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Ohio must consider all energy options

State senators have plenty of work to do — for their constituents, they must remember — and among those tasks is understanding Ohio’s energy landscape and the demands we are placing on our power grid. Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chair Jenifer French spoke to the body recently about the benefits of shorter regulatory timelines, noting that last year the commission signed off on 2,000 megawatts of behind-the-meter power (standalone power serving a facility) and 2,755 megawatts of traditional gas-generating facilities. She told the committee, “This is more gas-fired ...

Ohio’s ancient works worth celebrating

Mariettans know something about the importance of celebrating and educating about the earthworks that enhanced this region’s landscape long before the Ohio Company showed up. But even if most of ours are no longer fully visible - outside of Mound Cemetery and the Quadranou Mound north of Third and Warren streets - there are still spots in the Buckeye State where Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks have been protected. They are so important, the earthworks became Ohio’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. As part of Ohio World Heritage Week April 11-18, events in Newark, Heath, Columbus and ...

Storm didn’t stop local first responders

First responders across the Mid-Ohio Valley got an unusual test last week when a vicious thunderstorm that included high winds, hail and lightning led to poor visibility, dangerous driving conditions and at least one fire. A Reno Volunteer Fire Department crew was tending to downed power lines when it got the call to respond to a fire that sparked in an attic when lightning struck a house. “They did a great job at stopping it, and the fire mostly just damaged the attic,” said Reno Fire Chief Jon Bradford. Then they were asked to respond to another fire, despite the storm ...

Behave as “Easter people”

For Christians, Sunday is the holiest day of the year — Easter. It is a day of celebration; commemorating the resurrection of the Son. For millennia, this season has also been a time to celebrate the return of the sun, when our minds are on a kind of rebirth and living again in the light. Easter brings us joy, yes. It also teaches us about sacrifice and love; and gives us a brightly colored reminder that we are supposed to love one another, too. For many, it is a day of dressing up, perhaps attending church, having a meal with family and then giving in to modern traditions ...

Housing woes demand greater focus

Rising prices and a general economic malaise are hitting home — literally — in Ohio, as a new report shows foreclosure activity is increasing in the state. Realtor.com says the Buckeye State has a foreclosure filing rate higher than the national average — one for every 2,787 housing units. That is sixth on the list — just ahead of New Jersey, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. The national average is one in every 3,701 housing units entering foreclosure proceedings. The report shows elevated foreclosure activity particularly in Cuyahoga, Highland, Jefferson and Lake ...

Rich history worth exploring

Washington County residents grew up surrounded by so much important history that we sometimes become numb to just what has happened here over the millennia. It’s easy to forget, while looking out on a relatively modern cityscape, that just over there were parallel earthen walls — a Sacra Via that led up from the Muskingum, built by Hopewell-era people. Or over there, the Ohio Company had not just its Land Office, but a brickyard, tannery, brewery and much more. With a little help from the Ohio History Fund and Invisible Ground, the folks at the Campus Martius Museum are looking to ...