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With warmer weather comes prohibitions on outdoor burning

Editorial

When we skip ahead an hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, that spring forward on the clocks will not be the only reminder we are moving toward brighter, warmer (Soon? We hope? Please?) weather. Forestry officials across our region are reminding us we have also entered the spring fire ban season. From March 1 through May 31 in both West Virginia and Ohio, there are prohibitions on outdoor burning. Ohio’s Division of Forestry says the ban is between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. In West Virginia, the restriction is between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. No, not even in a proper burn barrel. There are other ...

Setting the record straight — East Palestine Country Club is here to stay and investing in the future

Letters To The Editor

EDITOR’S NOTE: The real estate transfers published in the Feb. 21 edition inadvertently listed the East Palestine Country Club selling a golf course to VBR Land LLC. The following response was published as clarification on the club’s website. Dear East Palestine Country Club Members and Friends, We want to address some questions and concerns that have circulated following recent local news coverage. Let us be absolutely clear: The East Palestine Country Club has NOT sold its golf course. We are open, thriving, and more committed than ever to serving our members and the surrounding ...

Pricing structure threatens LTC pharmacies

Letters To The Editor

To the editor: As a nurse anesthesiologist and owner of a nursing practice, I’ve come to really appreciate the collaborative ecosystem that is healthcare. Even something as simple as a prescription shows how interconnected our system is — you’ve got scientists developing treatments, providers making clinical decisions, and pharmacists making sure everything’s used properly, each bringing essential expertise to the table. Unfortunately, when we overlook the working parts that make our healthcare system function, we risk serious disruption. In under two weeks, that is exactly ...

Study suggest Ohio lagging in education

Editorial

Despite Ohio policymakers’ continued effort to meddle with education — at all levels — a recent study suggests there has been limited success on a national scale. “Most and Least Educated States in America (2026)” by WalletHub doesn’t even place Ohio in the top half of states. We are 35th. That’s not a good look for a state that has worked diligently to attract large employers looking for a well-educated and well-trained workforce. Ohio is 36th for educational attainment, though 19th for the quality of education. Further, it was bundled into the worst category of states ...

Own nothing? A little less would be OK

Local Columns

A few years ago the prediction that “By 2030 you will own nothing and be happy about it” was flung rudely at Western Civilization, which greeted it with a howl of indignation. As I sit here now on a large pile of My Stuff, owning a little less of it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. I don’t know where to put it all. We were made acutely aware of just how much stuff we have in our house when we had a new floor put in and had to move everything to accommodate the project. It was like moving house, with everything thrown into boxes and shuttled here and there to stay one step ...

Changing political parties has become commonplace

Local Columns

With the changing political climate in the Mahoning Valley, it didn’t come as a major shock that Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Cynthia Westcott Rice, a longtime Democrat, switched political parties and filed as a Republican. But after pledging her allegiance to being a Republican, Rice withdrew from the race Tuesday, about three weeks after she filed. Having an incumbent change political parties when seeking reelection was uncommon in Trumbull and Mahoning counties. It isn’t so much anymore as Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene did it in 2024, going from a Democrat to ...