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Firefighter Recruitment Portal offers opportunity for volunteers to serve

As Ohio’s 39th State Fire Marshal, I’ve dedicated my career to protecting the safety and well-being of our communities. Today, I’m calling attention to an urgent matter facing our state— one that threatens the foundation of emergency preparedness in Ohio upon which we have come to rely. Across the nation, including right here in Ohio, we’re experiencing an alarming decline in the number of volunteer firefighters. Many people don’t realize that about 70% of Ohio’s nearly 1,200 fire departments rely on volunteers. That’s right, the majority of firefighters in this state ...

Angels: Sleep disorders increase as we grow older

Editor’s Note: The following column was originally published on Jan. 10, 2020. Thanks to breakthroughs in medicine and nutrition in recent years, we are living longer than ever before. But this increase in life expectancy also brings an increase in the number of diseases, injuries and impairments that affect older adults. With this in mind, we at the local Visiting Angels office in Salem have created this series of articles to keep our older population and their families informed and to offer some practical advice for meeting the challenges faced by seniors and those who care for ...

Carbon capture in Ohio can be an economic accelerator

I recently became aware of a series of community workshops held in Cadiz and Wintersville by Tenaska. The topic was carbon capture and storage and the truths about the technology and impacts to communities. These sessions were well attended by inquiring local citizens as well as some folks not from Jefferson or Harrison counties.  And so why would some fella from Houston care?  I graduated from Wintersville High in 1973 and was raised on Meadowbrook Drive in the village, went to Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh and have spent the last 45-plus years in the energy markets, ...

State legislators take aim at DeWine property tax vetoes

While school districts throughout the state are breathing a collective sigh of relief over Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of significant property tax changes, state legislators are thinking about overriding his decisions. The legislators I spoke to said they were disappointed and surprised about the vetoes, but I could definitely sense frustration and some anger with DeWine. Legislators, Republicans and Democrats alike, said the top issue they hear from their constituents is property tax relief. We all feel it. Recent property tax reappraisals saw property values go up 38% in Mahoning ...

Proposed bill halting noon OSU starts won’t reach the end zone

It’s not that state Rep. Tex Fischer doesn’t want to put an end to noon start times for Ohio State University football games, but he knows his bill to restrict them isn’t going anywhere. Even before Fischer, R-Boardman, formally introduced the bill on May 20, he received a significant amount of publicity — locally, statewide and nationally. Most of the responses fell into three camps. One, largely consisting of Buckeyes fans, was supportive. The second didn’t treat it seriously. The third was critical, questioning why Fischer wasted his time with this bill when there are ...

Turning fear into advocacy: My journey with breast cancer

In February of 2024, my life was unexpectedly turned upside down. During what I thought was just another routine yearly mammogram, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The news was shocking and terrifying, yet the diagnosis came early — a silver lining in what was undoubtedly one of the most harrowing experiences of my life. Those initial days were filled with fear and uncertainty, but over time, that fear transformed into determination, propelling me forward as I faced this challenge head-on. My breast cancer journey included my regular mammogram, follow up mammogram, biopsy, MRI ...