Remember what they died for

May 23, 2026

Memorial Day will feel a little different this year, as across the country, communities are also preparing to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of our Declaration of Independence. It was the beginning of what some have called “the American Experiment.” Even before that day there were those willing to die for what they believed this country was becoming. Data for American Revolutionary War deaths — 23,800 of them — usually begins with 1775. After that, there have been at least 83 conflicts, battles, operations and wars in which members of the U.S. military have ...

Decide to drive safely — for all of us

May 22, 2026

Most drivers are responsible and do their best to operate their vehicles safely — not just for their own sake, but for others on the roads as well. Still, it came as a surprise to learn the results of a statewide Ohio State Highway Patrol OVI enforcement effort earlier this month. From May 14-16, an upsetting 158 impaired drivers were pulled off the roads. Sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols (no, you weren’t imagining things if you thought “Wow, there are a lot of cops out today,” during that period) resulted in 18,500 vehicles being checked — and four felony ...

Ohioans deserve all the data on data centers

May 21, 2026

Ohio’s House of Representatives seems to have a sense of urgency in digging into the question of data centers in the state. Having already passed House Bill 646, which would create a data center study commission, lawmakers are also launching a bipartisan joint data center committee. HB 646 now sits in state Senate committee. But while those details are worked out, the new committee will invite data center workers, citizens and even companies such as Google and Meta to testify, according to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal. Leading the committee will be co-chairs Rep. Adam Holmes, ...

Enjoy boating safely this summer

May 20, 2026

Most Mid-Ohio Valley residents can feel it in the air. Boating season is upon us. But before it reaches its summer peak, the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources is using this National Safe Boating Week to remind boaters (and their passengers) of safe boating practices — in particular, the importance of wearing life jackets. Maybe you haven’t gotten the boat out of storage yet. Maybe you’re just now putting it through its annual safety inspection and getting it all clean and tuned up. Whatever stage you’re in, now is a good time to stock up on the most up-to-date, U.S. ...

Modernizing approach to career-readiness a tall task

May 19, 2026

“We treated you like a kid until you walk across the stage and we’re like, ‘see ya.’ That doesn’t work,” said Canton City Schools Superintendent Jeff Talbert during a roundtable discussion on transforming Ohio high school education. He’s right, but what do we do about it? How do we prepare young people to move into a job market that looks nothing like it did 10 years ago, let alone the structure of a public high school education was solidified generations ago. According to a report by WCMH, XQ Institute and Battelle Education gathered education experts and state leaders ...

Add to Ohio supports for Gold Star families

May 18, 2026

State Rep. Kevin Ritter, R-Marietta, has introduced a bill in Ohio that is reportedly also gaining interest in West Virginia. The proposal would allow Gold Star family members to get special driver’s licenses that would identify them quickly when they are claiming benefits, rather than forcing them to present a death certificate. “I met a couple of different Gold Star Families over the last six months and in speaking with them the one thing that stuck with me was to claim any benefits their son or daughter earned before being killed in the military, they have to actually have to ...