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Union families betrayed

Letters to the Editor

Just a few more days and it will be Labor Day. For many, it is just another long weekend for hot dogs, hamburgers, boating, swimming and many other activities before cooler weather prevails. But for union members, true dedicated union members, it is more. It is a time to reflect on what it means to be a union member. For my union, the United Steelworkers, and many other unions it means it is a shield, a voice, a force that ensures no worker left behind. Unions fight for fair wages and benefits, safe working conditions, dignity and respect. That fight wasn’t just for ourselves but ...

Let’s make a difference for Mid-Ohio Valley families

Editorials

If you are reading this on a full stomach after having a nice breakfast, perhaps not too big, though, after a big meal the evening before; and knowing there is food in your cabinets and refrigerator — maybe even a second fridge or freezer in the garage — you are one of the lucky ones. You are one of the people who has to think about what it means to be food insecure. Too many of your fellow local residents already know. According to a report by the Appalachian Regional Commission, our region as a whole had an estimated 3.4 million food insecure residents (13% of the population) ...

On Labor Day, we celebrate the hard-working, ordinary people

Editorials

On this Labor Day weekend, many of us may be thinking of a quick retreat into summer vacation mode during the three-day break. It is a time to celebrate the return of college football and the promise of cooler temperatures. There will be festivals, parades, good food cooked outdoors for perhaps one of the last times this year and a general sense of not only celebration, but transition. Despite most public school boards’ best efforts, THIS is the traditional end of summer. And the break it offers is so appreciated because the people Labor Day is meant to honor have worked hard. ...

Enjoy the life God gave you

Local Columns

By Mark Wilmoth Some folks try to live life by following a door philosophy. If they try a door and find it open, they interpret that to be God’s choice for them, a sign of his approval for them to enter that door. Alternatively, a “closed door” is interpreted to be God’s sign that they should move along and try something else. That philosophy is attractive. It’s comforting to feel like you’re living within God’s will and a relief to feel like God is in control of your life. A lot of the worries and burdens of life feel lighter when viewed through this ...

The fear factor

Local Columns

In high school, I rarely got turned down for a date. I wasn’t good looking; didn’t have a flashy, fast car (had to borrow my dad’s station wagon); and didn’t have a lot of money. My secret was simple. I didn’t ask. I was afraid of rejection. Worse I was afraid of being laughed at and becoming part of a big joke among the girls at school like, “Do you know who asked me out?” It was really all about my own self image which was poor at that time when it came to dating. I didn’t have a sister to guide me. I am the oldest of five brothers. There was no good reason to believe ...

Politicians, railroad officials need to do the right thing

Editorials

Those hoping for railroad companies to move on their own toward improved safety for their workers and the communities through which their trains run will have to wait a bit longer. More than two and a half years since a Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, not one of the larger freight railroads in the country has signed on to the Confidential Close Call Reporting System, a voluntary federal program that was meant to reduce rail hazards and prevent accidents. According to a report by the Associated Press, BNSF and Norfolk Southern did attempt partial trials, but have not ...