Energy policy should support affordability and not undermine it

September 30, 2022

The U.S. is playing energy inflation whack-a-mole. Gasoline prices have retreated from wallet-draining summer highs, but consumers now find themselves looking at surging natural gas and electricity bills. The global energy crisis—driven by a warring Russia cutting oil and gas to western Europe—continues to batter both energy markets and American families’ budgets. U.S. natural gas prices, which had been extraordinarily low for a decade, have doubled this year—and quadrupled since the start of the pandemic, even reaching 14-year highs in August. As natural gas prices go, so ...

Did the Trump rally help Vance’s chances?

September 26, 2022

Did former President Donald Trump’s rally recently at Youngstown’s Covelli Centre give a boost to the U.S. Senate campaign of Republican J.D. Vance? Trump criticized U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, the Democratic nominee for the seat, during the event, and had good things to say about Vance. Still, it’s uncertain how that will impact the Senate campaign, though the former president remains popular in Ohio. That’s because many of those at that rally came to hear and see Trump. The event was designed to support Vance and, to a lesser extent, other Republicans on the Nov. 8 ballot. But ...

Credit upgrade a big win for Ohio

September 21, 2022

Though we may not realize it when it stares us in the face, adversity often brings out the best in us. That’s certainly proven true right here in the Buckeye State. The last few years have seen no shortage of fiscal storms. In fact, the combination of COVID-19, skyrocketing inflation, and ongoing supply chain issues has brought an economic hurricane to the shores of our nation. But we’ve worked hard to keep the ship steady here in Ohio. Those efforts were on full display recently when Fitch Ratings – one of the “Big Three” credit rating agencies — upgraded Ohio’s ...

Expect huge crowd today for Trump in Youngstown

September 17, 2022

Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance will have his biggest general election campaign event to date Saturday at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, in the heart of the congressional district represented by Tim Ryan, his Democratic opponent. The location is no coincidence. Vance’s last rally, Aug. 19, was at the Metroplex Expo Center in Liberty, also in Ryan’s district. Like the Liberty event, Vance isn’t the featured attraction at Saturday’s rally, but he’ll benefit. In Liberty, it was Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential leading 2024 Republican presidential candidate, who ...

New relationships unlock efficiency

September 16, 2022

At the time of this printing, my administration will be starting its 20th month. To say we have been busy is an understatement. I have asked more of the staff, more of our attorneys, and more of our investigators than ever before, and I am happy to report to you that they have answered that call resoundingly well. In the last 19 months, the office has indicted more cases, filed more foreclosures, and assisted in more search warrants than any other time in the office’s history – and this was all done without excessive increases in manpower or the operating budget of the office. ...

First year as County Treasurer successful

September 8, 2022

They say time flies when you’re having fun! Tuesday marked one year since I took office as Columbiana County Treasurer. I thought it would be good time to reflect on this busy year and let you all know what has been going on. First and foremost, I corrected the property tax collection dates. From now on, they will always be in February and July. I know this caused some confusion, but it desperately needed to be fixed. I corrected this so that any future treasurer doesn’t take office the first Monday in September and have a full collection under way. That was the situation on ...