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Gov. DeWine’s statement on anti-fraud measures for public-funded childcare

Editorial

To avoid Ohio’s publicly-funded childcare system from becoming an absolute disaster like Minnesota, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a statement. We laud his leadership in doing so. The waste of tens of millions of taxpayer-dollars was — and who knows? — still likely going on in Minnesota is pathetic and all involved including the fraudsters and those in public service who neglected oversight should be fully prosecuted. Right, go ahead and chuckle now. The governor’s statement reads: “People are rightfully concerned about what is happening with state-funded childcare facilities ...

What can we do to make what we want to happen?

Editorial

“And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” — Rainer Maria Rilke, German poet “Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, ‘It will be happier.’” — Alfred Lord Tennyson, British poet As we wrap up one year and look hopefully ahead to the next, most in our region are looking forward to the possibility of peace, prosperity, success … all the good things that are possible when the blank slate of an entire year stretches out before us. Sure, we take some accountability by assigning resolutions to ourselves — ...

Annual New Year’s don’t drink and drive message

Editorial

The message is one we feel obliged to repeat this time each year. There are some people across our country, across our state and across our own area who will awaken today with a brand new year in the offing helped along with a drink or more. There will be so much promise and anticipation for 2026. These folks will celebrate and share good times tonight with family and friends as midnight beckons the fleeting hands of 2025’s clock. They will sing — or slur — along to “Auld Lang Syne.” Even if they don’t know all of the words. Which, actually, most of us couldn’t recite ...

Aging Ohio population needs all of us to step up

Editorial

Elected officials and policymakers in Ohio have plenty to work on in the coming years. We talk a lot about the loss of population, but there’s a follow-up to that: The Buckeye State’s population is shrinking AND aging. Data projections show that by 2040, the percentage of residents 65 or older will rise to 25%, while the percentage of those 85 and older will make an even more significant leap. This is not just an Ohio problem, of course. “For the first time in our nation’s history, we will have more older people than young children,” Ursel McElroy, director of the Ohio ...

Youth should consider skilled trades market

Editorial

Those who have the opportunity to spend time with younger family members over this holiday break may be tempted to ask questions such as “What do you want to be when you grow up?” or “What are you studying in college?” A growing number of employers are hoping the answer to that question is plumber, carpenter or even conveyor belt repairperson. There are so few people entering (or staying in) the skilled trades that consulting firm McKinsey predicts an estimated imbalance of 20 job openings for every one net new employee between 2022 and 2032. Employers such as Walmart and Lowes ...

Christmas: Fact or fiction

Editorial

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.   Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  ...