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The importance of celebrating Independence Day

As Americans prepare to celebrate the anniversary of the adoption of our Declaration of Independence, it is important to take a hard look at why such a day is worth celebrating, nearly 250 years later. After all, the date has been a federal holiday only since 1870 — the heart of the Reconstruction Era, when lawmakers saw the value in finding ways in which Americans could be united in their celebration. (Christmas and New Year’s Day become federal holidays that year, too.) But since the beginning, there have been certain truths worth fighting for here — foremost among them that ...

You can make a difference

Repeated reminders of our need to take care of one another have often come with pleas from vital non-profits for support over the past few years. Charitable giving is a priority for many who are able to make it part of their budget — and the number of people who share that priority appears to be growing. According to the most recent “Giving USA” report, charities received approximately $592.5 billion in donations in 2024 — a 3.3% increase over 2023. The donations data used for this report came before the layoff of tens of thousands of workers for non-profits for 2025 due to ...

Promoting Buckeye State travel

A stretch of suffocatingly hot weather may have made it tempting to just stay indoors as much as possible, but a recent study reminds us Ohio has a great deal to offer outside. The best part is, it just takes a switch from the air conditioning in your house to the air conditioning in your car to go enjoy it. WalletHub’s “2025’s Best and Worst States for Summer Road Trips” placed the Buckeye State at an impressive third in the country. The idea for this particular group of researchers was to find road trips that were fun AND wallet-friendly, which is a bonus for all of us. We ...

Heat records create high energy needs

Heat across our region likely has many households cranking up the air conditioning and using plenty of electricity. Combine household need with that of Ohio’s industrial energy consumers and PJM Interconnection is advising the strain on our electrical grid may be too great. “At the current pace, we are projecting a shortfall of energy,” said David Souder, executive director of PJM operations, according to a report by WBNS. In fact, Souder said another heat wave could lead the system to experience reserve shortfalls. That means PJM has had to come up with a plan. “That’s ...

Ohio makes a difference for its workers

Ohioans expect state government to do all in its power to leave as much of their hard-earned money in individuals’ and businesses’ pockets as possible. At least one agency — the state Bureau of Workers’ Compensation — continues to be recognized for its efforts to do so. In its biennial study of the workers’ compensation premium rates in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services has once again ranked the Buckeye State fifth lowest in the country. (In case you’re wondering, Oregon was 14th lowest.) In addition to ...

Wildlife species making returns to Ohio

Since the mid 19th Century, Ohio has been a relatively bear-free state. Humans drove out the black bears 150 or so years ago, and they’ve been considered rare and an endangered species here ever since. That might be changing, however, as researchers are beginning to see black bears naturally expand their range back into the Buckeye State. Recently, a female black bear was captured and fitted with a GPS collar in Ashtabula County. It will be the first time such study is possible for a female, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. “Researchers using the location ...