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Show support for local businesses

Been stuck in the house for a while? Made one last run at the big box store before the snow, ice and frigid temperatures hit and haven’t spent an extra dime since? One day, we will be through this arctic spell. We’ll need to venture out and do a little shopping. Maybe we’ll just be ready to eat at a restaurant after having gone through everything in the pantry at home. When that time comes, consider spending your money with a smaller, locally owned establishment. Those who have either been forced to close or have seen very little traffic because of this weather may be in ...

Correction officer shortage concerning

According to a recent report by the Dayton Daily News, the Ohio state prison system was short more than 500 corrections officers at the end of last year. The Daily News conducted its investigation because Dayton Correctional Institution has the highest rate of openings, at 18.8 percent. Lebanon Correctional Institution has a vacancy rate of 11.5 percent and Warren Correctional Institution has a vacancy rate of 2.4 percent, the newspaper found. Those numbers are an improvement over the worst period in 2022, but still a significant problem for the system. Of course, state officials ...

Fix needed for schools in W.Va.

The state having to take over local school districts, such as what happened earlier this month in Hancock County, has become more common in West Virginia in recent years. Including Hancock County, there are now 10 county school districts out of West Virginia’s 55 that are under some form of state control, whether that’s been through a complete takeover or declaration of a state of emergency, where the county and state are working together to stave off that full takeover. That means nearly one-fifth of the Mountain State’s school districts have found themselves in such peril ...

Weirton going after buildings

Weirton officials are taking additional steps in their efforts to address blight and encourage new development in the city, although it appears everyone will not be happy with this approach. As part of its regular meeting earlier this month, City Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that would establish a vacant building registration program. There are those who have acquired a vast number of buildings in the community during the years, and, for whatever reason, have left them to rot and decay, with no maintenance or improvements, and with no occupancy. ...

Fighting fraud and some frozen funds

Groundwork Ohio is among the organizations that has signed on to a letter from child care groups across the country, asking the federal Administration for Children and Families to continue funding the Child Care Development Block Grant and other resources. Though a federal judge has temporarily blocked a funding freeze to Minnesota, California, Colorado, Illinois and New York, there are still worries other states will have to defend their own child care systems and oversight. According to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, the letter says fraud “at any level is unacceptable ...

WorkOhio can make a difference

“We’re going to be working hard to fill the needs of each region,” said Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel Wednesday, when he visited the Lafayette Hotel in Marietta as part of his WorkOhio Initiative tour. Tressel also talked about opportunities being “a little bit different by region.” That, as he no doubt understands, was an understatement. WorkOhio is supposed to connect Buckeye State residents with jobs and support available through regional job hubs such as the one in Southeast Ohio: Ohio Valley Employment Resource. Those hubs, in turn, work with community connectors that can ...