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Letters to the Editor

Voting against commissioner Malloy and higher water rates

DEAR EDITOR: When Denny Malloy landed in his role as a Trumbull County Commissioner, my Trumbull County water and sewage bill in Howland was around $51/month. After four years of Malloy, that same bill, with no changes in my consumption, is now $72/month. Denny raised my bill by $20! Why did the increase happen? Why did he vote to get rid of the county’s separate water districts, which allowed for metrics such as population density, the age of infrastructure and where the water came from when figuring out what people should pay? He said (during a meeting), “Howland is paying $3 ...

What Transgender Awareness Day is really all about

DEAR EDITOR: We are writing in regard to the column “What is ‘Transgender Awareness Day’ actually about?” by Ian Haworth and would like to reply in good faith. Transgender Day of Visibility is about celebrating the rights and dignity of trans people, as well as bringing awareness to the issues trans people are facing in our community. Haworth argues that “no serious person denies their existence, or their right — as human beings — to ‘exist’”. Meanwhile, some serious elected officials in the Ohio Statehouse and federal Congress have already passed and continue to ...

WRTA should protect riders from the elements

DEAR EDITOR: I am writing to you because of a disturbing observation I made this winter, a very brutal one. I live near Route 422 and frequently drive either toward Warren or toward Niles on it. During those drives, I noticed designated areas for Western Reserve Transit Authority stops. However, at these stops there are no stalls for passengers to keep them safe from harsh elements. In other words, there is no refuge from severe weather conditions — rainstorms, aggressive heat or biting cold. It is inhumane to have people stand without cover in any of these. Therefore, I, not ...

Sound off!

I have received mail and text messages from campaigns trying to smear their opponents. One was so awful it was exploiting the death of a man to gain political points. If people running for office don’t have enough merit of their own to run on, they don’t deserve my vote. These text messages are blocked and the mail goes in the trash. If a candidate goes that low, they don’t deserve my vote. Stop the dirty politics. We’re all tired of it. — Cortland Once again the Democrats showed how crazy they really are. When President Trump said he was going to destroy the Iranian ...

Vote for Shelley Pratt for county probate judge

DEAR EDITOR: On May 5, Republican primary voters will have to decide on who will be the new Trumbull County Probate Court judge. Shelley Pratt, an experienced Prosecutor and current Common Pleas magistrate is the candidate voters should trust. Magistrate Pratt was a prosecutor for 20+ years in both Ashtabula and Columbiana counties. During that time, she was involved in over 100 cases before the Ohio Supreme Court. In comparison, her opponent has 4. Shelley Pratt has argued before the 11th and 7th districts’ Court of Appeals. Shelley Pratt is a full-time magistrate who has involvement ...

Don’t forget Campbell’s ruling in fatal crash

DEAR EDITOR: Living in Cortland, I see a lot of political signs for Thomas Campbell for judge. Truthfully, I didn’t know a lot about Judge Campbell until I read about a ruling he made in a court case in August of last year. The case involved a 19-year-old driver who was on his phone, driving a new Audi, and rear-ended a line of stopped traffic. He caused a four-car accident, killing the driver of the vehicle he struck. Somehow, Judge Campbell thought the appropriate punishment for this vehicular homicide was two weeks in jail and a one-year license suspension. I wonder if the widow ...