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Letters to the Editor

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 ...

A call for accuracy in telling Salem’s story

Dear Editor, I recently read an article in the Salem News about John Brown’s ties to Salem through Edwin Coppoc. While the piece, attributed to the Lisbon Historical Society, highlighted an important part of our local history, it also contained several inaccuracies that merit correction. First, the article stated that all of John Brown’s men were captured and killed. This is incorrect. Owen Brown, Barclay Coppoc, and Osborne Anderson all escaped capture. Barclay Coppoc remained in the Salem area for a time, moving frequently as a wanted man, before later joining the Union Army, ...

House Bill 849 provides tools to protect youth

Dear Editor, HB 849 gives communities like Wellsville the tools necessary to protect kids. For communities like Wellsville, we don’t have the luxury of ignoring things until they become a crisis. When illegal, unregulated vape products flood into convenience stores, smoke shops, and eventually school parking lots and ballfields, our local leaders, parents, teachers, and law enforcement are the ones left dealing with the consequences. That is why Ohio lawmakers should pass HB 849. For too long, the vapor marketplace has operated in a confusing and unstable environment ...

Not all battles are fought in the flames

Our hearts are completely overwhelmed by the love, support, and generosity shown during the April 18fundraiser for Salineville Volunteer Fire Chief, Jeff Lewis, in his battle against cancer. A special thank you to the Salineville Volunteer Fire Department, the Highlandtown Fire Department, Lisbon Fire Department, Summitville Volunteer Fire Department, fellow first responders and their families, the Salineville Assembly of God, Salineville Kiwanis, Chef Ray’s, Graft Electric, Salineville BK Beverage, Calcutta Auto Parts, Fred and Sharon Robinson, Sandy Wright, Pam Heath, Nicki ...