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Blogger law slippery slope for press freedoms

Brenda J. Linert

It is ironic that I’m writing this week’s column about proposed new restrictions for political bloggers on, this, National Sunshine Week. The week comes around each March to raise awareness of the importance of open government and to promote dialogue on the impact of excessive official secrecy. A Florida lawmaker’s proposal that would require bloggers who write about Florida politicians to register with the government is raising First Amendment concerns. It should. If passed, the legislation proposed by Sen. Jason Brodeur of Lake Mary in the “Sunshine State” (how’s ...

Accurate, fair reporting best way to grow trust

Brenda J. Linert

A Pew Research Center survey released in October indicates that half of the 18- to 29-year-olds in the United States have “some” or even “a lot” of trust in information they get from social media sites. Frightening, I know. But here’s something that’s even more worrisome. That number is just about 6 percent lower than the 56 percent of those surveyed who said they have the same level of trust in information obtained from national news organizations. We’re talking CNN, Wall Street Journal, NBC News reporting here. The only consolation I take from the study is a ...

Drones are latest unregulated policing efforts

Brenda J. Linert

Not only are some communities OK with doing police work with electronic devices like unmanned cameras and license plate readers, but now some also are answering 9-1-1 calls for help with — wait for it — drones. An informed and attentive reader last week emailed me a Feb. 27 story from the MIT Technology Review about a California town where police drones respond to 911 calls. According to the story, the “true debate on privacy and policies is lagging behind.” Sounds familiar. Last Sunday, this newspaper’s editorial board (of which I am a member) took issue with the ...

Some improvements coming to Sunday Trib

Brenda J. Linert

If you’re looking for this regular column in its usual spot in the A section of next Sunday’s newspaper, you won’t find it. Yes, I’ll still be writing my weekly column, it just won’t be in the A section — nor will be the other Opinion page features. Beginning Sunday, March 5, we are making some minor changes to the Sunday edition in order to expand our coverage in areas that we have found to be popular among readers. In order to ensure we have enough space, we will be relocating some regular features. They still will be here. They just might be in a different place. ...

Residents need answers now, not rhetoric

Brenda J. Linert

Cargo onboard the derailed Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine wasn’t classified as “hazardous,” but clearly it was. Trains hauling cargo designated as “high hazardous” require notice to Ohio’s office of Homeland Security and Department of Public Safety. So why was this derailed train that ignited rail cars full of toxic carcinogens not classified this way? Dan Tierney, spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine, last week told me it simply was because not enough cars were hauling hazardous chemicals. The train did not have a high enough percentage of its freight cars ...

Many questions remain in reporter’s arrest

Brenda J. Linert

My newsroom staff and I spent much of last week working with our sister newspapers in Columbiana County covering the devastating train wreck in East Palestine that threatened people’s homes, health and even their lives. Every day — every hour, really — something new developed in what very likely someday could become the script for a blockbuster movie. We reported rapidly the developments, repeatedly adding new Breaking News posts at www.tribtoday.com. Like the entire community, we held our collective breath when crews worked to rid the twisted rail cars of deadly chemicals that ...