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Jail staff has much to be proud of

Movie-watchers will be aware of some of the cliches about the dangers of becoming part of a jail or prison population, but the reality can be even more disturbing. Here in Washington County, officials take seriously their responsibility to prevent such horrors. To that end, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Jail Division announced last week it has passed its Prison Rape Elimination Act audit. PREA-certified contractors inspected the facility and its processes and interviewed 20 inmates and 18 staff members. They found the jail met expectations and exceeded standards for hiring ...

Don’t let ballot language sway you

Voters must always be cautious about relying solely on ballot language to decide about a measure. There are often many parties involved in the process who have their own interests in making that language sway voters one way or another. Now, supporters of a state redistricting amendment in Ohio are objecting to the ballot board’s summary of their proposal, calling it inaccurate, devious and manipulative. Secretary of State Frank LaRose chairs the ballot board, and he has certainly made his opinion of the Citizens Not Politicians effort clear. In fact, in mocking Citizens Not ...

East Palestine residents have a right to know

Those who have been keeping an eye on the aftermath of last year’s Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine will know there is still enormous concern over what short- and long-term health consequences will result from the release of chemicals into the air, water and soil. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials revealed relatively quickly that some of their workers going door-to-door after the event got sick. But we are JUST learning they were not the only out-of-town workers to experience symptoms, and we are learning it because the Associated Press was able to get ...

Let those earning tips keep more of their money

Ohio Rep. Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, is working on a piece of legislation that would let hard-working Buckeye State residents keep even more of the money they earn, though the details are still hazy. According to a report by WCMH, Edwards is sponsoring House Bill 643, which, for now, is meant to “Express intent to exempt tips and gratuities from income tax.” All that is certain, then, is that the General Assembly intends to take a look at the matter. “These aren’t people getting rich. These aren’t millionaires. These are blue collar people that are trying to get by,” ...

A few tips on school bus safety

School buses will be back on the road soon, and drivers who haven’t encountered them in a few months could probably use a refresher before the academic year begins. Ohio’s Traffic Safety Office has a few tips. Remember, the law REQUIRES drivers to stop for a stopped school bus if they are behind the bus; and, if on a two-lane road, if they are in the opposite lane of traffic. Students may be crossing the road after they hop off the bus. Pay attention to whether that stop sign and lights have been activated on the bus. There is no shortage of signals to indicate another driver ...

What are officials trying to hide?

Bureaucrats and elected officials in Columbus have gotten quite good at using public money to create what they want us to believe are “private” entities. OneOhio Recovery Foundation, for example, is registered as a private nonprofit organization, despite having been launched by Gov. Mike DeWine and state Attorney General Dave Yost to distribute the public money from settlements of lawsuits related to the opioid epidemic. That organization has rightly received challenges to its attempts to operate with less transparency than would be required of a public entity. Another example is ...