Editorials

Domestic violence still surging in Ohio

The Ohio Domestic Violence Network released its annual fatality count this week, and the news is not exactly good. Sure, the number of domestic violence fatalities decreased by approximately 15% from the previous year. But last year saw an INCREASE of 37%. The number of deaths in the most recent year counted is still the second-highest of the past decade. There were 134 fatalities, according to a report by Statehouse News Bureau. Between July 2025 and June 2026, 89 of the fatalities were victims, 45 were perpetrators. The Ohio Domestic Violence Network says more than half of those ...

LaRose’s plan helps celebrate first-time voters

Why are so many Ohioans in favor of book bans?

School book ban trends come and go, but there are always groups of people who want to keep their children from having access to reading material that might expose them to new ideas or, worse, ask questions. The problem is particularly bad in Ohio, which ranks third among the states in PEN America’s study of school book bans for the 2025-26 school year. The free-expression advocacy group counted 117 instances of school book bans in the Buckeye State during that period. Only Texas and Florida were worse. Across the country, 11,982 books — 7,370 unique titles — were banned in public ...

Why must Ohioans pay for Medicaid for millionaires?

A recent review of Ohio’s Medicaid enrollment by state Auditor Keith Faber’s office found plenty of people enrolled who should not be receiving benefits — and it is not perhaps the group of people some low-aiming politicians hope you would expect. According to a report by The Center Square, the audit found 3% of Buckeye State residents receiving Medicaid benefits have more resources than allowed. In fact, “several” of those people are millionaires. Further, Faber’s office reported more than 3,000 people receiving state Medicaid benefits are dead. Ohio spends approximately ...

Orchids & onions

ORCHID: To the Warren Civil Service Commission for unanimously refusing to rescind the resignation of embattled former Warren Police Chief Eric Merkel last week. Commission members rightly argued that considering that Merkel legally signed his resignation document, he was bound to honor it as a contract. The commission had no statutory authority to rescind his resignation, and its members noted Merkel benefited from the resignation in obtaining about $75,000 owed to him from the city. The former chief argues that city officials used threats and duress to force his resignation. Those ...

Vote responsibly on local issues in our Valley

Leaders of local governments and public school districts in the Mahoning Valley are to be applauded for accurately reading the room of their 2026 electorate. That keen perception is clearly evident in the relative dearth of additional tax levies those leaders have deigned to place on this fall’s general election ballots. Of nearly 40 issues up for a vote this cycle in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, only six seek new money from taxpayers. The electorate in Mahoning County will face a meager four additional operating levies, while only two such issues are on Trumbull ballots. Of those ...