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Statewide hotline will be a tool against trafficking

Editorials

Ohioans can no longer pretend human trafficking is not a plague affecting our state as it does the entire country. But too many are still reluctant to “get involved” when they see something that raises suspicions. Last Wednesday, during the fifth annual Human Trafficking Summit in Columbus, state Attorney General Dave Yost announced a new tool for those looking for a way to fight the problem. A statewide hotline – 844-END-OHHT (844-363-6448) – will send incoming tips on suspected sex and labor trafficking directly to law enforcement when it goes live later this year. “It’s ...

Race spotlights abortion and reproductive rights

Columns

Abortion and women’s reproductive rights are major election issues, particularly since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago. It’s no different in the U.S. Senate race in Ohio between Sherrod Brown, the incumbent Democratic senator seeking his fourth six-year term, and Republican Bernie Moreno, a former car dealer and blockchain owner. The matchup is considered one of the most competitive Senate races in the country and could decide which political party controls the upper chamber. In Ohio, voters approved a constitutional amendment in November to ensure ...

Editorials

With the official start of legal adult recreational marijuana sales in Ohio, there are plenty of people eager to make a purchase. Wire service photos showed lines of potential customers wrapping around buildings in some cities. We ran some of those showing up early in East Liverpool — the county’s only outlet. While that may be good news for those business owners — and therefore the economies in which they operate — excitement could turn sour quickly for those who do not understand (and obey) the laws. First, there is a distinction between medical consumers and recreational ...

Financial management receives rating upgrade

Editorials

It can be difficult to trust elected officials with our tax dollars, given how often we learn of instances of fraud, waste, abuse or simply poor decisions regarding our money. But in Ohio, residents have gotten some third-party confirmation that there is reason for confidence. Standard & Poor’s has upgraded its global ratings for Ohio’s Major New State Infrastructure Project Revenue Bonds to AA+. This comes after the ratings agency last year upgraded Ohio’s issuer default and general obligation bond ratings to AAA. These are important indications that at least some aspects of ...

Draft school religion mandates with care

Editorials

Don’t look now, but another unfunded mandate from the state of Ohio is coming soon to a neighborhood school near you. That mandate comes in the form of the RED Act, approved by the Ohio Legislature recently and signed into law last week by Gov. Mike DeWine. The Religious Expression Days act requires boards of education throughout the state’s 600-plus school districts as well as charter schools, STEM schools and college-preparatory boarding schools to adopt a policy that reasonably accommodates the sincerely held religious beliefs and practices of all students. Those policies must ...

Head injuries to law officers overlooked

Editorials

Awareness of the consequences of head injuries for athletes has grown considerably in recent years. We know now that their mental health and behavior can be dramatically affected by head injuries. A study by Ohio State University’s Chronic Brain Injury program, which was published Monday in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, says one group has been overlooked in the move toward better concussion surveillance. In surveying Ohio law enforcement officers, researchers discovered 74% reported a lifetime history of one or more head injuries — 30% of which reported to have ...