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County fair season arrives

Summer officially arrived at 10:42 p.m. Friday, and that means there will be a lot to do across our region in the coming months — including the opportunity to attend a county fair. The local county fair season opened Monday, when the Harrison County Fair got underway in Cadiz, renewing a tradition that started in 1847. County fairs have a rich tradition of offering something for just about everyone. Whether you enjoy seeing the displays presented by young people, like to admire the area’s top animals, listen to some live music, enjoy hearty helpings of fair food, are looking to ...

Answers for East Palestine

Last week federal officials announced there are finally plans for long-term study of the possible health outcomes after the February 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The National Institutes of Health is launching a five-year, $10 million research initiative. In announcing the effort, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. thanked Vice President JD Vance for continuing to press the matter. “The people of East Palestine have a right to clear, science-backed answers about the impact on their health,” Kennedy said. Once officials have reviewed ...

Positive changes at BMV

Not every technological “upgrade” is a homerun, but at least one improvement in Ohio is paying big dividends for the state and its residents. With a change as simple as allowing certain transactions with the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles to take place online instead of in person, more than 10 million trips to BMV offices have been saved since 2022. Among the options available online are renewal of driver’s licenses or identification cards. More than 608,000 Buckeye State residents have taken advantage of that so far; and now the option has been expanded to commercial ...

Helping our neighbors

As the rain kept coming down over the weekend, West Virginians and others across the nation watched in horror while the number of deaths ticked up and damage mounted because of flash flooding in the northern part of the state. At this writing, eight people are dead; on other is missing. Buildings have collapsed; thousands are without power; homes, businesses and cars have been washed away — the devastation is painful to witness primarily in Ohio and Marion counties. Gov. Patrick Morrisey wasted no time declaring a state of emergency to get what resources are available to where they ...

Curbing impact of social media

Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, has thrown his support behind an effort to keep kids safer when it comes to social media. But the Stop the Scroll Act isn’t about the kinds of online dangers some parents may be thinking. It would create a mental health warning label requirement for social media. “As more and more children and teens use social media, a warning label should be prominently displayed highlighting the potential harms of using social media platforms. The Stop the Scroll Act would help young people grasp the mental health risks that come with social media. I’ll continue to back ...

Act on missing persons changes

Government work groups and task forces don’t always come up with effective solutions (ask the Ohio Redistricting Commission), but the Ohio Missing Persons Working Group appears to have come up with some solid ideas to improve missing persons investigations. According to a report by the Dayton Daily News, Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson announced 18 areas of improvement in matters such as communication between law enforcement and family members, sharing of information among law enforcement agencies, training and education. It’s hard to ...