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Letters to the Editor

Independent thinking

Editor: Today’s latest rendition of the Columbiana County Republican Party’s election brouhaha gives one good reason to register as an independent. It has always been interesting to me that both parties seem to feel that we, the voters, lack the intelligence and good sense to make our own choices. Worse, in the current situation, the Columbiana Republican Party-Political Machine is resorting to shaking as many skeletons in the party closet as possible. While that makes for some hilarious reading during breakfast and some humorous reporting for Tom Giambroni, it is detrimental ...

Checkmate

Editor: I’m writing in reference to recent allegations that have been raised in the race for county Common Pleas Court judge. I am not an attorney or a politician, however, for the past 13 years I have served on the Columbiana County Republican Central Committee representing Butler Township north precinct. Seven of those years I sat on the board of elections with Dave Johnson, and though we are friends and die-hard conservatives, I speak my own mind and Dave knows it. As far as the judge’s race goes, way back in January Megan Bickerton came to a Republican committee meeting and ...

What matters

Editor: In his recent letter to the editor, Rick Straub of Columbiana questions “why it would matter” that Judge Ashley Pike drives a big Mercedes Benz to work every day. Good question. It’s not so much that the judge drives a Mercedes Benz. It’s that he brags in campaign materials about being endorsed by the local UAW union while driving a foreign-made car. This in light of some 1,500 UAW workers losing their job at the GM Plant at Lordstown. As a working man who belongs to the United Transportation Workers union, this just stinks. Pike ought to go right out and buy a ...

Leave guns to pros

Editor: As a pediatrician and a mother myself, my heart goes out to the families in Parkland.The most basic, instinctive need of a parent is to protect their children. As pediatricians, so much of what we do is meant to help parents and caregivers do this. The American Academy of Pediatrics has long advocated for changes that will give our country a better chance at protecting our most innocent and vulnerable. Earlier in March, the AAP passed a resolution with the number one priority to help protect children from gunfire in schools. Gunfire kills about 1,300 U.S. children and ...

Help already here

Editor: I’m not a political person but when political campaigns either ignore information or put out misinformation, someone must step up to correct the record. For some years Common Pleas Judges Pike and Washam have given eligible drug offenders the opportunity for intervention in lieu of conviction. These persons are given the opportunity to address their addictions while being supervised, often intensively, by our probation department. At this writing there are well over 100 in the program. The program does not require the formulation and staffing of a special court. It ...

Proper etiquette

Editor: “It’s auto show time.” But here in Columbiana County, it’s election show time based on recent letters printed in this column. Typical election action words such as “vengeful, shocking, hypocrisy, temper tantrum, demeaning, insulting, that is a fact, and thwarting the legal associative rights” are being disrespectfully tossed around in a lame attempt to belittle a highly respected, longtime public servant and sway public opinion. All while the writer defends his attack based on etiquette and what car someone drives. We must assume that Ms. Bickerton is a ...