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Child’s death should be a stark reminder

Tragedy has struck again in Ohio, as the Ohio Department of Health announced Friday the first pediatric death of the 2023-24 flu season — a 9-year-old girl from Clermont County. It is a sad reminder that age is not the only determining factor for when these viruses become deadly. In fact, Ohio generally reports one to six influenza-associated pediatric deaths per year, according to the ODH. “If you haven’t gotten a flu vaccine, now is a good time,” said ODH Director Bruce Vanderhoff, M.D., MBA. “We are in the heart of flu season, and a vaccine may help prevent you or your ...

Play it smart as we steer toward 2024

This message is one we feel obliged to repeat this time each year. There are some people across our country, across our state and across our own area who will awaken Monday with a brand new year in the offing helped along with a drink or more. There will be so much promise and anticipation for 2024. Many will celebrate and share good times Sunday evening with family and friends as midnight beckons the fleeting hands of 2023’s clock. They will sing —or slur — along to “Auld Lang Syne.” Even if they don’t know all of the words. Which, actually, most of us couldn’t recite ...

Good for the Browns and their long-suffering fans

So you’re saying they got a chance? Yes, actually about a 99 percent chance according to ESPN analytics. This evening the Cleveland Browns will host the New York Jets. There is much anticipation as there should be. Despite being down to their fourth quarterback this season and losing their All-Pro running back and offensive tackle among many others, the Browns are 10-5 and entrenched in the first wild card spot in the American Football Conference. They have beaten division rival Baltimore, considered to be the best team in the conference if not the entire league. Cleveland is ...

Let lack of preparation be a nationwide lesson

As happened in most states when COVID-19 struck and we were all caught entirely unprepared, Ohio over-purchased. Now, much of that stockpile is expiring, and the state is forced to auction off what it can and trash the rest. Ohio auctioned 393,000 protective gowns … for $2,451. The state had to throw away another 7.2 million of them, along with expired masks, gloves and other protective gear. The state paid $29 million in federal money for that equipment. But this isn’t a matter of Ohio being reckless with taxpayer dollars. This is a matter of facing the consequences for a ...

Our state nets a historical marker

Though it may be remembered these days only by those who knew a world before the internet, CompuServe was the gateway to the World Wide Web for hundreds of thousands of us in the early 1990s. And that gateway was opened right here in Ohio — Upper Arlington, to be exact. Last week, the building that housed CompuServe’s headquarters was given a historical marker. “This may be the first historical marker about the internet. Most history is not recognized and celebrated in your lifetime, but this is and it’s really special,” said Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted at the dedication event, ...

To all of our readers, have a wonderful Christmas!

Yes, we realize that today is only the day before the night before Christmas so feel free to set this aside until Sunday evening. The original version of the following piece appeared in the Salem News way back in 2004. The response created back then and each and every year is truly appreciated. ———— Merry Christmas to kids everywhere who tonight will squeeze tightly their eyes and strain to hear reindeer footsteps on the rooftop. They will finally fall asleep in a bed full of warmth and full of dreams. And Merry Christmas to all of us who wish we could still believe in a Santa ...