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Dealing with Sundowning in older adults

Editor’s Note: The following column was originally published Jan. 24, 2020. Thanks to breakthroughs in medicine and nutrition in recent years, we are living longer than ever before. But this increase in life expectancy also brings an increase in the number of diseases, injuries and impairments that affect older adults. With this in mind, we at the local Visiting Angels office in Salem have created this series of articles to keep our older population and their families informed and to offer some practical advice for meeting the challenges faced by seniors and those who care for them. ...

Reforming property tax gains steam among Ohio legislators

A substitute bill, sponsored by state Rep. David Thomas, to limit unvoted property taxes collected by school districts has a tremendous amount of momentum in the General Assembly as legislators work as quickly as possible to pass property tax reform. The bill would limit the revenue school districts can receive from what is known as the 20-mill floor to inflation. Thomas, R-Jefferson, who represents portions of Trumbull County, said the bill would save Ohio homeowners nearly $1.7 billion over the next three years, starting with the second half of the 2026 tax bill. The amendment, ...

Firefighter Recruitment Portal offers opportunity for volunteers to serve

As Ohio’s 39th State Fire Marshal, I’ve dedicated my career to protecting the safety and well-being of our communities. Today, I’m calling attention to an urgent matter facing our state— one that threatens the foundation of emergency preparedness in Ohio upon which we have come to rely. Across the nation, including right here in Ohio, we’re experiencing an alarming decline in the number of volunteer firefighters. Many people don’t realize that about 70% of Ohio’s nearly 1,200 fire departments rely on volunteers. That’s right, the majority of firefighters in this state ...

Our universities must lead the way

Freedom of speech has always demanded courage, and courage is the one virtue universities cannot delegate. When free speech becomes fatal speech —as it did recently with the assassination of Charlie Kirk on a college campus — Americans demand — and deserve — a change. As president of Youngstown State University (YSU), I feel compelled to make a commitment to help make that change, and I believe our nation’s university presidents like me can lead the way. The facts already announced by authorities are enough to deduce that the killer of Charlie Kirk opposed the viewpoints he ...

Never seemed that Tressel’s heart was in governor run

A Vivek Ramaswamy-Jim Tressel matchup for the Republican gubernatorial nomination would have been fascinating. But Tressel, who went from retired Youngstown State University president and a famed former college football coach to being appointed lieutenant governor, opted not to run in 2026 for governor. It never seemed that Tressel’s heart was in a governor’s campaign. It’s understandable considering he was named lieutenant governor a little more than seven months ago after never running for public office. Tressel constantly deflected questions about his candidacy while only ...

Prescription medication misuse affects seniors, too

Editor’s Note: The follow column was originally published Dec. 27, 2019. Thanks to breakthroughs in medicine and nutrition in recent years, we are living longer than ever before. But this increase in life expectancy also brings an increase in the number of diseases, injuries and impairments that affect older adults. With this in mind, we at the local Visiting Angels office in Salem have created this series of articles to keep our older population and their families informed and to offer some practical advice for meeting the challenges faced by seniors and those who care for them. ...