Breaking News

Editorials

Appreciate our teachers

While the landscape of our education systems has gone through many changes in recent years – from increased state support for private schools and charter schools, to ongoing efforts at the federal level to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education – there is one thing that remains true; our teachers deserve appreciation and respect. Educators play an important role in our society, providing guidance and advice, often not just in the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic, but also in possible pathways for youth to accomplish their goals. Tuesday was recognized as National ...

The Ohio Valley comes together

One week ago, our region experienced what meteorologists classified as a derecho – a large-scale storm producing straight-line winds – which left thousands of area residents without power, many for multiple days. First, we wish to take this opportunity to offer thanks to the employees of FirstEnergy/MonPower and AEP, as well as all of the outside crews brought into our area to assist in restoring electricity and other services for our residents and businesses. The fact few areas were spared from damage, and it took several days to address every need, shows just how widespread the ...

Stop the hate

If it seems as though in recent years the atmosphere has become more charged with hate and division — perhaps even to the point of being dangerous — you’re not imagining things. Hate crimes are on the rise. To examine one category, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reports anti-Jewish hate crimes increased by 63% between 2023 and 2024. It seems as though the trend is not letting up. Earlier this month, an Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar in Miamisburg, Ohio, had to shut down for part of a weekend after it was tagged with anti-semitic graffiti, according to a report by ...

Exercise your right to vote

It may not seem as if there is an election in Ohio this Tuesday, but there is, and while the ballots may look small they are just as important for many of our communities. This weekend marks the final days of in-person early voting in Ohio, with the polls officially opening Tuesday morning. Locally, much of the action will be focused on races in Steubenville and Toronto, along with the statewide effort to renew the ballot issues known as Issue 2. Steubenville voters are being asked to select their next mayor from between Republicans Kimberly Hahn and Ralph A. Petrella. No ...

Ending the power drain in Ohio

Ohio lawmakers finally acted in concert to rid Ohioans of a nearly $400,000 a day burden when they voted to end the subsidies for two outdated and unprofitable coal-fired power plants — one of which is in Indiana. The Ohio Valley Electric Corp. plants had been getting bailed out by a “legacy generation rider” in the infamous House Bill 6, back in 2019. For some, subsidies in HB 6 for coal-fired plants were deemed worse than those for nuclear plants, as the 1950s-era coal-fired plants were producing electricity that wasn’t needed, and are significant polluters. “It was an ...

The Red Cross is here to help

Our region is no stranger to natural disasters and other emergencies. And, as federal officials tell states more frequently that they are on their own after flooding and catastrophic storms, the assistance we can expect is changing. But while states such as West Virginia, Arkansas and Washington are figuring out how they will fend for themselves, residents know one thing is not changing. The Red Cross will be there to help. The American Red Cross depends on people helping people — mostly volunteers willing to do the work, lend a hand, and be there when someone else is in need. And ...