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We are proud to be part of National Newspaper Week

Newspapers and reporters have had a rough few years, as they’ve been lumped in with those in newsertainment who led too many to become distrustful of real journalists. For the men and women working in weekly and daily newspaper newsrooms, the objective is to avoid that twisting, curating and injection of agenda that has been masquerading as “news.” We do so strenuously. Why? Because we know how hard we must work to earn your trust; and that it is our responsibility to accurately and thoroughly report the news of our communities so you, our readers, are as informed as possible. ...

Our universities must lead the way

Freedom of speech has always demanded courage, and courage is the one virtue universities cannot delegate. When free speech becomes fatal speech —as it did recently with the assassination of Charlie Kirk on a college campus — Americans demand — and deserve — a change. As president of Youngstown State University (YSU), I feel compelled to make a commitment to help make that change, and I believe our nation’s university presidents like me can lead the way. The facts already announced by authorities are enough to deduce that the killer of Charlie Kirk opposed the viewpoints he ...

We must protect our electoral integrity

To the editor: I am profoundly convinced that our nation is on the brink of a transformative era. We are poised to forfeit our fundamental right to choose and cast our votes. The current administration appears intent on perpetuating the incumbent president, or the leader of the Trump Party, in power indefinitely, potentially after 2028. This unsettling possibility incites a profound sense of urgency among citizens committed to safeguarding the tenets of democracy. The erosion of voting rights represents not merely a political concern but a threat to the very fabric of our society. If ...

Commends the work of East Liverpool Mayor

To the editor: East Liverpool Mayor Bobby Smith is certainly trying to clean up his city. Recently they condemned and boarded up yet another drug house. I believe, in 2024, he and his administration in conjunction with the Columbiana County Land Bank tore down over 30 structures and this year they are on schedule to tear down at least 32 more! Additionally, since Smith took office, there has been at least 40 drug raids conducted by the Columbiana County Drug Task Force in conjunction with the East Liverpool Police. This in itself is an amazing feat! Although I live in Calcutta, ...

‘Operation Next Door’ brings home message

In naming its latest statewide human trafficking operation, the Ohio Attorney General’s Organized Crime Investigations Commission chose “Operation Next Door” as a way to bring home the message that the people committing these crimes are not distant strangers. They may, indeed, live right next door. With the help of more than 100 law enforcement agencies, 135 people were arrested for seeking to buy sex — some of them from minors, according to state Attorney General Dave Yost’s office. Of those 135, one was from Salem and the other from Canfield. Think of all those in our ...

State close to accepting crypto currency payments

Last week, Ohio moved one step closer to being able to accept crypto currency as payment for state fees and services. The news was greeted with congratulations from officials such as Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. “Ohio has always been a state of pioneers and innovators,” LaRose said. “I want to commend Treasurer (Robert) Sprague, Auditor (Keith) Faber, and Attorney General (Dave) Yost for taking this bold step to position us at the forefront of the emerging digital economy. There’s a reason why we now rank among the top five states in the nation to do business. It’s ...