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One vote can matter

Local Columns

There’s always a lot of talk about politics and politicians, and how government at every level should be run. Yet, when there’s a chance to step up and get involved in the process, many people choose not to be involved. The latest example came in Ohio’s May 6 primary. According to Secretary of State Frank LaRose, just 10.98 percent of the state’s registered voters participated in the election. That’s 901,066 ballots cast out of the 8,205,338 registered voters across Ohio. Turnout in any off-year vote is traditionally low. There are no statewide offices on those ...

Truth or deception

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: “Oh! What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive,” (Sir Walter Scott, 1808.) Many Democrats are still trying to deceive us about Joe Biden’s administration. For years we saw his mental and physical deterioration. Some Democrats are trying to profit by writing tell-all books, but others are still claiming that he was mentally fit. Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson published a book apparently describing what actually happened. Karine Jean-Pierre, the worst press secretary in history, is promoting her book about the reasons she left the Democrat ...

Guest column/Lawmakers: Please avoid reaching this first

Local Columns

Being the first is normally a good thing. Ask Ohio natives Thomas Edison, Neil Armstrong or the Wright Brothers. But first isn’t always best. And if some Ohio lawmakers have their way, the Buckeye State will be the first in the nation to assess a sales tax on newspapers. House Bill 96, also known as the state operating budget for calendar year 2026-27, includes provisions that would eliminate the nearly 100-year-old sales tax exemption on newspapers, businesses who advertise with newspapers in print, and printing. The bill currently sits in conference committee, where the ...

Democrats appear to be finished

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: The Democratic party is finished. When the second dumbest liar in the Biden administration, Karine Jean-Pierre, a simpleminded press secretary, abandons the party, you know it’s the end. Monday’s Herald-Star included a piece about a Trump protest. Under the photo, the caption reads “More than 100 people gathered Saturday ...” I counted fewer than 20 people. The inconsequential speaker, Michael Kripchak, who was swamped in Ohio’s 6th Congressional race by Republican Michael Rulli, huffed and puffed, blaming President Donald Trump for killing two Minnesota ...

West Virginia hits a milestone

Editorials

It was 162 years ago today when the nation first learned that “Mountaineers are Always Free.” Since then, West Virginians have worked hard to make their mark on bettering themselves and their beloved Mountain State but also this great land in which we are so privileged to live. June 20, 1863, saw West Virginia born from the Civil War as the 35th state. Since then, its natural resources — coal, natural gas and timber — have helped to power a growing nation. The state’s natural beauty and wild and wonderful landscape are a playground for many seeking to connect with the ...

Juneteenth offers chance to reflect

Editorials

Residents from across the Tri-State Area will be joining with those from across the country during the next several days to commemorate Juneteenth. There will be fun activities and games for children, vendors offering a wide variety of items and information, and there will be food — lots of it — including some of the best homemade dishes you can find in the region. But the annual celebration is about more than being able to enjoy a few days of entertainment and fun — it is a recognition, a chance to reflect on the significance of the Juneteenth holiday. The holiday ...