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Study suggest Ohio lagging in education

Editorials

Despite Ohio policymakers’ continued effort to meddle with education — at all levels — a recent study suggests there has been limited success on a national scale. “Most and Least Educated States in America (2026)” by WalletHub doesn’t even place Ohio in the top half of states. We are 35th. That’s not a good look for a state that has worked diligently to attract large employers looking for a well-educated and well-trained workforce. Ohio is 36th for educational attainment, though 19th for the quality of education. Further, it was bundled into the worst category of states ...

Changing political parties has become commonplace

Local Columns

With the changing political climate in the Mahoning Valley, it didn’t come as a major shock that Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Cynthia Westcott Rice, a longtime Democrat, switched political parties and filed as a Republican. But after pledging her allegiance to being a Republican, Rice withdrew from the race Tuesday, about three weeks after she filed. Having an incumbent change political parties when seeking reelection was uncommon in Trumbull and Mahoning counties. It isn’t so much anymore as Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene did it in 2024, going from a Democrat to ...

Maintaining quality of life as you age

Local Columns

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. ——— While exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle at any age, it ...

Husted among few still fighting for EP residents

Editorials

More than three years after a disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Congress has continued to sit on its hands rather than upset its friends in the railroad industry by implementing desperately needed rail safety reform. Well, most of Congress, anyway. A few have repeatedly tried to push change. Most recently, a bipartisan group that includes U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, has introduced the Railway Safety Act of 2026. “Three years ago, many Ohioans understandably lost faith in the safety and reliability of our nation’s railways after the accident in East Palestine, Ohio. Since ...

Ohioans can take steps to engage in better fitness

Editorials

All that technology we drag around with us all the time is giving researchers data that provides insight into everything from our travel to fitness. If you have a habit of checking your health and fitness data through a smart watch and app, you are not the only one keeping track. Data from participants, provided by Apple, helped researchers produce the “Apple Heart and Movement Study.” “The heart is an incredible organ, working tirelessly every second of every day,” report beings. “Understanding how various heart metrics reflect your overall well-being can empower you to lead ...

Due praise for the work of Future Farmers of America

Editorials

National Future Farmers of America Week is being observed Feb. 21-28. The organization “Future Farmers of America” — or FFA as we all know it — was founded in 1928 by young farmers. Its mission was to prepare subsequent generations with the task of feeding a growing populace across our country. Farmers have done just that. And living where we do in counties like Columbiana and Mahoning we can appreciate that. If you aren’t a farmer in our parts, you certainly know someone who is a crop producer, beef, dairy or poultry farmer. Living where we do, where so much farming and ...