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Opinion

Endorsement too early

Editorials

Ohio Republicans jumped the gun in what some news outlets are reporting as one of the earliest gubernatorial endorsements in the party’s history. Last week, the state GOP announced its endorsement of Vivek Ramaswamy, former co-chair of the federal Department of Government Efficiency, nearly a year before the 2026 primary election. This move comes despite members of the State Central Committee not even knowing yet who might enter the race. Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel says he is considering a bid for governor. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has already made his intentions clear. And the ...

Thank local police officers

Editorials

Ahead of this National Police Week, law enforcement officers across the state traveled through their communities as part of Operation Blue Sky. It was a recognition of officers serving now AND those who have sacrificed their lives while protecting the rest of us. It is a local reflection of a nationwide effort to honor officers — not just in the U.S., but around the world. Many of them will head to Washington, D.C., for Police Officers Memorial Day and to participate in other Police Week events. Organizers of the national event say “We are dedicated to honoring the service and ...

Shore up, don’t slash, Medicaid

Editorials

Elected officials across the country are bracing for proposed cuts to Medicaid as the federal government looks to change the way it spends taxpayer dollars. According to a report by The Commonwealth Fund, Ohio is among the five states that would see the greatest economic losses from cuts to Medicaid funding. California, New York, Texas and Pennsylvania are the others. Authors of the fund’s report say “Medicaid drives employment in the health care sector; generates state and local tax revenue; and saves money for enrollees, allowing them to spend more on items other than health ...

Advocating for Quality Care

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, May is Older Americans Month, a perfect time to highlight the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program at Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities, which serves some of Ohio’s most vulnerable older adults. While the term “Ombudsman” might not be familiar to everyone, the mission is clear: advocating for individuals receiving long-term care services. Whether in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult group homes, or through in-home care, Ombudsmen work to empower, educate, and amplify the voices of individuals to ensure quality of care and ...

Ohio’s Energy Impact: At the Core of Our Daily Lives

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Ohio’s energy industry is the backbone of modern life — powering our homes, fueling our vehicles and driving our economy. Affordable, reliable energy isn’t just a convenience — it’s essential to life as we know it in Ohio and across the globe. Our recent report, The Essential Facts on Essential Ohio Energy, showcases that Ohio stands as a national leader in energy, ranking 10th in overall energy production and 8th in electricity generation. Natural gas is at the heart of this success, supplying nearly 60% of the state’s electricity. Its impact is felt in ...

Changing our region for the better with workers and technology

Columns

It is hard to believe the first Star Wars movie was released in 1977, almost 50 years ago. The droids (robots) were important characters. People talked to the droids as they would with any human. The droids in Star Wars do tasks like humans do today. Some of you may remember The Jetsons, a TV cartoon in the 1960s about a family living 100 years in the future. They had a flying car. Their housekeeper was a robot who did the cooking, laundry and house cleaning. My wife, Lynnda wants to have a robot to do household tasks. The closest we have is a couple of circle bot carpet sweepers. What ...