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Husted among few still fighting for EP residents

More than three years after a disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Congress has continued to sit on its hands rather than upset its friends in the railroad industry by implementing desperately needed rail safety reform. Well, most of Congress, anyway. A few have repeatedly tried to push change. Most recently, a bipartisan group that includes U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, has introduced the Railway Safety Act of 2026. “Three years ago, many Ohioans understandably lost faith in the safety and reliability of our nation’s railways after the accident in East Palestine, Ohio. Since ...

Ohioans can take steps to engage in better fitness

All that technology we drag around with us all the time is giving researchers data that provides insight into everything from our travel to fitness. If you have a habit of checking your health and fitness data through a smart watch and app, you are not the only one keeping track. Data from participants, provided by Apple, helped researchers produce the “Apple Heart and Movement Study.” “The heart is an incredible organ, working tirelessly every second of every day,” report beings. “Understanding how various heart metrics reflect your overall well-being can empower you to lead ...

Due praise for the work of Future Farmers of America

National Future Farmers of America Week is being observed Feb. 21-28. The organization “Future Farmers of America” — or FFA as we all know it — was founded in 1928 by young farmers. Its mission was to prepare subsequent generations with the task of feeding a growing populace across our country. Farmers have done just that. And living where we do in counties like Columbiana and Mahoning we can appreciate that. If you aren’t a farmer in our parts, you certainly know someone who is a crop producer, beef, dairy or poultry farmer. Living where we do, where so much farming and ...

Campaign’s goal is to intercept financial exploitation of elderly

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced earlier this month that his office is partnering with the Ohio Bankers League and the Ohio Health Care Association on a statewide campaign to increase awareness about elder abuse and intercept financial exploitation before it ever does its damage. The Ohio Pharmacists Association is already part of the group, which will help front-line professionals learn how to spot abuse. That kind of training is important if we are to support a population that can be more vulnerable to scams, fraud and exploitation. “Elder abuse doesn’t always leave ...

Passage of Ohio HB 326 would open more pathways for students

Not every student has the same path to follow after high school graduation. They don’t have the same skill sets, interests or aspirations. So why would we limit the options they have for assessing their readiness to proceed on those paths? In Ohio, there may be other options available, if lawmakers give serious consideration to state House Bill 326, introduced by Reps. Kevin Ritter, R-Marietta, and Johnathan Newman, R-Troy. “Regarding the use of nationally standardized assessments in public and chartered nonpublic schools and state institutions of higher education,” it would allow ...

Credit goes to Commerce Dept. for generating investments

Good news came this week out of the U.S. Commerce Department, which says Japan is planning to fund three projects totaling approximately $36 billion in the coming years — one each in Ohio, Texas and Georgia. According to Reuters, this is the first wave of investments in the planned $550 billion reportedly pledged as part of a trade deal with the U.S. The Ohio project is expected to be a $33 billion natural gas-fired power plant in Portsmouth — perhaps the largest ever, according to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Reuters reports Lutnick said the plant would have a 9.2 ...