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Ohio must not enter gerrymandering war

Lately, there’s been a lot of talk coming out of Texas about drawing new voting maps to get rid of Democrats in Congress and help Republicans try to save their majority, with California and New York threatening to respond in kind and starting what can only be called a “gerrymandering war.” That should worry every American, no matter where you live or how you vote. Gerrymandering is the process by which every 10 years (following a census) politicians pick who gets to vote for them, instead of voters picking who represents them. They do this by manipulating district lines based on ...

Lordstown’s newest chapter

A new chapter is turning in Lordstown. It’s one that could not have been written without the perseverance, vision and collaborative spirit of an entire community. Foxconn’s announcement to sell its Lordstown manufacturing plant, while continuing operations at the sprawling 6.2-million-square-foot complex formerly operated by General Motors, is more than a real estate transaction. It’s a defining moment for the Mahoning Valley that’s been years in the making. To fully appreciate where we are today, let’s reflect on how we got here. Back in November 2018, when GM announced ...

Don’t politicize advances in energy technology

One of my favorite episodes of “The West Wing” is when the deputy chief of staff gets a burst of machismo and test drives a new monstrous SUV, only to run into the back of a fuel-sipping hybrid. This of course is happening as his administration is promoting fuel efficiency standards. This episode is more symbolic than the writers even knew, as it is reflective of our trend to politicize every bit of innovation in today’s world. The end result is that we no longer step up and embrace our ability to bring new technologies to the forefront of our economy without a major divisive ...

Closing the digital divide

In today’s digital age, access to high-speed internet is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. Yet, Ohio lags behind much of the U.S. in broadband availability. According to a study last year by BroadbandNow, which collects and analyzes internet service provider plans to help consumers find and compare options, Ohio is ranked 30th among states for internet coverage, speed and availability. For more advanced services, the picture worsens. The study shows that only 34.2% of Buckeye State residents have access to 1G broadband — that ranks 47th among states. Digging down ...

Some cold-blooded killers deserve to be executed

Jeffery Collins is an Associated Press reporter who witnessed the firing squad execution of death-row inmate Brad Sigmon in South Carolina on Friday, March 7, 2025. Collins’ credentials, according to his first-person account, is that he witnessed three different methods of execution, nine lethal injections plus an electric-chair execution. Unfortunately, Collins’ account was more about himself and his feelings on capital punishment rather than the victims that Sigmon had suddenly brought to an end. Collins pointed out he had researched the case, but he didn’t mention much about ...

Greed, profit motive make our world a much better place

Politicians bash businesses. “Stop the greed!” shouts Sen. Bernie Sanders. Many Republicans are equally ignorant. When some Florida businesses raised prices in response to sudden demand during a crisis, Attorney General Pam Bondi called that “sickening ... disgusting ... unacceptable!” Now she’s U.S. attorney general. Sen. Josh Hawley attacks airline CEOs for charging different people different prices. “You make it clear,” he sneered. “Money is your bottom line ... “ Well, yes, Senator. That’s the CEO’s job. Sadly, bigshots trained as lawyers rarely ...