Wonderful effort gets real results

March 3, 2026

Each year, Mid-Ohio Valley residents get a reminder of the deep community commitment to trying to tackle the problem of food insecurity in our region. Over the weekend, the 26th annual Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley Luncheon again gave attendees an opportunity to help raise money for food pantries in Marietta, Williamstown, Parkersburg and Belpre. It’s a small part of a global effort Caroline Putnam, a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Marietta, learned about back in 2000. After finding out about Michigan potters who made bowls to be filled with soup to combat ...

Better career preparation for Ohio students

March 2, 2026

Ohio officials have continued to look for ways to support teachers as they expand effort to improve education in the state. Among those efforts is the Ohio’s Teachers Bootcamp Program. Ashland University, Kent State University, University of Cincinnati and Malone University are this year’s participating institutions of higher learning. “These bootcamps provide teachers with the real-world experiences they need to better prepare students for future employment,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “By emphasizing in-demand fields, students will graduate prepared to build career paths and ...

All paths are open to young Ohioans

February 28, 2026

Preparation for life, an education and a career after high school graduation looks different for every student. That’s why it is important that Ohio lawmakers are moving toward recognizing the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and National Defense Cadet Corps are career-technical education, too. State Reps. Kevin Ritter, R-Marietta, and Ty Mathews, R-Findlay, were primary sponsors on House Bill 500, which has passed the House and been introduced in the state Senate. It recognizes the JROTC and NDCC as career-technical education programs and says, “The department of education ...

Time is now for Railway Safety Act

February 27, 2026

More than three years after a disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Congress has continued to sit on its hands rather than upset its friends in the railroad industry by implementing desperately needed rail safety reform. Well, most of Congress, anyway. A few have repeatedly tried to push change. Most recently, a bipartisan group that includes U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, has introduced the Railway Safety Act of 2026. “Three years ago, many Ohioans understandably lost faith in the safety and reliability of our nation’s railways after the accident in East Palestine, ...

Natural preventative medicine

February 26, 2026

All that technology we drag around with us all the time is giving researchers data that provides insight into everything from our travel to fitness. If you have a habit of checking your health and fitness data through a smart watch and app, you are not the only one keeping track. Data from participants, provided by Apple, helped researchers produce the “Apple Heart and Movement Study.” “The heart is an incredible organ, working tirelessly every second of every day,” the report begins. “Understanding how various heart metrics reflect your overall well-being can empower you to ...

Ohio falls short of education success

February 25, 2026

Despite Ohio policymakers’ continued effort to meddle with education — at all levels — a recent study suggests there has been limited success on a national scale. “Most and Least Educated States in America (2026)” by WalletHub doesn’t even place the Buckeye State in the top half of states. We are 35th. That’s not a good look for a state that has worked diligently to attract large employers looking for a well-educated and well-trained workforce. Ohio is 36th for educational attainment, though 19th for the quality of education. Further, it was bundled into the worst ...