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Have more faith in Ohio voters

Members of the Ohio House of Representatives have come out and said it. They don’t believe you are smart enough to read and understand a ballot and make the best choice for your communities. Monday, the House passed legislation that would eliminate replacement tax levies. According to a report by the Dayton Daily News, the measure could eliminate the ability of local tax jurisdictions to put replacement levies on ballots. Co-sponsors Reps. Thomas Hall, R-Dist. 46, and Adam Mathews, R-Dist. 56, genuinely believe you, the voter, are not capable of understanding the difference between ...

Don’t let May 6 pass you by

It may come as a surprise to some Ohioans, but military and overseas voting has already begun for the May 6 primary election. That’s right, ballots are in the mail for an election less than six weeks away. If that has snuck up on you, during such an eventful aftermath to the November 2024 general election, there is still time to get involved and get informed. April 7 is the deadline to register to vote in the May 6 election. Early voting, including absentee and in-person voting, begins April 8. In many ways, the kinds of decisions made during these off-year, spring elections ...

Lift up these schools

Ohio Sen. Andrew Brenner is again pitching an idea that seems to have zero support in Columbus. Earlier this month, he spoke in support of Ohio Senate Bill 127, which would automatically close low-performing public schools. Brenner, R-Delaware, told the state Senate Education Committee, “It is my hope that this bill will help to standardize the law surrounding school closures for public and community schools and help ensure that each student in Ohio receives the best education possible,” according to the Ohio Capital Journal. For Brenner’s purposes, a low-performing school is ...

Contradicting words and actions

Public officials in our region have said for years that one of their priorities is attracting and retaining new and exciting industries — and the kinds of individuals (and their families) who work for such companies. According to WalletHub’s “Most and Least Innovative States (2025),” neither Ohio nor West Virginia has picked up the pace on making that happen. In the list of most innovative states, Ohio ranks 42nd and West Virginia is 49th. Louisiana and Mississippi continue to cushion the Mountain State from hitting rock bottom. Ohio ranks 38th for both human capital ...

When help can’t wait

When the Red Cross of the Ohio River Valley needs our help, it is often in the form of blood donations and filling volunteer opportunities. But tomorrow is Red Cross Giving Day — a chance for us to support this vital organization with financial donations, too. “This year’s disasters have set a whirlwind pace, displacing thousands of people from their homes across the country and disrupting the nation’s blood supply for patients,” said Erica Mani, chief executive officer for the American Red Cross Central Appalachia Region. “As we enter spring disaster season, families are ...

Encouraged self-protection

Those wondering about the necessity of strong vaccine requirements should take a look at news out of Ashtabula County that this year’s first case of measles has been reported in Ohio. “The fact that we now have a measles case in Ohio adds emphasis to the importance of being fully vaccinated,” said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the state health department. “This disease can be very serious, but it is preventable. I strongly encourage you to protect yourselves and your children by getting vaccinated.” The Ashtabula County case was an adult — and unvaccinated man who had ...