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Opinion

Lawmakers must take access to care seriously

Editorials

A significant problem is sneaking up for rural Ohioans. Access to health care is disappearing. On Aug. 31, Community Memorial Hospital in Hicksville (Defiance County) closed its doors permanently after having temporarily suspended services. As The Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Ind., points out, Community Memorial faced some of the same financial challenges experienced by many rural hospitals. Meanwhile, there’s another worry in the closure of hundreds of pharmacies. Rite Aid and Walgreens are of particular concern.We have seen closures in our own area. Dave Burke, pharmacist, ...

We all have the right to express candidate support

Editorials

Public discourse has devolved to a dangerous degree as we approach another general election in November — that’s not news. But what is noteworthy is the manner in which public officials who should be held to a higher standard are willing to indulge in frightening rhetoric. Portage County, Ohio, Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski is entitled to his own opinions, of course. But as the chief law enforcement officer for the county, he must be more responsible than he was on social media late last week. Imagine living under the jurisdiction of a man willing to publicly declare “I say … write ...

A win for those working to fight overdose deaths

Editorials

Something is changing the numbers on overdose deaths in Ohio and across the country — and the change is a welcomed one. According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention preliminary data, the Buckeye State in 2023 experienced its first significant decrease in overdose deaths since 2017. Dennis Cauchon, founder and president of Harm Reduction Ohio, told The Statehouse News Bureau he’d been watching the data and by early 2024 realized these were more than just incremental changes. “When I realized it wasn’t a quirk, it made me cry, because every one of these deaths is ...

Trump, Vance advance lies about Springfield

Columns

Springfield is similar to Youngstown and Warren. They’re Rust Belt cities in Ohio that have experienced major declines in population over the last 60 years as the industries and businesses that once helped them thrive left. Despite best efforts and some improvements — such as focusing on rebuilding downtowns and seeking to attract new businesses — the cities still struggle. Springfield saw its population start to increase in 2017 when Haitian immigrants began legally relocating there to get a fresh start and employment after the city attracted some new businesses in need of ...

We must not let fear stop our Democratic process

Editorials

“This must stop, period.” The National Association of Secretaries of State followed that comment on the “disturbing trend” of threats to elections officials and workers and a second apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump by saying “Our democracy has no place for political violence, threats or intimidation of any kind.” Well. It shouldn’t have any place for those things, but they are, sadly, nothing new. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office is among the 15 elections offices across the country that received suspicious packages this week. The packages ...

U.S. deterrence questionable as Iran keeps helping Russia

Editorials

If you want another example of vanishing U.S. deterrence, consider the Biden Administration’s failure to stop Iran from providing Russia with ballistic missiles. Citing unidentified U.S. and European officials, the Wall Street Journal reports that a recent arms shipment from Tehran to Moscow included hundreds of short-range ballistic missiles. Iranian lawmaker Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani this week described how “one part of the barter” with Russia “includes sending missiles” in exchange for food exports and help with sanctions evasion. The authoritarian axis now flaunts how ...