Breaking News

Opinion

Voter support for school levies increases in 2025 primary election

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: Voters across Ohio approved nearly two-thirds of the school tax issues on the May 6 primary election ballot. Voters approved 64 out of 99 school tax issues, yielding a 64% passage rate. This is markedly higher than the 2024 primary election, when voters approved 41 out of 78 school tax issues, a 52% passage rate. Support for new tax issues also grew. Voters approved 19 of 47 new school tax requests, or 40%, up from just 13% (3 of 22 issues) in the 2024 primary. Strong support for renewal school tax proposals continued, with 44 of the 49 issues earning approval, an ...

Natural gas and oil essential for Ohioans

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: Ohio’s energy industry is the backbone of modern life—powering our homes, fueling our vehicles and driving our economy. Affordable, reliable energy isn’t just a convenience—it’s essential to life as we know it in Ohio and across the globe. Our recent report, The Essential Facts on Essential Ohio Energy, showcases that Ohio stands as a national leader in energy, ranking tenth in overall energy production and eighth in electricity generation. Natural gas is at the heart of this success, supplying nearly 60% of the state’s electricity. Its impact is felt in ...

Medicaid funding cuts would hit Ohioans hard

Editorials

Elected officials across the country are bracing for proposed cuts to Medicaid as the federal government looks to change the way it spends taxpayer dollars. In West Virginia, Republican U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito is concerned enough about how such cuts would affect her state that she has emphasized the need to root out fraud, institute a work requirement and include other accountability measures before looking to cuts. But, according to a report by The Commonwealth Fund, Ohio is among the five states that would see the greatest economic losses from cuts to Medicaid funding. ...

To all the good moms: Have a great weekend

Editorials

A very heartfelt happy Mother’s Day weekend along with roses, hugs and smooches for all the good moms out there — from the first-time mothers to elderly moms who realize that being a parent does not end when a child became an adult. Granted, there are many “bad” moms out there. We all know who they are. This tribute isn’t for them. But aren’t we lucky to have oh so many great moms around here? There are no age boundaries. A parent is always a parent. And the good ones realize that and pass it along to their children — with heaps of affection shown throughout the years in ...

America has resources to confront China’s extortion

Columns

It is no secret that China has weaponized control of the world’s mineral supply chains. We’ve already seen this when both the Biden and Trump administrations challenged China’s unfair trade practices. Beijing has responded by simply restricting or banning the export of minerals needed for America’s economy and defense industrial base. China’s ever-growing chokehold on mineral supply chains—and U.S. reliance on imports—has been America’s Achilles’ heel for more than a decade. According to recent government analysis, the U.S. is import-reliant for 40 critical minerals, ...

Help needed with Lisbon’s fireworks event

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: I’m told it has been decades since fireworks have lit the sky of this amazing Village in celebration of Independence Day. I am so proud that this community is pulling together to, once again, enjoy a Fourth of July celebration…albeit on the 3rd of July! Volunteers are planning an afternoon of activities including bands, inflatables, food trucks and, of course, fireworks. We’re doing all this without an admission fee! Our desire to bring fireworks back to Lisbon is simply to bring a day of community to our Village. A day where we take a break from day-to-day ...