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Big Brothers in NYC, DC watch you; you watch them

Editorials

A poster depicting an enormous face gazed from the wall. The caption ran, “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.” So wrote George Orwell at the opening of his dystopian novel “Nineteen Eighty-Four.” Big Brother’s image was everywhere, on printed material and on telescreens blasting state propaganda in homes, workplaces, streets and shops. The fictional Oceania demanded devotion to Big Brother, backed by the reminder that the people were under constant surveillance. New York City has an updated version of Big Brother. Mayor Zohran Mamdani is all over street kiosk videos and, of ...

Jackson never lost hope on redemption — and neither should we

Editorials

Having covered the late Rev. Jesse Jackson off and on since the 1960s, I am still amused to receive an email from one of my many critics who wants me to know that you don’t have to be white to find something to criticize about black people, as if I didn’t know. In fact, I’ve made an impressive collection of what I call “I’m not racist, but...” letters, postcards and emails from readers — many of them well-meaning, I should mention — informing me that I should appreciate white people like Jesse Jackson does. One quote I still receive occasionally is from Jackson ...

Team approach could protect older Ohioans

Editorials

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced earlier this month that his office is partnering with the Ohio Bankers League and the Ohio Health Care Association on a statewide campaign to increase awareness about elder abuse AND intercept financial exploitation before it ever does its damage. The Ohio Pharmacists Association is already part of the group, which will help front-line professionals learn how to spot abuse. That kind of training is important if we are to support a population that can be more vulnerable to scams, fraud and exploitation. “Elder abuse doesn’t always leave ...

In economic development, work that matters most isn’t flashy but is foundational

Editorials

When people think about economic development, they often picture big announcements, major investments and ribbon cuttings. Those moments matter. They signal confidence in a region and reflect years of effort by many partners. But they don’t happen by accident. And they don’t continue without someone driving them forward and having a solid foundation underneath. Lake to River grew very quickly from its 2024 origin. In a short period of time, the organization helped establish a clear regional identity, build trust with partners and support meaningful investment across Ashtabula, ...

Equal, fair and a farce from Colbert

Editorials

When NBC affiliates in Tennessee showed the movie “Necessary Roughness” in 1994, those affiliates were required to give a Democrat Senate candidate 4 minutes and 13 seconds of free airtime. The Democrat was running against Fred Thompson, the actor turned Republican Senate candidate. When Thompson ran for president in 2008, NBC stopped aired reruns of “Law & Order” that featured Thompson, who had been the district attorney on the show. The Equal Time Doctrine is not new. But the national press corps, always ready to pounce on President Donald Trump and Republicans, has suddenly ...

Black history is defended by those willing to preserve it

Editorials

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month. While we celebrate this milestone, we are also grappling with efforts to remove or revise black history in the classroom as well as the exhibits found at federal parks and museums. But black history cannot be erased; it is preserved because individuals and communities decide to step in. One example of this is found in Michigan, and it began with state legislation to support a celebration in 1915. The National Half Century Exposition and Lincoln Jubilee ran from Aug. 22 to Sept. 16, 1915, in Chicago. The celebration marked ...