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Lung cancer still poses a threat

With Halloween just behind us and Thanksgiving coming up in a couple of weeks, it might be easy to forget that November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. We hope you will not. Lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, is the second most common form of cancer in men and women, with only prostate cancer being more common in men and breast cancer more common in women. Estimates are that 234,580 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed this year (118,270 of which will be in women and 116,310 in men) and, sadly, that there will be 125,070 deaths due to lung cancer this year ...

Don’t forget your smoke detectors

As you make your way around the house on Saturday changing clocks, watches and other devices that still require you to do so back one hour, remember to check the most important items in the house — your smoke detectors. The return of Eastern Standard Time represents a good reminder to check batteries in smoke detectors. Batteries need to be replaced at least once a year. It also is a good time to check on hardwired smoke detectors to make sure the units are working properly. Even those units have a battery backup in case of a power failure. The bottom line: Smoke alarms save ...

Area teams gear up for playoffs

Fans of high school football in Ohio know that this weekend will have a different feel. It’s the first week of the playoffs, when teams begin their runs at what they hope will be state championships. That intensity will be much greater because of a simple reality — it’s the beginning of a six-week, single elimination tournament. Win and you play again —lose and the team is done until August. Steubenville Big Red, Catholic Central, Indian Creek, Edison and Toronto all will be representing our area in the playoffs. On Friday at 7 p.m., Big Red (10-0) will open its run ...

Hotline can help battle trafficking

Law enforcement offices across the state, both on their own behalf and as part of larger task forces, have been battling human trafficking in Ohio for years. Not too long ago, state Attorney General Dave Yost announced a new tool that will let the rest of us better support that effort. A non-emergency hotline, 844-END-OHHT (844-363-6448), will send tips about suspected sex and labor trafficking directly to law enforcement personnel with experience investigating such allegations. Those who suspect such activity should not hesitate to use the hotline. “The hotline is a ...

Safety first while you trick-or-treat

As children prepare to make their annual costumed trek through most parts of the Tri-State Area on Thursday evening, we ask parents to make safety a priority this Halloween. Following some common-sense rules will ensure a safe and happy Halloween for everyone. Parents should always accompany young children or make sure an adult or responsible teenager is with them when going door to door. Local police and law enforcement agencies will be patrolling, but they can’t be everywhere. Youngsters should be reminded of a few rules before they go out trick-or-treating. Make sure they ...

Distracted driving law shows results

After a year, Ohioans now have clear data to show the benefits of the state’s new distracted driving law. According to a report by the Columbus Dispatch, the law is being credited with an 11.6 percent decrease in crashes, a 19.4 percent decrease in fatalities — and many more tickets issued. During the past year, troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol have handed out 25,310 tickets for distracted driving. That’s a 263 percent increase over the previous year. That last data point might not sound like a good thing, but it is fantastic news. Before implementation of ...