Four with BJ ties -- Kathy Antoniotti, George Bing Davis, Doug Livingston and Lew Stamp -- and Eric Poston, the late BJ Alums founder Harry Liggett’s nephew who is a Kent State journalism student and lives in Green, were among 80 named to the Ohio School Board Association 2014 Media Honor Roll.

All five were nominated by the Green School District, but Livingston also was nominated by Coventry and Akron school districts.

Why George Bing and not George W. Davis, as we knew him during his earlier BJ days? 

Explains his wife, Merleen Fick Davis:

“His grandmother called him that when he was born. Everyone from his hometown and family call him Bing. So if he forgets someone's name and they call him Bing we know it has to be from the McDonald/Youngstown area.”

George W./George Bing was a McDonald High School graduate before he moved on to Youngstown State and Bowling Green. George and Merleen live in Massillon.

Kathy Antoniotti is a pets columnist and southern Summit/northern Stark reporter.

Livingston, BJ education writer, will need to add a room to his house for all his awards and did a bang-up job exposing the charter schools disgrace in Ohio.

Stamp took a 2006 BJ buyout after 30 years with Ol’ Blue but his camera still clicks away with panache.  

By the way, counting the editor, managing editor, reporters and interns, the BJ lists 70 people to contact for news. That’s a long way from the 200+ in the newsroom when I retired in 1996.

Only Antoniotti and Livingston among the honored quintet are on the BJ list.