BJ quartet to sing praises of ‘Daily Miracle’

Bob Dyer, Stuart Warner, Bruce Winges and Charlene Nevada will discuss “Akron’s Daily Miracle,” a book about life at the BJ, at the noon Monday, February 1 virtual program of the Akron Press Club.

Bruce will moderate.

The book was edited by Stuart and his wife, Debbie Van Tassel Warner.

REMEMBERING THOSE WHO MADE THE BJ GREAT

 

DANNY THOM PASSES AWAY

 

Danny Thom, who spent 25 years in the BJ newsroom including as assistant sports editor, passed away Friday, January 15.

One of the nice guys.

After our retirements I would run into Danny at Chapel Hill Mall. He did a lot of running, too, for the exercise.

Danny’s obituary:

It is with great sadness that the family of Dan W. Thom announces his sudden passing on January 15, 2021.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Wong and May Gin of Herbert, Saskatchewan; sister, Dolly Muir; brothers, Henry and Ken Gin; and infant son, Joey.

Dan retired after 25 years of writing and editing for the Akron Beacon Journal.

He was an avid golfer, bowler, and cook and loved spending time with his family.

He is survived by Julie, his loving wife of 52 years; sister, Jolene Shong; brothers, Sueloge and King Gin; son, Kevin (Erica) Thom; daughter, Amanda (Willie) Wright; grandchildren: Lauryn and Regina Wright, Rylan, Kenadie, and Brielle Thom, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Cremation will take place per Dan's wishes. For the safety of family and friends, there will be no calling hours or services at this time.

 Condolences may be sent to the family at 2044 Longfellow Street NE, Canton, OH 44721. Arrangements entrusted to the Mark R. Vrabel Funeral Home, North Canton 330-452-4041.

 

Tom Brokaw, 80, is retiring from NBC News after 55 years.

Brokaw began at NBC in its Los Angeles bureau in the 1960s, where he covered Ronald Reagan's first run for public office and the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.

Brokaw was a White House correspondent during Richard Nixon's presidency, and began co-hosting the "Today" show in 1976. He started hosting "Nightly News" in 1983.

For two decades, Brokaw, ABC's Peter Jennings and CBS' Dan Rather were the nation's most visible TV broadcasters.

He was NBC’s lead anchor on its “Nightly News” for more than 20 years before Brian Williams succeeded him in 2004.

He is author of “The Greatest Generation,” about those who brought America through World War II.

Williams said he will continue his writings with books and articles.

CIRCULATION'S ART BECK PASSES AWAY

 

Art Beck, who retired from BJ circulation after nearly 39 years where he was office manager in 1987, has passed away.

Arthur Beck and Eleanor Sirota were marred January 27, 1951. They have five children and 11 grandchildren.

In 2007 Art posted this email to the late BJ Alums founder Harry Liggett:

 

“My daughter, Shirley Letta, works for Ohio.Com  My son Carl Beck works as a mechanic in the mail room, My grandaughter Stephanie Crace works in Editorial on Saturday and Sunday answering the phone. I work 4 part-time jobs (like to keep busy).

“I am a sub in Falls High parking lot (guard) -- work in the Falls school system as an attendant with handicaped children, work at Leisure Time golf course (which no longer exists) and swimming pool and also am an usher at Akron Aeros baseball.”

Circulation retiree Cheryl Scott Sheinin posted this tribute:

 

“R.I.P Art Beck.... you were a super employee....loved your humor and friendliness to all of us. You will be greatly missed by family and so many friends....the circulation dept. was never the same after you retired....”

 

Quality just oozes from some people

Art Beck's obituary in the BJ:

Arthur Lloyd Beck, 90, went home to his Lord and Savior on January 10, 2021 after fighting the good fight surrounded by his loving family. He was born November 19, 1930, in Akron to the late Arthur E. and Faye Beck.

Arthur was preceded in death by his brother, Larry. He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years Eleanor; children, Shirley (Mike) Letta, Carl (Pam), Roy (Bobbi), Sharon Crace (Dave Balint), and Mark; grandchildren, Michael (Lauren) and Eric (Leah) Letta; Carl (Leigh), Christina (Andy) McMullen, Chad (Laura), Brandon, Kelsey, Stephanie (Nate) Husak, Brian Crace, Kara (Chris) Pellegrene, and Mark Jr.; also five great-grandchildren. Sisters, Betty Hale, Barbara Ivey, Doris Fisher; sister-in-law, Margie Pugh and many nieces, nephews and close friends.

Arthur served in the US Navy Reserves. He retired from the Akron Beacon Journal and Cuyahoga Falls Schools where he was an aide to Autistic students. After retirement he also ushered for the Akron Aeros and worked the front booth at Leisure Time Golf Course.

The most important things to Art were his faith in Christ and his love for his family. He was devoted to both. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, bowling, cooking, gardening, collecting sharks’ teeth and was an amazing artist. He always had a joke and a story to tell. Art was a friend to everyone and will be missed by all who had the chance to know him.

Thanks to all who helped care for him during this trying time

Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on MONDAY, January 18, 2021 at Northwest Avenue Church of Christ, 737 Northwest Ave., Tallmadge, OH 44278 with Pastor Scott Baker officiating. Committal service and burial will follow at Hillside Memorial Park with military honors. Family and friends may call one hour prior to the service on MONDAY at the church. Social distancing mandates will be followed, and masks are required. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Northwest Ave. Church of Christ. To Share a Memory, Send a Condolence, Light a Candle, or Send a Hug from Home, visit the Tribute Wall at www. billowfuneralhomes. com. (Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel)

KR & Ebony executive Bryan Monroe passes away

Former Ebony and Jet magazines vice president and editorial director and Knight-Ridder vice president Bryan Monroe passed away.

He also was CNN politics editor and on Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communications and Northwestern University Medilll School of Journalism faculties and president of the National Association for Black Journalists.

In his early years he was a photographer for the San Jose Mercury News and became its deputy managing editor.

His team guided the Biloxi, Mississippi Sun Herald to a Pulitzer for its coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2006.

Monroe was born in Munich, Germany, to U.S. Army officer MG James W. Monroe, of Laurinburg, North Carolina, and Charlyne Monroe, a schoolteacher from, Atlantic City, New Jersey. 

AIMEE O'C0NNOR'S OBITUARY

 

Aimee O'Connor with father, Bill O'Connor 

Aimee O’Connor obituary

 

The obituary for Aimee Jo O’Connor, written by her father, retired BJ columnist and feature writer Bill O’Connor:

 

Aimee Jo O'Connor, 54, of Stow, died Jan. 8. She was a nurse who worked with those afflicted with covid. The disease killed her.

 

 Aimee was born in Havre, Mt. on Sept. 21, 1966, the daughter of William T. and Jacquelyne Tarr O'Connor.

 

When Aimee was in elementary school, the family moved to Ohio. After high school and post-secondary education, she worked for a while as a business executive, but was restless there. She then discovered her true vocation and became a nurse.

 

 For Aimee, nursing was, indeed, a vocation - a calling. When growing up she greatly enjoyed the TV series, MASH, and taped and replayed episodes. The characters worked in an army field hospital treating wounded and dying soldiers.

 

 Aimee ended up doing much the same thing and would smile at the irony. She cared deeply for her patients and did not flinch in the face of the constant danger health-care workers face.

 

 When she was a child, a teacher asked students to select a poem that reflected what they wanted to do in life. She chose these lines from Emily Dickenson:

 

 If I can stop one heart from breaking,

 I shall not live in vain;

 If I can ease one life from aching,

 Or cool one pain,

 Or help one fainting robin

 Unto his nest again,

 I shall not live in vain.

 

 Since her death, we have received well over a hundred condolences and heart-felt remembrances from patients, former patients, and colleagues in her profession. Her hope was that we, as a country, finally will receive the enlightened national leadership needed to use all our resources to battle this horrific enemy.

 

 Aimee was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, William and Ruth O'Connor, and her maternal grandfather, Jack Tarr.

 

She is survived by her parents, her brothers, William and Loren (Tonia), her sister, Rebecca, her maternal grandmother, Geraldine Tarr, many nieces and nephews, especially Cheryl, Michelle, Zachary, Ryan, Nathan and Madeline, and her co-workers at Kent Altercare, who were like family.

 

 Because of the plague, there will be no services. Cremation has taken place at Bissler & Sons Funeral Home, Kent. At a later time, there will be a celebration of Aimee's life.

 

 Our daughter was a hero. She did not die in vain.

BILL O'CONNOR'S DAUGHTER PASSES AWAY

 

Bill O’Connor’s daughter passes away

Former BJ movie critic Bill O Connor’s daughter Aimee O’Connor passed away Thursday, January 8.

Bill’s email to me:

“John - I have some sad news. My daughter, Aimee, died Friday. She was a nurse who worked in a COVID unit. The disease killed her.

 

“She was 54 and lived in Stow. My daughter was a hero who died on the front line fighting this plague.

 

“The obituary will appear Sunday.

 

“Bill”

 

Later, after I requested more information, Bill added:

 

“One more thing, John. We plan no services because of plague. There will be a celebration of her life at a future date, after the plague. I will use your wonderfully informative blog to spread the news to colleagues when that is set.”

 

Bissler Funeral Home in Kent will handle Aimee’s arrangements.

 

Bill and his Swiss miss wife Elsbeth (since 2002) live in Bath Township.

They both have four adult children from previous marriages.

Bill came to the BJ after three years with the Steubenville Herald Star.

Bill’s adopted son, Loren O’Connor, grocery manager at Giant Eagle in Fairlawn, is a member of the Fort Peck Tribes of Montana, where Bill was English and drama instructor for 10 years, at Montana University.

Bill  did his undergraduate work at St. Francis College, and he took a Master's degree at Bowling Green University. And authored several books.

Bill was born and raised in South Philadelphia. He's been a Franciscan friar, a college professor, unloaded ketchup cases from a conveyor belt, been chained to a stamping press, delivered furniture and was a door-to-door salesman.

GLENN GAMBOA IS INTO PHILANTHROPY

 

Gamboa dives into philanthropy

Former BJ entertainment critic Glenn Gamboa is into philanthropy.

He’s not throwing HIS money around. Just reporting for the Associated Press about rich people who do.

A major career shift from being Newsday's chief pop music critic. He took a buyout in 2019 from Newsday.

Glenn was at the BJ from 1993-2000. He contributed to “Akron’s Daily Miracle,” a book compiled from essays by those who worked at the BJ by Stuart Warner and Debbie Van Tassel.

Cleveland native Glenn lives in Brooklyn.

MY RX AND SUPPLEMENTAL MEDICAL COVERAGE IN CASE YOU WANT TO CHECK IT OUT

 

 

Don Roese and I exchanged information about Rx and supplemental medical coverage we got to replace what David Black no longer pays the premiums for.

Don and I were BJ Guild retirees who won the 2012 healthcare lawsuit against the BJ which gave us $4 co-pays for 90-day prescriptions, even brand names.

My CPA daughter lined me up with the same coverage that Black provided, only now I’m paying the premiums.

My prescription coverage is through AARP MdicareRx Plans, Preferred Plan. It’s costing me $88 a month but will save me much more than that.

Customer service phone for that plan is (877) 867-5575.

My supplemental medical coverage is AARP Medicare Supplemental Plan N. It runs just under $200 a month for the premium.

Customer service phone for that plan is (800) 545-1797.

So for $300 a month I’ll save thousands of dollars. Three of my prescriptions run $300 for 90 days before insurance coverag.

It hope this helps some of you. If you came up with cheaper premiums or plans with better coverage then please post here so that others can check it out.

We’re all in this together. It’s the only way we can fight back against the David Blacks of the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The original 50 retirees in the lawsuit:

 

Gina White, of Venice, Florida, who with the late Dave White, her husband, began the lawsuit on behalf of the printers; Bob and Linda Abbott, Massillon; Ruth and Tom West, Rittman; Sid Sprague, Loveland, Colorado; Hugh and Sharon Downing, The Villages, Florida; Larnie and Stephanie Greene, Hartville; Joe Catalano, Akron; Lloyd and Claudine Bigelow, Cuyahoga Falls; John Costello, Akron; Dick Gresock, Medina; Henry and Kathleen Heinbuck, North Canton; Denzil Parker, Wadsworth; Rita Reeves, Akron; Bob Walker, Medina; Cecil and Josephine Santaferro, Akron; Isabel Watson (Blanton’s widow), Naples, Florida; Janice Hogg (Trammel’s widow), Waynesville, North Carolina; Russ and Martel Bendel, Wadsworth; Eunice and Bonnie Collins, Copley; Richard and Patricia Fair, Akron; Marjorie Hanna, Wadsworth; Bob Kendall, Berlin Center; Harriet Ledbetter, Canton; Norm and Naomi Mattern, Wellsville; Charles O’Neill, Akron; Fred Pollack, Akron; Don Reppart, North Canton; Ron Sanderlin, Canton; Charles Stadelman, Tallmadge; and Ray and Amaryllis Wolfe, Greentown.

 

Guild retirees John Olesky, of Tallmadge, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Guild retirees; retired reporter Dick McBane, Lilburn, Georgia; maintenance retiree Harold Bailey and wife Elizabeth, Kent; copy desk retiree Dick McLinden, North Canton, and retired photographer Don Roese, Cuyahoga Falls.

 

DAVID BLACK'S GET-OUT-OF-JAIL-FREE CARD

How Black Press turned bullets into BJ blanks

 

This is Black Press’ get-out-of-jail-free letter to dodge its obligations to BJ retirees:

 

January 6th, 2021

 

The Chandra Law Firm The Chandra Law Building

1265 W. 6th Street, Suite 400

Cleveland, Ohio, 44113.1326 Attention: Donald Screen

Re:      In re The Beacon Journal Publishing Company, Case No. 20-51999-amk (Chapter 7) United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio

 

Dear Sir:

 

Further to your request made at the creditor's meeting held December 28, 2020 in the above­ referenced bankruptcy case (the "Creditors' Meeting"), the purpose of this letter is to respond to your request made in the Creditors' Meeting.

 

By way of background, Black Press Group Ltd. is, indirectly, the parent company of Sound Publishing, Inc., ("Sound") the parent company of The Beacon Journal Publishing Company ("Beacon Journal").

 

In response to your request, we confirm that under the 2012 Settlement Agreement relating to the Class Action Proceedings commenced David White and John Olesky against the Beacon Journal Case No. 5.09 CV02193 and 5.10 CV01320 in the United States District Court Northeastern District of Ohio, Eastern Division (the "Class Action Proceedings") it was agreed that only Beacon Journal owed the obligations related to the Classes' Health Care Benefits, as referred to in the Settlement Agreement.

 

On the sale of the assets of the Beacon Journal which closed May 11, 2018, the purchaser, Copley Ohio Newspapers Inc., ("Copley") declined to assume the obligations of the Beacon Journal related to the Health Care Benefits. As a result, the obligation for the Health Care Benefits remained with the Beacon Journal following the sale.

 

For a short time after the completion of the sale of the assets to Copley, the Beacon Journal had access to an employee of Copley who previously worked for Beacon Journal to continue to administer the plan from Akron on behalf of the Beacon Journal. This service terminated in or about August of 2018.

 

Since that time, Beacon Journal has had no operations or employees in Akron. As such, Sound administered the plan on behalf of the Beacon Journal. Sound continued to administer the plans established in accordance with the Settlement Agreement until the Beacon Journal's bankruptcy filing on November 4, 2020.

 

 

 

Neither Sound nor any of its affiliates assumed liability for the Health Care Benefits under the various plans referenced in the Settlement Agreement and at no time was Sound liable to provide coverage under such plans to the former employees of the Beacon Journal.

We trust this is responsive to your request. Black Press Group

Per:

(Ji

Richard O'Connor Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Former BJ assistant managing editor/art director Terence Oliver and Dr. Greta Oliver celebrated their 35^th wedding anniversary Sunday, January 4.

Let Terence tell the story because he did it so well with his Facebook post:

Please help me celebrate 35 Years of Marriage with my bride, Dr. Greta Oliver! Married on January 4, 1986.

 

Since then here is a little fun trivia about kids, grandkids, travel, job titles, houses, businesses, cars, degrees, books over the years (even though there was so much more):

 

Job titles: Art director, assistant managing editor, professor, college administrator, trainer.

 

Education: We had 3 college degrees, but earned 3 additional ones (TO, masters, GO Masters and PhD)

 

Travel: Tons of travel all over, including 30 trips to Hawaii (mostly as a couple, but two with parents, two with kids, and a few with friends).

 

Kids: Two boys and two girls

 

Mentoring: Thousands of students between the two of us.

 

Businesses: 5 (three current businesses, Elite Execution Design, Simple Told Design, Oliver Consulting).

 

Cars types: Chevy, Ford, BMW, Mercedes, Cadillac, Lincoln, Bentley, Jaguar, Buick, Mazda, and Nissan.

 

Houses: 6 (Maple Heights, Macedonia twice, Albany, Durham, Chapel Hill).

 

Grandkids: four.

 

Kids married: 4

 

Books: 1 (Greta’s new book College Blueprint due out soon). *Terence’s motivation book, probably next year.

 

Mission trips: Kenya, South Africa and Paris.

 

There is so much more...

 

Good job, Terence, with writing the article for me and your choice of a lifetime spouse.

 

Kudos!