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State Legislature passes 90-day gas tax holiday

The state Legislature overwhelmingly passed a 90-day Ohio gas tax holiday that was pushed by Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican gubernatorial candidate. It should be signed into law Thursday by Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican. The quickly written bill passed Wednesday in the Senate 26-5 and then in the House 78-16 with Ramaswamy saying when he becomes governor, passing needed legislation will happen this fast. Several Democrats voting in favor of the proposal despite saying the plan is an election ploy to help Ramaswamy, said the average motorist will save about $3 a week, those who ...

Air quality concerns in county administration building arise

WARREN — A county employee told Trumbull County Commissioners that the air quality in the county’s administration building may be making employees sick. Beth Toth of the Trumbull County Auditor’s Office told the commissioners during Tuesday’s workshop there are some concerns about the air quality in the auditor’s office. She provided commissioners Tony Bernard, Rick Hernandez and Denny Malloy with results of air quality tests that she, on her own, conducted that indicated there had been formaldehyde readings in the air. “Everybody is constantly sick in our offices with ...

Convicted child rapist loses appeal

YOUNGSTOWN — Convicted child rapist Todd Perkins has lost his appeal and remains incarcerated. A news release from the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office, issued late Tuesday, states that the Ohio Seventh District Court of Appeals in Youngstown turned down Perkins’ appeal in a unanimous decision. Perkins, now 61, was convicted in February 2024 of rape and gross sexual imposition against a child relative of his, who was younger than 5 at the time of the offenses. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. Perkins filed an appeal alleging ineffective legal counsel. His ...

Liberty board OKs community engagement job

LIBERTY — Chronic absenteeism is a problem many local school districts face, and one of them hopes to take a stronger stand against it. The Liberty Board of Education at its meeting earlier this week approved establishing the student and community engagement liaison position. The liaison will focus on boosting early enrollment, tracking attendance data, and connecting families with district and community resources to remove barriers to attendance. The full-time position will report to district principals and Superintendent Brian Knight starting in the 2026–27 school year. The ...

Parent expresses bus stop concerns

HOWLAND — A Howland parent is urging school officials to move a Venice Drive bus stop away from a four-way intersection over safety concerns, but district administrators say routing guidelines and on-site observations don’t support making a change. As Monday’s board meeting concluded, the Howland Board of Education heard from Stephanie Orr, who read a letter from a concerned parent regarding a bus stop on the corner of Anderson Avenue and Venice Drive. “I feel that it is a dangerous bus stop for the kids; it is a four-way stop, and hardly anybody stops. Most people just roll ...

YSU senior details atrocities of Islamic Republic at lecture

YOUNGSTOWN — Negin Mirzade bitterly recalled the day police arrested her at age 14 while she waited for her sister to pick her up from a class. Mirzade’s “offense?” Wearing a light-blue pair of shoes the police claimed would attract male attention to her. “The police called me ...