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Lawmakers drop the ball

If watching Congress has not been enough to make you wonder whether elected officials worry about doing any real work, or remember who they serve, Ohio lawmakers seem eager to answer with “No, not really.” They missed their first deadline for congressional redistricting, on Sept. 30, according to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal. Despite Buckeye State voters demanding action when they passed a constitutional amendment back in 2018, members of the General Assembly appear to have decided they’d rather not bother to work together to pass a bipartisan map in the allotted time. ...

Cheers & Jeers

CHEERS to all who turned out for a meet the candidate event in Shadyside on Tuesday. Those willing to serve, and those who want to learn about them before voting, are to be commended. JEERS to any service disruptions that will affect local residents as the federal government shutdown in Washington, D.C., unfolds. CHEERS to word that Youngstown State University is looking at the former Eastern Gateway Community College site as a potential satellite campus that would make college classes available in Jefferson County again. JEERS to Ohio’s Joint Committee on Congressional ...

Ohio must use caution with crypto

Last week, Ohio moved one step closer to being able to accept crypto currency as payment for state fees and services. The news was greeted with congratulations from officials such as Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. “Ohio has always been a state of pioneers and innovators,” LaRose said. “I want to commend Treasurer (Robert) Sprague, Auditor (Keith) Faber, and Attorney General (Dave) Yost for taking this bold step to position us at the forefront of the emerging digital economy. There’s a reason why we now rank among the top five states in the nation to do business. It’s ...

Halting human trafficking

In naming its latest statewide human trafficking operation, the Ohio Attorney General’s Organized Crime Investigations Commission chose “Operation Next Door” as a way to bring home the message that these criminals are not distant strangers. With the help of more than 100 law enforcement agencies, 135 people were arrested for seeking to buy sex — some of them from minors, according to state Attorney General Dave Yost’s office. Of those 135, one was from Weirton. Just next door. In total, 103 were arrested for seeking to buy sex; 32 were arrested on felony charges ...

Preparing the workforce

New manufacturing employers may not be banging down the door (or fulfilling their promises) to build in Ohio as state officials might once have hoped, but the Buckeye State is already home to plenty of manufacturers looking to grow. They also hope Ohio’s workforce learns and grows along with them. So the state has developed the Ohio’s Manufacturing Workforce Blueprint — a strategy for meeting that need. “Ohio’s manufacturers are a crucial part of our state’s economy, contributing 17.5% of our GDP and employing more than 680,000 Ohioans,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “With ...

Well-deserved honors

A little more than a week ago, the St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce did something we typically do not do often enough — it recognized the achievements and contributions of several of its members. During its annual dinner on Sept. 18, where Wheeling’s own Craig Karges entertained the crowd with a blend of magic and psychology, the chamber honored United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley Executive Director Staci Stephen as its Service Above Self Person of the Year. The Business of the Year award went to Belco Works, courtesy of sponsor WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital. Erb ...