Breaking News

Brenda J. Linert

Fall brings lots of newspaper events

Somehow, summer ended last week, and at my house, we almost immediately started sleeping with the windows open again. And in a little more than two weeks, early voting will begin in the election that we’ve been hearing about and contemplating for more than a year now. Here’s a friendly reminder: If you plan to vote in the upcoming Nov. 8 general election, you have until Oct. 11 to register. Visit your local elections board office or go to their websites. In my business, September and October bring our usual process of interviewing political candidates who are seeking local ...

Just one more reason not to drive drunk

By a 5-2 decision, the Ohio Supreme Court this week ruled against an Ohio man and ordered the forfeiture of his $31,000 pickup truck after his third drunken driving conviction. James O’Malley of Medina County had fought to keep his 2014 Chevrolet Silverado after a Medina County Municipal Court judge found him guilty of an OVI charge on the Fourth of July, 2018. It was O’Malley’s third OVI in 10 years. On Thursday, the high court said the fine and forfeiture, in fact, were not too excessive and did not violate O’Malley’s constitutional right against excessive fines. He will ...

Just one more reason not to drive drunk

By a 5-2 decision, the Ohio Supreme Court this week ruled against an Ohio man and ordered the forfeiture of his $31,000 pickup truck after his third drunken driving conviction. James O’Malley of Medina County had fought to keep his 2014 Chevrolet Silverado after a Medina County Municipal Court judge found him guilty of an OVI charge on the Fourth of July, 2018. It was O’Malley’s third OVI in 10 years. On Thursday, the high court said the fine and forfeiture, in fact, were not too excessive and did not violate O’Malley’s constitutional right against excessive fines. He will ...

Gavel rampage, lack of decorum get national spotlight

We chalked up one more national black eye last week, this one thanks to our increasingly infamous Trumbull County commissioners. In a light-hearted story I normally would describe as a “fun read” about out-of-control gaveling at public meetings, The Wall Street Journal (yes, that’s correct) last week carried the story “Unruly Times Spark Ruckus of Gaveling.” The story weaved through examples of incivility occurring with seemingly increased frequency in local government. The article by WSJ reporter Jacob Gershman started out enjoyably with a tale about a ...

New way to follow local HS, college football

The sun will set tonight at 7:52 p.m. Last Tuesday, in fact, was the last time the sun will set after 8 p.m. until sometime next spring. Many of us are starting to sleep with the windows open at night, and I recently began donning a hoodie for my nightly walks with my beagle, Max. Pumpkin spice lattes are available. Gone are the days of strawberry picking photos on these news pages. In fact, it’s only a matter of weeks until we are publishing photos of pumpkin patches. Soon we will be raking fallen leaves and then moving the snow blower from the back of the shed to the ...

We’ll keep swinging at the curveballs

In my newsroom, we take whatever pitch is thrown at us each day and we swing at it. Whether we connect with a bunt single or a home run, it’s always our goal to report accurately and balanced. Unfortunately, in the starkly divided society in which we now live, our readers — and even our sources — don’t always see it that way. As a result, we often are thrown curve- balls. I suspect politicians do that hoping to shield themselves from realities we will report. It’s no secret the news media has been challenged in covering state Rep. Mike Loychik, R-Bazetta. Some of those ...