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Celebrations can carry some risk

The Fourth of July is a time traditionally shared with family picnics and get-togethers. Many of those celebrations will be accompanied by a few bangs, booms and splashes of color and sparks. And, while we hope everyone will have a good time, we ask, once again, that you leave the fireworks to the professionals. Summer, especially the weeks that surround the Independence Day holiday, offers the promise of relaxing, care-free enjoyment, but this time of year can be dangerous. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were an estimated 14,700 fireworks-related ...

Working to improve safety of school buses

House Bill 3 made its way to the Ohio Senate after having encountered no naysayers during the House of Representatives vote June 11. It seems unlikely there will be much resistance in the state Senate, either, as the School Bus Safety Act includes some important ways to keep students and drivers safer. Most drivers know the rules regarding driving safely when school buses are on the road. Too many ignore them anyway. According to the National Safety Council, between 2013 and 2022 there were 1,082 fatalities and approximately 132,000 injuries as a result of school-bus related crashes. ...

Working to keep region’s skin safe

As we’ve all been surviving under the rays of the hot summer sun in recent days, one organization has been working to offer extra protection for area residents who are spending their days outdoors. The Hancock County Family Support Center, a division of the Brooke Hancock Family Resource Network, has installed portable sunscreen stations at five area parks. Throughout much of the year, visitors to Chester City Park, Clarke Field in Newell and New Cumberland City Park, as well as Marland Heights Park and Starvaggi Memorial Park in Weirton, will be able to find the yellow, ...

Caution needed as heat builds

Along with the arrival of astronomical summer — which happened at 10:42 p.m. Friday — has come a brutal heat wave, a stretch of extreme weather that means we all should be aware of the potential for severe health risks. According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, the Tri-State Area will be under a heat advisory or an extreme heat warning through Wednesday. While the air temperature is expected to reach into the 90s, the heat index likely will be climbing into the 100s. That extreme heat and high humidity can lead to serious health issues. More people in this ...

Stop the Scroll Act good place to start

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 might 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 ...

County fair season has finally arrived

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 Tri-State Area’s county fair season opens Monday, when the Harrison County Fair gets 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, ...