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Grateful for downtown Lisbon veterans banners

Dear Editor: I wish to send my congratulations to all those responsible for the banners in downtown Lisbon honoring our veterans. The banners are of high quality and easy to see. They are a very fitting tribute to those who served to protect the freedoms that we enjoy every day. C Ashley Pike Winona

Act like citizens instead of sports fans

Dear Editor, Politics are not a team sport. It’s not the same as sticking with the Browns or the Steelers no matter how bad the season. The political process is about choosing the right people who can lead a government in ways that support its citizens. Right now our state government has allowed Ohio to drop from having the fifth best school system in the country (2010) to the 35th. Our infant mortality rate is the fifth worst in the country. Who is suffering from our loyalty to a political team? Our children. In sports the owners of the teams can spend millions to ...

Suggestions in response to Firestone Park: Postings in the Park column

Dear Editor, My letter is in reference to the June 5, 2026 article, “Postings in the Park,” written by Pat Tingle. Pat asked for suggestions on how to improve the “dismal” appearance of the park gardens. I worked at Firestone Park for four-and-a-third years. Because I took ownership of my designated gardens, they received my excellent care. Often the work load was overwhelming; however, it was a privilege being surrounded by all the beauty in the Firestone “Flower” Park – that was my name for the gardens. My boss, Keith Kaiser, resigned mid-May 2025. After he resigned, ...

A True Fourth of July: Perry Township Annexation Decision by the Ohio Supreme Court

Dear Editor, As I and my neighbors have waited for, the State of Ohio legal system still has some common sense. The Ohio Supreme Court has refused to hear the case of City of Salem vs Columbiana County Board of Commissioners et al. I would like to say our Perry Township has won the battle, but neither side really wins due to the high costs of the legal fees. We do retain our independence, identity, and our Perry Township services, which are second to none. The purpose of this letter is to thank the individuals responsible for the successful outcome of the idiotic attempt to annex ...

Ohio cannot afford a cap on credit card interest rates

Earlier this year, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced legislation to cap credit card interest rates at 10%. Since then, other U.S. Senators have put forward additional proposals to cap rates. As a longtime elected official in Columbiana County in Appalachian Ohio, I can say with certainty that any cap on interest rates misses the mark on what members of our community need. Over the last several years, Columbiana County has been a hotbed of new investment and economic development. Main Street storefronts that once sat empty are being filled. Small businesses are the backbone ...

They want ALL of MORE money

Dear Editor, As a county property owner I have a vested interest in the recent County Commissioner’s discussion regarding changes to the homestead tax exemption as reported in the Morning Journal. As we all should know, due to the recently completed county triennial property assessment of (unrealized) gains, valuations have increased up to 36%, with the county auditor not having released that total valuation increase to date (I wonder why). As we are taxed on 35% of a property’s assessed value, our taxes are going up, i.e. more revenue than previous periods for every party with a ...