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Fairs provide a throwback variety of entertainment

There’s no glitz, glamour or full-scale high-tech wizardry used to awe which seems to be needed — or felt is needed — in this day and age of providing entertainment. No fancy 21st century version whistles, horns or gimmicks are involved. No, the summer fairs in our area like the 178th Columbiana County Fair, which officially opens Monday, and the upcoming Canfield Fair, which opens August 30 for its 177th year, are two examples of what is right with our area. Fairs provide good, old fashioned entertainment for the young, old and all in between. And you don’t need a tankful of ...

GUEST COLUMN: Local news remains good for business

It’s no secret that recent years have been tough on small businesses and on newspapers. A bipartisan bill, the “Community News & Small Business Support Act,” that has been introduced in Congress would offer relief to both newspapers and local businesses. For too many newspapers, help ...

Let this be a reminder for law enforcement officers

At least one Circleville police officer and perhaps the entire department have some questions to answer after Ohio State Highway Patrol bodycam footage has been released of a disturbing July 4 incident. Truck driver Jadarrius Rose led law enforcement on a chase after he skipped an inspection stop. According to a report by WOIO, the chase did not end until stop sticks were deployed on U.S. 35 in Jackson County. However, Rose then appeared to have decided to cooperate. He stopped and exited the vehicle. At that point, troopers can be heard in the video clearly warning the local ...

Speed Awareness Day is a safety reminder for all

Ohio drivers get their share of criticism. For goodness sake, even the Ohio Department of Transportation felt the need to gently remind those traveling on some major highways to “Live in the moment, not the left lane.” But a more serious problem for Ohio drivers is that we are among 11 states in which there is a continued trend of speeding and dangerous driving that has lead to death and serious injuries. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, a July 26 Speed Awareness Day enforcement campaign is meant to address that trend here and in Arkansas, ...

Parkinson’s legislation is crucial for research

Among the items in Ohio’s newly passed state budget is a requirement that the Ohio Department of Health “establish and maintain a Parkinson’s disease registry for the collection and monitoring of the incidence of Parkinson’s disease in Ohio.” They’ve got two years to do it, but judging by concerns about the scant information available on the subject, it sounds as though officials should lose no time getting the ball rolling. “There’s really no clear cut and dry number that says there’s X number of people in Northeast Ohio that suffer from Parkinson’s Disease,” ...

Investigation is reminder that we all must be alert

Most of us have seen the signs posted in public restrooms, or flyers distributed at large events in an attempt to give victims of human trafficking a way to get help. And for the most part, people glance at those things, assume the messages have nothing to do with them and ignore them. The truth is we must all be vigilant, watching for indicators that should be reported or a person who needs help. It sounds as though that is exactly what happened in Pickerington, where a business called Massage Experts is being investigated for suspicion of acting as a front for human trafficking, ...