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School-based health centers ‘a win’ for Ohio students, families and communities

Throughout Ohio, children are heading back to school for a new academic year. Students are excited to be with their classmates and teachers to learn and grow. But for kids to really excel, they need to feel their best to be able to learn at their best. That’s why school-based health centers are so important. School-based health centers provide an opportunity for children to receive healthcare right in their school building. By having health services available on school grounds, students can schedule appointments with healthcare professionals or walk right in if they are ...

Ohio’s redistricting map issue remains contentious

The existing redistricting system — approved by voters in 2015 and 2018 — isn’t very effective and needs changes. That’s the opinion of Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican and member of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, as well as plenty of Democrats. The commission drew state legislative and congressional maps that have met with criticism. A group, Citizens Not Politicians, collected more than enough signatures to get a redistricting reform constitutional amendment on the Nov. 5 ballot that would put the power of drawing maps in the hands of a 15-member panel of five Republicans, ...

The Hookstown Fair and vigorish

Shark told me well ahead of time that her boys wanted to enter vegetables exhibits in the Hookstown Fair again this year. Grandsons Lamppost Head and The 747 work alongside her on their small garden and help with my big one, so it’s legit, mostly, that they enter the produce as their own. They love winning blue ribbons, but the premiums – the prize dollars – are the vigorish. That’s a word I learned from Bob Prince, “The Gunner,” who was the Pittsburgh Pirates’ rapid-fire broadcaster in my younger days, when everyone followed baseball on radio. Vigorish is the hidden ...

Breaking down 5 myths about heart disease

This is a serious condition that affects millions of people every year. According to the American Heart Association, as of 2018, heart disease continued to rank as the top cause of death in the United States. Common heart disease myths 1. Heart disease affects more men than women. In reality, more women suffer from heart disease than men. It is the leading cause of death in women over age 65, making it essential to get regular screenings and checkups to manage health. Plaque buildup can take years to develop and catching problems early on can reduce risk. 2. It’s too late to ...

Are you being proselyted by the Devil?

1 Peter 5:8 NIV “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone devour.” The devil is wise in everything he does. Little do we know that he is working every day to proselyte our families. When I was a young child, I gave my heart to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. But there became a time in my life when I started to hang around with a different group of people. I remember showing up at my first baseball practice and a young man said, “Hey, Brian, it is about time you started to hang around with the right crowd.” I had ...

So, why is Harris buying ads in Mahoning Valley?

The presidential campaign of Democrat Kamala Harris is spending $90 million over the next three weeks airing commercials in battleground areas as well as Youngstown and Toledo even though the vice president has essentially no chance of beating Republican Donald Trump in Ohio. The Harris campaign said the “$90 million paid media buy will target voters in every battleground state and expand the campaign’s reach into markets like Marquette, Alpena (both in Michigan), Toledo, Erie and Youngstown — markets where the Trump campaign is ceding the airwaves as their candidate spends this ...