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Opinion

Halt utility shutoffs

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Summer is almost here, and with it will come deadly heat waves supercharged by the climate crisis. Yet in 27 states, it’s perfectly legal for utility companies to shut off electricity on the hottest days of summer, leaving individuals and families without air conditioning in extreme temperatures and threatening their health and safety. Shutting off power and preventing access to lifesaving air conditioning in the summer can have life-or-death consequences. We need to shine a spotlight on this critical issue and raise our voices to demand change. Utility ...

Another year, another successful Tiny Tot Trot

Columns

The Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend and the Tiny Tot Trot have come and gone with another successful event on the books. The weather was cool last weekend, which was perfect for those running the Half Marathon or competing in the Tough as Nails Urban Challenge. But no chill in the air was going to keep our littlest participants from stretching their legs and making a dash for the finish line. Once again, we created a fun, festive atmosphere for the children, complete with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Parrot and Pierogies, games, toys, music and lots and lots of bubbles. Although I ...

Sunshine, celebrations and small-town charm

Columns

Summer is here, and with it comes a season full of events in Belmont County! Whether you’re a fan of food festivals, historic traditions, or live entertainment, there’s something happening nearly every weekend across our communities. It’s officially festival season—and there’s no better place to enjoy it than friendly, beautiful Belmont County. Memorial Day weekend kicked off a jam-packed summer, and we’ve already hit the ground running. Just this weekend, we welcomed visitors to events like the Barnesville Airport Day, and the first Ohio Valley Farmers Market of the ...

More than words — non-verbal communication crucial for humans

Columns

My daughter, Dannielle, her husband and Arnie, their 7-year-old golden retriever came home for Memorial Day weekend. Arnie can’t speak a word of English but has a large vocabulary. Words like treat, outside, toy, food and bedtime are commonly understood by most dogs. Arnie takes communication to another level with his eyes, facial expressions, grunts and barks. I have seen Arnie’s frustration when his masters don’t understand his various grunts. Dannielle knowns when Arnie grunts at 9 p.m. it’s time for his dental treat. I have no idea how he knows the time. Sitting at my ...

Congratulations, spellers!

Editorials

Brett Kuprowicz, an incoming freshman at Bridgeport High School, represented Belmont County at the Scripps National Spelling Bee last week, spelling his word in the preliminary round of competition correctly but missing an answer in the definition portion of the competition. Spelling under number 174, he took the stage Tuesday afternoon and, in Round Two, correctly spelled “muktuk,” an Aleut word for whale skin used as food; however, he missed the definition for “declamatory,” which is: “Characterized by rhetorical display.” As a result, he was eliminated Tuesday, but he ...

Funding for schools

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Re: Constitutional Amendment: a group called Citizens for Property Tax Reform is pushing for a constitutional amendment to eliminate property taxes in Ohio, and this proposal has been certified by the Ohio Ballot Board. Ohio Governor (Mike) Dewine: If property taxes are eliminated our Ohio school systems cannot function without funding from property taxes and Ohio income taxes. My thoughts about this is: what happened to the Ohio Lottery funding for supporting our school system? If property taxes are eliminated then the lottery money is available, ...