Don’t wait until registering to vote in the May 5 primary

February 19, 2026

If you’re beginning to feel as though the stakes in this year’s elections are unusually high, you are not alone. Even a cursory glance at newspaper opinion pages or social media feeds will tell you there are strong feelings on many important issues — and plenty of people believe they must weigh in on the candidates who might address those issues. Here’s the problem. When it really counts — Election Day — those opinion pieces or social media posts will not move the needle. Your vote will; and primary elections are closer than you might think. Ohio’s Secretary of State’s ...

Chronic absenteeism is a major issue in schools

February 17, 2026

At first glance, the pledge by Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to reduce chronic absenteeism by 50% no later than 2029 in the state’s public schools sounds like a pie-in-the-sky pipedream that stands slim to no chance of ever entering the realm of reality. After all, chronic absenteeism — defined as a student missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason — has catapulted to the top or near the top of major challenges confronting public education in Ohio and throughout the nation. It’s done so for good reason. Statewide 1 in 4 students ...

Let’s resolve to assist ‘justice-involved youth’

February 14, 2026

Ohio young people face a range of challenges, but children who find themselves part of the juvenile correctional system are staring down hurdles most of us cannot imagine. Rather than having some time in a juvenile correctional facility become a life sentence that dampens their opportunities forever, the Ohio Department of Youth Services is working toward providing educational and vocational opportunities for what it calls “justice-involved youth.” To that end, Gov. Mike DeWine and Department of Youth Services Director Amy Ast attended the opening earlier this month of a new career ...

Bill would create Ohio Blue Ribbon committee

February 12, 2026

Lawmakers who were sent by voters to Columbus to cut wasteful spending and unnecessary layers of government have an interesting idea in front of them in state House Bill 520. The measure, now sitting in the House Local Government Committee would “establish and convene a Blue Ribbon Committee in each county to review and assess each taxing unit within the county and each county program or department to identify duplication of services and generally to streamline and improve county efficiency and effectiveness.” One could point out the irony of attacking inefficient, multi-layered ...

Wintry conditions impacting American Red Cross supplies

February 10, 2026

According to a recent release, the American Red Cross urges people to take action now. Recent winter storms have had a severe impact on our efforts to rebuild the blood supply during the ongoing blood shortage. Donors of all blood types are asked to make a blood or platelet donation appointment as soon as possible. Over 500 blood drives have been canceled since Jan. 1, causing more than 20,000 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. Across the Northern Ohio Region, 41 blood drives have been canceled, with nearly 1,200 blood products going uncollected. Patient care is at risk ...

Ohio House Bill 524 warns of dangers of AI, self-harm

February 9, 2026

(This item discusses suicide and self-harm. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988.) Ohio House Bill 524 aims to address a problem few could have imagined a decade or two ago: Artificial intelligence chatbots encouraging people to harm themselves or others. State Rep. Christine Cockley, D-Columbus, is lead sponsor on the bipartisan bill, which would allow for imposing penalties for AI models suggesting harming self or others. It now sits in the House Technology and Innovation Committee. Testimony earlier ...