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Why free period products matter

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: Many of us take for granted the ability to manage our health and hygiene with dignity. But for countless women and girls in Jefferson County, access to basic menstrual products is a monthly struggle. That is why our local library’s new initiative to provide free period products is more than just a convenience. According to recent census data, more than 20 percent of women in Jefferson County live below the poverty line. In fact, the largest demographic living in poverty is females between the ages of 45 and 64, followed by females between the ages of 12 and 24. ...

Take precautions from sun dangers

Editorials

The summer season means many of us are spending more time in the sun. Before you head out, though, we ask that you take a few moments to pause and think about the toll all of those ultraviolet rays can do to your skin and your health. It’s especially important this time of year. The Skin Cancer Foundation reminds us that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer each day — and more than two people will die of the disease each hour. Around 20 percent of Americans will develop skin cancer by the time ...

We can’t be weak

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: An unpopular opinion, which I posted as a comment on social media. The person was complaining, rather bitterly, about Fourth of July fireworks causing issues for people with PTSD and other emotional problems: “I’m sorry you have this issue, and it’s not that I’m unsympathetic, but there have been many, many people with PTSD and other problems for many, many years. They just courageously dealt with July 4, because they realized they were in the minority, and didn’t expect everyone else to kowtow to their own, personal issues. “So, they — ...

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: After recently listening to a radio talk show, I’ve come to the realization that indeed there is a solution to the problem of our nation’s diminishing population growth, i.e., couples are not reproducing at a rate necessary for sustaining healthy growth. Many young people don’t want to raise a family at all. A lady, a caller to the show, claimed she was making more by staying at home and accepting welfare checks than she otherwise would by joining the workforce and putting in the 40 hours. It was about $800 a week, or something like that. “Why should I ...

Musk’s American Party could be interesting

Local Columns

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, is about to form a new third party after announcing his plan on the social media platform X, which he owns. It is registered with the Federal Election Commission and is expected to focus on two or three U.S. Senate races and about eight or 10 House seats in the 2026 election cycle. Heading up DOGE and wielding a chainsaw as he slashed one government program after another, Musk, before his fallout with President Trump, was dubbed the first buddy after pouring millions into Trump’s campaign war chest. In the previous elections, he had supported ...

Interesting numbers

Local Columns

Among the things that happen when you are away from your desk for an extended period of time is that there is a lot of mail and e-mail that needs to be sorted out. There were several interesting items delivered to the office during the last couple of months, including some annual reports. Like every similar submission, they offer a lot of information about things that are happening around us. Among those was the annual report on Ohio’s concealed-handgun licenses, which offers some insight into our region. State Attorney General David Yost’s report on the gun licenses showed ...