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Spirit of 1776 remains alive

We cannot describe the spirit of freedom any better than those who created the document which led the nation toward the actions which we celebrate on Thursday. The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should ...

Fireworks part of celebration

We ask everyone to take a moment during the next couple of days and remember that, despite whatever differences we have, there are few nations in the world where citizens are able to gather to celebrate the freedoms residents of the United States of America too often take for granted. It’s an important thought as our nation prepares to celebrate its 248th birthday on Thursday. The Fourth of July is a true national holiday, one that is celebrated from the smallest township to the largest city. It’s a day of picnics, family gatherings, parades and summer fun, all played out ...

Our students deserve better

It appears Ohio still doesn’t do a very good job of assessing and monitoring the non-public schooling options available to families. Lessons that should have been learned over and over — remember the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow and the tens of millions of dollars it owed the state for its failures? — just aren’t sinking in. Most recently, we learn three of the ACCEL schools that opened in Ohio have had to be shut down because of lead paint and asbestos concerns. According to a report by WKBN-TV in Youngstown, it was the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that finally ...

Have some fun, but stay safe

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 9,700 fireworks-related ...

Give them credit: The American Red Cross knows when to make alliances with adversaries, if it will help it complete its mission. With the startlingly high number of tornadoes this season, the Red Cross notes “It’s vital for blood donors to make time in between summer celebrations to give blood and help ensure lifesaving blood products are ready the moment they are needed in times of disaster or where severe weather may prevent people from being able to donate.” The Tri-State Area has not been immune to damage caused by storms — a tornado in May struck parts of Jefferson, ...

Thunder in the Ville a summer tradition

Area residents will start the countdown to the Fourth of July holiday this weekend in Wintersville. Thunder in the Ville, which will run Friday and Saturday, has for nearly three decades served as the Tri-State Area’s unofficial start of the Independence Day holiday. The formula for its success is simple — it offers a weekend of fun, activities for adults and children, vendors, food and, of course, fireworks. It’s a tradition that will be renewed at the Jefferson County Airpark. The festival will get started at 4 p.m. Friday, with opening ceremonies set to begin at 6 p.m. ...