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Us vs. Them: West Virginia protects against suicide

Local Columns

There are states where it is acceptable for a family to discuss whether one of their members should kill themselves, and there are states where it is not. There are states—like Oregon, California, Vermont, Washington and many others now—where insurance companies can deny people end-of-life care —but offer to cover the cost of their suicide. And there are states —like West Virginia —where they cannot. I am proud to be a son of West Virginia, where suicide is known as a problem and not pushed as a solution. But well-funded liberal interest groups —like Portland, Oregon’s ...

Lawmakers must be all on board with rail safety

Editorial

In Ohio alone, residents received two reminders last week that rail safety reform is still desperately needed. On Wednesday a federal judge approved a $600 million class-action settlement for those affected by the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in February 2023. A day before, residents of Whitewater Township, Ohio, received an evacuation order after styrene began leaking from a Central Railroad of Indiana railcar. Styrene, which is both toxic and flammable, is carried in tank cars. A pressure release valve on the tank began to vent styrene, prompting crews to spend ...

Why are so many choosing to be their worst, not best?

Editorial

U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., could not have proved two points more handily last week if he had tried. First, he proved the spreading of vicious lies about an immigrant community in Springfield, Ohio, has indeed led to the kind of hostility that puts those people (and their entire community) in danger. Second, he proved even those we should be able to hold to our highest standards are willing to once again publicly shout their racism and hate. They believe they have been freed of the shame of doing so. According to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, Higgins was facing calls for ...

Republicans gain edge in Ohio Supreme Court races

Local Columns

Before the 2022 election, Ohio Supreme Court justice candidates ran in partisan primaries and then had their party affiliation removed for the general election. Of course, the parties backed their candidates, spending money building them up and sometimes attacking their opponents. But without affiliation on the general election ballot, numerous people weren’t aware of who was a Republican and who was a Democrat. We can talk about judicial philosophy, but voters largely decide who to support in these races based on party affiliation and name recognition. Republicans, who control ...

Ohio GOP prioritizes religion not students

Editorial

In the absence of a viable, fair and constitutional school funding formula in Ohio, state lawmakers have decided instead to focus on manipulating the language of the state constitution to allow them to spend taxpayer dollars where THEY want to spend. A look at school funding by Columbus TV station WCMH shows more than $5.5 million in tax money is being used to support renovation projects at private schools, in part because of their link to the state’s education voucher program. WCMH reports there is funding in the form of grant payments for 11 private schools, hidden in the one-time ...

ODOT reports 58 road crews hit so far this year

Editorial

Frustrated with road work all over Ohio? Imagine how the workers must feel, as careless drivers zip by, ignoring the speed limit and traffic direction. It’s dangerous work, though it should be much less so. Monday, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced 58 road crews have been hit on the job so far this year. That surpasses last year’s total. Who knows what might happen once the weather gets colder and perhaps snowier? Back in June, an ODOT worker was killed in a work zone accident on Ohio 60 in Muskingum County. “It is with a heavy heart that I share the devastating ...