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Don’t fall behind with practicing home safety

As you made your way around the house on Saturday changing clocks, watches and other devices that still require you to do so back one hour, did you remember to check the most important items in the house? Those would be your smoke detectors. The return of Eastern Standard Time represents a good reminder to check batteries in smoke detectors. Batteries need to be replaced at least once a year. It also is a good time to check on hardwired smoke detectors to make sure the units are working properly. Even those units have a battery backup in case of a power failure. The bottom line: ...

Consider giving blood this holiday season

All seasons should be times for kindness and giving. But the rapidly approaching Thanksgiving-Christmas time of year is always in the brightest of spotlights. One way — if able — that we all can help is to make a donation to the American Red Cross which is asking would-be donors to schedule time to give blood or platelets now to keep the blood supply stable ahead of the busy holiday season. Just one generous hour of time could be the lifesaving difference for patients in need. Not that any incentive should be needed but as a thank you the American Red Cross will give each person ...

Take advantage of Drug Take-Back Day

This Saturday provides a wonderful opportunity to get rid of not-needed prescriptions. You know, the ones we all seem to have in the back our bathroom cabinet. According to a release, Oct. 25 has been designated as National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), it will be held in communities across America, including Columbiana County, to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. Locally, area residents will have an opportunity to drop off their unused, unwanted or expired medications on Saturday from 10 a.m. ...

Forget all the politics and help the families in need

“As stated in our lapse of appropriation correspondence dated October 1, 2025, SNAP has funding available for benefits and operations through the month of October,” reads a letter dated Oct. 10 from Ronald Ward, acting associate administrator of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, to regional and state agency SNAP directors. “However, if the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the Nation.” We know that last year there were approximately 1.4 ...

Altered U.S flag in background during video call troublesome

One can understand why U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor, R-2nd Dist. (southwestern Ohio, near Cincinnati), would want to distance himself from the appearance of an altered U.S. flag that appeared in the background — tacked onto a bulletin board behind a staffer — during a video call last week. But he has gone from describing the appearance of a flag that had a swastika tied into the red lines of the traditional U.S. flag as “vandalism,” to saying this is actually part of an effort in which he claims “numerous Republican offices” were “targeted” by a person who was allegedly handing ...

Hibernating bats need all the help they can get

Most Ohio residents are used to thinking about seasonal changes in the rules such as burn bans or parking in such a way that the snow plow can get through. Perhaps less familiar is Ohio’s fall bat exclusion restriction period — from Oct. 15 through March 31. No, it has nothing to do with baseball’s off-season. This is a requirement that residents obtain permits before removing or relocating bats from homes or buildings. When white-nose syndrome (a cave fungus) showed up several years ago, Ohio started protecting bats, especially during their overwintering period. Despite that ...