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Ohio schools have new way to tackle chronic absenteeism

Editorials

“Every minute counts,” Heather Dodd, director of pupil services for Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools, told WKYC-TV at the start of the school year. “If your child’s late to school, those minutes count. If they have a doctor’s appointment, those minutes count. They all count towards chronic absenteeism.” Surprised? Ohio law changed this year, and parents will have to be aware that not only are schools keeping a much closer eye on chronic absenteeism (and doing a better job communicating with parents on the matter), but they are also tracking it in hours — not just days. ...

For the love of God, don’t allow children access to your guns

Editorials

No parent in his or her right mind would allow a child to play with a chainsaw or a blowtorch. Even the thought of allowing children access to dangerous tools like those or others is ridiculous. But some parents and guardians of young children continue to leave guns within easy access of those they are supposed to protect. We read about the bloody results of that carelessness or indifference or watch it on TV all too often. On Aug. 15, 2025 — almost exactly one year ago — a 3-year-old boy in Struthers died when he got his hands on an unsecured handgun and accidentally shot ...

Not winning? Just change the rules

Editorials

What binds the new Democratic Party to the new Democratic Socialists is a set of shared issues and values. That is, the radicalism of the Democrats in the age of Trump Derangement Syndrome — lawfare, de-balloting, the Mar-a-Lago raid and calls to destroy the Electoral College, the nine-justice Supreme Court, and the filibuster — helped give birth to the socialists. But the overriding commonality among those on the new left is that if they do not get their way, they blame the “system.” Then they seek to change the rules, no matter how hallowed those laws and conventions may have ...

Spirited back-to-school giveaway

Editorials

My church in Columbus, Ohio, Vision of Breath with Life Ministries, hosts an annual back-to-school giveaway in August on the far east side of town, in the Leawood neighborhood. The need for assistance with school supplies, clothing and food in this area is great, as the poverty rate is just over 18%. Parents of school-age children living in this residential section are definitely feeling the economic pinch as school supply prices have risen. Even the basics like pencils, erasers, glue sticks, scissors and notebook paper have gone up. According to the Groundwork Collaborative and The ...

Letters to the editor

Letters to the Editor

There should be no mining in national parks DEAR EDITOR: It is colossally ignorant, stupid, moronic, idiotic and corrupt to allow mining in the national parks. These parks are stunning beauties where our tribal natives have gifted their culture and history to preserve and enjoy, learn and teach future generations. This bulldozing, all done before most even knew it was happening, is desecrating these parks purely to allow mining. Trump has taken these lands with no permission, over a million acres in these parks, stunning examples of nature in its purest form. We shouldn’t be ...

In a world full of AOCs, become a Leavitt

Editorials

Even famous and successful women can’t avoid the reality of trade-offs. Earlier this month, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced on Instagram that she is freezing her eggs. The 36-year-old congresswoman even gave herself an injection on camera. AOC said she would have to give herself another round of shots before her upcoming appearance on ABC’s “This Week.” “I want you all to see that, because women can do anything,” she said. “And I think it’s badass that I’m gonna be, you know, giving myself shots in the green room, get my glam on, roll out, talk ...