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Don’t take anything from strangers

Editorials

One can understand why U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor, R-2nd Dist. (southwestern Ohio, near Cincinnati), would want to distance himself from the appearance of an altered U.S. flag that appeared in the background — tacked onto a bulletin board behind a staffer — during a video call last week. But he has gone from describing the appearance of a flag that had a swastika tied into the red lines of the traditional U.S. flag as “vandalism,” to saying this is actually part of an effort in which he claims “numerous Republican offices” were “targeted” by a person who was allegedly handing ...

O’Neill for Council

Letters to the Editor

Our community deserves leaders who will protect our land, water, and health. Erin O’Neill has been a strong and steady voice against more injection wells in Washington County. She understands the risks these wells pose to our aquifer, our farmers, and our families. Erin has worked to make sure our residents’ concerns are heard at every level, and she continues to fight for clean water and safe neighborhoods. She also brings the same determination to the city’s finances and development, helping to ensure Marietta’s future is strong. Erin O’Neill is the kind of ...

Welcoming Dougherty to her new post

Editorials

Marietta College inaugurated its 21st president last week, with Dr. Kathleen Poorman Dougherty taking the helm at the nearly 200-year-old institution. The weight of time does not seem to be a burden to Dougherty, however, as those in attendance noted she does not fall prey to the tendency of those in academia to move at a snail’s pace. “She has a plan for executing initiatives with a level of speed that’s often missing in academia,” said Staff Council Chair and head soccer coach Joe Bergin. Good. It’s never good for an institution of higher learning to be stuck in the ...

Emphasizing abstinence isn’t working

Editorials

Ohio is one of the few remaining states not to have a comprehensive sex education plan for its schools. A report by the Ohio Capital Journal presents the possibility that there may be a connection between that and some disturbing statistics. For example, the national birth rate for those between 15 and 19 years old is 13.1 per 1,000 females. In the Buckeye State, that rate is 14.6 per 1,000, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. In 2023, 61% of the chlamydia cases in Ohio were people between the ages of 15 and 24. The syphilis rate here is 16.3 per 100,000, ...

Join us to help fill local food pantries

Editorials

Food insecurity — and outright hunger — are not new problems for families in Appalachia. But inflation, continued economic challenges and changes in (or elimination of) state and federal supports mean right now the danger is significant. An average of 13% of families in this part of the country receive food stamp benefits. For families with children under age 18, the average rate is 26%. In West Virginia, nearly 16% of the state’s population — more than 277,000 people — participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; in Ohio, approximately 12% of the population ...

Words of wisdom for children

Life

I remember years ago growing up we were taught, and we were instructed from our parents, what to do, how to respect elders, to be considerate to others and to care for the less fortunate etc. Bringing a child into this world is a responsibility and it is up to us parents to make sure ...