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Don’t take the summer off from donating blood

Editorials

Disasters near and far have deepened the desire in many to help — to somehow do something amid all this suffering and struggle. In many of the hardest hit places, the American Red Cross is helping — and if we can’t be involved in those direct efforts, we can certainly do something to help that organization fulfill its mission. Part of that mission is, of course, keeping hospital shelves stocked with blood and blood products. The need for that never ceases. At the moment, the organization is asking especially for those with type O to donate blood, though all types are ...

Non-use of seat belts can be a grave error

Editorials

Seat belts. For the vast majority of us, putting on a seat belt when entering the car is second nature. But for some, apparently, the act remains optional — and that’s leading to fatal results. In Ohio over the Fourth of July weekend, 10 people died in car crashes, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Of those 10 fatalities, six were not wearing seat belts.  The issue goes deeper. According to the Columbus Dispatch, during the Fourth of July weekend troopers issued 2,286 seat belt and child safety seat violations. How is that possible in 2025? The problem is not isolated ...

Outbreaks of measles continues over summer

Editorials

Though an outbreak in Ohio appears to have subsided since the spring, outbreaks of measles are still popping up all over the country. The summer break does not seem to have slowed the spread of this dangerous disease. Canada and Mexico are experiencing thousands of cases (and some deaths), too. Most recently, Kentucky has announced its first measles outbreak of the year, with four cases in Fayette and Woodford counties. That brings the total in Kentucky to seven. In the U.S., the total number of confirmed cases this year sits at 1,267 — just shy of the 30-year high. Arizona, Colorado, ...

Time to eliminate property taxation

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: It’s that time of year and I just received my outrageous property tax bill (again!) of which 57% goes to the United Local School District. Never mind that 25 years ago, the Ohio Supreme Court held that the state’s public school financing system using property taxes violated the Ohio Constitution (DeRolph vs State) yet it remains in practice and ignored by politicians of both parties. Never mind that under current U.S. law, unrealized gains are not taxable. Why are property taxes the only exception? Never mind that the district looks to collect a more than $20 ...

State legislators take aim at DeWine property tax vetoes

Local Columns

While school districts throughout the state are breathing a collective sigh of relief over Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of significant property tax changes, state legislators are thinking about overriding his decisions. The legislators I spoke to said they were disappointed and surprised about the vetoes, but I could definitely sense frustration and some anger with DeWine. Legislators, Republicans and Democrats alike, said the top issue they hear from their constituents is property tax relief. We all feel it. Recent property tax reappraisals saw property values go up 38% in Mahoning ...

Wildlife species making returns back to Ohio

Editorials

Since the mid 19th Century, Ohio has been a relatively bear-free state. Humans drove out the black bears 150 or so years ago, and they’ve been considered rare and an endangered species here ever since. That might be changing, however, as researchers are beginning to see black bears naturally expand their range back into our state. Recently, a female black bear was captured and fitted with a GPS collar in Ashtabula County. It will be the first time such study is possible for a female, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. “Researchers using the location information ...