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Ohio unit doing its job

As officials at the federal level go on and on about reducing spending on Medicare and Medicaid by eliminating fraud, waste and abuse, officials at the state level are showing they’ve already been working diligently on that front. Earlier this month, the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed indictments against nine Medicaid providers accused of stealing a total of $1.2 million from the program. These suspects are home health aides and mental health specialists who are accused of billing Medicaid for services they did not actually provide. One suspect, James Ferguson, 28, ...

Good news for Ohio businesses

Ohioans have always had an entrepreneurial and adventurous spirit. But according to a new report by CNBC, it now has the pro-business credentials to match. The news outlet ranked the top states in the country for business in 2025, and the Buckeye State landed at fifth. (For comparison, neighboring West Virginia ranked 40th.) In fact, the only category in which Ohio received a letter grade below a C was for workforce, for which the state received a D+. But aside from that area, Ohio is first in the country for infrastructure, second for cost of doing business and sixth for technology ...

Disasters deepen need for blood

Disasters near and far have deepened the desire in many to help — to somehow do something amid all this suffering and struggle. In many of the hardest hit places, the American Red Cross is helping — and if we can’t be involved in those direct efforts, we can certainly do something to help that organization fulfill its mission. Part of that mission is, of course, keeping hospital shelves stocked with blood and blood products. The need for that never ceases. At the moment, the organization is asking especially for those with type O to donate blood, though all types are ...

Barnesville project a plus

Although we understand the concerns of Barnesville residents who opposed the demolition of several structures in the center of the community’s historic downtown district, we were pleased to learn that the site will soon be home to a new development designed to mesh with the character of that area. Earlier this month, it was announced that an office building will be built at the northwest corner of Main and Chestnut Streets at an estimated cost of $3.5 million. The developer — T.J. Jefferis — is a well-known village resident who has already worked on a variety of projects in the ...

You can help, too

Volunteer fire departments across the Buckeye State are experiencing reduced staffing levels at the same time they are receiving an increased number of calls. Of course, most of those who are working in those departments also have full-time jobs; and for many, those jobs are also jobs of service. That’s why the State Fire Marshal Division and Ohio Department of Transportation took a moment Tuesday to recognize the more than 70 ODOT employees who also serve as volunteer firefighters or emergency medical technicians. The event focused on employees in ODOT Districts 5, 9, 10 and 11 in ...

Cheers & Jeers

CHEERS to to news that the village of Belmont straightened out its loan issues and is ready to break ground on a new firehouse. JEERS to extreme weather events that continue to catch people across the country off guard.Do your part to keep your family safe, Get a NOAA weather radio. Take warnings seriously. CHEERS to all who stepped up to help when a woman experienced a medical emergency at the public pool in Martins Ferry on Saturday. Although she did not survive, they did their best to save her. JEERS to a mixup that left several vehicle owners stranded after they fueld up at ...