Breaking News

Brenda J. Linert

Living in the golden age of lottery jackpots

I was forlorn. “We forgot to play,” I told my husband last week, moments before the Mega Millions drawing was set to go off. Or was it the Powerball? Does anyone else think all these massive lottery jackpots are running together in their dreams? It’s easy to confuse them. An Associated Press report I read recently cleverly described the phenomena as “the Golden Age of lottery jackpots.” As I write this, Friday night’s $1.35 billion (yes, with a “B”) hadn’t yet been drawn. If there was no winner, that prize will get much bigger before the next drawing Tuesday ...

Ohio voters now must provide photo ID at polls

I’m not sure whether the date of Friday’s state legislative action was intended or merely coincidental. It was, of course, the two-year anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on our Capitol and on our democracy in an attempt to disrupt Congress’ affirmation of the 2020 presidential ...

Responsible owners don’t carry guns in airports

It’s travel season. It’s likely I didn’t need to tell you that, especially considering all the recent news reports about the onslaught of horrible travel delays affecting so many Americans this holiday season. I’ve personally heard some of those stories, including two friends who told me about unrelated trips they planned for the holidays in which their scheduled flights were delayed or canceled. In both cases, the only good news was that each got to stay home, rather than wasting Christmas Day curled up in uncomfortable seats inside the airport. But I digress. It’s not my ...

Legendary Harris always remained gracious

On a shelf in my home is a football bearing the logo of the Pittsburgh Steelers. It also bears a simple autograph: “Franco Harris 32.” I must openly admit I committed a grave sin of professional journalism in getting that ball autographed many years ago. It was the only time in my career that I’ve done that. The legendary Pittsburgh Steelers running back, along with his counterpart Jim Brown from division rival Cleveland Browns, paid a rare visit together to a Warren Steelworkers Union Hall on a rainy Saturday morning several years ago. They were stumping as part of a political ...

Musk’s media bans a concern, but no surprise

Elon Musk’s abrupt suspension of several journalists who cover Twitter is just the latest in the coverage of the billionaire’s takeover of the social media platform. Late last week, Musk apparently tossed from his platform reporters with The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, ...

‘Real stores’ bring many holiday pleasures

My husband and I spent a recent evening strolling the corridors of Eastwood Mall. If I’m being honest, I don’t get to the mall often, mostly because I’m always tight on time. I’m sure that’s what leads many shoppers to open up their laptops, especially this time of year. But, ohhh, the things you miss when you shop from your living room couch! We went to the mall in search of a jacket like the ones I’d seen on sales fliers that showed up in my Sunday newspaper, and he agreed it could be my Christmas gift (Yay, me!) We headed for Boscov’s! Remember that ...