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Letters to the editor

Hiring based on qualifications

DEAR EDITOR:

I see that Child Support Enforcement Agency is hiring. I am guessing the people who will get these jobs are going to be “pre-selected” before they even fill out any application.

Are they going to have to meet any special qualifications? More than likely, no. The only thing that they have to do is be related to someone who works there or have a friend that can get them into the agency. They need not have any specific skills, and that is very sad because that should be one of the requirements to be able to work there, in my opinion.

I can remember when you had to take a civil service test and pass it to obtain a government job. Those days are gone. Now all you have to do is look good and know someone.

I am a firm believer that the policies of all government jobs need to be rewritten, so that each and every person who applies for the job must have the skills to perform the job.

If I have angered the people reading this or if I have exposed any agency for their hiring practices, then I am very sorry; however, I believe the person who is most qualified for the job should get the job, no matter what their last name or who they know.

DORIS A. GARRETT

Masury

Which candidate promotes freedom?

DEAR EDITOR:

The greatness of America doesn’t lie in its leaders, nor military strength, nor the abundance of natural resources; it lies solely upon the independent spirit and strength of its people that make up our communities. As we draw near another election cycle, we are promised several different things from multiple sides. Each side is claiming the moral high ground. One wants to make America great again; another wants to build on what Obama has done; and a third wants to redistribute wealth. This is not a dream team of candidates, and some may even view a few candidates as nightmares.

America is already a great nation and shall remain great so as long as our liberties stay intact. Currently, our liberties are under attack by the very people we elected into office to protect them. When our ability to pursue our dreams is thwarted by onerous regulations, complex tax codes and mandatory health care coverage, which increases 30 to 40 percent each year, it erodes our liberty and ability to provide for our families. Throughout history, redistributing wealth has never worked; and yet, people love that idea without understanding that in order to take wealth away from some, everyone else loses rights. This is nothing more than class warfare, which is no different from warfare based on race. The only winner in wealth redistribution is the government because it gains total control over the people, and individual liberty is lost forever.

The single factor that differentiates us from other nations is our Bill of Rights, which grants us freedom to choose the quality of life we want.

You are in charge of your life, your decisions are the driving factors of your success. Nowhere does it say that all people of our nation will be given financial equality, but it states that we are all equal and should be treated as such.

When Americans lose the spirit of independence and the will to succeed, even in tough times, we will have forever lost the dream of a free America. In this election cycle, ask yourself which candidate is promoting freedom and which ones are looking to take it from you.

In the words of JFK, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.”

TIM SANTELL

Kinsman

Voter ID laws are unconstitutional

DEAR EDITOR:

Voter ID laws are reverse criminal law.

These laws say that a citizen must prove they are NOT committing a fraud or criminal act in order to exercise their Constitutional right to vote. This is contrary to the Constitution. The government must first prove you are not a citizen to be guilty of committing the crime of voter fraud. You must not prove you are a citizen to vote. The Constitution says nothing about citizens having to prove themselves to have the rights the Constitution bestows upon them. The so-called voter fraud crime these laws are about is not committed until you have voted and you are not a citizen.

If any government entity wants to stop someone from voting, they must prove that the person who is voting is not a citizen after the fact or before they try to vote. The government cannot simply say you have to have the government’s approval that you are “entitled” to in your constitutional rights to vote, in any way, shape or form, from the government in order to vote. A crime is not committed until the act has happened. This has been the basis of the United States law since its creation.

The courts have not looked at this argument in this manner, and I think that they need to. In criminal cases, we have always required the burden of proof be the burden of the government. The government, or rather Republicans using the government, now are making it the burden of the citizens to prove they are citizens. If they are not, they are committing a crime.

Burden of proof falls on the government, not the people. It is not the requirement of people to prove they are innocent of a crime in order to exercise their right to vote. It is the government’s burden to prove that someone has committed a crime.

LEIF P. DAMSTOFT SR.

Warren

Disparity in capital budget funding

DEAR EDITOR:

The front-page article in the May 20 newspaper about the recently approved state capital budget to fund local projects left me wondering one thing.

Trumbull County’s population is about 12 percent less than Mahoning County’s population. According to the article, Mahoning County received $16.45 million, or $70 per citizen, in state funding, while Trumbull County received a 10th that amount, $1.655 million,or $8 per citizen.

Is the article not listing all the state funding to Trumbull County? If it does, why is there such a huge disparity? How does this compare with other counties in the state?

Perhaps one of our local elected state officials can clear this up. I think it is important we all know the answer.

PAUL CLOUSER

Warren

Time to move on from engineer Smith

DEAR EDITOR:

Trumbull County Engineer Randy Smith should resign, and we should get someone to run the engineer’s office who is of high character and morally qualified to represent the people of Trumbull County.

There are way too many problems a

nd questions with Smith in office. Let’s move on from this guy who is in the news every week.

It is disgusting and embarrassing to the citizens of Trumbull County.

MICHAEL D’AMORE

Howland

Zika and Ebola comparison is wrong

DEAR EDITOR:

Your comparison of the management of the Zika virus to that of the Ebola virus is inept.

According to Scientific American, Ebola exists in three bats in Africa. While the virus doesn’t kill the bats, it does kill primates, including humans. Those bats are not in the U.S.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Zika exists in two types of mosquitoes, aedis aegypti and aeidis albopictuas, both of which exist in the U.S.

These mosquitoes carry and spread Zika, chikungunya and dengue viruses. Recent outbreaks in the continental U.S. of chikungunya and dengue, which are spread by the same type of mosquito, have been relatively small and limited to a small area.

However, areas with past outbreaks of chikungunya and dengue are considered at higher risk for Zika.

These include U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam.

Local outbreaks also have been reported in parts of Hawaii, Florida and Texas.

We don’t have to bring Zika here. The mosquitoes that carry it are already here. This isn’t a “foreign” disease. It’s a deadly disease on our own doorstep.

It’s more likely to hurt people than terrorists, and look how much money we spend on that!

LEANNE TURNER

Champion

Letters to the editor

No apology to Japan necessary

DEAR EDITOR:

There seems to be a lot of concern that the president will apologize to the Japanese government for the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The apology should be to the American people. Not only from this administration but others too.

Google “Hiroshima and Nagasaki today” and see what those two cities were 70 years ago and what they are today. Then Google “Detroit and Flint” to see what those two cities look like today and 70 years ago.

No wonder the Japanese government is not worried about an apology.

David Brazofsky

Mesopotamia

Unity necessary for success of country

DEAR EDITOR:

This letter is in response to Alan Masaitis’ letter titled “Majority should rule on restrooms.”

There were some questionable statements on his part. Aggravation imparts distortion to one’s thoughts, and there was no shortage of that in his approach to transgender individuals.

Much of the letter had the ill-fated aim of portraying transgender people as some sort of elite, financially-motivated movement seeking to lurk in bathrooms and ambush our unsuspecting teenage daughters. It was definitely fictional.

There is a decent amount of confusion right now regarding the national discussion of those that are transgender. As the discussion has become more mainstream in the past couple years, the matter of restroom access has repeatedly received the bulk of focus for political controversy, including the coverage of the federal government keeping North Carolina accountable to the Civil Rights Act. A more well-rounded means of conversation by our media would probably serve the public better in understanding transgender persons but, as with many national discussions handled by major news outlets, controversy is prized over analysis, even when clarification of myths is quite easy.

To wit: one myth from Masaitis’ was that transgender people “want to impose their lifestyle on the rest of us” and force others to be like them. The rebuttal to that is simple: no. Being yourself does not entail forcing someone else to be like you or become more like you. To suggest otherwise is counter to reality.

Regarding Masaitis’ bathroom victimization fantasy, I can offer the porcelain-centric proposal where people that go into a restroom are not there to bother anybody. They just want to use the facilities and then continue on with their day.

How a person identifies or relates to the world involves many factors. Instead of persecuting transgender people the better course of action in the interest of progress and tolerance would be to first refrain from unfairly judging them. “E pluribis unum” translated from Latin means “out of many, one,” and as a central expression of America’s legacy, it serves to remind us of who we are, with transgender Americans as part of our national identity. Unity is our most certain path to a successful future as a country.

Robert Heltzel

Niles

Wish for motorist who killed geese

DEAR EDITOR:

This letter is directed to the monster who massacred a mother goose and her babies as they crossed East Market Street Monday May 9.

There are signs warning of their crossing.

My wish for you is that every time you close your eyes, you see the faces and feathers of the innocent souls you killed!

You rank right up there with the ogre who let their dog freeze to the ground two winters ago.

Paula Siekkinen

Warren

Remember sacrifice on Memorial Day

DEAR EDITOR:

In a few days, many of us will take the time to remember some of our fellow citizens that gave the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that freedom and good societies will prevail over evil ones.

To prepare for Memorial Day, I invite you to use your computers to visit a government website for the American Battle Monuments Commission (www.abmc.gov), which will allow you to visit several dozen American cemetery cities in Europe and other countries. Each is populated by many tens of thousands of our American citizens; a reminder of just how horrific war can be.

I challenge you to come away from the site without using a tissue. Having visited two of them personally, as well as the French cemetery in Verdun, France, it has a way of refreshing one’s resolve to be a better citizen and to ensure that we, regardless of political rhetoric, must each make sacrifices if this American experiment will prevail over evil.

J P Was

Warren

A hot night in Cleveland

DEAR EDITOR:

Reading Leonard Pitts’ opinion, I agree there will be disruption at the Cleveland convention. George Soros will bus in his “Obama phone” women to disrupt again. They’re likely still not working since their last trek in 2012 when they were bused in to protest a Mitt Romney speech in Cleveland. It’s a good gig, he pays $15 per hour.

The liberal media spends hours asking why Speaker Paul Ryan hasn’t endorsed Trump. It’s the end of Lincoln’s party. Why has no one asked Obama if he endorses Hillary?

Madam President will hire Bill as the new Tsar of fixing the economy. Will she hire male or female interns for him? If not, a female is hired. It will be her war on women.

James Collins

Newton Falls

Letters to the editor

Back legislation on medical orders

DEAR EDITOR:

Talking about death is difficult. As technology advances and new interventions emerge, those conversations get more complex. But dying is as natural as living, and decisions about the end of life are among the most personal and life-affirming a family can face.

That is why Mercy Health, Youngstown, part of Ohio’s largest health care system, supports Ohio Senate Bill 165, Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment, known as MOLST. We believe it promotes good health care and good public policy, and is in accord with our understanding of applied Catholic teaching.

MOLST is an individualized medical order that documents and clearly communicates a patient’s wishes prior to a health crisis, allowing families to focus on their loved ones. By allowing patients and families to guide treatment, MOLST allows more choice than the current Ohio DNR Protocol, which allows only comfort care. Patients who believe in sustaining life can use a MOLST medical order to support that belief in an actionable medical order across health settings.

Important: Use of a MOLST is voluntary. If a patient or family doesn’t want a MOLST, they don’t have to have one, and the form can be revoked at any time.

We believe the question is simple: How can families support the journey of their loved ones on their terms, in comfort and without undue suffering? We owe them our support, so they live and die on their terms, in comfort and at peace.

Sister Marie Ruegg, HM

Youngstown

Majority should rule on restrooms

DEAR EDITOR:

LGBT – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender – is another very elite minority with special needs.

Why do they choose to live this lifestyle? I don’t know, and I really don’t care. If they don’t bother me, I won’t bother them. Now comes the rub.

As to what they want. I’ve known several of these people in my lifetime and seen them in the news, and they all have one thing in common: They want to impose their lifestyle on the rest of us in some way and make us accept their lifestyle to give it credibility. Now that bothers me!

Case in point is the restroom issue in North Carolina. The LGBT community thinks it has some kind of “right” to use the restroom that their “sexual identity” decides to be. What? Turning this into a civil rights issue is ludicrous, but civil rights has been adulterated so badly by ambulance-chasing attorneys in order to make it possible for huge lawsuits, almost anything’s possible if you get a liberal judge to rule in your favor. The federal government uses it to blackmail states to accept the current administration’s will by cutting federal funding to a state.

No one has been told they can’t use the restroom. There are no signs saying “Heterosexuals only.” Seriously, follow the money here. Wrap your head around this: Your teenage daughter goes into a public restroom, and a transgender male enters. The voices in his head tell him to be a man that day!

In this case, the happiness of the majority is much more important than the well-being of the minorities.

Alan T. Masaitis

Warren

Transgender stance lacks merit

DEAR EDITOR:

In his recent letter, Bob Plant says he has “zero problems with LGBT humans” but then contradicts himself by explaining that trans people should use “the restrooms … if they were born as a man or woman.” This is problematic.

He follows with “Don’t be the male transgender who decides to use the female restroom when my wife, daughter, granddaughter or mother is using the same restroom.” This is alarming. Why? It clearly indicates that Plant does not understand anything about transgender people. Technically, a “male transgender” would be someone born female but identifies being a male. According to his clumsy wording, this person would actually be using the bathroom as Plant sees fit.

I’d hate to put words in Plant’s mouth, but this also sounds like a threat of violence toward trans people.

According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs 2014 hate-violence report, transgender women survivors were 1.6 times more likely to experience physical violence and 1.6 times more likely to experience sexual violence when compared with other survivors and transgender women survivors were 6.1 times more likely to experience physical violence from police when compared with other survivors. While these statistics focus on trans women, a simple Google search reveals that trans men also experience an alarming rate of hate violence. And how many times have trans people attacked others in bathrooms? Zero!

Last, Plant asks, “Why is it that I must compromise my beliefs for the transgenders?” What beliefs? Plant is free to believe his gender identity, live his own life accordingly, and there is even well-established scientific support for this. But those beliefs extend only to himself and how he conducts his life. He has no say in how others express gender identity.

Scientific American published a 2016 article outlining how current research provides some evidence that there is a biological basis for transgender identity. Two things to consider: The brain structures of trans people were more similar in some respects to the brains of the gender that they identified with than the gender they were born with. And adolescent boys and girls with gender dysphoria responded much like peers of their experienced gender.

Furthermore, it’s been established that gender nonconformity is not in itself a mental disorder.

I don’t mean to offend, but Plant’s opinions on this are baseless and without merit.

John Barghest

Warren

For whom do politicians pray?

DEAR EDITOR:

Despite what people say, this country was founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs. The Pilgrims came here for religious freedom. Our forefathers prayed for guidance from God, not compromise, for we have to learn right from wrong before we compromise on anything. If we do not, then everything is permissible, and we would not have laws. Common sense will tell anyone this.

When Barack Obama made a compromise for the Iran nuclear deal, they got what they wanted and $150 billion, and we got nothing. Is this compromise? And they still shout, “Death to America!” He has also added $10 trillion to our national debt, more than all previous presidents together, and we have nothing to show for it.

If religion does not play a part in our government, then why before each new session of Congress do they all attend Mass at the local church in Washington? They are praying for guidance, I think from God, don’t you think? True, some of our forefathers were atheists, but more were Christian. George Washington fell to one knee to pray before going to war, as so many of our military have and still do.

As for Bernie Sanders, he is for “free” college, and someone has to pay for it; if you think the wealthy will pay for it, think again. They will leave this country. Only 62.5 percent of the people in this country are working. How do you expect them to pay for it? See, eventually we will run out of other people’s money. We have people in this country who cannot take care of themselves and are having children and are not married, so the burden falls on society. We are now into a third generation of this, and this is supposed to be my social responsibility? I never relied on the government for any assistance; I worked. I also paid for my mortgage. Your point?

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lost $6 billion, cannot account for it, 20,000 weapons, the ones that can take down airplanes; she has no clue who has them. Talk about irresponsible. She lied, and four Americans died, all this on her watch. I know that if the DOJ, the NSA and the FBI were looking into my dealings, I would be praying. And if you ask people who will vote for her, all that she did, does not matter to them, they will compromise their morals.

Obama goes to Cuba, and remember this: The hand he shakes is the same hand that signs the death warrant of every dissident in that country. Now, is that compromise? You may think that there is a separation of state and church, but I guarantee all the politicians in this country are praying for themselves.

Ruth Lilley

Niles

Illegal immigrants don’t pay taxes

DEAR EDITOR:

Illegal immigrants don’t pay federal taxes, due to the fact that their jobs are, well, illegal. But thanks to a loophole created by President Barack Obama, they’ll now be able to get a tax refund.

According to Forbes, IRS Chairman John Koskinen has said illegal immigrants can claim up to three years of Earned Income Tax Credit refunds, even though they don’t have to pay taxes.

All the illegal immigrants need to get the refund is a Social Security number something they are not supposed to be able to get, but apparently, the IRS doesn’t consider it its job to enforce identity theft laws.

According to Forbes, “First, illegals get a Social Security number and then claim the Earned Income Tax Credit for the last three years. Then the IRS will send three years of tax refunds. This gambit will work even if illegals never paid taxes, never filed a return and worked off the books. And the IRS says this is the way the Earned Income Tax Credit works.”

This sadly isn’t anything new. A 2011 audit found that illegal immigrants were claiming $4.2 billion in fraudulent tax credits. It’s unfair to taxpayers that noncitizen illegals are going to get this bonus with U.S. taxpayer money.

But illegal immigrants are one of Obama’s favorite demographics, which is why the administration refuses to secure the border, enforce voter ID laws or put an end to birthright citizenship.

Remember this in November because Democrats want amnesty to increase the Democrat rolls by an additional 12 million illegals. This will just increase the American welfare rolls.

Cathy Lukasko

Brookfield

Quoting Bible is not hate speech

DEAR EDITOR:

In a May 1 letter, Victoria Ferrante said it’s hate speech to call homosexuality a sin and that it gives people an excuse to abuse, kill and discriminate against gays.

It is wrong to abuse and kill gays, but how is it hate speech when the Bible says it is wrong? If it’s hate speech, then calling anything else a sin also would be hate speech. Just because a person quotes a scripture against something, it doesn’t mean they hate the people who do it.

What does she mean by discrimination? It’s discrimination, for example, not to hire someone for being gay, but it wasn’t discrimination to not let them marry. That’s like saying it’s discrimination not to let a man have more than one wife or to marry his sister. Is it discrimination against the LGBT community not to let a bisexual person have a husband and a wife?

She said in her letter that if you are going to use the Bible to condemn homosexuality, then you better believe all of the Bible. All the people I know who believe homosexuality is a sin do believe in the whole Bible. It’s the people on the other side of the issue who go through the Bible and pick and choose what they want to believe and disregard what they don’t want to believe.

I’ve talked to people who call themselves Christians who don’t believe homosexuality is a sin because they don’t believe that part of the Bible. They say the Bible says to love and disregard what it says about sin. Others say it’s not a sin because Jesus said nothing about it in the four Gospels. Is bestiality and incest and polygamy all right because Jesus said nothing about it? Are these things OK because Bible laws are ridiculous and outdated? Would calling those things sinful be hate speech and bigotry?

If it’s hate speech to quote scriptures against homosexuality, what does that say about the men who wrote those scriptures? When Paul condemned it in Romans and Corinthians and Moses condemned it in Leviticus 18 and 20 right alongside bestiality and incest, were they doing it to justify their prejudices and fears? Were they also bigots?

It’s ironic how gay people call it bigotry for not accepting their relationships, but I’ve heard gay people make comments about women in relationships with men where there is a big age difference. That is putting down other people for their relationships.

Letters like this show me how far the morals have declined in our society. Years ago, if you were against homosexuality, you had good morals. Now you’re a bigot. The things said in this letter about Christians were bigotry.

Steve Blessing

Warren

Smoking should be banned at Amp

DEAR EDITOR:

The Warren Community Amphitheater is a great summer venue for Sunrise Entertainment’s River Rock at the Amp series. No coolers, cans, bottles or food are permitted, but why is smoking allowed in a public facility? A group of us attended a tribute-band show during the summer of 2015 that was terrific. But smokers were everywhere – including the mayor.

Kathy Miller

Youngstown

Letters to the editor

Motherhood is gift from God

DEAR EDITOR:

In my opinion, being a “mother” is a true gift from God. It is an honor and a privilege to be a teacher, a mentor, a provider, a caretaker, a counselor, a spiritual leader, a safe haven, a protector – and in some cases being both parents – among many things, to an innocent child. A mother is the first person her baby sees when he or she comes into this world. A mother may sacrifice many things. She may go without eating so her child may eat because there is little food in the house. A mother may look tattered and torn, but she always makes sure her children look their best. A mother may have countless sleepless nights for she worries about her children, whether they are sick or may have lost their way. A mother may pray so much that her knees look like she should have worn knee pads. A mother will always, always be there for her children no matter how old they may get. A mother’s persona may be as a gentle lamb, but when it comes to her children, she can be as fierce as a lion. What has happened to “motherhood” today?

Some mothers of today are more focused on themselves than their children. Some children’s lives are snuffed out by the hands of their mothers. Some mothers today torture, starve, beat or make their children do unspeakable things. Some mothers today don’t teach their children anything because they have not been taught themselves.

Mother’s Day is hard for many mothers. Some still ache with pain from losing a child from natural causes or a tragic death. Mother’s Day may be hard for those who have mothers who have gone on to eternity.

If you have your mother, love and cherish her, for she will not be with you always. Call her, visit her, give her flowers, while she can smell them. If your mother has gone on to be with the Lord, celebrate her life. Keep her and hold her in your heart. Be the person she always wanted you to be.

I’m a mother, grandmother and a great-grandmother. I am so proud and honored to have these titles.

There is nothing else like being a mother. No mother is perfect. We all make mistakes. But when a mother sees the fruit of her labors growing from children to adults, when she sees that all the sacrifice and worry has paid off because her child has evolved into a successful, happy, wonderful adult, a mother smiles to herself and she tells herself, “Well done.”

Happy Mother’s Day!

Jennifer Y. Williams

Warren

GM, UAW to mark anniversary

DEAR EDITOR:

On a spring day in 1966, the first vehicle rolled off the assembly line at GM Lordstown. That white Chevrolet Impala has been followed by more than 15 million cars and vans proudly assembled by the members of UAW Local 1112 over the last five decades.

This year we are celebrating 50 years of GM Lordstown and UAW Local 1112. On May 20 and 21 there will be two events held as part of the celebration.

An open house of the assembly plant on Hallock-Young Road in Lordstown, will be held 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The plant is the largest single-line manufacturing facility in the world. Those attending will take a guided walking tour to observe the assembly process of the new Chevy Cruze. All participants in the open house must wear closed toe shoes and no heels. Children should be at least 10 years of age and if under 18, should be accompanied by an adult. The tour will last approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

The All-American car show will be held noon to 4 p.m., May 21 at the plant, rain or shine. It will feature hundreds of classic American-made vehicles including many Heritage vehicles assembled at the plant since 1966. Gates open at 9 a.m. for show cars and 10 a.m. for the public. From 4 to 5 p.m., a concert by the popular area modern country band, Northern Whiskey, will also be held. Proceeds from the show will benefit three area veterans’ charities.

Lasting 50 years in anything is quite an accomplishment, but in the auto industry it’s remarkable. We are survivors, and UAW Local 1112 and GM Lordstown have been a mainstay of the Mahoning and Shenango valleys for 50 years, providing billions of dollars in wages, payroll taxes and charitable contributions to our friends and neighbors in need. We hope the residents of the Valley join us on May 20 and 21 to celebrate this very special occasion.

Tim O’Hara

Austintown

Fenced hunting is inhumane

DEAR EDITOR:

As a Trumbull County resident I am shocked and saddened that the owners of the former Candywood Golf Course have chosen to open a canned hunting facility.

The golf course had been fenced in, licensed and prepared without community knowledge. The owners have not spoken publicly to address citizens’ concerns regarding safety and are preparing to bring in bison, boar, sheep, deer or any breed of animal requested by the hunter. Animals are bred to be prized trophies and hunters may pay up to $14,000 for one animal, according to their web site. The animals are bred for the hunt and placed in this fenced-in facility to be shot.

This is a cruel and inhumane sport that has been banned in several states and partially banned in several others. Sadly there are no laws in place to stop this. Concerned citizens have received no support from Vienna Township trustees, state representatives nor the governor.

Vienna township zoning now has notified concerned citizens that any small informational signs placed in yards protesting the Candywood hunting facility will require a permit that can only be obtained during two hours on Tuesdays. Signs can only be in yards 30 days before being removed for 90 days or owners face stiff fines.

An online petition against this facility has already generated over 7,000 signatures. Only state Rep. Sean O’Brien has responded, voicing his concerns to the state regarding the safety implications and location of the facility. Concerned citizens have joined together, have protested in rallies and will continue to work to stop cruel enterprises such as this in our community. These concerned citizens support the safety of Vienna township citizens and all of Trumbull County.

Please join other concerned citizens in making your voice heard. Join planned protests, speak out and please do not support this type of enterprise. Please go to Ohio.gov to find your representative and let your voice be heard.

Toni Libbey

Bazetta

You can’t stop erosion, gravity

DEAR EDITOR:

This is in reference to the homes in East Liverpool sliding down a mountain. It has been reported now that they are going to spend hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on engineers, surveyors and geologists to figure out what’s going on and how to fix it. Please don’t write the check just yet, as I have the answer.

You can’t. No matter how much you spend, you can’t stop gravity and erosion. The answer is simple, have them get back in their homes and strap themselves onto something comfortable, say a couch, sofa or easy chair and ride it out.

When the house comes to a stop, simply go to the post office and say ‘Hey, we’ve moved from 1336 Ninth St. to 1336 Third St.’ The zip code will probably be the same .

And the spot you moved to will be empty already ’cause the same geological occurrence that moved you moved them into the Ohio River and they won’t mind cause now they are recognized as a houseboat and won’t have to pay the property taxes. Everybody wins! And not one dollar has been spent, unless you care to compensate me for my expertise, send a check for $14,736, so I can buy a year’s worth of Obama’s affordable health care.

This was on my mind.

Chuck Reep

Bristolville

Need exists to curb greedy

DEAR EDITOR:

This letter is in response to all those who espouse the views in Tim Santell’s April 24 published letter, in which he states, “Blaming the rich for all your woes is self-defeating,” and “Free college and health care may sound good …”

First, nothing is free.

Secondly, our taxes subsidize big business including banks, universities, big Pharma, bail out Japanese banks, Agra business, the war making industrial complex – it’s endless. Our tax dollars must be used to raise all Americans up – providing medical care for veterans and working Anericans whose wealthy corporate owners and shareholders provide nothing but profit sharing and huge salaries for themselves.

There is no more middle class to carry the “burden,” that Mr. Santell speaks to in his letter. If his premise is that we shouldn’t pick on the rich, who pay little or no taxes, then it stands to reason that those paying the most taxes, those who can’t hide their incomes from Uncle Sam, should reap the most rewards.

Well, we want some return on our investment to come directly back to us. In a free market economy there always will be a need to curb the greedy and make them accountable to all the people. Our current system has allowed greed and corruption by our elected officials to do whatever they wish with our tax dollars, not theirs – because they don’t pay any.

Wake up people, the money is ours and we should spend it on what we need to make our country a place where everyone gets health care and educational opportunities. Why is this so hard for people to understand?

Mary Ann Kale

Warren

Bad judgment in headline choice

DEAR EDITOR:

I’m very disappointed in your recent front page headline about sex with dogs gets man jail time, especially when you try to promote children reading. Believe it or not, you have kids that look at the newspaper. That was bad judgment for the title. You could have used other words. This subject isn’t something, I’m sure, parents want to discuss with their children.

Heather Evick

Warren

Election Day enigma explained

DEAR EDITOR:

I recently saw an interview with Dave Betras about why 30 percent of registered Democrats voted Republican during the Ohio primary.

Smiling and shrugging his shoulders, Betras explained the 2016 election race is an enigma! I’ve heard that enigma happened in other state primaries too.

The Democrat voters knew her royal highness would win. So they sacrificed some votes. And most likely voted for Kaisich.

The Democrats are cunning and cagey. They like to see disruption and division in the Republican Party. It’s their ambrosia.

James Collins

Newton Falls

Changes to Ohio’s Workers’ Comp

DEAR EDITOR:

As a member of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Board of Directors since 2011, I have had the chance to witness a substantial change in Ohio’s workers’ comp system.

Since 2011, BWC has saved employers $4.3 billion in workers’ comp costs by reducing premiums, issuing rebates and providing credits to transition to a more flexible billing system.

l BWC has reduced average rates for public and private employers by nearly 30 percent, resulting in a cumulative difference in premiums collected of $1 billion to date.

l Strong investments and conservative fiscal management allowed for two $1 billion rebates.

l By issuing $1.2 billion in credits to Ohio employers, BWC transitioned, without any cost to employers, to a modern billing system that adds flexible payment options and further reduces premiums.

l BWC tripled its safety grant program to $15 million annually, issuing $40 million in grants over the last five years.

Along the way, BWC has also made significant improvements to worker safety and the care of those who are injured. We created programs that reward employers for making workplaces safer. In fact, over the past five years, injury claims have dropped 9 percent, making Ohio’s injury rates lower than the national average and all surrounding states.

We’re also taking steps to improve care of injured workers. We have started a pilot program that will help improve recovery from a workplace injury by taking a more coordinated and comprehensive approach to care with fewer delays. Our new “first-fill” program is also making sure injured workers get their first prescription without waiting until their claim is approved.

Ohio deserves a workers’ comp system that protects workers and promotes business. I’m pleased to say, that’s exactly the path we are now on and the path we intend to continue.

Nicholas W. Zuk

Chairman

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Board of Directors

Letters to the editor

Paul Brown’s

pro-draft theory

DEAR EDITOR:

I sat and read in utter amazement Mike McLain’s article in today’s Tribune regarding Paul Brown’s Browns taking sports magazines into the office to pick collegians for an upcoming pro draft when he coached the Cleveland Browns!

Mike, how long did you cover the Browns? Quite a long time. I can’t believe that you didn’t know that Paul Brown is the one who revolutionized how the NFL drafted college players.

He was the first NFL coach to employ assistants year-round and used film to look at virtually every college player in the country. It was the other NFL teams that brought football magazines to do their drafting for them.

Vince Lombardi was a great coach but, to me, there has never been a greater coach in football than the great Paul Brown. His innovations are still used today.

Maybe you should do some research in regards to PB. It will point out to you how other greats in the NFL such as Don Shula and Chuck Noll feel about Paul Brown!

Robert W. Balson

Warren

Take part in the Warren Homecoming

DEAR EDITOR:

I urge everyone in Warren to participate in the upcoming Warren Homecoming weekend this September 23 to 26. It’s been a long time since anything this exciting was added to the Warren social calendar, and it will be great fun to welcome back our old friends and family – who may have left town, but left at least a part of their hearts here.

There are already a lot of events planned by important Warren institutions like Trumbull 100; Warren Area Board of Realtors; Diane Sauer Chevrolet; Rotary Club; John F. Kennedy High School; Warren Gridiron Club; Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership; Trumbull County Historical Society; and All American Cards and Comics to name a few.

One of the best things about Warren Homecoming is that we can all play a role. If you belong to an organization, a church or a neighborhood group, please consider planning an event that weekend to welcome back former members now living out of town.

You can stay informed on all activities by going to Facebook and “liking” the “Warren Homecoming 2016” page. And something everyone can do is let the world know that Warren is going to welcome them with open arms that weekend – so tell your friends and family to follow the Facebook page too.

Let them know that this is the weekend to come home to where their heart is – Warren!

Daniel J. Sferra

Councilman at large, Warren

Correctly align

your priorities

DEAR EDITOR:

Two weeks ago while walking my dog, I came across the giant sycamore which was split in half and lying on the lawn and the walking path along the Mahoning River.

Since that time, nothing has been done by the city to clear up the area or make it safer for the walkers who pass by. I suspect those in control, and those who are not, are much too busy posing for photo-ops, denigrating fellow citizens on Facebook or working their second job, to take the time and make the effort to clean the area so it’s safe for those of us who enjoy the park. Aligning one’s priorities is difficult, isn’t it?

Oh, never mind. A citizens group is clearing up the area today.

Ronald Book

Warren

Democracy: It’s all about representing

DEAR EDITOR:

As the death toll rings and sounds about Bernie Sanders’ chances to become the Bemocratic nominee, it doesn’t change the facts that the Democratic party and establishment politics have not and will not change unless there is a political and media revolution.

The media created Trump. No doubt about it. The liberal media – MSNBC – from the start aired Trump speeches almost in their entirety. Bernie speeches? Nowhere to be found. Even after Bernie tied in Iowa and won big in New Hampshire, the liberal media downplayed it all. Trump lost in Iowa, and you still got Trump on MSNBC, and others.

The media and establishment bias against Sanders has been so obvious, it really makes a reasonable person understand just how corrupt our system has become. Sanders has brought out at least twice the number of people as Hillary [Clinton] to his events, even here in our little corner. Hillary got about 500 to show up at an event in the Youngstown area, and Sanders with less than 24 hours’ notice got about 2,000 at the Covelli Centre. Look at the numbers, and they do not ever add up. New York State just voted, and there were less than 2 million votes cast in the Democratic primary for the whole state! There is more than 8 million people in New York City alone. How many were denied a chance to vote?

People power is underestimated by even the people themselves. I know for a fact that there are many in my own job, fellow workers, who think they have no power. That’s why a union forming is very unlikely. I know; I have tried three times. This doesn’t change the fact that we have a system that can be affected by an “informed” electorate as long as the desire for a better way of life manifests into peaceful political action.

Hillary won’t work for a single-payer government-run health care system. She doesn’t believe it is “politically” possible, as many other things, like free public college. Forget that most if the advanced world does it and we, the richest country in the world, somehow can’t? We can’t even afford to fix our roads or provide safe water for the people, right? There is a lot she does not believe in, and that is her problem. I will not vote for her in the general if she is the Democratic nominee. I will vote for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. That is the person who should be on the ballot if Bernie is not there – the one that best represents my interests and beliefs. That is what a democracy is about: Not winning. Representing.

Leif Damstoft Sr.

Warren

It’s wrong to call homosexuality a sin

DEAR EDITOR:

A Facebook acquaintance of mine recently posted an article titled “Why Homosexuality Is Not Like Other Sins.” The article backs up its claim by quoting 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.

Preaching that homosexuality is a sin is hate speech. It gives people the belief that God has their back when they discriminate against or even hurt or kill gays, lesbians and transgender individuals.

That is the real sin.

If you are going to quote the Bible to discriminate against gays, then you better follow all the laws in the Bible, however outdated and ridiculous they may be, such as as in 1 Corinthians 11:5-6. It says that if a woman prays without covering her hair, her head should be shorn.

If you do not follow every rule, then someone might think you are picking and choosing Bible proclamations that suit only your prejudices and fears.

That would make you a hypocrite as well as a bigot.

Victoria Ferrante

Warren

Transgenders and public restrooms

DEAR EDITOR:

While I have zero problems with LGBT humans, I must say that I take great exception to this ridiculous new law circulating in several states allowing transgenders to use the restrooms that they sexually identify with, instead of using the restrooms that they should be using if they were born as a man or woman.

We never know when the urge to use a restroom may strike, but don’t be the male transgender who decides to use the female restroom when my wife, daughter, granddaughter or mother is using the same restroom.

What you do in your space in private is your business; however, you don’t have any business in the same bathroom with my female family members.

I really have just one question, why is it that I must compromise my beliefs for the transgenders? Why can’t the transgenders make the compromise?

Why is it up to me to be kind and understanding when it goes against everything I believe in?

I really don’t mean to offend anyone, I just don’t believe I or my female relatives should have to compromise their beliefs or safety to satisfy transgender use of a bathroom.

Robert Plant

Warren

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