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Brenda J. Linert

Open government, free press keys to democracy

Happy Sunshine Week! No, I’m not talking about the hope for more sunny days now that we’ve set our clocks ahead. Rather, national Sunshine Week, which kicks off today, was created in 2005 to educate the public about the importance of open government and transparency. In fact, every discussion or decision made by government is your business, and you, as a citizen, have a right to know about it. Likewise, every document — whether it’s on paper, in the form of a video or audio recording or in a computer hard drive — is owned by you. That’s what makes America great. The ...

McKinley’s presidency will be recounted

Saturday marked the 120th anniversary of the presidential inauguration of our very own William McKinley. I call him that because, of course, he was born right here in Niles, was raised just down the street in Poland, Ohio, and as an adult, called nearby Canton his home. Now, it may seem odd that the inaugural event was held March 4, 1897, but presidential inaugurations weren’t moved to the present-day Jan. 20 date until 32nd President Franklin D. Roosevelt took his oath of office in 1937 to start the second term of his 12-year presidency. According to my research, the ...

GMO debate won’t be solved anytime soon

Regular readers of the Tribune Chronicle’s community page know that each Thursday we publish what we, in my newsroom, affectionately refer to as the “farm column.” “On the Farm” offers views and opinions of area agricultural experts on things like the past and future of this very important local industry. If you think this doesn’t sound like anything that’s incredibly controversial, you’d be incorrect. Frequently on Thursday mornings my office phone rings with readers disturbed by the often supportive stance our columnists take on the subject of GMOs, i.e., ...

Details matter — in the news and at the White House

Details matter. As a journalist in America hearing President Donald Trump’s constant bashing of the media, I know that more than ever. My concern isn’t with Trump’s criticism of specific stories, or even his ongoing jousting with reporters. In fact, I often have conversations with sources or readers who call to dispute items that we have reported. Here, when we are wrong, we say we are wrong, and then we tell all our readers about it by printing a correction in a consistent location inside the newspaper’s front cover. We don’t hide from corrections or think that ...

‘Fake news’ debate buzzes even in bee stories

The bumblebee’s role in crop pollination and its importance to farmers apparently isn’t so defined after all. News stories were published locally and nationally in the last few weeks showing problems that are arising from dwindling bumblebee numbers. Specifically, the rusty patched bumble bee is being considered for placement on the endangered species list to help keep it viable for the sake of the farmer, it was reported. But apparently not all farmers agree with the move, and in fact, the American Farm Bureau Federation opposed listing the bumblebee as endangered, saying it ...

Here we go again heading to election season

Following Wednesday’s deadline for primary election candidates to file petitions with local boards of elections, the names of the Republican and Democratic candidates who are hoping to appear on the May 2 ballot were published in Thursday’s Tribune Chronicle. I know what you were thinking: “Here we go again!” For sure, it’s hard to believe it’s been three months already since the last election wrapped up, but rest assured, this time around, the races are much more of the “grassroots” variety. Municipal partisan races is what voters will find on the May primary ...