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Politicians, railroad officials need to do the right thing

Those hoping for railroad companies to move on their own toward improved safety for their workers and the communities through which their trains run will have to wait a bit longer. More than two and a half years since a Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, not one of the larger freight railroads in the country has signed on to the Confidential Close Call Reporting System, a voluntary federal program that was meant to reduce rail hazards and prevent accidents. According to a report by the Associated Press, BNSF and Norfolk Southern did attempt partial trials, but have not ...

Thank you to our local first responders

Those who live in places such as Washington and Monroe counties know their local first responders are often doing the job because they love their communities — and for very little other reward. They never know what they might encounter here. On Monday, the emergency was an orphaned well explosion inside the Wayne National Forest that injured six people — five of them critically. Responding to the scene were the Reno, Grandview Township, Sardis, Little Muskingum and Newport volunteer fire departments and the Marietta Fire Department. Once the flames were extinguished and injured ...

Hoping students thrive with the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge

Ohio is getting ahead of the game in terms of student fitness with a new plan from the lieutenant governor. The Team Tressel Fitness Challenge for students in grades 4-8 is a program developed by Jim Tressel — who has some experience in keeping students fit and healthy. “If we can add just a little better fitness and health, it will make us that much better,” Tressel said Monday. His idea is a solid one. Rather than outdated and intimidating goals that might throw a young person off track, the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge would let students pick their own activities and set ...

Back to the buckeye state

Ohio State University isn’t letting its former President E. Gordon Gee rest for long, after his departure as president of West Virginia University. They’ve asked him to return to Columbus for a one-year consulting role. According to a report by The Columbus Dispatch, that role will include working with OSU’s new Salmon P. Chase Center to recruit faculty and increase the center’s presence on campus and nationally. Chase was Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of the treasury and later the sixth chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, serving in that role until his death in 1873. ...

‘Homelessness is everyone’s problem’

It takes teamwork to tackle some challenges, and those taking part in a new Washington County effort no doubt understand they are stronger together as they work to connect those experiencing homelessness with the resources and county agencies that can provide support for them. The Washington County Homeless Outreach Team is being facilitated by the Washington County Behavioral Health Board and includes law enforcement, medical providers, social service organizations and behavioral health specialists. “Our mission is simple but powerful – to improve the well-being of individuals ...

What are we racing toward now

Just a few days ago was the 105th anniversary of women being granted the right to vote in this country. Ohio was among the first states to ratify the 19th Amendment, twelve days after the U.S. Senate passed the amendment and set off the ratification process. Today, the Buckeye State isn’t faring so well in terms of equality for women, as WalletHub’s “Best and Worst States for Women’s Equality in 2025” ranks Ohio 41st. “Ensuring women’s equality requires more than simply giving men and women the same fundamental rights,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “States also ...