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Spirit of season remains alive

The name Francis Pharcellus Church stands behind words penned that capture the secular spirit of Christmas and the joy and magic on the faces of children at this time of year. Church was the editor of the New York Sun. During his career he wrote many editorials. Some, no doubt, took the city’s politicians to task for their decisions. Others, more than likely, pointed out good things that happened to residents of the city. But nothing he wrote, we would argue, has had as lasting an impact as an editorial that appeared on Sept. 21, 1897. That was when Church took on the task of ...

Holiday lights offer enjoyment

Look around your neighborhoods — the holiday spirit is alive and well. Twinkling, and even laser, lights, as well as animated holiday characters and giant blow-up figures can be seen outside homes and businesses this time of the year, fostering a creative and often competitive spirit among homeowners and businesses. Decoration contest winners in area communities either have or will shortly be selected as the holiday season hits high gear with Christmas Eve arriving on Wednesday. We pause for just a moment to offer congratulations to the winners and say thanks to all who have ...

Spirit of giving alive in region

Life is getting busy now, with Christmas just a few days away. Activities are starting to pick up, ranging from shopping to baking to family get-togethers and other events that consume so much of our thoughts and time. Please don’t let the hustle and bustle become overwhelming and take over this year. Instead, take a moment or two to reflect. Look at your family and friends, neighbors or even the average passerby. Some might be struggling through unemployment and could be finding it difficult to take care of their basic necessities. Even those who have full-time jobs might ...

Ohio must do better with maternity care

Officials have known for years there are maternal health care challenges in Ohio, but it always comes as a shock to see the numbers. This month, the state Department of Health announced it is hosting training sessions for some new programs meant to help prevent the deaths of mothers due to pregnancy-related complications. Such programs are necessary because in the Buckeye State an average of 24 mothers die every year during pregnancy or within one year of the end of their pregnancy, because of pregnancy-related complications. The Department of Health says 62 percent of these deaths ...

Keeping older population safe

Our region’s population is aging, and that growing older population is increasingly vulnerable to a number of abuses. Sometimes they fall victim to complex scams in this digital age. Sometimes they fall prey to those on whom they should most be able to rely. WalletHub estimates elder abuse is an issue that costs more than $2.3 billion per year. But the human toll is incalculable. Certainly, policymakers do their best to put in place measures to stem everything from gross neglect and exploitation to financial abuse. But some parts of the country are doing better than others. ...

Season of line breaks arrives

Some weather forecasts are predicting a big jump in temperatures later this week, and the high temperatures across the Tri-State Area appear to be heading into the upper 40s – and even the 50s – during the next several days. That, no doubt, will be welcome after our area has experienced a couple of days of below-freezing temperatures that came on the heels of Saturday’s snowstorm. One area of caution to consider, though, is that when such extreme cold temperatures are followed by a sudden warm up — water line breaks become a threat. Residents of our region are familiar ...