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Focus on what is right and good for all of our citizens

Editorial

A “golden age,” one in which the United States of America can aim even higher than the moon, was proclaimed last Monday during President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration speech. And while Elon Musk may have thrown his hands in the air to cheer the goal to “pursue our manifest destiny into the stars,” and “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars,” ordinary Americans were more likely to find a common reason to cheer in Trump’s promise to seek a broad government effort to reduce inflation and reduce prices. Though he must be careful to avoid the executive overreach ...

Husted just couldn’t pass up the Senate opportunity

Local Columns

Hardly anyone, including Jon Husted, pictured him as a U.S. senator. But the Republican, who has eyed the Ohio governor’s seat for many years, just couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Husted, lieutenant governor for the past six years, gave the vice-presidential nominating speech for J.D. Vance on July 17 at the Republican National Convention. When he got the appointment last week from Gov. Mike DeWine to succeed Vance in the Senate, Husted harkened back to that day at the RNC and said someone asked him at the time about filling that potential vacancy. “That seems so ...

Shooting tragedy impacts so many

Editorial

The names Dakota Wetzel, Rosalie Martin and Joseph Como will be forever linked. On a frigid but sunny Wednesday afternoon, a very troubled Como engaged police near a busy patch of the Calcutta retail area. Shots were fired. Two died including a precious 4-year-old child. Wetzel is a St. Clair Township police detective who responded to a report of a possibly suicidal male walking down a street. Police tried to talk to Como. But he almost immediately opened fire. Just last month we reported on a domestic incident involving Como and family members. According to a Dec. 29 Wellsville Police ...

Husted brings along assets to U.S. Senate

Editorial

In choosing Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to fill Vice President JD Vance’s former seat in the U.S. Senate, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is sending a person with some important assets to Washington, D.C. Husted, who was sworn in to his new position Tuesday, is a politically savvy, long-time public official who understands the state in a way some other candidates for the post do not. “I have worked with him, I have seen him, I know his knowledge of Ohio,” DeWine said. “I know his heart. I know what he cares about. I know his skills. And all of that tells me that he is the right person for this ...

It’s not just health issues that come with smoking

Editorial

As mid-January tests New Year’s resolutions across the region, many may be weakening in their resolve. Certainly that must include some who vowed this is the year to give up smoking. To add a little incentive to the effort, WalletHub took a look at the true cost of tobacco use. The dollar amounts are eye-opening for the 46 million people in the U.S. who still use tobacco. Total lifetime cost per smoker in West Virginia was estimated to be $3,210,116. In Ohio, $3,538,844. Think about that for a moment — particularly given that those who live in rural areas and have lower incomes are ...

Mapmaking for legislative districts in Ohio returns

Local Columns

Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Commission drew a congressional map four years ago that they anticipated would give their political party a 12-3 advantage in the U.S. House over Democrats. Instead, two toss-up districts — one with Akron as its largest city and another with Toledo — went to Democrats in the 2022 and 2024 elections. Expect Republicans to make it harder for Democrats to maintain their slim advantages in those two districts when the lines are redrawn for the 2026 election. That Democrats were able to win those two toss-up seats as Ohio continues to trend more ...