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Letters To The Editor

Affordable Connectivity Program is essential

To the editor:  In about one year it is projected that a pivotal federal broadband program, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), will run out of funding, hurting not only the nearly 1 million Ohio households that currently depend on the program to stay connected, but also rural households here in Columbiana County that will rely upon the ACP’s existence to spur broadband infrastructure investment in areas that still lack access. The ACP plays a critical role in our state’s efforts to close the digital divide and get more folks online, it’s why Governor DeWine has pointed ...

State Rep provides electric rate information

To the editor: I have recently heard concerns from constituents in the 79th District regarding the electric rate increases that went into effect on June 1, 2023. As we head into the summer months and we worry about the hottest days ahead, I wanted to provide information on the latest increase and energy choice in Ohio. The rate changes follow a trend of increases that align closely with customers of the state’s other electric distributors. In Ohio, the standard service offer (SSO) is the default rate for generation supply that an electric distribution utility charges a customer who ...

Concerned about the healthcare cuts

To the editor: As the former Mayor of Columbiana, and Current County Treasurer, I know that access to affordable, high-quality healthcare is essential for the well-being of our residents. However, I am concerned that recent legislation brought up in Congress threatens healthcare in rural and underserved communities. Specifically, I am concerned about cuts to the 340B program, which allows eligible hospitals to purchase and provide outpatient prescription drugs at discounted prices. In turn, the program lowers the cost of medication for patients and allows hospitals with limited ...

Ohioans have big decision coming

To the editor: Thanks to the passage of Ohio House Joint Resolution One Ohioans have a vital decision to make on August 8. This special election will determine whether the Ohio Constitution will be a contract between the citizens and the government, or if amendments to the Ohio constitution will continue to be a way to bypass the legislature. Constitutions are outlines of the government’s duties to the citizens and the limitations of the government’s powers. Constitutional amendments change the relationship between the government and the citizens, as well as the government’s ...

Cut the military budget

To the editor: Ohio Peace Council statement on debt deal cuts. Along strict partisan lines, the US House recently passed a draconian bill euphemistically called the “Limit, Save, and Grow Act,” which essentially is a declaration of war on America’s poor. Proposed are massive cuts in countless domestic programs badly needed by low-income Americans for survival. Though unlikely to survive in the US Senate, this legislative assault upon America’s most vulnerable populations sets the sinister tone for negotiations on the nation’s debt ceiling. Missing in those negotiations is ...

Port Authority draws praise

To the editor: In these trying economic times it is comforting to see our county’s Port Authority striving to assist local businesses in assuring they will remain competitive in our regional and national markets by recently awarding Maritime Assistance Grants totaling $1.6 million to two riverfront companies to extend their docks and erect new storage buildings. Over the past few years, I have taken notice of the myriad ways Port Authority CEO Penny Traina, her open-minded board of directors and their support staff have found creative ways to support our local businesses therefore ...