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After a political rant, saying goodbye to two fine men

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By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
The email from this first week of 2022 has been just about enough to send me into a Lee Elia-type tirade about career politicians with nice teeth and beauty parlor hair.

For those unfamiliar with Lee Elia, after his brief Major League Baseball career, he briefly managed the Chicago Cubs in 1982-83. In a moment of all-too-honest frustration, he had a bit of a meltdown (not recommended for the youngsters) on April 29, 1983. Some reporter secretly recorded it. The rest is history. Lee has long-since retired in Florida.

But I can relate to his 1983 meltdown.

In the past week, the newspaper's email inbox and my personal email inbox have been flooded with correspondence from politicians running for everything from Rob Portman's U.S. Senate seat to Mike DeWine's governor's seat.

The Republicans for either seat pledge to be more conservative than both Portman and DeWine (that shouldn't be too difficult), while the Democrats criticize even their most liberal policies. (There's no pleasing some folks.)

I've been invited to morning coffee, noon lunches and various and sundry events related to these respective campaigns. As I enter my fourth decade (fifth, in all honesty) of newspaper writing, it still amazes me that these politicians actually think they are special. They are not. They work for us – or are supposed to. We do not work for them.

The office of one, who happens to share my Irish surname, actually offered directions to Highland District Hospital this week. That elicited some well-deserved laughter at The Highland County Press office.

For one thing, thanks to recent life-extending actions by my daughter and son-in-law, I am very familiar with HDH. For another thing, my wife, Pam, is one of the longest-serving medical professionals in the building. For a third thing, The Highland County Press and Highland District Hospital are on the same street in Hillsboro. We have a very good relationship. Especially with the good folks in the ER.

I don't think we need directions. But thanks, anyway.

Here's my advice to all of you – regardless of the capital letter after your surname – running for Ohio governor, the General Assembly, the U.S. Senate, Congress or the county commission, where even an erstwhile door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman can serve as well as anyone else: If you want free publicity, call someone who gives a flying frog.

Otherwise, man up and buy an ad. Maybe we'll publish it. Maybe not. I've turned down political ads before, and I sure as hell don't need the aggravation that often accompanies them.

If you want to talk about real, honest work, maybe I'll entertain you for five or 10 minutes. Meanwhile, comb your hair and brush those pearly whites. You aren't all that, anyway.

* * *

• On a much, much more serious note, please let me share a few thoughts on Mr. Larry Cole, who passed away Jan. 4 at Bethesda North Hospital.

As I read Larry's obituary, I did not realize that he had six brothers and five sisters, all of whom preceded him in death. I knew his brother, Jon "Joe" Cole.

I first met Larry and Joe roughly 50 years ago at the baseball park in Hillsboro. Both men were great role models for the youngsters back then – and for many years to follow. A Friday night football game at Richards Memorial Field just wasn't complete if Larry and Joe weren't there.

In addition to his support for local student-athletes, I also remember Larry for his years of service with the Hillsboro Lions Club. He was always putting community service at the forefront.

Memorial contributions in Larry's name may be made to the Hillsboro High School Athletic Boosters. The Turner & Son Funeral Home is serving the family. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.turnerfuneralhomes.cc.

Larry was one of the good men who did much more for the community than most of us will ever know. He remains a local icon. He and Mary are together again. Godspeed.

* * *

• Another icon, this one in the world of country music, recently moved on to the Grand Ole Opry stage above.

Legendary radio broadcaster and Hall of Fame steel guitarist Ray “Chubby” Howard of Franklin, passed away Dec. 23, 2021. Chubby was born June 5, 1926, in Goose Rock, Ky., the son of Clemia Mae Bowling and John Henry Howard.

When my son, Colin, was a young teenager and helped deliver The Highland County Press, we often listened to Chubby's Saturday morning radio show on 1090 AM. Some winter mornings, particularly in February 2010 when I had another Lee Elia meltdown after shoveling snow from the sidewalks along our former West Main Street office all the way to the old Magee's Restaurant, I looked forward to Chubby's radio program that featured "real" country music.

I can't say for certain that Colin looked forward to those days, but I did.

Ten years ago, I wrote a brief tribute to Chubby Howard. It began as follows: "One of these Saturday mornings, I hope Chubby Howard will play Buck Owens' 'They're Gonna Put Me in the Movies,' and dedicate it to Colin Ryan.

And all he's gotta do is "Act Naturally."

OK. Maybe the song is actually "Act Naturally." I'm not sure.

What I am sure is this, Buck Owens' song was part of the "Remember the Titans" soundtrack. And Colin and I love that movie.

It's possible that Colin's dad – and both of his grandfathers – appreciate old-style country music much more than he does. That's OK.

When Chubby Howard was not hanging out at Tudor's Biscuit World in Xenia – for years he could be heard on WKFI AM 1090 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on most Saturdays. Yes, indeed, a six-hour radio show. And we (I) enjoyed every minute.

Whether Chubby was talking about the Jamestown Bean Festival (I like beans and cornbread, but don't forget the diced raw onions on top), or scrambled eggs, sausage and blueberry pancakes at Tudor's, Chubby was the perfect classic country music radio show host.

In fact, as I said a decade ago, Chubby brought to classic country what Marty Brennaman brought to Reds baseball on the radio.

Chubby's co-hosts (that I recall) were Wyatt McCubbin and Tyler Fairburn. This weekend, Tyler hosted the conclusion of a wonderful radio tribute to their pal, Chubby. I know he would be pleased.

I already miss my Saturday morning road trips with Colin – and without Chubby sharing his great stories of the country music of days gone by. Heaven has a new steel player in the all-time band.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.

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