Texting driver crashes into

Jim Carney’s son’s home

Will & Heather Carney

A texting driver crashed his car into the St. Louis suburb home of Will Carney, son of BJ reporter Jim Carney, and Will's wife, Heather. 

Writes Jim:

"Thank God nobody was hurt. Lots of damage to the house and garage and new car in garage. DON'T TEXT AND DRIVE DAMMIT!"

Will supervises engineers for Amtrak out of St. Louis. He began working as an Amtrak engineer in 2012. 

Will and Heath moved in December to a suburb west of St. Louis. 
He was in Chicago when the crash happened. Heather was home. 

Jim's oldest son, Will, lived in Peninsula and was Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway superintendent of the train that goes from the Akron Northside station to the Rockside station in Independence. 

Will started volunteering for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway when he was a middle school student. He worked as a railroad engineer and later as a safety trainer for about 12 years after high school on a variety of railroads in Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania before taking the job in the Valley.

Uh-oh, Jim is texting
and drinking. 

Jim's other sons and wife & BJ reporter Katie Byard's stepsons are Patrick Carney, who has a ton of Grammy Awards as part of the Black Keys band and lives in New York City with second wife Emily Ward; and Michael, Columbus College of Art and Design grad with a Grammy for his Black Keys album art who lives in Brooklyn with Joanna Grant. 

The Carney boys are all Firestone High graduates, as is Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach. Their paternal grandparents were Wheeling, West Virginia native William "Bill" James Carney, who died in 2010, and Madge Slate Carney, a former Army nurse who passed away in 1995.

Jim's siblings are Patsy Carney Hughes, who died in 1997, and Ralph Carney (who lives in San Francisco with Deena Zacharin and is the father of Hedda Carney).   


Previously, Patrick was wed to Cleveland Scene and former BJ reporter Denise Grollmus. 

Drive past Shasta

a dry surprise

for John Dunphy

Former BJ and Orange County Register in California reporter John Dunphy drove 700 miles with wife Rebecca Allen from their Lakewood, California home to Ashland, Oregon and looked forward to seeing a majestic lake at the base of a majestic mountain. Didn't happen.

Tan area normally is water

On the way, John writes, they "powered up through the mountains from Mount Shasta to Ashland, Oregon. Very eerie ride as there is no snow and Shasta Lake is bone dry in some places."

Adds Rebecca: "Mount Shasta had NO snow. Shasta Lake was just a ribbon of water in the bottom. It's horrifying when you see it."

Lake Siskiyou, which provides a panoramic view of majestic Mount Shasta to the lake's south,  is down 17.5 feet.

On the heels of one of the driest years on record in northern California, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency and urged Californians to reduce water consumption by 20%. 

Today, John added:  "Walked 3 miles on the Bear Creek Greenway in Ashland Ore. Next stop: McMinnville." You go, John!

Dunphy is dealing with Stage 3 esophageal cancer in a remarkably upbeat and humorous way.

Harry Liggett 1930 - 2014

Harry Liggett, 83, passed away peacefully on January 24, at the Hospice Care Center in Copley.Harry was born in Dennison, Ohio on March 3, 1930, to the late Harry and Lillian Liggett, he had been an Akron area resident since 1965. 

He was a longtime and active parishioner at St. Paul Catholic Church in Akron, where he had previously served as president of the Parish Council and was the creator and editor of the Parish Blog. 

He retired in 1995 after 30 years as the assistant news editor at the Akron Beacon Journal. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Harry enjoyed Genealogy and was an active member of the Ohio Genealogical Society. 

Dad was a proud Eagle Scout and a faithful and devoted husband to his late wife Helen. He and Helen loved and adored their grandaughters, who became the center of their lives.

In addition to his parents; Harry was preceded in death by his wife, Helen in 2010; brother, Bill, and sisters, Mazy and Betty. 

He is survived by his sons, Tom (Susan) Liggett of Akron and Bob Liggett of Copley; grandchildren, Erin and Anna Liggett.

The family would like to extend their sincere thanks to the staffs at the Copley Healthcare Center and the Hospice Care Center of VNS for their compassionate care.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, from 5 to 8 p.m., at the Anthony Funeral Home KUCKO-ANTHONY-KERTESZ CHAPEL, 1990 S. Main St. in Akron. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Ralph Thomas on Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., at St. Paul Catholic Church in Akron. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Akron. 

If one desires, the family suggests that donations be made to St. Paul Catholic Church, 1580 Brown St., Akron, OH 44301. (Anthony Funeral Homes, AKRON, 330.724.1281, anthonyfh.com) 

Harry’s family 

to the BJ family: 

Thank you!

Speaking for my brother and myself, let me tell you how overwhelmed we are at the outpouring of prayers, well-wishes and tributes to our father.

The Beacon Journal family was a big part of his life.  I talked fondly of so many and considered some of his best friends to be in that building.   I know he had the utmost respect for his friends on "the desk".

I'm glad that he brought much of that home.  From our weekly treks with him to work on his "farm report" in the early days; to the Sunday morning visits to the newsroom to find Murphey sleeping in her office, walls lined by towering stacks of paper.  The newsroom was a maze of desks, typewriters and ashtrays.  Quite a sight for a young boy.  The AP and UPI machines still ticking away in the background.  I would never trade a single one of those memories.  Nor will I need to.  Obviously still fresh in my mind.

Dad obviously left a mark at the Beacon Journal.  To learn of the depths that mark penetrates is indeed humbling.  I can very much assure you all that dad's feelings and respect for all of you was mutual.

Thank you again for your well wishes and prayers.  Dad is truly home now.  Mom was waiting for him to show him the way in those final few steps.  I truly believe he is now in the presence of our Lord.  And somewhere up there is Murphey yelling - "Liggett  -- I thought I told you to go to ....."

God Bless all of you.

Tom Liggett

Images of Harry

we never saw

at the Beacon

Harry & Helen's 50th wedding anniversary in 2007

Helen & Harry with granddaughters,
sons Bob & Tom & Tom's wife, Sue

Harry comes to the big city of Akron

Harry with granddaughter Erin

Harry with Asher Anthony Helon,
son of Phil and Jennifer.

Harry with granddaughters Erin and Anna

From the collection of Harry's great-nephew, Eric Poston of Green, a journalism student at Kent State University

Eric with Helen & Harry

Great-nephew's tribute to Harry Liggett

Harry Liggett a man 
of many talents

By Eric Poston , great-nephew of Harry Liggett
Eric lives in Green and is studying journalism at Kent State University.

Granddaughters Erin and Anna with Harry.

When I stop and think about Harry Liggett one word comes to mind, talented. 

Harry was a man of many talents who always kept himself busy. He was active on the Internet, in his garden and his church. Most of all he was known as one of the best journalists and editors in the area. 

I wish this article could live up to his standards, but I am still in the learning process. Harry always guided me with my writing by offering tips and correcting my mistakes. I know he was always pleased that I am following in his footsteps to be a journalist in the future once I obtain my journalism degree from Kent State University.

I really wish I could have had the opportunity to work with Harry in the business because I hear nothing but praise from his coworkers. Many reporters now praise Harry for the impact he had on their writing. 

While I didn’t have the opportunity to work with Harry, I had the opportunity to be his great-nephew. There really is not one aspect of Harry that sticks out to me because he had some many unique talents and spins on life.

My fondest memories have to be my visits I had with him when I would go over to his house to mow his yard. Often we would visit in the dining room before I started mowing. He always asked about my schooling and what I had been up to. These visits I will never forget and will cherish the rest of my life. Besides the visits at home, I enjoyed talking with him after church. He was very active at St. Paul Catholic Church in Akron as he ran the parish blog.

In addition to the blog, Harry spent a lot of time posting photos, writing articles and checking Facebook and Twitter. Yes, 83-year-old Harry tweeted often. He also spent time on Facebook staying connected with his friends and family. He used these forms of social media to share his many nature photos he took almost on a daily basis. Some photos featured the snow while others showed rain drops on the dining room window. Harry loved nature and photography that is evident by taking a quick glance at his Facebook page.

Harry with Asher Helon

I have to give Harry a lot of credit for everything he did. He was still using his snow blower to remove snow last winter. He attended church almost every day and then normally visited his wife’s gravestone. He hated when the weather was too bad and he couldn’t get out. Harry’s garden was always full of vegetables and his grass was lush green. He really valued his property and always wanted it looking the best possible.

I always had to laugh when walking into Harry’s house and looking towards the basement because you saw a bunch of empty boxes at the bottom of the steps. Maybe it was an empty cereal or pasta box that he would toss down the steps to recycle later that week. This was something unique I will remember about Harry. 

One challenge Harry faced getting his hearing aid in tune so he could hear those around him. I can remember having a conversation with someone else in the room and Harry would be sitting there trying so hard to listen. I have to laugh though because even if you weren’t talking directly to him, he wanted to know what you were telling the other person in the room, so when he couldn’t hear he would yell out a loud WHO or WHAT. He wanted to be a part of that conversation no matter if he was supposed to in that conversation or not. The reason for this action by Harry was because he cared about people. He cared about each and every one of his friends and family members.

It is never easy to say goodbye to anyone. Harry touched many lives and will always be greatly remembered by anyone that ever met him. I will dearly miss my visits with him and seeing his posts online, but he missed his wife Helen so much after she passed away in 2010. Harry and Helen are finally together again smiling down on us all. 

I will greatly miss Harry and my days won’t be the same without you around. Rest in peace Uncle Harry and thank you for everything you did for me and others during your time here on earth.

Susan Miller 'banged up' in icy freeway wreck

Susan Miller, with the Advertising Art Department when her more than 25 years of BJ service ended in 2009, was "banged up from head to toe" today when her car spun out on ice and hit a guardrail on the freeway.

Her car was totaled. 

Susan Miller

Susan lives in Canton and is a graduate of Canton Lincoln High School and Miami of Ohio in Oxford. She has a son, Micah.

Susan was a regular winner in the Ad Art department cover design competitions,  was active in Toastmasters at the BJ and loved to get in costume for the annual BJ Halloween candy tour.  

The next day on her Facebook page Susan posted: 

"In pain today. Bruised from top to bottom except my head. Methinks I have a sprained right foot and ankle. Must've been trying to stop my car Fred Flintstone style."

By Tuesday, she posted: "My foot/ankle is improving. My back is still killing me."

Sue added: "I'm sore and off work. And I never miss work."

She also offers a tribute to her car airbag:

"It gave its life for me," Sue wrote. "Thank heavens for those airbags. All I could see was me heading for that abutment head on. So scary."

Even later, Sue posted on her Facebook page: "If anyone knows of a low priced, reliable, transportation car, please message me ASAP."

BJ's Shinn writes about Connie Bloom's art show

Beacon Journal art critic Dorothy Shinn's article in today's BJ praises the 8-person art show organized by former BJ editor/columnist Connie Bloom at the Summit Artspace, 140 E. Market Street, which was reported in an earlier BJ Alums blog article.

Dorothy Shinn

The show features the works of Connie (art quilts); Joan Colbert (printmaking); Cari Miller (mixed-media); Terry Klausman (sculpture/drawing); Carolyn Lewis (painting); Katina Pastis Radwanski (painting/sculpture); Bradley Hart (photography); and Ron White (sculpture/drawing).

You can see their works at noon-9 p.m. Thursday and 5-9 p.m. Saturday.

To read Dorothy's article, click on http://www.ohio.com/the330entertainment/exhibits/art-review-artspace-residents-come-together-for-wide-ranging-show-1.461574

Dorothy put her Kent State and North Carolina university degrees to work as a Palm Beach (Florida) Daily News reporter (1972-74) and American University in Cairo PR/fundraising (1966-68) before beginning her BJ art critic career in 1978. She has authored books on artists Robert Smithson and Harold Kitner.

Thrity Umrigar's father dies

The father of former BJ reporter Thrity Umrigar turned author with India themes passed away.

Posts Thrity on her Facebook page:

"My beloved father, Noshir Umrigar, passed away the morning of Jan. 23, 2014. For those of you who knew him, thank you for loving him. For those of you who never met him, trust me when I say he was pure stardust. 

"This may be why I seldom play the lottery--I already won the jackpot the moment I was born. He was just pure light, a core of goodness inside a (very handsome) outer package. 

"I was insanely lucky to call him Dad."

Her books include “The Weight of Heaven,” “If Today Be Sweet,” “The Space Between Us” and “First Darling of the Morning.”

Thrity, born in Bombay, teaches creative writing and journalism at Case Western Reserve University.

BJ's story on Harry's passing

Retired editor helped newspaper win Pulitzer

By Beacon Journal staff report

Retired editor helped newspaper win Pulitzer January 25,2014 02:35 AM GMT Beacon Journal staff report Beacon Journal Publishing Co. Copyright � 2014 Beacon Journal Publishing Co. Inc and Black Press. All Rights Reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of the Akron Beacon Journal is expressly prohibited.

AKRON: Harry Liggett left his mark in journalism history when as an assistant state editor he helped shape the Akron Beacon Journal’s news coverage of the May 4, 1970, Kent State shootings.

The newspaper’s coverage was awarded a Pulitzer Prize — its second at the time.

Mr. Liggett died Friday at the age of 83 after a long illness.

A 1953 graduate of Ohio State University, Mr. Liggett served in the military as a public information officer at Fort Benning, Ga., from 1953 to 1955.

A year later, he went to work as a city editor with The Evening Chronicle in Uhrichsville, Ohio. He joined the Beacon Journal newsroom in 1965 as a reporter. He advanced to several positions in the newsroom including assistant news editor before retiring in 1995.

Mr. Liggett and his wife, Helen, were married 53 years before she died in 2010.

He leaves behind two sons, Thomas Liggett and Robert Liggett, both of Akron.

Funeral arrangements, which will be handled by Anthony Funeral Homes, 1990 S. Main St., in Akron, will be announced later.

Calling hours for Harry Liggett listed

Bob Liggett, Harry's son, posted Harry Liggett's calling hours and funeral.

Calling hours for my Dad are Tuesday, Jan. 28 from 5 pm to 8 pm at Anthony Funeral Homes, 1990 South Main Street, Akron 44301. On Wednesday prayers at the funeral home 10 am followed by Mass at St. Paul Catholic Church on Brown Street.

Harry's granddaughter writes farewell to him

Erin Liggett, the apple of her grandfather Harry Liggett's eye, writes her farewell:

When I wanted to be an artist, you made me a blog to help me showcase my drawings and doodles. 

When I wanted to be a writer, you let me go to town on your typewriter and write silly little stories and you also took me to the Beacon Journal and gave me a tour. 

When I wanted to be an actress, you acted like my own personal paparazzi by documenting my life one photo at a time. 

When I wanted to learn how to take a picture, you were the one that showed me how to use a camera. 

Today I lost my first and dearest best friend, my teacher, my inspiration, my rock, and my grandfather. 

It's been a rough journey for you the last couple of months, but just the fact that you're reunited with Baba now makes me so happy. I know you're at peace now. Thank you for being my Granddad. We love you very much and there is not a day that will go by that you will not be missed.

Baba, of course, is Helen Liggett, Harry's late wife -- another woman that he doted on.

Erin, who was 18 on July 18, 2013, is attending Kent State University. 

Englehart's widow's take on Harry Liggett

Marge Englehart, widow of the late BJ State Desk editor Pat Englehart, after being told of today’s passing of Harry Liggett, said:

“Pat always had great, great respect for Harry and his ability.”

Pat was the fiery, whirlwind commander of the State Desk in the 1970s who drove reporters and editors to be the best that they could be and Harry was the guy who followed Pat and re-organized the chaos that Pat left behind.

Marge moved from Ocala, Florida to the Elks National Home in Bedford, Virginia seven years after Pat’s death in 1995. If you want to re-connect with Marge, who is 86 years old but who takes daily walks around the Elks retirement complex and drives herself to the grocery, her phone number is (540) 586-8232, extension 186.

Pat and Marge have four children: Andrew, a Cincinnati attorney and civil engineer; Peter, a former ABC producer, who lives in Texas; Phil, a professor at the University of Kansas; and Mary Pat, who is married to an architect and lives in Massachusetts. 

BJ friends' farewells to Harry Liggett

Scott Bosley

Catching up late out here in Kalamazoo (Michigan) to the sad news of Harry's death.

He was an exemplar of professionalism and a wonderful person. And always the calm in the midst of storms.

  Ott Gangl

To paraphrase Fran Murphey "Go to heaven, Harry." RIP

Sharon Lorentzen

I was so fortunate to work with all of the State Desk legends in the '70s - Liggett, Englehart, Murphey. They were amazing people, and I gleaned all the good stuff I could from each of them.

Harry and his beloved Helen are together again. RIP

Debby Stock Kiefer

Remembering how he used to sing sometimes as he passed the copy desk.

Beth Thomas Hertz

Very sad to hear of the passing of an ABJ legend, Harry Liggett. A good man who led a good life. He taught me a lot. I'm sure his beloved Helen was waiting to see him on the other side. Sending love to his sons and the entire family.

Olga Reswow

Harry was a great newsman with a gruff exterior sometimes but once you got to know him, a big teddy bear with a heart of gold. Deepest sympathy to Harry's family. 

John Dunphy

Wow. Working with Englehart and Liggett was the best possible experience a young reporter could hope for. Rest in peace my friend. Best wishes to all the family members during this difficult time.

Paul Tople

A true professional.

Larry Froelich

I'll miss you, old friend. We shared common ground during our youth, you in Dennison and me in Dover. We'd reminisce about the old Dover Reporter and the Dennison paper where we lost our journalistic baby teeth. I'm just so sorry I never got up your way during these last couple months to see you. Rest in peace, Harry.

Don Roese

Another sad day for journalism. Harry will be sadly missed by those who admired a story well-written. Harry, Pat, Ben, JSK, Terry, and a few others, what a "Heavenly Daily" they could put out. 

RIP Harry. -30-

Pam McCarthy

I just learned the sad news reading today's BJ obits and immediately accessed the blog. John's story touched my heart, as did all the other comments written by those who loved him. 

I can only add that during my short tenure on the BJ State Desk, it didn't take long for me to discover that, when Harry wasn't growling (which sometimes kind of scared me, I admit), he had the kindest eyes and the sweetest smile of any man I've ever known. I was ever so grateful for his guidance. 

Rest in peace, Harry.

 Bob Downing

Sad news. He was one of the great ones at the ABJ. Rest in peace.

Janis Froelich

Harry was indeed one of the best!

   

Paula Schleis

Rest in peace, Harry. My deepest sympathies to your family.

Kerry Coughlin Clawson

Love and prayers for the Liggetts. A great one has left us.  

James Carney

RIP Harry Liggett. An old school newspaperman. A saint and tremendous editor with a dry and wicked sense of humor. He taught me much when I was a spring chicken many moons ago. Forever grateful for him.

 Robin Sallie

   

Godspeed, Harry. You will be missed.

Thrity Umrigar

A true gentleman and a great colleague.

Stuart Warner

A gentleman and a journalist.

Kathy Hagedorn Kortvejesi 

Bob,  may your dad be at peace and hopefully see his beautiful Helen. Much love and peace to your family on this difficult day.

Cathy Strong's take on Harry Liggett

Cathy Strong, 1970s State Desk reporter who created the journalism master's degree program for Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand, where she has lived for three decades, comments on the passing of BJ Alums found Harry Liggett, a BJ newsroom retiree:

It is sad news to read. Harry was a wonderful man as well as journalist.   

We grew close when he was editor of the ABJ alum blog even though we lived on opposite sides of the globe.

We shared our religion as well as profession.

As a young journalist I was stunned when he took an active concern at my employment problems. He helped me push through the casual status to staff member. This was just one example of his treating young journalists as people as well as copy producers.

He was a prince of a man and I'll miss him. My prayers are with him and his family.

Cathy Strong 

Dawidziak's take on Harry Liggett

Current PD and former BJ entertainment writer Mark Dawidziak gives his take of Harry Liggett, BJ newsroom legend who died today:

John,

    Heartfelt and moving under difficult circumstances.

     Harry sure had a tremendous capacity for caring -- about journalism and about people. And he was a gentleman, in every sense of the word. It strikes me that the planet could use several million more like him. 

I wrote something of this nature for one of the Beacon Journal Facebook conversations about Harry. And as I read through the tributes, I realized he was worth all of the wonderful things people were saying about him. 

And I realized that's about as good an epitaph as any person can have.

    Condolences,

  

       Mark

Tom Moore's take on Harry Liggett

BY TOM MOORE, BJ newsroom retiree

     What can I say about my longtime friend and colleague?

     One sentence sums him up: "A dedicated journalist;  better get it right and watch those errors."

Tom Moore, Harry Liggett in 2007

     Harry sat across from me for 20 years at the Beacon Journal. We were assistant news editor together--and did whatever other jobs needed.

    And he was top notch in all that he did.

     For a while he left the Metro side of the news desk on Friday nights to design and makeup page one and the A section.

     But then one night when an Indian pitcher turned in a perfect game, Harry gave it the play it deserved. But the assistant honcho for news at that time was miffed that Harry had not called him about the "big story."

     I don't know what he could have done at that time, but evidently he decided that since he didn't get that call, Harry wouldn't be called on to do the A section again.

    Harry was a mentor to many while on the State Desk and, of course, on the Metro desk.

     He presented a gruff exterior, but was a lamb at heart. When he came in a bit more grumpy than usual, you knew his blood sugar was acting up. But that didn't deter him from doing  a great job.

     When I lost interest in keeping up a website with BJ happenings after having a quad by-pass, Harry immediately established a blog and he kept it up-to-date for many years...our old colleagues, what they were up to now, and what else was happening in the world of journalism.

     Lately, retiree John Olesky has taken up the torch and we hope will continue the great job Harry did.

     Harry and his late wife showed up at most of our monthly retiree luncheons. Her loss was devastating to Harry.

  

   But at the luncheons,  he joined in the reminiscing and old stories. One of the ones he really liked (and it was read at his retirement party) concerns a new  reporter who had to cover a sewer meeting. She didn't particularly like her assignment from the State Desk and left a memo quitting the job.

     Harry, you will be missed. But you can now show St. Peter how to really put out a paper.