Breaking News

Editorials

Time to get college costs under control

Yet again, the Biden Administration is trying to use executive action to reduce student loan debt. This comes as the president works to find ways to connect with younger voters prior to the November election. And once again, the White House’s approach fails to address the root causes of this problem — and sets an expensive precedent in an age of a $34 trillion national debt. As we’ve previously written, “any proposal to cancel or forgive student loan debt without addressing the underlying problem — that for decades college tuition has increased in cost at a rate much ...

Ensure EPA rule doesn’t close plants

Up and down the Ohio River Valley, communities have gotten used to seeing what comes out of the many industrial facilities that help support our economy. (And, to be clear, some of that is just water vapor.) Residents also have gotten used to the increased number of medical conditions some experts say are caused by those emissions. There are entire swaths of the region where the residents refer to themselves as living in a “Cancer Alley.” Poor, rural and minority communities have for centuries shouldered a heavier burden when it comes to the consequences of living near the ...

Earth Day offers chance to reflect

Today is an important day for our planet — it’s Earth Day. The theme of this year’s recognition is Planet vs. Plastics, and it represents a chance for everyone on every continent to recognize and appreciate the land on which we live. It is, according to Earthday.org, a call for widespread awareness on the health risks of plastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, urgently push for a strong UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution and demand an end to fast fashion. There are, the Washington, D.C.-based organization with a goal of diversifying, educating and activating the ...

Practice safety in work zones

Orange work-zone barrels are appearing all around us, and while construction projects often can lead to traffic delays, we remind everyone about the importance of driving safely through construction zones. That’s the message being shared once again across the country as National Work Zone Awareness Week wraps up, and drivers again are reminded to be patient, slow down and pay attention in road construction areas. Work already has started in our area. Municipal workers have been busy patching potholes, cleaning storm drains and making other repairs on city streets; traffic is ...

Hatred, division must be stopped

If it feels as though hate and division are only growing worse in this country, you’re not wrong. A report published Monday by the Anti-Defamation League says final statistics for 2023 show a total of 8,873 incidents of antisemitic assault, harassment and vandalism across the country. That’s a 140 percent increase from 2022 (itself a record-setting year), the ADL reports. The numbers give reason for pause: There were 161 assaults in 2023, up 45 percent. Of those assaults, 141 happened without the use of a deadly weapon. Those assaults targeted 196 victims, and none were fatal. ...

Gala allows OVHC to continue mission

For nearly 20 years, residents of the region have been willing to step up and support the Ohio Valley Health Center. They will have another chance to do that on April 28. That’s when the center will hold its 18th-annual fundraising gala at the St. Florian Event Center in Wintersville. Money raised there will go a long way toward helping the center continue its mission of providing health care to the area’s uninsured and underinsured residents. The facility has seen many changes since it opened on March 13, 2006, at 701 N. Fourth St. in Steubenville. Issues with the roof on ...