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Too much coffee can cause problems for older adults

Editor’s Note: The following column was originally published Feb. 7, 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. ...

Some homeowners won’t see tax reform bills relief

The two property tax bills recently approved by the Ohio House would save homeowners more than $2.4 billion over the next three years, but they would heavily benefit those in more rural areas. “Anything is better than nothing, but this is just a starting point,” said Mahoning County Auditor Ralph Meacham, a Republican. “It’s going to drop the millage by a small amount. It doesn’t benefit cities. It’s more focused on smaller, rural areas.” The bills still need to be approved by the GOP-controlled state Senate and then signed by Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, before they ...

Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger gives Ohio tools to compete

For over 130 years, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce has championed policies that promote free enterprise, drive economic growth and elevate Ohio’s position in a competitive global marketplace, serving as a trusted advocate for both employers and the workforce across the Buckeye State. Today, in an era defined by speed, resilience and innovation, we must pursue forward-looking strategies and transformative partnerships that meet the demands of a rapidly evolving economy and position Ohioans to thrive. The proposed merger between Norfolk Southern (NS) and Union Pacific (UP) represents a ...

Halloween can be hard on those suffering from forms of dementia

Editor’s Note: The following column was originally published Oct. 28, 2023. 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 Salem Visiting Angels office 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. ...

Coal is a key solution to soaring electricity prices

Electricity bills are climbing almost everywhere, and the reasons have little to do with ideology. Three forces are driving prices higher: massive new utility spending on infrastructure, rising natural gas costs, and growing capacity shortages in electricity markets as power demand soars from the AI revolution. In some states, prices have jumped more than 60% since 2022. The Trump administration inherited this mess and now has its work cut out for it. The strategy the administration has embraced is built around reinforcing dispatchable power—the generating resources that run when ...

Ban on intoxicating hemp by Gov. DeWine goes up in smoke

Gov. Mike DeWine’s ban on the sale of intoxicating hemp items ended before it could even take effect. DeWine, a Republican who has long opposed the sale of the products, announced Oct. 8 that he was declaring an “adulterated consumer product emergency,” effective Tuesday because the items present “a threat to public health and safety.” The products contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and aren’t regulated like the state’s adult recreational and medical marijuana industry. DeWine has long argued that several of the products are geared toward children as they are in packets ...