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Mahoning County is pawn in Ohio redistricting game

Local Columns

With Ohio Republicans carving up the state to produce a congressional map that favors its party 12-3 — and Democrats agreeing to it — Mahoning County played a key role as a pawn in the game. The county will be split starting with the 2026 election with the most egregious work done to Austintown, which ended being one of only 11 of Ohio’s 1,300-plus townships to be divided. The constitutional amendment that created this process was designed to reduce the number of ways congressional districts could be gerrymandered. But you would be hard-pressed to see that from the map approved ...

Remember to thank veterans on Tuesday

Editorial

Since 1919, Americans have been celebrating a very special day on Nov. 11. Tomorrow is Veterans Day. It is a day of acknowledgment. It is a day of utmost respect and reverence. It is a day of thanks for those who helped pay the price for freedom. Please appreciate that sentiment. We stress this message each year. Our message should be your message. Originally called Armistice Day, President Wilson first declared Nov. 11 a day of remembrance following the end of hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany in World War I on Nov. 11, 1918 — the 11th hour of the 11th day of the ...

Why fall is the right time to review your loved one’s health care wishes

Editorial

As the leaves change and the year draws to a close, many families naturally find themselves reflecting on what matters most. Fall is not only a season of transition but also an ideal time to pause and talk about important decisions for the future—especially your loved one’s health care wishes. These conversations aren’t always easy, but they can bring peace of mind, clarity, and comfort when the unexpected happens. By making time in the fall to review or update advance care plans, families can enter the new year with greater confidence and alignment. Why These Conversations ...

The benefits of coffee in older adults

Editorial

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 ...

Giving Ohio lawmakers credit for redrawn map

Editorial

Give credit where credit is due to Ohio lawmakers who worked together to come to a compromise on a redrawn Ohio Congressional district map that has its critics, but came as a bit of a surprise to those who expected something much worse. According to the Statehouse News Bureau, Democrat lawmakers acknowledged the decision wasn’t easy — there is still anger and frustration on both sides — but Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, called it “the best of a worst-case scenario.” In fact, U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, told the Akron Beacon Journal she was ...

Americans need to work at getting in better shape

Editorial

As Americans try to focus on upcoming holidays and rapidly approaching New Year’s resolutions, data accompanying this National Diabetes Awareness Month reminds that many of us have some work to do regarding our health. This is no time for nasty digs about SNAP and the health of those living in states with high numbers of people living both below the poverty line and in food deserts. In fact, where access to affordable, nutritious options is limited, health woes that go far beyond hunger are plentiful. It’s no surprise, then, that WalletHub’s “Most Overweight and Obese States ...