There is an exciting, new presence on the World Wide Web these days.

Saturday, May 20, 2000

There is an exciting, new presence on the World Wide Web these days.

The Ironton Business Association has launched a new Web site ­ which may be accessed at http://www.zoomnet.net/~iba/ – that showcases the many good things about Ironton and the surrounding area.

The easy-to-use site with its colorful photos make it a standout as prospective businesses and industries look for possible locations to expand their operations.

The first thing site visitors see is a beautiful photograph of the city surrounded by our lovely green hills. The photo was shot from a hillside, and the final effect is extremely inviting.

Among the categories from which site visitors may pick are facts about the county seat, places to see, things to do, annual events, vital statistics, information about the Tri-State as a whole and a capsule look at the Ironton Business Association.

The Internet is the perfect place for Ironton and Lawrence County to tout our benefits to prospective employers, and it’s great to see the IBA and its new Web site assume key roles in this effort.

·

A former Ironton and Lawrence County teacher, Joann Large Warnke, who now lives in the Columbus area, recently was featured in an article in The Columbus Dispatch.

Mrs. Warnke also is a familiar face to area artists because she has served as a judge at various events here in the past.

The article focused on the recent death of Ohio artist Sophie Kerr, who helped establish a collectors’ gallery in Columbus.

"She (Mrs. Kerr) was excited about anything new that developed," Mrs. Warnke told The Dispatch. "After meeting all the known artists in New York, Rome, Paris, Chicago and other cities, she’s always asking: Where are the unknown artists?"

Mrs. Warnke is a mixed-media artist herself, and she first met Mrs. Kerr in the early 1970s. Mrs. Kerr was 80 at her death in March.

"Her (Mrs. Kerr’s) art was in marketing and building the collectors’ gallery," Mrs. Warnke said. "Thanks to her efforts, for many years Columbus was about the only city in Ohio that still had a collectors’ gallery."

Although Mrs. Kerr’s passing was a sad occasion for all in the art world, it’s nice to see Lawrence County’s flag carried high by former residents such as Mrs. Warnke.

·

Yesterday – Saturday, May 20 – was Armed Forces Day across the United States.

Although the holiday gets little attention compared to Memorial Day, we all should take the time to pause and thank those whose patriotism and national pride have led them to serve in our armed forces.

We all owe them our thanks and gratitude, not just on special holidays, but on every day of the year.

Jennifer Allen is publisher of The Ironton Tribune.