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Letters to the Editor

Public transit or not in Trumbull County?

DEAR EDITOR: As someone who has been involved with transportation in Trumbull County since around 2008, I still don’t have definitive answers to one persistent question: “Do we need public transportation in Trumbull County or not?” Some elected officials — and many individuals who already have reliable transportation — believe we do not need it. I disagree. I believe we do need public transportation, and I believe the people of this county should determine what they need and how to fund it in the most efficient and fair way. I opposed joining WRTA and Mahoning County ...

Conflict follows when dignity falls away

DEAR EDITOR: Donald Trump’s long record of insults, slurs and demeaning rhetoric shows a consistent failure to recognize the dignity of others. That attitude doesn’t stay confined to speeches. It filters into the institutions he shapes. ICE is now confronting communities it should be working with, not against. An agency that depends on trust has instead embraced tactics that dehumanize immigrants, citizens and even its own agents. When leadership denies people’s humanity, conflict becomes inevitable. , TIMOTHY MECH Grove City, Pa.

Bad factors lined up in Minnesota

DEAR EDITOR: A previous letter by this writer that referenced the George Floyd incident, “Our actions always bring consequences,” stating that the unintended consequences of our actions hurt the ones we love, seems appropriate for today in Minnesota. The current situation there echoes a similar anguish after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as in the death of George Floyd. Bad consequences after actions by the governor, the mayor, the paid protesters, the passenger in the car, the federal ICE and border agents and the deceased resulted in deaths. As I’ve read in a ...

Not all who move to red states favor Trump

DEAR EDITOR: Just a thought for Star Parker in her Feb. 5 Vindicator article: Americans vote with their feet. They are moving under the protection of red states. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” Just moving to a red state doesn’t mean they condone Trump’s war on blue states. It’s just a matter of surviving to fight the battle from within. DONNA NASSER Sharon, Pa.

Library director’s focus not on Poland

DEAR EDITOR: I am among the group of concerned Poland residents who have been closely following the dialogue between the Mahoning County Public Library Board of Directors and its director as that group steers closer and closer toward abandoning the landmark library building in the center of Poland Village rather than shouldering the responsibility to make achievable repairs. Three thousand residents have signed a petition and many of the elected officials have voiced their support. When the library director first addressed the scope of the building’s foundation problem at a ...

The saga of SOBE and Youngstown

DEAR EDITOR: The saga of SOBE calls for bold, innovative action. First of all, realize that downtown Youngstown benefits from this unique heating system. This is a selling feature to attract businesses to move into downtown Youngstown, with its cost-effective heating system. The additional benefit of this system is that it melts snow and ice from the sidewalks over its heat transmission pipes. This system was established and operated as Youngstown Thermal for more than a century as a privately owned utility. However, conditions have changed, with the maintenance costs of its ...