Breaking News

Editorials

Becoming equipped to teach others

Members of the Coolville Volunteer Fire Department had a chance to go back to school over the weekend, and they brought a few other local departments along with them. Coolville VFD was one of only 15 sites across the country chosen to receive free hazmat training under the Partner in Training Crew program from the National Volunteer Fire Council and U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Fortunately, they were also allowed to play host to Tuppers Plains, Scipio, Pomeroy, Columbia, Carthage Township, Rome Township, Dunham Township, ...

Business is good, but…

Ohioans have always had an entrepreneurial and adventurous spirit. But according to a new report by CNBC, it now has the pro-business credentials to match. The news outlet ranked the top states in the country for business in 2025 — using 135 metrics in 10 categories — and the Buckeye State landed at fifth. (For comparison, neighboring West Virginia ranked 40th.) In fact, the only category in which Ohio received a letter grade below a C was for workforce, for which the state received a D+. Methodology for grading workforce was explained this way: “In addition to measuring each ...

Shared duty of vigilance

There are certain issues that go beyond politics, beyond petty disagreements, and the scourge of human trafficking in this country is certainly one of them. Policymakers continue to look for ways to stop it, and to find and protect its victims. Last week, Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, announced he is part of a bipartisan effort to put in place measures that should strengthen that effort. Along with Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and U.S. Reps. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and Lucy McBath, D-Ga., Husted is introducing the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act. It would direct the Department ...

Why wait when you can register now

Believe it or not, there is another election coming our way in Ohio this fall — a general election Nov. 4, to be exact. And while November may seem far away, deadlines related to that election are coming up quickly. For example, the deadline for petitions to be placed on ballots is Aug. 6. Those signatures collected by people running for elected office take time to acquire. “If they want to run for those offices then they go to the elections office here in Washington County and turn in their collected signatures which are then reviewed by board members,” said Mandy Amos, ...

The kids really are going to be all right

It’s the perfect time of year to stop by farmer’s markets to supplement your weekly (or, at least in my case, it seems almost daily) trips to the grocery store. It’s no wonder so many of us feel better in the summer: It’s not just all the sunshine and fresh air, it’s also the chance to eat garden-fresh heirloom tomatoes and a couple of peaches for dinner just because. (I have no regrets on that meal.) The other day, I was cutting up some cucumbers and little green onions to be tossed with a little dressing and eaten a bit at a time throughout the week, and if I closed my ...

The future my daughter lost and how we get it back

2025 is … the year the government of the United States turned its back on science. … the year I became a dad. … the future my daughter should have seems to be more of a dream now. I am not going to lie down and let this future slip away from her, nor should you let it slip away from your kids or grandkids. We deserve clean air, clean water, clean energy, and public lands that are preserved along with a clean environment. It is time to speak up and take action. Here are a few ways to start. ¯ Downloading the Climate Action Now app. Take action: i.e. read an article, sign a ...