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Letters to the Editor

An empathetic view on the St. Clair Township shooting tragedy

To the Editor: So many stories have been told about the horrible incident that happened in St. Clair Township on Jan. 22. Fact: two people died and their beautiful families are devastated, their lives will never be the same. Fact: A police officer was severely wounded and he/his family are devastated and their lives will never be the same. I want to tell you a little bit about Joseph Como. Joe was a young man with a terrible illness — schizophrenia. There are people who are referring to him as a horrible or evil person, but the fact is Joe was neither of these things. Joe was ...

Will a real leader please stand up!

To the Editor: From cowboys and Indians to corruptible sexual orientation immorality to cozying up with money gamers Mike Rulli is posing as a congressman of the 6th District of Ohio. Rulli has gone from grocery produce to Primary Sponsor of Ohio Senate Bill 119 to backyard cowboys and Indians to money games in East Palestine, Ohio. While still an Ohio Senator, Rulli and his political party advancer from Columbiana County called everyone else a liar about his sponsorship of Senate Bill 119 which had at its core immorality. Rulli and his promoter continue to deny and evade the fact that ...

The truth about the air and water in East Palestine

To the editor: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims our air and water are “legal,” yet many doctors argue they are toxic. This dissonance reveals the systemic failure of the EPA to protect our community’s air and water. On February 3, 2023, during the train derailment, 115,580 gallons of hazardous materials were deliberately vented and burned, including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, and ethyl hexyl acrylate. I spent 25 years in the U.S. Coast Guard enforcing EPA guidelines regarding oil and chemical dumping, and I have witnessed firsthand the grave implications of ...

Clean environment and robust economy not mutually exclusive

To the editor: Ohio’s natural gas and oil sector has emerged as a cornerstone of economic development. A Cleveland State University study just found that the total natural gas and oil related investments in Ohio surpassed $108 billion between 2011 and 2023, including $3.1 billion in just the second half of 2023. These investments create jobs, fund infrastructure, and support energy reliability across the state. Investments that even those writing these letters to the editor enjoy. Thanks to advancements in technology and responsible practices, modern exploration is far removed ...

The whitewashing of Salem’s story: Why the Abraham Lincoln Statue misses the mark

To the editor: On December 16, 2024, Salem unveiled a statue of Abraham Lincoln downtown. The ceremony spoke of our town’s history, yet it erased the very stories that define us. Lincoln never set foot in Salem, but Frederick Douglass did—multiple times. Edwin and Barclay Coppock, young men from Salem, fought alongside John Brown at Harper’s Ferry to end slavery. Edwin was hanged, and Barclay later died fighting for the Union. These are the stories that should be honored. Instead, Salem chose Lincoln—a symbol repurposed by today’s Republican leadership, which suppresses ...

Vance, Trump need to do more for EP residents

To the editor: The East Palestine train derailment and chemical disaster of February 2023 presents a critical opportunity for leadership, particularly for Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump. With their newfound or reinstated political influence, they can either fulfill their promises to Ohio and Pennsylvania or let the community continue to suffer. This crisis is about more than just cleanup; it’s about human reparation and ensuring the people exposed to dangerous chemicals receive the help they deserve. Our community has been living with uncertainty since that ...