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Guest column/Restoring faith in government starts with term limits

Local Columns

Americans have less trust in their government today than at any point in modern history — even lower than during Watergate. That is a stunning and troubling reality. A nation founded on representative government now views its own institutions with deep skepticism, frustration, and cynicism. While many factors contribute to this erosion of trust, one issue consistently rises to the surface: a political system dominated by entrenched, career politicians who treat Congress not as public service, but as a lifetime job. In Ohio, we understand the value of accountability. We expect ...

Guest column/The time has arrived to power up W.Va.’s future

Local Columns

Nearly a century ago, our grandparents built the transmission lines that lit up West Virginia’s farms, homes, and towns. Their grit and vision pulled us out of the dark and gave us the foundation for a thriving state. Today, we face a new challenge: those same transmission lines are aging, overloaded, and breaking down. They simply weren’t built for the demands of modern life. The result? More outages, higher costs, and missed opportunities for West Virginia families and businesses. If we don’t act, things will only get worse. But if we step up, just as our grandparents did, we ...

Aging population a concern in Ohio

Editorials

Elected officials and policymakers in Ohio have plenty to work on in the coming years. We talk a lot about the loss of population, but there’s a follow-up to that: The Buckeye State’s population is shrinking and aging. Data projections show that by 2040, the percentage of residents 65 or older will rise to 25 percent, while the percentage of those 85 and older will make an even more significant leap. This is not just an Ohio problem, of course. “For the first time in our nation’s history, we will have more older people than young children,” Ursel McElroy, director ...

Merry Christmas

Editorials

The simple greeting, “Merry Christmas,” has been the subject of one of the biggest battles society in general has faced in recent years. In fact, in many places and in many situations, that greeting has been replaced by the all-inclusive, yet far less meaningful, “Happy Holidays.” That, however, removes the meaning of what this season is all about. It is not just about being charitable or sharing warm and fuzzy feelings. It is not about toys or shopping for that special gift. It is not about cookies or a big home covered with hundreds of colored lights or a holiday ...

Spirit of season remains alive

Editorials

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

Editorials

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 ...