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Shooting tragedy impacts so many

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 ...

It’s not just health issues that come with smoking

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 Ohio was estimated to be $3,538,844 Think about that for a moment — particularly given that those who live in rural areas and have lower incomes are statistically more likely to ...

Remember to prep for freezing pipes

Unlike recent winters, we have had our share of snow and cold. But bitter cold? Not really. But beware of the next several days. The lows those days will be the coldest we have had in several winter seasons. With the dangerous cold comes a need to be prepared. Sometimes it is pure common sense. Often overlooked are freezing pipes. When it gets cold sub-zero the front end of this week, the pipes in your home could freeze unless you take steps to prevent it from happening. Aqua Ohio serves approximately 474,000 people in 20 counties across the our state, including Columbiana and ...

When we think of MLK, we think of his dreams

Monday may be the official celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the U.S., but Jan. 15 marked the 96th anniversary of his birth. King wasn’t yet 40 years old when he was gunned down at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. It was around 6 p.m. on April 4, 1968 when King was killed by a single bullet fired by James Earl Ray. King was to conduct a rally later that evening. The civil rights leader and Nobel Prize winner was talking with Rev. Jesse Jackson and musician Ben Branch while leaning on the green railing on the motel’s second floor. According to Branch he was asked to perform ...

January is a critical month for Red Cross

If the weather has been a hindrance to your daily (or weekly) routine, think about what it has meant to organizations dependent upon the help of others to fulfill their missions. For the American Red Cross, January can be a difficult month. Weather is factor, yes, but so is the active cold and flu season, which may make it harder for some to keep blood donation appointments or be eligible to donate. “The start of the new year is one of the most challenging times to collect blood products as the threat of severe winter weather builds and can often lead to widespread blood drive ...

Are the tax breaks for data centers worth it?

Ohio leadership has for quite some time been promising improvements in employment opportunities for residents. Lofty goals such as having a large employer within commuting distance of every Ohioan gave us reason to hope. What we got — in droves — are data centers, which don’t check many of the boxes when it comes to benefitting residents. Policy Matters Ohio, a progressive watchdog organization, took a look at all those data centers and what they mean for the state. There are more questions than answers. According to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, data centers could be ...