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Taking note of the BMV’s upgrade

Not every technological “upgrade” is a home run, but at least one improvement in Ohio is paying big dividends for the state and its residents. With a change as simple as allowing certain transactions with the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles to take place online instead of in person, more than 10 million trips to BMV offices have been saved since 2022. Among the options available online are renewal of driver’s licenses or identification cards. More than 608,000 Buckeye State residents have taken advantage of that so far; and now the option has been expanded to commercial driver’s ...

We can do better for ourselves, kids with the Stop the Scroll Act

Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, has thrown his support behind an effort to keep kids safer when it comes to social media. But the Stop the Scroll Act isn’t about the kinds of online dangers some parents may be thinking. It would create a mental health warning label requirement for social media. “As more and more children and teens use social media, a warning label should be prominently displayed highlighting the potential harms of using social media platforms. The Stop the Scroll Act would help young people grasp the mental health risks that come with social media. I’ll continue to back ...

Shared vision for the future

Belpre officials and community members are well on their way to revitalizing Civitan Park, after review of a proposed master plan for the project last week. Discussing everything from pickleball courts to an all-abilities playground — maybe even a restaurant barge — the ideas were pitched with the help of engineering firm American Structurepoint. “From athletic fields to walking paths, we’ve looked at how to elevate what’s already working and enhance areas that need more attention,” said Mark Underwood, director of landscape architecture at American Structurepoint. That ...

Follow the rules and be respectful

Even when law enforcement officers are not under direct fire, they still face dangers each day that many people never even consider. Take, for example, the case of a Fostoria, Ohio, Police Division officer who was conducting a traffic stop and had probable cause to search the vehicle. In the passenger’s purse he discovered a bag containing white powder. But, according to a report by WTVG, during the search enough of the powder became airborne that the officer collapsed and is believed to have suffered a fentanyl overdose. Thank goodness other officers on the scene were able to ...

Reclaim what’s yours

Nothing spurs Buckeye State residents to action like sports fandom — or, at least, it’s tempting to leap to that conclusion after a report that visits to Ohio’s unclaimed funds website skyrocketed after lawmakers suggested paying for a new Cleveland Browns stadium with some of that money. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, there is approximately $4.8 billion of Ohioans’ money sitting unclaimed, with some Republicans in the state Senate wanting to spend approximately $1.7 billion of what has been unclaimed for at least 10 years on sports and cultural projects. That would ...

Prioritizing school bus safety

House Bill 3 made its way to the Ohio Senate after having encountered no naysayers during the House of Representatives vote June 11. It seems unlikely there will be much resistance in the state Senate, either, as the School Bus Safety Act includes some important ways to keep students and drivers safer. Most drivers know the rules regarding driving safely when school buses are on the road. Too many ignore them anyway. According to the National Safety Council, between 2013 and 2022 there were 1,082 fatalities and approximately 132,000 injuries as a result of school-bus related ...