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Another reminder about DUI dangers

The penalties in Ohio for operating a vehicle while under the influence will become more harsh on Wednesday. That’s when Liv’s Law (House Bill 37) will go into effect. It was born of tragedy, when Olivia Wright was killed by a drunk driver, and her father decided to act. “A constituent, Bryan Wright, brought this issue to my desk after losing his daughter, Olivia, to a drunk driver,” said state Rep. Mark Johnson, R-Chillicothe. “He pointed out to me how weak Ohio’s laws are compared to other states in the nation, and that is what inspired me to work on this legislation ...

Month puts spotlight on minority health

Everyone who is helping to organize local activities that are part of Minority Health Month say the focus will be on health education and lifetime preventative screenings. Those are important things to pay attention to not just in April, but all year long. According to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the month is designed to raise awareness of the disproportionate burden of premature death and illness in people from racial and ethnic minority groups; encourage action through education, early detection and control of disease complications; and focus ...

Remote monitoring push makes sense

A couple of members of Congress are not giving up on finding ways to fight the substance abuse epidemic that has gripped our region. Last week, U.S. Reps. Troy Balderson, R-Zanesville, and Robin Kelly, D-Ill., reintroduced the Remote Opioid Monitoring Act, which would direct the federal government to study the effectiveness of remote monitoring technology in helping health care providers track patients who have received prescriptions for opioids. “The opioid epidemic has devastated communities and families in Ohio and across the country,” said Balderson. “To combat this ...

Indian Creek offers unique opportunity

It’s not often high school students find themselves on the front lines of preserving a species. But that’s happening right now at Indian Creek High School where a team is working with others throughout Ohio in an effort to help save the endangered Eastern Hellbender salamander. The hellbender, found in many creeks and streams throughout our region, is an excellent gauge into the health of a waterway. Pollution, erosion and other issues have taxed the population in recent generations, with fewer young hellbenders surviving. Among other items, hellbenders help to control crayfish ...

Our region’s states lack in innovation

Public officials in our region have said for years that one of their priorities is attracting and retaining new and exciting industries — and the kinds of individuals (and their families) who work for such companies. According to WalletHub’s Most and Least Innovative States (2025), neither Ohio nor West Virginia has picked up the pace on making that happen. In the list of most innovative states, Ohio ranks 42nd and West Virginia is 49th. Faring a little better is the third state in our region, Pennsylvania, which comes in at 29th. Louisiana and Mississippi continue to cushion the ...

Let’s put faith in the voters

Members of the Ohio House of Representatives have come out and said it: They don’t believe you are smart enough to read and understand a ballot and make the best choice for your communities. On March 24, the House passed legislation that would eliminate replacement tax levies. According to a report by the Dayton Daily News, the measure could eliminate the ability of local tax jurisdictions to put replacement levies on ballots. Co-sponsors Reps. Thomas Hall, R-Madison Township, and Adam Mathews, R-Lebanon, genuinely believe you, the voter, are not capable of understanding the ...