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New Lake To River Region a Game Changer for Valley & Regional Chamber

We have reached a defining moment in our economic future. Wednesday’s news that our four lake-to-river counties will make up the seventh and final JobsOhio region is a game changer for our entire region. This monumental decision by Gov. Mike DeWine and JobsOhio President & CEO JP Nauseef, something local business leaders have long advocated for, means the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber can greatly redefine its role in economic development by directing more resources toward strategic, transformational initiatives that condition the landscape for future and sustained regional ...

Call for understanding, inclusion during Autism Awareness Month

As Autism Awareness Month begins, it is crucial to reflect on the progress that has been made in understanding and embracing neurodiversity. The month of April serves as a poignant reminder to foster a society that values and includes all individuals. Autism Spectrum Disorder encompasses a wide range of conditions, characterized by differences in social interaction, communication and behavior. Each person with autism is unique, possessing their own strengths, challenges and perspectives. While awareness initiatives have come a long way in recent years, there remains much work to be ...

Great things are happening at Youngstown State

I’ve been the president of Youngstown State for nearly two months now, and despite some of the negative publicity at the beginning, we’ve gotten off to a running start. In fact, great things are happening here at the university. In the job I left — in the world of American politics these days — there was little teamwork, and some would say even less progress. But here on the campus of YSU, we’re pulling together like family and getting things done. Countless YSU supporters have expressed their support since I was first hired, but I still knew there would be bumps in the ...

5 years since Lordstown complex closure

On March 6, 2019, just over five years ago, my life, along with my family’s, was entirely uprooted when the General Motors plant in Lordstown closed. While living in Youngstown, I worked at the plant for 41 years alongside my wife before I retired in 2018. My wife, on the other hand, still worked at the plant and was years out from retirement, so she — and the rest of us — were forced to pick up and leave to maintain employment and the hope of a secure retirement. I never wanted to leave Ohio. It is where I grew up, built a family and raised our children. But when the Lordstown ...

Going our own way? Hold off for a minute

Recently it has been announced that four counties that comprise the Lake-to-River corridor in northeast Ohio want to break off from the region administered by Team NEO and create its own economic development region. Trust me, I understand why they want to, but I wonder if it is the right thing to do. Years ago when I worked at the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber, the top two executives of the Allegheny Conference, which is an organization committed to improving the Pittsburgh region’s economic future and quality of life, according to its website, paid us a visit in downtown ...

Cleveland to take on Columbus

The Democrats have been the minority party at the Supreme Court of Ohio for the better part of two decades. Now the Democratic leadership in Columbus wants to extend that dry spell by engineering an unnecessary primary. They have orchestrated a divisive primary between Columbus and Cleveland and once again demonstrated they have no idea how to run a Supreme Court race. Let me explain. There are two highly qualified Democratic Judges running for an open seat which could readily change the balance on the Court from 4-3 Republican to 4-3 Democrat. The stakes could not be higher. And the ...