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Here’s hoping visit by Biden isn’t just for show

President Joe Biden has finally decided to visit East Palestine. He is set to visit the scene of a fiery Norfolk Southern derailment Friday — more than a year after it happened. Community and state officials have criticized Biden for not making an appearance earlier, and rightly so. They’ve also asked for a federal emergency declaration that still has not been made. And though other administration officials have made a few visits — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator Michael Regan, for example — Biden seems to have waited until he feels as though the sense of ...

News about Intel delay is jolting for Ohioans

Residents of rural and eastern Ohio were probably already steeling themselves for the news out of Intel earlier this month. After all, they have been prepared by the disappointment of one local-economy-saving large employer after another making grand promises and then disappearing. To be fair, Intel says it is not disappearing. In fact, they claim this pumping of the brakes is simply a change in timeline. Now, rather than finishing the $20 billion chipmaking project in New Albany by next year, the company says it plans to complete work by late 2026. More time for communities to figure ...

As we bounce into another Super Bowl

As the story goes, in 1966 to promote the newly-created championship game between the venerable NFL and upstart AFL, Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt coined the phrase “Super Bowl” — remembering his children playing with a Super Ball toy. Yeah, those things from Wham-O that drove our parents nuts when bounced inside the house. Hurt like crazy, too, if you got smacked in the head with one. And were impossible to catch up to while watching them boink and boink about 10 feet high each hop when they got away from us. Some bouncing all the way down the street, never to be seen ...

March 19 primary heading our way

It’s time again for Ohioans to begin considering candidates, issues and levies ahead of the March 19 primary. This year candidates are vying for positions all the way up to the headline-grabbing presidential race. But as always, local residents must become educated and choose carefully when it comes to the races here that will likely have a greater impact on their everyday lives. Those who are eligible have until Feb. 20 to register to vote. But simply registering is not enough. Learning about and understanding the people and issues on the ballot is essential. Once a voter is ...

Be mindful of Burn Awareness Week

Most of us learned pretty early that it is a bad idea to play with fire. But even when we are not playing, it is important to be vigilant against burn risks. This week is Burn Awareness Week, and a perfect time to remember the dangers of fuels such as flammable liquids. “We must acknowledge the serious danger that flammable liquids present in our daily lives,” Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin S. Reardon said. “By educating our community and emphasizing safe practices, we aim to drastically reduce the occurrence of these preventable injuries.” According to the American Burn ...

With February comes Black History Month

With February comes Black History Month. Its celebration of our nation’s Blacks became a national observance in 1976 under President Gerald Ford. As always, the month calls to mind great community leaders, from the civil rights movement, from academia, from city leadership, law enforcement and daily life. Black History Month was established by Carter G. Woodson. Woodson, born in 1875 and the son of former slaves, himself a former coal miner and educator, understood a proper education was important in seeking to make the most out of one’s freedom. He earned his high school diploma ...