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YSU boomerangs would bring promise

Nothing beats a homecoming weekend. As a ridiculously proud Bowling Green alumni, I always love returning to campus to be with old friends, visit our old stomping grounds and to take in a football and sometimes a hockey game. And while I didn’t go to Youngstown State, I have similar emotions toward YSU (I was very proud when former business school Dean Licata anointed me honorary business school alumni at a YSU happy hour in New York City a few years ago). YSU’s homecoming is coming up in a few weeks, and while the focus will be on the football team and the band, maybe it’s an ...

Spotlighting Ohio’s workforce progress

Across the nation, Manufacturing Day is Oct. 6. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine has designated October as Manufacturing Month. From Cleveland to Cincinnati, from Marietta to Montpelier, our state’s No. 1 industry is preparing to inspire the next generation to make their careers in manufacturing. Ohio today finds its storied manufacturing sector more relevant than ever. We are the nation’s third-largest manufacturing state in terms of jobs and payroll, and Ohio manufacturers just set another record of $134 billion in annual economic output. As reshoring and foreign direct investment ...

Public health costs of oil, natural gas drilling

Oil and gas production has grown to nearly record levels in the United States. Ohio continues to be a major natural gas producing state covering both Utica and Marcellus Shales. According to U.S. Energy Information Administration, natural gas production in Ohio in 2021 was about 29 times greater than in 2010. That does not come without ramifications for our health. While there is extensive research on climate effects of oil and gas-produced methane — key contributor to air pollution — few studies measured health effects of that pollution. However, a new study led by Boston ...

A recent study from the Boston University School of Public Health — funded by a well-known anti-oil and gas group called the Environmental Defense Fund — attempts to suggest methane produced by the oil and gas industry has directly led to an increase in asthma cases. The assertion that the oil and gas industry is directly responsible for the rise in asthma cases is not only flawed but also contradicts several key facts about the state of the environment and energy production in the United States. First and foremost, the United States has experienced a significant improvement in air ...

How Ohio can implement science of reading

Carrying out Ohio’s ambitious literacy reforms spelled out in the newly adopted state budget legislation will be a heavy lift. The legislation requires Ohio districts and charter schools to adopt curricula that aligns to the science of reading starting in fall 2024. Backed by a large body of research, this approach emphasizes explicit and systematic phonics instruction, as well as knowledge-rich curricula that builds vocabulary and comprehension. To support the transition, lawmakers set aside some $170 million to replace outdated curricula and provide professional development ...

State can’t be trusted to educate equitably

As a mom with four school-aged kids, my heart is aching for the children and families of Youngstown City Schools. For many, sending your child to school is bigger than any one day in the classroom. It’s the promise of an equitable future. When you’re just trying to survive your morning routine, you don’t have time or patience to hear about misguided politics influencing our public education system. As a taxpayer, you deserve to trust that your kids are learning what they need to become well-rounded, thoughtful humans. But, unfortunately, we live in Ohio, where the mantra seems ...