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Give the plow drivers respect and some room

Driving can be tricky during winter storms such as the one just experienced here. For some, the need to travel wins out over being patient and waiting for weather to clear up and roads to be properly treated. That means some drivers are out and about at the same time as snow plows and salt trucks — and not necessarily with a proper understanding of the rules of the road. According to a report by FOX Weather, there have been at least 13 crashes involving snow plows in Ohio so far this year. “Folks, I can’t stress this enough: Pay attention and give our crews room to work,” said ...

Schools officials need to acquire AI knowledge

There’s plenty of talk about artificial intelligence technology — AI — but not everyone has a handle on how to use it responsibly in their workplace. As Ohio’s teachers consider how AI might be useful in their classrooms, it is encouraging to know that Ohio is one of only 11 in the country preparing policy guidance for K-12 schools on AI platforms such as ChatGPT, according to a report by Axios. It’s not just a matter of how to use AI, but also how to avoid (and spot) misuse. When the Center on Reinventing Public Education asked states how they approach the use of AI, at the ...

HB 348 is an interesting approach to absenteeism

In Ohio, the number of students missing a significant amount of school time has become such a concern that two lawmakers have pitched what may seem like an outlandish idea. State Reps. Bill Seitz, R-Green Twp., and Dani Isaacsohn, D-Evanston, want to establish a pilot program that would offer cash incentives for both attendance and high school graduation, according to a report by the Cincinnati Enquirer. “It’s about getting back to the culture of being in school every day,” Isaacsohn said. Lawmakers and school officials are so desperate because approximately one-third of Ohio ...

This weather certainly comes with the territory

The weather we have been experiencing is part and parcel to winter life in our area. We all know that. Single-digit temps, way below zero wind chills and, if the current forecast is spot on, inches of snow coming by week’s end. You didn’t think we were going to, well, skate through an entire mild winter season? Those who like to geek it up when it comes to weather had it right with forecasts back in October: an easy front end to winter and a stern backside. We are due to warm up some next week but, let’s face it, we are only in mid-January. Spring is still eight weeks away. ...

Big-govt. censorship is a threat to our kids

Just when you think the poisonous absurdity boiling out of Florida cannot get any more dangerous, a story pops up such as the one from the Escambia County School District, where five dictionaries, eight encyclopedias and “The Guinness Book of World Records” has been added to its list of more than 1,600 books that could soon be banned. You read that right. According to a report by CBS News, the Florida Freedom to Read Project obtained the list of books — which also has several that have already been restricted and removed. “Merriam-Webster’s Elementary Dictionary,” “The ...

We must continue to follow MLK’s journey

During recent years, it has become clear race remains an important point of separation for many in our country. Sadly, that has been a reality for years and years in our nation. But there are thousands and thousands of Americans securely joined by a love for country and a love for fellow man — regardless of race or creed. With the official celebration Monday of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, many Americans will be involved in activities emphasizing our commitment to supporting anti-racism. Dr. King was born Jan. 15, 1929 and died April 4, 1968 — an ...