knows they give the children the best eight hours of their day. “Schools work hard to be structured and safe,” he said. “It’s a calling, not a job.” 

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Spreading kindness A-OK Lady travels Ohio giving smiles

By MIchelle Goodman | The Tribune

n a sunny winter day, a woman dressed in a red cape and floral leggings strode into Sanctuary of the Ohio Valley in Ironton, looking to spread a little compassion and hope. Though the woman was of a short stature, she stood tall in her red rain boots, holding a large yellow smiley face cut out of cardboard. The day room of the health center was filled with seniors socializing and waiting on their morning coffee. Heads turned when Susann Castore, dubbed the A-OK Lady, walked in. “May I offer you an A-OK?” Castore said as she spelled out the riddle in the air with her finger. At first, no one seemed to understand what she meant, so Castore continued with the riddle. “It’s something you’ve given and something you’ve

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gotten,” she explained. “Do you know what it is?” The seniors waited patiently for the answer. “It’s an Act of Kindness,” Castore explained, again, spelling the letters out in the air with her finger. The woman unzipped the fanny pack around her waist and pulled out sheets of smiley face stickers. One by one, she went to each resident, placing two stickers on the tops of their hands.

“That’s a smile for you to keep and one to give away for someone who needs one,” she explained. To see the A-OK Lady in action, one would think she had always lived a life of complete positivity and happiness. But there was a time when Castore was anything but OK. The woman explained how she got to the point of being the self-proclaimed Goodwill Ambassador of Kindness in Ohio. From the mid-1980s through the early 2000s, Castore, a licensed counselor, had 39 hospitalizations and five suicide attempts, which ultimately ended a 43-year marriage and estranged her from one of her two sons. During one of those suicide attempts, Castore, while living in Indiana, said she tried to drive off the side of the road, but another car blocked her path. “If not, I probably would have died,” she said. It would take around 16 years before she was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder and given the proper medication.

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33 But it was during one of her deepest depressions that the seeds of her kindness campaign were planted. “I went into a hospital,” she said. “I was in a deep, deep depression. I couldn’t get out of bed.” Castore said she was encouraged by the staff to get out of bed and when she finally did, began spending time with another patient who was schizophrenic and catatonic. After some time, Castore asked the man his name. Eventually, the two built a relationship and he began speaking to her and only her. He told her that it was her “act of kindness” that encouraged him to get well and leave the hospital. “As I went along, I became the A-OK Lady,” Castore said. “I would do acts of kindness to get me out of bed, in a way.” Years later, in 2013, Castore put her Kindness Exchange campaign in motion and began traveling the state. Her goal was simply to spread kindness, compassion and hope by connecting with people on her Mile of Smiles walks in which she walks Ohio’s small towns. Headquartered in Columbus, Castore said the city is like the sun and she follows the rays. Last year, her campaign took her through 125 communities and she drove 4,397 miles between August and November. Everywhere she goes, the A-OK Lady wears her signature cape and outfit, but each piece has a specific meaning. Her cape, she said, signifies an end to crime, violence and insensitivity. Her floral leggings represent a call to be kind to the environment. Her blue, or sometimes gold, shirt represents spirituality. And her red rain boots? Those are a gift from one her sons. Castore said she hoped her grassroots movement would help connect the people of Ohio and become a model for the rest of the country as well. “The word ‘connect’ has double N’s. I call them humps,” Castore said. “By learning and connecting, that’s how we get over the humps. We need that connection. There are ways to connect. Smiles are a way to connect. It’s automatic.” 

Glockner makes it easy es onton provid lockner of Ir s top quality its customer m all aspects and care fro , les to service a s m o r F . s s of busine er of Ironton n k c lo G t a ay. the staff r the right w e m to s u c h c ok treats ea r Glockner to a e y t s la h g its Althou ealership in d s u io v e r p over a ect the can still exp le p o e p , n o locati ere has xperience th e ty li a u q e sam . always been ward r the same a e ff o ll ti s e W “ e that tomer servic s u c g in ,” n in w r for decades fo n w o n k n e we’ve be car Ironton new Glockner of aid. ug Higgins s nd manager Do me service a a s e th t e g le “Peop .” e always had feeling they’v n onton is ope Ir f o r e n k c Glo ay from 7:30 id r F h g u o r Monday th rday from 8 tu a S d n a . .m a.m.-5:30 p a.m.-1 p.m.

Jeff Doak, General Manager

“Decades of experience” “Name on the building changed, but our employees haven’t.”

Doug Higgins, New Car Manager “Both sales and service are tops in our region.”

Tina Wells, Service Advisor “Our main goal is to take care of the customer and treat each one as the only customer here.” “We want them to feel 100 percent satisfied when they leave.” “From what I’ve seen in the service department, ever since I’ve been here we take care of the customers because that’s what makes a dealership.” “Customer satisfaction is No. 1 no matter what department.” “Great sales, great service and great people to work with and work for.”

Lonnie Campbell, Sales “The biggest thing here is there was no turnover. It’s like a big family and customers see the same faces time after time.”

Joe Adkins, Business Manager “We’re still committed to top-notch customer service just the same as we always were.”

Living the dream Wildlife officer at home in the woods

By Michelle Goodman | The Tribune

hen Darin Abbott was a child growing up in Florida, his father would take him on hunting trips, all the way to Meigs County, Ohio, where their family was originally from. It was during these special trips Abbott discovered his love of the outdoors, bass fishing, small game hunting, target practice and, eventually, deer hunting when he was a freshman in high school. Abbott recalled that first deer hunting trip. “He (his father) brought me back up here deer hunting and I was very fortunate in that my first day, I got an 8-point buck,” Abbott said. “I told my dad that day I wanted to get paid to be in the woods, that this was awesome. He suggested looking into being a game warden. I never looked back.” Years later, Abbott, now 35, is living his dream. Abbott has been the state wildlife officer for Lawrence County since about 2007, which is under the umbrella of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

In a job where your office is more than 80,000 acres of public hunting land, days are anything but routine and shifts are far from the usual 9-to-5. And the workload varies from season to season, Abbott said. There are two main aspects of being a wildlife officer: the law enforcement side and the non-law enforcement side, each providing a variety of tasks or challenges each day. On the non-law enforcement side, Abbott deals with nuisance animal complaints, which could be a raccoon with distemper, a sick or injured deer, crop damage or a beaver damming up a creek. It’s Abbott’s job to help educate the public on how to handle these issues legally or come to their aid if necessary. “It could be something a little bit more technical, whether it be getting some kind of pest in the way of wildlife in their home or barn,” he said. “Sometimes it’s technical advice on the phone. Sometimes we’re encouraging them to call a nuisance trapper. Or telling them how they can take care of it themselves. That’s pretty frequent, at least in the spring and early summer months.”

In the case of injured animals, Abbott assesses whether the animal can be taken to rehabilitation or if it must be put down. Abbott also does public speaking for conservation clubs and other organizations. “We’ve always been encouraged and asked to go to our conservation clubs as much as possible,” he said. “So I try to go several meetings a year, whether it be the Lawrence County Bass Club, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and answer questions or keep them up to date on things that are going on.” Abbott also speaks at schools and has made it one of his goals to introduce the National Archery in the Schools program throughout the county. So far South Point and Coal Grove participate. “It’s a great function for the kids to do and compete at a regional and national level,” Abbott said. “There were no schools in this county that had it when I came here. So I made it my goal over time to get it started here. This is such a great hunting community and outdoor community I thought they would jump all over this.” He also does surveys on various species populations and does disease monitoring.

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“If the public has seen me on the side of the road removing parts from a deer, it’s because we are taking that for tissue samples.” Another large part of the non-law enforcement side of Abbott’s job is hunter education. “Basic safety, but not just firearms. Safety in the woods,” he said. Hunter education includes topics from dealing with hypothermia and the proper clothing for each season, tree stand and harness safety, how to handle a firearm and the proper ammunition to use and how to be safe around other hunters. On the law enforcement side of the job, Abbott is a trained peace officer and must handle a variety of calls, from poaching to even assisting with other police agencies in the county. “I’m very busy on the law enforcement side in this particular county,” he said. “I get dozens of complaints during hunting season of poaching and hunting without permission, dumping of animal carcasses. Just a wide gambit of things. Mainly the poaching.” During deer season and the months leading up to it, Abbott does a lot of work at night, since poachers tend to go out after dark. “Twenty-four-hours-a-day, there is someone out there poaching for two months leading up to it,” Abbott said. “It’s a lot of workload for one officer, it really is.” In handling a poaching call, Abbott said the more information a caller can provide, the better, noting descriptions of any vehicles and people, as well as the location of any poaching is vital. “The more information that a caller can provide me, the more effective and helpful I’ll be for them,” he said. Once case of poaching Abbott recalled was a case in 2010 in which he received multiple complaints of young men shooting deer from a conversion van at night. “Thanks to people calling from one end of the county to the other, I was able to figure out they had a route they were running every night to shoot deer, from the west side to the east side and spanned about 20 miles,” Abbott said. I brought in officers from other counties and worked a project targeting these people because they were slaughtering the herd. We got them. They tried to shoot on the same farm for the third night in a row and we got them stopped.” Officers discovered about nine deer that had been shot in a week’s time. Those men were charged and sent to jail and given $1,000 fines. There are also incidences where a routine day can turn into an emergency situation. Abbott said he was working on an ATV with some other officers at Wayne National Forest, targeting convicted felons in 2010. “A young man decided to first flee from some other officers who were ahead of me on a trail, and then rammed me on my four-wheeler,” he said. “I did not expect him to do that so I didn’t take action. It happened really quick. He hit me at about 30 mph, we both went airborne. Thankfully, the tires are what landed on me and not the four-wheeler. I was OK, just a little banged up. That could have been a life or death situation over something very stupid. You never know what we’re going to deal with.”

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In 2013, Abbott assisted the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office on a shots-fired-call in Coal Grove when a man killed his bother-in-law. That man, Rodney Delawder, would later be convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. “I was doing a routine deer investigation when that happened,” Abbott recalled. “I was the third one in the door after him that night. What was really ironic, I check dozens of people throughout the year, and some I remember and some I don’t. When I went in behind the sheriff and chief deputy, he looked at me and asked, ‘What’s Darin doing here?’ “Low and behold, after talking to him a while, he started telling me about all the times I’d checked him deer hunting or fishing. When he started pointing them out I started recalling him. You just never know who you’re going to deal with and in what situation later.” While Abbott said he considered his job more of a hobby that earns a pay check, he said it wasn’t as easy as having the job handed to him. “I made sure one way or the other I got a college degree to do this,” Abbott said. “I researched this and did my part to make it happen.” Abbott graduated from Hocking College in 2000 with a degree in fish and wildlife management. When he applied for the wildlife officer cadet academy for the second time, there were 690 people who applied for 18 vacancies across the state. Of those, 340 people took the civil service test. Ninety people were interviewed over a two-week period and 26 made it to the background check stage, which also included various physical and psychological exams. Abbott was one of the 18 left standing and became a wildlife officer in the winter of 2002, completing the cadet academy in June of 2003. His first permanent job was at Wolf Run in 2002, followed by a stint in Crawford County and then Scioto County before being transferred to Lawrence County. “I met my niche,” Abbot said. “I really feel like I was meant to be in this job. “The officers who trained me… they were great mentors in saying, this is a way of life.” And he also gave credit to his father for encouraging him to pick a job he loved. “My dad worked at everything from an aluminum plant to working in power plants and coal mines,” he said. “He didn’t necessarily love the job. It paid a paycheck. He worked hard but he didn’t necessarily love it. He encouraged my brother and I to find jobs we enjoyed. I can honestly say, the last 13 plus years have gone by pretty fast because I enjoy what I do.” 

Duty is calling Johnny out in field with patrolman

By Benita Heath | The Tribune

ohnny works the midnight shift. It’s all he’s ever known and it suits him just fine. That is as long as his best buddy, Steve Sisler, is working the shift with him. That’s because Johnny is a Holland-born pedigree-bearing German shepherd police dog. And working with Steve means accompanying the road deputy throughout the night, being there to protect Steve, apprehend the bad guys, sniff out drugs and maybe track down a missing person. Piece of cake for this raven-haired K-9 deputy. Two-year-old Johnny has been on the road for about two months. Soon after his first days on the job, Johnny apprehended a suspect in a burglary. “He kept the guy from running,” Sisler said. That’s because Johnny, although playful and gentle around the right people, is a bite dog. With just a single command, he starts to bite and doesn’t

stop until Sisler gives a second command. In this case just the prospect of Johnny’s teeth in the suspect’s arm was enough to keep him where he was. Johnny, who lives 24/7 with Sisler, starts his day at 5:30 p.m. with a bowl of his favorite dog chow. Then the pair chills out for a while until 8 p.m., the start of the midnight shift. Jumping in the cruiser, the pair is off. Sisler can be called to a scene anywhere in the county, but typically, he patrols around the South Point area. “He stays in the car, if it is just a traffic stop,” Sisler said. “If I feel there is dope in the car, I’ll get him out.” Then with a couple of words in Czechoslovakian, one of the two languages, Johnny understands, he’s off, sniffing and searching. “If he finds something, he will sit and stare at it until I signal,” Sisler said. Otherwise Johnny is on a silent alert in the kennel in the back of the squad car.

“He will watch me to make sure I’m OK,” Sisler said. “If someone will start a fight, he will tear the cage apart.” The pair met this fall and had a checkout period where Johnny moved into Sisler’s home. There he met and bonded with Sisler’s 2-year-old son, Carson. Then in November the two went up to Ripley to take two months’ training at the Southern Ohio Police Canine. There they worked a schedule of two days’ training, a day and a half back home, two days’ training and another day and half back home. “The training wasn’t hard at all,” Sisler said. “You learn how to read your dog.” Johnny understands 10 commands including sit, stay, heel, search and drug search. “He is also a tracking dog and can track a suspect or a child,” Sisler said. “If you give me an area the last time they saw someone, he will go until they are found.” If he loses the scent, Johnny will circle his handler

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“

He will watch me to make sure I’m OK. If someone will start a fight, he will tear the cage apart.

”

— Steve Sisler

until commanded to stop. By 6 a.m., they are off duty and head to a park where they wind down playing games of fetch. Then it is back home for a big bowl of breakfast and by 9 a.m. it’s bedtime.

On their days off, their time together is different. Johnny eschews his law enforcement persona and becomes just a house pet. “He will play with my 2-year-old son,” Sisler said. “They have a blast together.” 

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Profile 2016

Finding his focus Photography is his life

By Dustin Melchior | The Tribune

hotography is not only a passion for Ironton native Robert Stevens; it’s his life and all he’s ever done. Stevens is the owner and operator of The Gold Studio in Ironton, where he spends his time running the business, photographing, editing, making custom frames and working on his studio. “Basically, I got started in photography when I was in high school at Rock Hill,” Stevens said. “It started in a high school yearbook class.” Stevens said he was shy and not a very talkative person, but after being involved in the yearbook class, the yearbook adviser at the time got him started in photography. “Ms. Betty Fisher gave me my first camera,” he

said. “I didn’t know I wanted to go into photography, but she leaded me into that.” Since receiving his first camera and an interest in photography, Stevens has never looked back. “I’ve never had any other job but in photography,” Stevens said. “I’m a photographer at all times. It’s 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.” Following graduation from Rock Hill High School in 1994, Stevens was accepted to the Ohio Institute of Photography and Technology and graduated in 1996 with a degree in biomedical photography, where he started as a photo lab technician. “Biomedical photography is the documentation of shooting under microscopes, autopsies and crime scenes,” he said. “My first venture into photography was so cool and very adventuresome. I’ve always liked the human body. It fascinated me.”

When Stevens returned back home to Ironton, he spent time working at Wal-Mart as a photo lab technician, and in 2006, bought the studio from previous owner Kenton Jordan, who had owned the studio since 1981. Stevens said original owner Bernie Gold had the studio on Third Street before Jordan moved it to its present location on Second and the location of the old Mearan’s Men’s Clothing store. Stevens said one of his favorite parts about being a photographer in the same area for so long is being a part of people’s lives photographing different activities and seeing children grow up when the cycle starts to repeat itself. “It’s awesome photographing the same people over and over through the years,” he said. “I’ll photograph children in school, their graduation pictures, their wedding and then they’ll start to have children of their own.”

Profile 2016

In Gold Studio, Stevens has various scenes set up, approximately 12-15 canvas drops, six or seven sets and all original flooring, which was built around 1890. Stevens added that he is always trying to update and has plans for upgrades in the studio, although 90 percent of his work takes place outside of the studio. Stevens describes himself as a traditional photographer who takes great pride in making the best finished products for his clients. “When you come to Gold Studio, you’ll get great quality images that I take pride in,” he said. “That’s what sets us apart from home photographers.” Two of Stevens’ biggest assignments each year are photographing class and group shots for the Rock Hill and Symmes Valley Local School Districts and for the Yvonne Dekay Dance Studio. Stevens said that nowadays with everything being online, a lot of his appointments are set up through personal messages and it is also where most people see his work. The Gold Studio is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. or by appointment only. 

Knows everybody’s name Tending bar suits woman just fine

By Benita Heath | The Tribune

y 4:30 p.m. on Thirsty Thursday, the bar at the End Zone in Ironton has only one seat open. That’s gone in just a few minutes when a darkhaired man with a scruffy beard and a red sweatshirt pulls out the black leather chair and sits down. The big screen TV across the way is pushing the Arkansas and LSU game coming on that weekend. Hannah Trent is about at the end of her day shift tending bar, but doesn’t seem to know it soon will be quitting time. She is in constant motion. She likes it that way. She doesn’t need to ask the man what he wants. She just goes to the tap and draws off a Coors and sets it in front of him. Two seats down a man is finishing up his second beer. “I might have one more beer,” he says to no one in particular. “Hannah. Hannah.” Trent, grinding sudsy water through a round of glass mugs, dipping them into a sink of steamy rinse water, doesn’t hear. “She has selective hearing,” he says. “Don’t want to piss her off. Like a surgeon.” Soon the man gets his third beer. The noise of Happy Hour rises like foam in a chilled mug of Blue Moon.

the tribune/jessica st. james

Hannah takes a group shot of a bunch of friends during her shift at the End Zone.

Profile 2016

51 “You learn to deal with it,” Trent said about the din. “The more people I hear talking, the happier I am.” This is what happens when you tend bar for a living. Trent came to work at the End Zone seven years ago after four years at the Fuzzy Duck. “I did night shifts and weekends for years,” she said. “It is a difficult clientele. Now that I am older the day shift is more laid back.” Starting at 11 a.m. until happy hour at 3 p.m. Trent is as much server as bartender, seemingly to have the knack to know when the blue cheese burger is ready to come out of the kitchen. “You learn to multi-task,” Trent said. “You keep it up in your head. You have to remember what you are doing, make sure everyone has what they want. I try to make everybody happy. Make sure the food is right. That it comes out on time. If they order a steak, it is right.” Trent is well trenched in the serving part of the job; her first job was waiting tables at the now defunct Plaza 52 truck stop in Coal Grove. But when the chance to tend bar came open, Trent was more than game. “You get to feel more personable as a bartender than a server,” Trent said. “You can talk to people more.” It’s also a job she taught herself, learning how to flow vodka, tequila, gin, rum, triple sec and Pepsi from the bottle top pourers for her signature Long Island Tea. “You remember off the top of your head,” she said. “I get to know new drinks. If I don’t know, the customers know what is in it.” That is as long as everyone knows his or her limit. But drunks happen and Trent is ready for them. “If they are loud and obnoxious, you say ‘You need to quiet down, need to simmer down,’” she said. “Now a passout drunk. Those aren’t fun. But they’re not very often. We have a really good clientele. It doesn’t happen very often, thank the Lord. You have to have a sixth sense to know how to handle the situation.” Day shift starts at 9:30 a.m. and is supposed to be over by 5:30 p.m. If it is a smooth day, Trent can be home by 6:15. “But if it is a crazy, busy day, it could be 7 o’clock before I get out,” she said. At 11 a.m. Trent goes behind the bar, adjusts her white ball cap with red letters saying End Zone and waits to see what will happen. Shifts can run from eight to 10 hours, all on her feet, which suits her fine. “I like to be busy, be steady throughout the day,” Trent said. Most customers, whether for lunch or Happy Hour, know Trent and greet her with a “Hiya Hannah.” A tall thin man in camouflage and a cell phone attached to his ear grabs a seat. “Haven’t seen you in forever and a day,” she tells him. Then goes over to pull a Bud Light out of the cooler and puts it down in front of him. “That is one of the perks of being in a small town,” Trent said. “You know everyone. It makes it more enjoyable than 20 people coming in and you don’t know anyone. It’s homey like ‘Cheers.’ Every day is different. It is a fun job. Making drinks makes people happy.” 

the tribune/jessica st. james

Shirley Watson with classified and advertising takes calls for ads.

Getting the news out Putting out Tribune is collaborative effort

By Michelle Goodman | The Tribune

s you opened up today’s morning edition of The Tribune, for what were you searching? It could have been any number of things. The Sunday funnies and puzzles. The obituaries. A digest of what happened in Lawrence County over the weekend. Sports news and scores. Advertisements for what’s on sale this week. Or even this special supplement to the paper — Profile 2016. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once joked, “It’s amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always just exactly fits the newspaper.” And while we can’t fit everything that happens in the world into one day’s paper, Seinfeld was

right about one thing. The process of building a newspaper — from gathering stories to laying it all out to running the press to having the finished product dropped at your doorstep — is an amazing process. Here is a day in the life of your Tribune. While everyone sees the final product, not many know just how many people it actually takes to accomplish that task. The Tribune is published six days a week, with our Extra edition published on Saturdays. Each edition is a culmination of every staff member working simultaneously and independently, yet in sync with everyone else. “It truly takes a team effort to put a daily paper out,” Josh Morrison, general manager said. “It takes

each department doing their job to put the paper out each day and provide quality to readers and advertisers. Ultimately our goal is to be a good community member and provide a valuable resource to the communities we serve.” Circulation The Tribune has about 22 independently contracted carriers who deliver newspapers to readers as well as to about 150 paper racks and dealer locations, such as grocery stores and news stands. The paper is distributed in six counties across three states. Morrison, former circulation manager, said there are about 60 routes that stretch from Wheelersburg to Athalia to Patriot and Oak Hill to Huntington and Ashland.

Profile 2016

A Day in the Profile 2016

“Carriers deliver Monday through Friday in the afternoon and Sunday morning,” Morrison said. As long as it’s in a safe manner, they will deliver in any weather conditions. “Within the city limits we offer porch delivery. Outside the city it’s considered motor routes and the papers are delivered to a paper box or other location determined by the carrier and customer.” Morrison said the carriers are like closers in a baseball game. “They are the last leg to get the product to the customer,” he said. The circulation department also includes two employees who work in the Tribune offices, taking care of subscription payments and handling customer calls. They also process information at the end of each day that lets the carriers know any route changes. But before the papers are delivered, the rest of the Tribune’s staff must build it. Classifieds Shirley Watson and Bonita Creger have been in The Tribune’s classifieds department for about 16 years. If you want to put an ad in the paper for an item for sale or to announce a rummage sale, you’ll speak with them. Watson and Creger handle all legal ads, free ads for items up to $200, real estate, rentals, employment, cars and boats, pets, lots and acreage and more. “They can be called in or walked in,” Watson said. The women also handle customer service calls, notary services and billing and invoices. They are cross-trained in circulation advertising, accounting and Creger even works in the mailroom, helping put the sales inserts into the papers. “We’ve got our fingers in everything if you stop and think about it.” Creger said.

Profile 2016

(ABOVE) Managing editor Michelle Goodman proofs the daily newspaper. (BELOW) Reporter Dustin Melchior reports from on top of the new Ironton-Russell Bridge. the tribune/jessica st. james

Newsroom The Tribune staff has one managing editor, one community editor, sports editor, two reporters and one photographer. The first thing reporters and editors do each day when they come into the office around 8 a.m. is check for obituaries on the fax machine or email. Those are typed up so they can be flowed onto the day’s Records page before proofing. Reporters are also on the lookout for any breaking news that happened over night. That can change the dynamic of the morning and even hold up a deadline. Benita Heath, community editor, has been with The Tribune for eight years and has been a reporter for about 25. “I remember when Paul Herrell died,” Heath said. “I got calls at 7:30 a.m. and I came in. I was calling up people to get comments about it. So I was juggling that and trying to edit and taking calls and trying to put together the story. Those are the kinds of things that get the adrenaline going. “Or when the sheriff sends out a press release I try to get a hold of him to get a live quote so I’m not just regurgitating a release. I’m getting something different than anyone else.” On a slow day, sometimes it takes working a beat to drum up enough news for the next day’s paper. “When I first started I was developing the

eastern end (of the county),” Heath said. “I just went up and down to businesses and schools. And I would drop my cards off. Then I would go back and start making contacts. And I did the same thing at the courthouse, just making rounds. And now I have a group of people I call. Sometimes they will call me and give me tips. It’s simply networking.” Each editor and reporter is responsible for proofing stories in the morning before deadline, which is 9:45 a.m. As the creative director prints proofs of the pages, each person reads and marks any errors with pen, which will be corrected before the paper is sent to the press. Once proofing is complete, reporters can begin new stories for future editions of the paper. A dry erase board divided into days of the week show lists of stories that are to publish on that particular day. The creative director checks the board throughout the day so she will know what to expect for the upcoming edition. Advertising In addition to bringing news to the readers, some of what you see in The Tribune is a way for local and national advertisers to reach out to potential customers. Shawn Randolph has been with The Tribune for 15 years, 12 of those as the manager of the advertising department. “Our job is to help the advertiser be

Profile 2016

successful in their business.” Randolph said. “We provide that avenue.” That all starts with sales reps calling on potential advertisers. “We are set up with outside sales reps who go talk to and work with individual businesses on how to advertise their products in order to bring customers to their businesses,” Randolph said. Those advertisements could be print ads in The Tribune or any of its special sections, or digital ads on The Tribune’s website. Each day, Randolph and his team of two sales reps start with a morning meeting to determine which businesses need to be called on for new or updated ads and making sure the advertisers are happy with their product. The reps call on 10 to 12 businesses a day. “You work with them on a plan of what the message is that they want to convey to their clients or patrons and you work on their ad copy,” Randolph said. The ad copy could include information about special sales or promotions at a particular business, new offerings or any kind of general information that an advertiser wants to get out to the public. The sales rep then brings that information — the ad copy — back to The Tribune’s composing department to build an ad that will appear in the paper.

Creative director Kandi Thompson lays out the daily paper. the tribune/jessica st. james

Composing The composing department — Kelli Jameson and Kandi Thompson — is responsible for creating all the ads, as well as laying out the paper each day. Kelli Jameson has been at the Tribune for about 30 years. Today, she builds ads for advertisings using Adobe InDesign software, but she remembers a much more primitive time. When I first came here, we didn’t have computers back then,” Jameson said. “There were five people doing what Kandi and I do. We actually had to cut out with scissors and X-ACTO knives and used border tape on pictures.” She said today’s process saves several hours. Once sales reps bring in ad copy, Jameson and Thompson turn the advertisers’ vision into a tangible product that will be displayed in the newspaper or in a digital ad online. Proofs are sent out or taken to the advertisers for final approval. “Before we can even put a paper out, we have to have the ads two days prior to printing,” Thompson said. Part of Jameson’s job requires her to print a manifest of what ads are scheduled to be in the paper for the next day. Then she makes what’s called a “dummy” of the newspaper on sheets of paper that are lined with six columns across. Boxes that represent each ad are drawn to scale. “Then we build the electronic pages and put the actual ads on the paper,” she said. Thompson is The Tribune’s creative director and is responsible for the layout of the newspaper each day. Once all the ads are in place and all news stories and photos are ready, she can begin the process of designing the paper. Thompson arrives at the Tribune around 7:30 a.m. each morning to accomplish this. “The next step would be creating a list of stories that will appear in the paper that day,” she said. “I like to look at the art and let the art dictate the layout.” Thompson makes her list based on what’s on the storyboard in the managing editor’s office. Using InDesign software, Thompson puts each story and each photo on the digital template, changing the headlines and copy to the proper typefaces. Then she prints the pages on paper for proofing. Once proofing by the reporters is complete, Thompson makes the corrections and saves each page as a PDF. Those PDFs are put into a file on the Tribune’s server, accessible to the pressroom foreman.

Profile 2016

the tribune/jessica st. james

Pressroom foreman Bo Elliott operates the press.

Pressroom Bo Elliott, foreman, has worked in the pressroom of The Tribune since 1994, and can remember when the process of printing a paper was much more laborious. “With new modern equipment, it’s not that bad anymore,” he said. “It was a lot harder, because we had negatives then.” Each page had to be photographed to be turned into film. Then the film had to be developed, followed by the film being burned onto plates. The plates then had to be developed. “We’ve probably knocked down two or three hours a day with the updates,” Elliott said. Today, after the creative director puts the PDFs on the server, Elliott processes them in either black and white or color with a computer program called Preps. Then pulls the PDFs onto a template based on how many pages there are, which keeps them in the proper configuration for printing. Next he can “print” those PDFs in the plate maker, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes. The image of each page is etched with a laser onto each plate.

the tribune/jessica st. james

Gary Cochran collects the daily paper to be distributed.

The plates are 22-inch by 24-inch aluminum sheets that are 8,000th of an inch thick. The plates are then bent to fit on the press cylinders. “While we’re hanging plates, we kick the ink feeds on, he said. “That’s what feeds the ink down to the four rollers. We have the impression on, what that

does, we have rubber blankets on our cylinders, the ink goes down to the plate, and the impression presses it from the plate to the blanket, and from the blanket to the web.” The web is the actual newspaper. Only four colors of ink are used to make everything you see in the paper — yellow, magenta, cyan and black, applied in that order. They make sure the printing looks clean, water forms are constantly running to clean the plates. “It takes 300 to 400 copies to get it good enough to start using them to send out the door,” Elliott said. The press can run about 12,000 copies an hour. Once the paper runs through the press, it travels to the folder, where it is cut and folded. Then it goes up the conveyor to the countoveyor. The inserting machine does just what its name implies — inserts daily circular papers into the paper. Then the papers are bundled into stacks of 25 for the carriers. After the daily paper is complete, the pressroom can prepare for other runs, which may include upcoming special sections, parts of the larger Sunday paper, or products for other companies. 

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Profile 2016

There’s more to explore this year in Lawrence County, Ohio • Lake Vesuvius • Hiking • ATV • Bicycling • Horse Riding • Camping • Hunting & Fishing • Iron Furnaces • County Fair • Rally on the River • Oktoberfest

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Profile 2016

This year’s Profile examines various people and what a day in his or her life is like. ROCK HILL • Sherri Baldridge’s class

Emily Abbott “If kids punch people, they get sent to the principal’s office. He tells them ‘don’t do that again.’”

Myles Bailey “He does a lot of making announcements.”

Aubree Markel “He tells the teachers what to do.”

“What does your principal do everyday?”

Cooper Webb “He keeps you safe.”

Ethan Webb “When someone gets in trouble on the bus, he makes them stand against the wall.”

Aidan Guy “He give us rules.”

Carson Medinger “He does paperwork.”

Arielle Moreno “He watches us everyday at school.”

Cameryn Chaffins “If you get in trouble, you get sent to the principal’s office and he calls your mom.”

Krissa Ball “If people get real mean, he puts them on the wall at recess.”

Miley Bias “He watches us on the cameras.”

Marlea Depriest “He does the lockdowns.”

Profile 2016

Here is what some of Lawrence County’s kindergarteners had to say.

Lakin Jarrell “He makes the rules to keep us safe.”

Kaleigh Gillenwater “He does bus loading.”

Maveric McFann “He tells us the rule of hands and feet to yourself.”

Brody Knipp “He watches you to see if you’re being good.”

DAWSON-BRYANT • JOHNNA GOLDCAMP-FISHER’S class

Chayce Murphy “They catch bad guys.”

Gage Caudill “They catch bad guys, so we won’t get hurt.”

Kylie Dickess “He tells us the rules, like being quiet.”

Elijah Boyd

Maeleigh Boggs “He waits for us when we get off the bus.”

Lillian Griffith

“He helps us get our lunch trays.” “He eats his lunch.”

“What does a police officer do?”

Max Klaiber “Pull people over.”

Caleigh Tennison “If you’re going over the speed limit, they’ll pull you over.”

Profile 2016

Karson Baker “Pull people over.”

Brody Justice “If you’re going over the speed limit they’ll pull you over.”

Sebastian Weed “If people are going fast they’ll give a ticket.”

Anna Reynolds “If you’re lost, and you can’t find your mommy, then they help you find your mommy.”

Makaila Riley “Keeps people safe.”

Hydi Ferguson “They take people to jail.”

James Harrison “Pull people over.”

“They give tickets.”

Jagger Martin

“They pull people over when they are speeding and they will lock your hands up and put them in their car.”

“The police man stops traffic and blows the whistle so people can walk across the street.”

“They help us be safe.”

“They pull people over so we’ll be safe.”

Billy Conn III

Addi Meyer

Brigham Justice

Delaney Allen

Logan Duvendeck “They put the bad guys in jail so we won’t get hurt.”

Kaitlin Hall “They can help you get back to your mommy if you’re lost.”

A Day in the Profile 2016

Creatures great and small Veterinarian loves fixing ailing pets

By Benita Heath | The Tribune

riday morning is the first time Gracie sees her new doctor. Normally for a basic physical exam, a patient takes front and center on an stainless steel exam table. But a 3-foot-long table and a bloodhound wouldn’t mix, without canine spilling over. So Proctorville veterinarian Dr. Mike Dyer gets down on the floor to check her out. “Her personality is so sweet,” Dyer tells the owner. “She is awesome,” the owner says. “And George (her other dog) just loves her.” Gracie’s owner wanted a second dog and searched rescue websites until she found the right one. “Rescues have been huge,” Dyer says. “Social

media has allowed them to do a good job. The foster network is huge. We thought the low-cost spay and neuter clinics would make a dent in euthanasias, but it didn’t. But these rescue groups have.” In a good home now, the shelter life may have contributed to Gracie having a bit of an Audrey Hepburn lanky figure, but Dyer knows that will change soon. “It is OK to feel the ribs, but you shouldn’t be able to see them,” Dyer said. “In the hands of her owner, she will get her weight back.” The vaccination needles don’t bother the big brown dog, but that syringe with the Bordetella vaccine for kennel cough that is supposed to go up her wet black nose is spooking her. Big time. “What if we wave a treat in front of your nose,” Dyer asks. Between that and the strong arm of a vet tech,

Gracie is good to go. Next comes Simon, whose allergies are making his skin act up. “How are you doing, Simon, my buddy?” Dyer asks as he pets the cairn terrier. The dog has allergic dermatitis with a secondary infection, which in the past would often be treated with steroids. “I try to avoid steroid use because of long-term effects,” Dyer tells the owner. That is why Simon will go on a new medication — Apoquel — that affects the animals’ brain and nerves so they don’t know they are itching. “The company can’t keep up with production,” the vet says. The dog will stay on it until the itch goes into remission.

Profile 2016

67 Next, Dyer take his stethoscope to listen to his heart. “Sounds good inside, buddy,” he says. Then he talks to the owner about how important weight control is for dogs like Simon. “Research shows in small breed dogs, the most effective things we can do is body weight maintenance and dental care,” he said. “They live two to three years longer. That is only in the little guys.” By 11 a.m., Dyer has seen 15 patients. That’s typical, but just the tip of his daily routine. After lunch, he has a half-dozen surgeries facing him. Dyer opened up the Proctorville Animal Clinic in 1994 near the Indian Guyan bridge, then in 2012 built its new location inside the village limits. The clinic, with, Dyer and two other vets, has an active patient roster of 7,287 — 5,142 dogs, 2042 cats and 103 other. And that can mean almost anything. When he moved the practice to its new site and upgraded services, he attracted a broader clientele. Now, the PAC has one of the largest practices in the Tri-State. “In veterinary medicine, our culture has changed,” he said. “Clients are demanding near-human standards for care.” So much so, that not just the flesh and blood part of pets comes under the scrutiny of their doctors. “Behavior issues in veterinary medicine are high,” Dyer said. “It has been over the last five years. We learn different things that can make the visits not so stressful.” One of those is use of pheromones or substances emitted by an animal that can only be detected by that species, affecting their brain. People can’t smell them. “I used to think it was voodoo for five years,” he said. “Now I believe it.” The day will get busier as it gets closer to quitting time when clients get off work and need to bring their dogs to the clinic. Then Dyer will see patients every 15 minutes. While Dyer thrives on his work, veterinary medicine was not his first career choice. As a freshman at Marshall, he first thought he wanted to be an engineer. “But I wasn’t doing well. I didn’t have a passion for it,” he said. “I had a beagle pup that had parvo and I watched it die before my eyes. I found a vet who let me job shadow. That turned into a part-time job. The light switch came on.” He earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology from Marshall, going on to The Ohio State University for a master’s in animal science and then his veterinary medicine degree. By the time Dyer is finished with office calls, he will have seen up to 18 patients. Then comes a couple of hours in the surgery — the best part of the day — where any fatigue he is feeling evaporates. “I love being in that room,” he said. “The radio blaring. I love fixing broken dogs.” 

More than a bus driver Woman reflects on 17-year career By Dustin Melchior | The Tribune

s children get on and off local school bus driver Patti Hunter’s bus every day, they know their bus driver is someone who cares about them in many ways. Hunter has been driving a school bus for 17 years and said there’s a lot that she enjoys about her profession. She is currently a driver for Ironton City Schools, but previously drove for the Rock Hill district. “I had two kids in school and I was trying to find a job that would accommodate their schedules with weekends and summers off for sports and other activities they were involved in,” Hunter said of why she became a school bus driver. “The kids are the most enjoyable thing about this job. I’m not here for the money. If bus drivers say they’re doing it to make a living, they’re not making it. They have to genuinely like it.” This year, Hunter drives about 37 students total including pre-school students, elementary school students, the elementary school autistic unit and St. Lawrence and St. Joseph. As a school bus driver in Ironton, Hunter starts her day with a meeting involving all of the other bus drivers in the garage behind the high school before heading to her bus for her morning route. From the garage, Hunter begins her morning route, picking up her elementary school students from their street corner bus stops before dropping them off at the elementary school. Hunter then picks up her St. Lawrence and St. Joseph students and drops them off before having a quick break where she said she often cleans out

A Day in the Profile 2016

the tribune/jessica st. james

Patti Hunter is a bus driver for the Ironton school district.

Profile 2016

the tribune/jessica st. james

Among some of the responsibilities of a bus driver is maintaining the vehicle.

the tribune/jessica st. james

Children at the final bell head to their bus to go home.

her bus. Next, Hunter picks up her elementary school autistic unit students and drops them off at school before ending her morning routine picking up her pre-school students and dropping them off at school. “After my morning routes are finished, I come home and then go back to the garage around 1 p.m. for the afternoon meeting,” Hunter said. To begin the afternoon, Hunter goes to pick up all of her elementary students, including the autistic unit, and drops them off at their stops. From there, she picks up and drops off her pre-school students before calling it a day. “We have a good system here in Ironton,” Hunter said. “Everyone works together and the drivers work together really well. If one needs help, there’s always someone there to back them up.” Hunter said each year is a little different and each bus drivers’ routine varies due to differences in district, the age of students they drive, routes or children that ride the bus often changing. But all in all, one thing remains constant — part of being a bus driver means taking on many roles. “Being a school bus driver isn’t just a bus driver,” Hunter said. “You’re a cleaner, greeter, ‘boo boo’ kisser and someone who deals with the children every day. Sometimes they get on the bus when they’re crying and upset and when you calm them down, that makes you happy. The ones that you have all the time, you know everything about.” Hunter admitted to being somewhat strict, but only in the best interest of the children. “I can be a little rough on them at times, but I expect them to sit down and be good,” Hunter said. “My first responsibility is to get every child to school and home safe. You also have to make sure you don’t hit any kids and make sure the right people are there to pick the kids up.” Throughout Hunter’s 17 years as a school bus driver, she said she loves seeing the children she has driven throughout her career all grown up. “Seeing the kids that I drove all grown up now with kids of their own is great,” Hunter said. “Seeing where they are now and what they’ve become in life from when I started until now is one of my favorite things. The children are like your own and you worry about your kids. They’re not just names to me. They are my kids.” 

Running his own race

Recreation tech dedicated to his job

By Michelle Goodman | The Tribune

any working folks dread Mondays. On Sunday evening, as the day is winding down, the thought of returning to work the next day is just disappointing. But not for Tom Eaches. “I don’t mind whatsoever to get up and come to work,” Eaches said. “A lot of people don’t want to go to work Monday mornings or whatever, but I don’t mind that at all.” In fact, the 71-year-old Lawrence County native is celebrating his 51st year of work today, making Monday pretty special. Eaches has been with the Wayne National Forest Ironton Ranger District in some way since he was a senior in high school, starting as a firefighter. He can still remember his first fire. That was on Easter Sunday in 1962. “I could remember going to Lake Vesuvius and they were hiring,” Eaches recalled. “They hired us as temporary firefighters that day. I had never been on a fire, never seen a fire. After the end of that day I went home after three or four fires and I was so tired I could barely get home. I lay down and said, ‘I never want to do this again.’ That’s what I told my mom and dad. And it wasn’t six months later that I was out there doing it again.” For the next few years, Eaches worked as a temporary firefighter, district clerk and worked as a laborer

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(TOP) Recreation technician Tom Eaches walks toward a trail located by the picnic area at Lake Vesuvius. (ABOVE) Tom Eaches sits in his office at the Wayne National Forest Ironton Ranger Station surrounded by photos of family, awards from his many 5k races and accolades from the state.

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on public works projects, doing campground maintenance and other work, until he was hired on full-time following his Army National Guard training. He became a full-time forestry aid, which included being a smoke chaser, marking timber, planting trees, recreation maintenance and trails construction. He was soon promoted to forestry technician, and continued to receive promotions throughout his tenure. He now holds the position of recreation technician. “Back then, as a technician, you did all phases of the job,” Eaches said. “It wasn’t just like you did timber and that was all you did all year long. We kind of phased into the seasons.” The Ironton Ranger District covers about 114,000 acres, with the lake and recreation area covering about 2,000 acres, plus the ATV, hiking and horse trails. In the summer, Eaches said his day-to-day work could be hectic and includes evening patrols. “We enforce the federal rules and regulations,” he said, “make sure the fees get paid. We make sure people aren’t breaking the rules, repair any maintenance issues that come up, say a water leak or a broken toilet, or something like that. If there is garbage on the ground we pick that up.” Eaches also keeps the fire pits cleaned out, makes sure the grass is mowed, fixes picnic tables if needed and other things as needed. “I think the general public doesn’t know what all we have to do to maintain the recreation areas,” he said. And it doesn’t slow down in the winter. In fact, the work can get even more strenuous. “We marked trees for sale. Decided how big the tree was, how tall it was, how much volume was in it and put it up for sale and some local person would buy it,” he said, “Then we would go back in later and do timber stand improvement. That was interesting work, too. It was hard. We worked out in the cold and snow.” Eaches said he is proud of the record the district has for putting out fires, especially during decades when many arson fires were set. “We’ve put out multitudes of fires and never really had any serious injuries,” he said. “The biggest I can remember was 400 acres, which is a big fire for here. … In the 60s, 70s and 80s we spent hours and hours and hours on fires. It was nothing to work a 16-hour day, 24-hour day sometimes. That arson problem has dropped way off. Probably due to good enforcement and rules.” Rule and regulations enforcement is something Eaches attributes to making Lake Vesuvius a more family-oriented destination than it was in years’ past when the lake was a hot spot of alcohol and drug use. “We’ve had some riots at Lake Vesuvius, rampant alcohol,” he said. “We’ve since controlled that. That’s one of the things I’m most proud of is how we controlled the alcohol use at Lake Vesuvius with an alcohol ban and stopped that. Where you didn’t have families coming to Vesuvius, now you have families coming with their kids.” While firefighting was Eaches’ first real job, he said he really enjoys working in

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Tom Eaches inspects one of the informational boards that are on display throughout the recreation area.

the recreation areas of the forest. “One of the things I like most that we do is the Wheelin’ Sportsman Fishing Day,” he said. “We do that once a year, and I think that’s the best thing I’ve ever been involved in. I really enjoy working with those people. I really enjoy the recreation area, working with the campers. I’ve known some of these campers, I can’t recognize all of them when they come up and talk to me. I’ve really enjoyed working with all the young high school groups we’ve had and the senior employment program for people 55 and older.” A senior himself, you can see by glancing at the walls in Eaches’ office that he’s had a full career during his five decades with the ranger district. Certificates and plaques of achievement and appreciation of his service hang on the walls. Trophies and medals nearly cover another, showcasing his love of running 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons and the like. “When I turned 50 I ran 5 miles, so every year when I gained a year, I ran 5.1 miles, until last year I ran 7.1 miles,” Eaches said. “So I’ve got 7.2 coming up next month.” While Eaches isn’t quite ready to retire, he knows that time will come and said he would miss the work and his colleagues. “I’ve been very proud of this uniform,” he said. “I can remember the first day that they finally game me a uniform. I just really thought that was the greatest thing that ever happened. I wear it every day to work. I shine my badge. I’ve had a good family to support me. My wife has been very supportive. My kids were raised in the forest basically.” “… I’m very proud of this organization. I can’t think of anything else I’d have rather done.” 

Keeping streets safe Ironton officers out there 24/7

By Dustin Melchior | The Tribune

he police force is often the first line of defense against crime and violence, and everyday presents new challenges. Two officers at the Ironton Police Department with a combined 38 years of law enforcement experience know all about what it takes to serve the community. Sgt. Jamie Pruitt has 20 years of experience under his belt, while Sgt. Brian Pauley carries 18 years. “When I first started, my interest was the ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources),” Pruitt said. “I enrolled in the police academy, which at the time was the only requirement. Right after I graduated from the academy, they raised their minimum requirements and I no longer met the qualifications. I then decided to be a police officer and I ended up being good at it and really liking it.” Pruitt graduated from the police academy in 1996

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Sgt. Jamie Pruitt fills out paper work on a one vehicle accident.

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(LEFT) Sgt. Brian Pauley inspects the back room for anyone or anything suspicious at M&M Inflatable after an open door was found open following an alarm call. (RIGHT) Sgt. Jamie Pruitt fills out paperwork following a one-vehicle accident.

and prior to joining the Ironton Police Department, was an officer at the Proctorville Police Department and served at the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office. Currently, Pruitt works the Ironton Police Department evening shift from 2-10 p.m. and is a member of the department’s Special Response Team and Drug Task Force, which he said are his favorite duties. Throughout Pruitt’s career, he has been involved in various law enforcement positions that helped shape him into who he is today.

“I’ve seen all aspects of law enforcement. From taking care of inmates to handling initial calls to investigating,” Pruitt said. “I like helping others, locating stolen items with sentimental value and battling the drug epidemic. The biggest problems right now are drugs and domestic violence.” Unlike Pruitt, midnight shift officer Sgt. Pauley said becoming a police officer was something that was always a goal of his. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do as a child,” Pauley said. “I took law enforcement classes

in college and graduated from the police academy in ‘97.” Of Pauley’s 18 years, 11 of them have been with Ironton after serving in Proctorville and Coal Grove prior. Shifts at the Ironton Police Department include day shift from 6 a.m.-2 p.m., evening shift from 2-10 p.m. and midnight shift from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. The department currently has 12 road officers, two detectives and a chief. “When officers come in for their shift, we check

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Sgt. Brian Pauley takes a vandalism report during his shift.

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the log book, talk to the officers who are leaving the shift before to see if anything has been going on and make sure all of the paperwork, our gear and cruisers are in order and ready to go,” Pruitt said. “We try to always have three officers out, but there’s a minimum requirement of two.” Both Pruitt and Pauley stressed a major part of being a successful police officer is staying ready for whatever happens, from traffic stops to car accidents to hostage situations, arrest warrants and everything in between. “There’s never such thing as a good call. The worst calls to go on are domestic violence calls because you never know exactly what you’re getting into, how volatile a situation is or the mindset of the people involved. You never know what you’re going to walk up on during traffic stops either. The unknown is such a big part of the job,” Pauley said. “This job is all about thinking on your feet and talking to people. Respect is a big thing. I’ll give you as much respect as you give me. If you respect me, I’ll respect you. That’s the main thing I try to teach young officers.” In between calls, officers patrol the streets and try to be seen in the community.

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Sgt. Brian Pauley patrols the streets on midnight shift.

“The business district takes a lot of our time, but between calls, we like to get out in the residential areas to be seen patrolling,” Pruitt said. “I like being a preventative patrolman. It’s good to let those people know we’re

checking on them.” Pruitt added that all departments function similarly, although being in a city makes call times and responses a lot faster than being in the county. Throughout Pruitt’s career, he has

seen his fair share of incidents that stand out to him, including a manhunt through the woods in Chesapeake, intervening between a man trying to kill his son-in-law and resulting in shootout at which point they got the man pinned down where he ended up taking his life, a hostage situation on Lawrence Street and even taking a man’s life responding to a domestic violence incident where he and his backup officer were stabbed multiple times. “For officer safety, we try to always go on call with another officer unless they are tied up on separate calls,” Pruitt said. Through all of the situations officers face, Pruitt and Pauley both said the job is also very rewarding at the same time. “It’s rewarding when you’re able to solve crimes, get back stolen property or help someone with drug problems or mental problems,” Pruitt said. Pauley agreed. “Completing a case from start to finish and working with the other officers to get your convictions is one good thing about being a police officer,” Pauley said. “It’s very satisfying.” 

Hardship to happiness Wyngate resident journeyed from WWII Poland to U.S.

By Heath Harrison | The Tribune

taff at the Wyngate at RiversEdge in Rome Township say Janina Saynog, who has resided at the senior living community for a over a year, never complains or asks for much. But, given her background and the hardships she overcame, it’s easy to see why she is so content now.

Life in Poland

Janina was born in Poland, where, as the oldest of her siblings, she lived on a farm with no electric and running water. She spoke of how different things were growing up there in the 1930s. “To go to school, we had to walk,” she said. “There were no buses, no one to pick you up. Back then, nobody encouraged the children to go get their education, because they wanted people to work on the farm. There were lots of smart people, but college - one thing, they could not afford it, the other, no one encouraged it.” She remembers her duty in the household, helping to prepare the family for their Roman Catholic

Church service each week. My job was to shine everybody’s shoes for Sunday,” she said. As the eldest, she had more responsibilities than her siblings, but it came with its perks. “For clothing, I was the one who got new stuff, the younger ones had to wear my stuff,” she said. While the family struggled, Janina said she looks back on it fondly. “It was rough, but it was a good life,” she said. “We were good to each other.” World War II

In September 1939, Adolph Hitler’s Germany and Joseph Stalin’s Russia invaded Poland, starting World War II. Janina’s father served in the Polish army, helping his country in its attempt to resist the two oncoming armies. “My father had to go to the army and left my mother with a bunch of kids,” she said. “I was 14 years old and had to take care of a farm and kids.” However, his country’s army was hopelessly outmatched by the two military superpowers and the

fighting in Poland only lasted a little more than a month. The family, however, was glad to be reunited. “As you know, the war in Poland was finished in six weeks, so father came back and we were happy,” she said. But this happiness was short-lived. Poland was divided between Russia and Germany. When Janina was 17, she was separated from her family and sent to Germany where she was put into forced labor. “They took me to Germany, where you worked for nothing,” she said. “When I got there, there was one big fat lady looking at me, and I was thinking, ‘She must be good.’ And she picked me up to work for her in a restaurant.” Despite her experience in Germany and being kept from her family, Janina said she has no ill will toward the German people, and doesn’t blame them for what was done by their government. “It was many, many years ago,” she said. “People were good, some sent me packages when I was working in Germany. Not everyone was bad. And, you know, you never get hungry working in a restaurant. That was not my problem.”

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While in Germany, she remembered a mishap that led to her meeting the love of her life, her husband Joe. “I was riding a bicycle and looking at a boy up and down, I fell and scuffed my knee,” she said. “He helped me. He was so good to me when I met him, I ended up marrying him and stayed for 63 years.” Coming to the U.S.

Following the war in Europe, she and Joe had to decide their next move. “After World War II in Germany, there were lots of different people from different countries from working forced labor,” she said. “They put all people from different countries in one place. Then, after a while, they decided we have to do something with those people.” She and her husband wanted the best possible future for their daughter. “I was talking with Joe. I said, ‘Maybe we don’t have much here for us.’ So we decided, ‘Australia is too far away. Venezuela, we don’t know very much about it. Lets go try the United States.’” In order to immigrate to the U.S. they needed a sponsor, and found one in the Island Creek Coal Company, which was based out of Huntington, West Virginia. “So this sponsor said that we don’t have to pay anything if we work,” she said. “But where are you going to work if you don’t speak English? It was pretty hard. “So I helped a lady, Mrs Hamilton, in her house and Joe was in the offices.” However, this arrangement only lasted one year. From there, the family decided to move to the Logan County, where a friend of theirs had told them there was work in mining. “He said, ‘I’ll take you to a coal mine, where you can make $14 an hour,’” she said. “And here was Joe, a 32-year-old man who had never been in a coal mine. But he worked for the family.” The family struggled to make ends meet for some time, working various jobs, something Janina said most people don’t realize about the life of immigrants. “Some people say, ‘Oh, they have everything,” she said. “One year was good, but the next year, there was not enough money to do everything.” After Joe was laid off in the mines, the family moved to Huntington for work. They both found work at St. Mary’s Medical Center. Janina worked in the central supply department, while Joe worked in maintenance. They worked

hard, she said, eventually sending their daughters to college. They faced the same economic struggles many families did in the area, she said, recounting the mortgages and saving to get their teenage daughter a car. “You know teenagers,” she said. “Even then, they wanted to have things. So we saved. She was driving. It was exciting. She took us any place, this 19-year-old girl driving.” “When the girls got to school, it was a blessing,” she said. “They have a college here. They didn’t have to go away anyplace. They went to Marshall University.” Her daughter Barbara eventually started a pump supply business with her family, employing more than 100 workers, while Mary is a librarian at West Virginia State University. Of her family’s life, she says things worked out, as they stayed busy from working. “We struggled, but in the end, it was OK, “she said. Life at the Wyngate

Joe passed away eight years ago. Janina, who now speaks fluent English while retaining her Polish accent, moved into the Wyngate in October 2014. The staff there has nothing but praise for her. Cindy Craig, the business office manager for the Wyngate, spoke of how active Janina is in the community there. “She’s amazing,” Craig said. “She’s the sweetest lady. She’s so social and

comes to all of the activities.” Janina said she enjoys life at the Wyngate, and appreciates the staff’s efforts to meet her needs. “It’s a nice place here,” she said.

“They take good care of you here. If you don’t like something, they cook something different.” She spoke of the activities she likes to take part in, including a daily exercise session, bingo and attending musical performances. As a Roman Catholic, she takes part in Mass at the Wyngate once a month. She keeps up on the news, always reading the paper. And she always likes to get in her afternoon nap. “I have a pacemaker. Last September, the doctor said, ‘Janina, you have to rest one hour every day for a year.’ I said, ‘OK.’ And I still take the one hour to rest now, after the doctor told me one year,” she said, laughing. Craig said Janina is always willing to share her memories. “She brings so much culture here,” she said. “She’s so open about her life story.” On her life story, Janina sums it up with something she says she preaches to everyone. “You see how much you can do if you have a will to work and pray and ask God to help you,” she said. “You can accomplish a lot.” 

A life of law

Ironton attorney at home in courtroom By Dustin Melchior | The Tribune

fter graduating from Ironton High School as the valedictorian in 1990, Ironton attorney Mark McCown knew he wanted to practice law. McCown is a general practitioner lawyer at McCown and Fisher LPA, meaning that he does not specialize in a particular area of law, but rather handles just about everything that comes his way. “General practitioners are pretty much a dying breed with the exception of small towns,” McCown said. “But we do pretty much anything here. There’s no average day for a general practitioner. Family law, estate planning, civil litigation, criminal defense; I’ve done just about everything.” McCown said at any given time, he has roughly between 75 and 200 active clients depending on the time of year. “As a general practitioner, I have to jump around a lot from one subject to another,” McCown said. “Rarely is there a day that isn’t busy.” From Ironton High School, McCown attended

A Day in the Profile 2016

Miami University of Ohio where he graduated cum laude in 1994 with a B.A. in political science. From there, he went to law school at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., and received his Juris Doctor in 1997. “After Miami, I decided I wanted to do international law and went to Georgetown, which at the time had a top three international law program and was one of the top 10 law schools in the U.S.,” McCown said. “I then decided I didn’t want to do international law because I liked dealing with people. I like to better people’s lives.”

McCown added that over the years, his favorite areas of law have changed, but standing up in the courtroom is one thing he loves. “I enjoy the courtroom. I love standing up and saying ‘ladies and gentleman of the jury…’ But you don’t get enough of an opportunity to do that locally,” McCown said. “Criminal defense is interesting because so often it deals with fundamental liberties. Defending someone, you’re the only one standing in between that person and the state. It’s an incredible feeling, but just as important are those cases that are academically challenging, where it’s like a puzzle to work through the clients’ issue to come to the best solution for the client.” Meeting with clients, drafting pleadings and finally ending up in court is generally the process McCown said he goes through when working a case. McCown also serves as the attorney for the village of Coal Grove, advising council and preparing ordinances and resolutions, represents the city of Ironton and village of Hanging Rock in labor relations, is a member of the Lawrence County Board of Elections, Lawrence County Bar Association and Ohio State Bar Association as a Distinguished Life Fellow,

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is the legal advisor for the Ironton St. Joe High School mock trial team, a worship leader at Ironton First United Methodist Church and is chairman of the community advisory committee for Harvest for the Hungry food pantry. He previously served as the president and vice president of the Lawrence County Bar Association, was on the Ohio State Bar Association Council of Delegates and Board of Governors and formerly served as the treasurer of the Lawrence County Democratic Party. In addition, McCown teaches various law classes at Ohio University Southern. “I stay very busy with everything that I do,” McCown said. “But most importantly, I’m a dad to three kids and a husband.” 

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Deb Barker gets ready before a Mary Kay party at her business in downtown Ironton.

Pretty in pink

Mary Kay rep talks shop By Benita Heath | The Tribune

t’s 10 a.m. on a Tuesday and in eight hours, it will be party time at Deb Barker’s Mary Kay cosmetics studio on Third Street. But, right now, Barker is putting the finishing touches on the tables, covered in the signature pink cloths. “We will do marvelous makeovers, games and then give away some prizes,” Barker said. “These are first-time customers.” The party will start at 6:30 where she will show the potential customers how to use the skin care products. “We teach them how to do it,” she said. “That way when they get home, they will know what to do and not wonder, ‘what did she say to do?’ Take care of your

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81 customers in the beginning and they will be with you all through life.” Barker ought to know. She started with Mary Kay in 2002 and, in less than a year, became a senior sales director. Now her sights are higher, much higher. That’s why she hosts two to three parties a week whether in her studio or at someone’s house. “That keeps me on track to being a national director,” Barker said. As a senior director Barker does more than sell face creams and lipsticks. She’s out there in the field coaching other hostesses on how to give their own parties, motivating her directors and teaching different techniques. As far as a barebones schedule, no two days are alike for Barker, and that suits her fine. “It’s about freedom,” she said. “I schedule my life around the business. I choose my hours, whether it is two hours or 12 hours.” Freedom as far as hours go. Freedom, as far as income with the company that gives its sales reps 50 percent commission. “You write your pay check,” she said. “You reap what you sow.” A morning could start at 7:30 at a nearby Starbucks, where she will sit with her laptop watching for potential customers. “They call it warm chattering,” she said.

She may see a professionally dressed woman and approach her with a compliment or comment about her appearance. Then, she offers the woman her business card and an invitation to a party. No high pressure, just casual chit chat. “We are such a soft sell,” Barker said. If the woman says yes, Barker says there is a pretty good chance she will become a Mary Kay customer for life. “Once you put the products on your skin, there is an immediate difference,” she said. But if the answer is no, that’s works too. Back at the studio, Barker may spend a couple of hours mid-morning making booking calls — another way she offers invitations to parties. In the afternoons, Barker may go to a couple of businesses, saying she would like to treat the women in the office to a catered lunch. As the women dine, she will demonstrate the product line by taking off all her makeup, then putting it back on. She candidly admits working for Mary Kay takes a high level of confidence. But the chic blonde developed that skill during the 27 years in the banking industry. The only problem was she wasn’t happy there. “I was burnt out with banking,” she said. “I’d put in 14 to 16-hour days.” That all changed 14 years ago, thanks to her son and what she believes was divine direction. He was in Cincinnati listening to a radio talk show where a caller asked the host what she could do to supplement her family’s income while remaining a stay-at-home mom. His answer was Mary Kay. Her son believed he had been led by God to listen to the show and encouraged her to check out Mary Kay. Barker has never looked back. Besides enjoying sales, Barker appreciates that the company, founded in 1963 by Mary Kay Ash, is based on the Golden Rule. “It’s God first, family second and career third,” she said. “We’re a big family. Mary Kay helps you physically, spiritually and financially.” 

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Tonya Davis, left, and Mikyla Peres, right, check out each others makeup during a Mary Kay party hosted by Deb Barker.

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Tonya Davis, Mikyla Peres, Samantha Fife and Monica Davis, pictured left to right, take part in a Mary Kay party hosted by Deb Barker.

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Samantha Fife applies eye markup during a Mary Kay party.

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