Breaking News

Editorials

Sharing roads with buses

School buses will be back on the road soon, and drivers who haven’t encountered them in a few months could probably use a refresher before the academic year begins. Ohio’s Traffic Safety Office has a few tips. Remember, the law REQUIRES drivers to stop for a stopped school bus if they are behind the bus; and, if on a two-lane road, if they are in the opposite lane of traffic. Students may be crossing the road after they hop off the bus. Pay attention to whether that stop sign and lights have been activated on the bus. There is no shortage of signals to indicate another driver ...

Cheers & Jeers

CHEERS to Hazel Koveleskie, a 9-year-old Barnesville girl who started Hazel’s Heroes — a club that provides treats and cheer to veterans and first responders. JEERS to word that illnesses among workers during the East Palestine train derailment were hidden from the public. CHEERS to Kirke and Judie Porterfield for their 32 successful years running Kirke’s Homemade Ice Cream in St. Clairsville. JEERS to another bump in the road for the Bohandy Building in Barnesville. While the village wants to sell the property, the path forward is unclear. CHEERS to Dr. Renalto Dela Cruz for ...

Taxing tips — time for change?

Ohio Rep. Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, is working on a piece of legislation that would let hard-working Buckeye State residents keep more of the money they earn, though the details are hazy. According to a report by WCMH, Edwards is sponsoring House Bill 643, which, for now, is meant to “Express intent to exempt tips and gratuities from income tax.” All that is certain, then, is that the General Assembly intends to take a look at the matter. “These aren’t people getting rich. These aren’t millionaires. These are blue collar people that are trying to get by,” Edwards told ...

Transparency lacking in Ohio

Bureaucrats and elected officials in Columbus have gotten quite good at using public money to create what they want us to believe are “private” entities. OneOhio Recovery Foundation, for example, is registered as a private nonprofit organization, despite having been launched by Gov. Mike DeWine and state Attorney General Dave Yost to distribute the public money from settlements of lawsuits related to the opioid epidemic. That organization has rightly received challenges to its attempts to operate with less transparency than would be required of a public entity. Another example is ...

New hotline allows all to help

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. On 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 ...

Using cannabis responsibly

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. 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 consumers. That part seems simple enough. Second, consumers must be over the age of 21 ...