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The normalcy of American wars

Editorials

The war in Iran is unlawful and unconstitutional, but in post-World War II America, it is normal. Here is the backstory. When President Donald Trump decided to begin bombing Iran last June, he did not state a coherent or lawful reason for doing so. His director of national intelligence and his own CIA had publicly told him that Iran did not possess a nuclear weapon and had ceased building one in 2005. His secretary of state told him that Iran and Israel had threatened each other, but he could not articulate how Iran imminently threatened the United States. Yet, since Israel ...

Join the race to win war on breast cancer

Editorials

The ongoing war on breast cancer brings both good news and bad news to the Mahoning Valley. The good news is that Mahoning and Trumbull counties have made great strides in attacking the disease and lowering the death toll from it. According to the National Cancer Institute within the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those two counties rank among the lowest in the state and below the national average in incidence and in fatalities from the disease, and trend lines continue to edge lower. The bad news is that those trend lines are not diving downward as deeply or as ...

Ohio, W.Va. must address scourge of child poverty

Editorials

Children’s Defense Fund says an unfathomable 1 in 7 children in the U.S. lives in poverty. In this land of the free and home of the brave, a child is abused or neglected every 54 seconds. As WalletHub researchers pointed out (because they are a financial website, after all), even if you aren’t moved by the plight of that many children living an American nightmare, perhaps you will be moved to act by the $592 billion in lifetime economic costs from just one year’s worth of child maltreatment cases. And the thing is, those are the averages. In Ohio and West Virginia, the numbers ...

Data centers rise as key issue in race for governor

David Skolnick

In connection with affordability issues, data centers have emerged as a hot-button issue in politics. Data centers are needed in our digital world. Whether you are texting, checking your email, opening an app, doom scrolling, watching a video or doing anything with your phone or computer, a data center is needed. They’re increased in numbers with the major growth of artificial intelligence. Data centers also consume tremendous amounts of electricity, which adversely impacts power grids and increases costs to residents, and uses massive amounts of water to keep servers from ...

Want to help? Try becoming a poll worker

Editorials

On National Poll Worker Recruitment Day earlier this week, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose rightly seized the opportunity. It’s hard to overestimate the importance of a robust team of volunteers willing not only to ensure the security of our elections, but to guide those seeking to cast their ballots and generally make sure the day runs smoothly. “Every election depends on dedicated Ohioans who are willing to serve their communities,” LaRose said. “This November, voters across the state will be casting ballots in important races that will shape Ohio’s future. Poll ...

Want to help? Try becoming a poll worker

Editorials

On National Poll Worker Recruitment Day earlier this week, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose rightly seized the opportunity. It’s hard to overestimate the importance of a robust team of volunteers willing not only to ensure the security of our elections, but to guide those seeking to cast their ballots and generally make sure the day runs smoothly. “Every election depends on dedicated Ohioans who are willing to serve their communities,” LaRose said. “This November, voters across the state will be casting ballots in important races that will shape Ohio’s future. Poll ...