Breaking News

Opinion

Political gains and what is best for Ohioans not always the same

Editorials

State lawmakers are going to have to start making difficult decisions about where they want to gain political points and where they want to do better for Ohioans. The two goals are not always reached by the same path. Continued economic uncertainty, rising food insecurity and proposed changes at the federal level to programs such as the Community Eligibility Provision mean hundreds of thousands of students could be at even greater risk of being hungry throughout their school day (and beyond). But a bill proposed by state Sens. Bill Blessing, R-Colerain Twp., and Kent Smith, D-Euclid, ...

Vaccination against influenza can still be effective precaution

Editorials

While lawmakers in neighboring states debate loosening vaccine requirements for school-aged children, Ohio is facing a frightening example of how quickly potentially dangerous (and deadly) illnesses can spread. In fact, doctors in the Buckeye State are stressing that even at this point in the season, it is important to get vaccinated against influenza — if you have not done so already. Among those urging getting the flu shot was Dr. Mia Antinone, Ohio Health’s family resident physician, who spoke with WSYX after the state recorded its first pediatric flu death of the 2024-25 ...

Number of local pharmacies shrinking as need is growing

Editorials

A significant percentage of Ohioans rely on prescription medication to maintain their health. As our population grows, so, too, does the number of people in need of the services of a local pharmacy. Yet, according to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, pharmacies in the Buckeye State are closing at an alarming rate. The number of openings of retail outpatient pharmacies peaked in 2015. Then, the trend reversed. In 2016, there were a record number of closings. Closures continued — in 2023 there were 55 closures, and over the following year there were 191. Using the Ohio Board of ...

Help available to recover damaged brownfield sites

Editorials

Site readiness is a pressing challenge for many communities looking to attract larger employers and shore up their economies. And in our region some sites that could be appealing to developers bear the scars of their previous use. They are not ready because in another era they were used for industrial, commercial or institutional purposes that left their mark. Such properties are dotted all over Ohio, but there is help available to get them back to showroom condition. Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik have announced another $50 million in grant ...

Explaining America’s health care free speech movement

Columns

Why should you join America’s health care free speech movement? You may have already enlisted if you’ve had the gnawing feeling that the well-known patterns of health care debate conceal some as yet unrevealed primal reality that block important issues from being joined. You’d be right. There may be a few thousand people nationwide who are occasional health care free speechers, although they don’t call themselves that. Among them are a few lawyers, some academics, a handful of medical doctors, and independent theoreticians and citizen-dissenters. Consider this: historians ...

An empathetic view on the St. Clair Township shooting tragedy

Letters to the Editor

To the Editor: So many stories have been told about the horrible incident that happened in St. Clair Township on Jan. 22. Fact: two people died and their beautiful families are devastated, their lives will never be the same. Fact: A police officer was severely wounded and he/his family are devastated and their lives will never be the same. I want to tell you a little bit about Joseph Como. Joe was a young man with a terrible illness — schizophrenia. There are people who are referring to him as a horrible or evil person, but the fact is Joe was neither of these things. Joe was ...