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Uh-oh! In May 2025, the president posted a photo of himself as Pontiff. He now posts that Pope Leo XIV is “weak on crime, terrible for foreign policy” and that he does not want a pope who criticizes a U.S. President. The Pontifical Swiss Guard has no powerful military and the U.S. has overwhelming power in the Middle East and Mediterranean. How hard would Venezuela-style regime change be? Is Secretary Hegseth ready? Is it 25th Amendment time? — Warren Allison Russo must be our next Ohio Secretary of State. When she served on the Redistricting Commission several years ago, the ...

Thank you to Congressman Joyce for supporting YARS

DEAR EDITOR: As Executive Director of the Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission, I’ve had the privilege of advocating for the Youngstown Air Reserve Station and witnessing its impact on the Mahoning Valley. To the outside eye, it’s impossible to comprehend the work that happens behind the scenes to keep military bases like YARS running. In a recent op-ed, Congressman Dave Joyce of Ohio’s 14th Congressional District outlined his achievements for YARS and its surrounding communities. First off, I want to thank him for his work. I had the pleasure of working for Sen. Rob ...

Many reasons why we should support PBS and NPR

DEAR EDITOR: They are both nonprofit broadcasters created to serve public interest — education, information and culture. They are mission-driven instead of ratings-driven like the major media system. There is support of locally owned stations that provide local news, town councils, schools, farm reports, community announcements, etc. Look at their educational programs; we all grew up with “Sesame Street,” “Mister Rogers,” “The Electric Company” and more. How about the science, history (Ken Burns) and all the documentary series. THIS IS LIFELONG LEARNING. It preserves ...

Too much taxpayer money is going to the schools

DEAR EDITOR: In 2024, U.S. schools spent $30 billion on laptops and tablets. They were going to revolutionize teaching by spending 10 times the money on textbooks. Gen Z was the first generation to use computers, and this generation has experienced a decline in IQ. Now we have a new generation on computers. It seems they threw money at a shiny object without showing how this harmed students. They are not being taught by teachers but by a screen, and we, as taxpayers, are losing. Tech is a lazy substitute for better-quality teaching, making teachers just babysitters. Unions demand less ...

Add sidewalks south of Diverging Diamond

DEAR EDITOR: Driving through the newly completed Diverging Diamond where Routes 82 and 46 meet, there are some intriguing things that catch your eye. For some, it’s the unusual flow of traffic or the nice new bridges. But what stood out to me were the sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, and it got me thinking. The interchange was made mainly to optimize traffic to and from the Eastwood Mall. But right now these well-built sidewalks lead to nowhere. The whole area to the south by the Eastwood Mall has been designed to make pedestrian and bike traffic as difficult as possible. Not a ...

Experience makes Campbell the right pick for probate

DEAR EDITOR: As a law enforcement officer with over 30 years of experience investigating crimes, I am writing to express my unequivocal support for Judge Tom Campbell in his candidacy for probate judge. I have observed Judge Campbell in countless criminal proceedings and have found him to be consistently fair and impartial. He works hard to carefully weigh harm to victims, risk to society and all relevant aggravating and mitigating factors in making decisions about sentencing and bail. I have always been confident that he is guided by the law and by what best serves public safety, and ...