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Republicans gain edge in Ohio Supreme Court races

Columns

Before the 2022 election, Ohio Supreme Court justice candidates ran in partisan primaries and then had their party affiliation removed for the general election. Of course, the parties backed their candidates, spending money building them up and sometimes attacking their opponents. But without affiliation on the general election ballot, numerous people weren’t aware of who was a Republican and who was a Democrat. We can talk about judicial philosophy, but voters largely decide who to support in these races based on party affiliation and name recognition. Republicans, who control ...

Ohio GOP prioritizes religion not students

Editorials

In the absence of a viable, fair and constitutional school funding formula in Ohio, state lawmakers have decided instead to focus on manipulating the language of the state constitution to allow them to spend taxpayer dollars where THEY want to spend. A look at school funding by Columbus TV station WCMH shows more than $5.5 million in tax money is being used to support renovation projects at private schools, in part because of their link to the state’s education voucher program. WCMH reports there is funding in the form of grant payments for 11 private schools, hidden in the one-time ...

ODOT reports 58 road crews hit so far this year

Editorials

Frustrated with road work all over Ohio? Imagine how the workers must feel, as careless drivers zip by, ignoring the speed limit and traffic direction. It’s dangerous work, though it should be much less so. Monday, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced 58 road crews have been hit on the job so far this year. That surpasses last year’s total. Who knows what might happen once the weather gets colder and perhaps snowier? Back in June, an ODOT worker was killed in a work zone accident on Ohio 60 in Muskingum County. “It is with a heavy heart that I share the devastating ...

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 ...