Trending
A grocery store is more
important than a hotel
DEAR EDITOR:
I find it quite interesting that The Vindicator offered an orchid to the Youngstown Council representatives who voted down the proposed bailout of the Cornersburg Sparkle market. While I find myself torn about the subject and do agree with the statement that this would have set a dangerous precedent, it makes me reflect on a similar situation here in Youngstown. It raises questions that nobody seems to want to answer.
Where was the outrage when the city bailed out that failing hotel downtown by extending its loan? The hotel hadn't made a single payment in years, but rather than tell them, "Too bad, find a way to make it work or face foreclosure," the city threw them a lifeline. And the best part of that is not one single taxpayer in this city saw information on the hotel's ability to sustain itself, or saw any figures on what their occupancy rate is. I know that when I apply for a mortgage or car loan, I'm required to show proof of income. Why weren't they?
Julius Oliver asked why the city should consider the Sparkle bailout, as there are many other struggling businesses who could use it too. My question is how many other businesses asked? How many of those businesses provide vital necessities to the residents of Youngstown, and more importantly, to the low income and elderly who live behind that Sparkle? This isn't a one-size-fits-all discussion; this is about what the residents of this city need to live.
I know that a grocery store that provides food for those with limited access is a whole lot more important than a failing hotel downtown.
RICH YASLIK
Youngstown
Use your head to outwit
the Ballot Box Bullies
DEAR EDITOR:
I don't like bullies, and neighbor, I don't think you do either. Right now, I really don't like Ballot Box Bullies. These are influencers stealing your right to genuine representation and substituting pseudo-representatives -- sheep, parrots, and demigod devotees -- who owe their fidelity to non-Ohioans.
Our Founders realized that Pure Democracy, where all neighbors vote on everything, would lead to chaos. Instead, they designed Representative Democracy, where all neighbors vote for one of us to vote for issues on our behalf. This is the basis of our right and duty to select only genuine representatives. Anything else poisons our Founders' intentions and wisdom. And, this is why I am fundamentally and vehemently against Ballot Box Bullies and their pseudo-candidates.
What's an example of Ballot Box Bullying in action? Just look at the destructive negative influences against Sherrod Brown's candidacy. Huge amounts of outsiders' money buying TV ads to destroy him. And they say nothing substantial about the alternative that remains. They don't need to, because if they rob you of your genuine representative, then by default the winning fake will represent them. That's all they want -- they have no interest in nor do they know about us.
In the future, Ohio may legally stop outsiders from infecting our right to true localized representation. But in the meantime, we'll just have to use our wits to cut through the fog of dirty electioneering, shun Ballot Box Bullies, and vote for actual down-home representation.
DOUG WOODRING
East Palestine
Some things you should know about Heather Fronk
DEAR EDITOR:
My name is Holly Ritchie, and I am a longtime member of the community. I am writing because I have had the privilege of knowing Heather Fronk (the Republican candidate for state representative in the 58th district) and seeing firsthand the way she shows up for the people around her.
Heather is one of the most sincere, compassionate and community-minded people I know. What stands out to me most is that she doesn't simply talk about helping others -- she consistently puts that belief into action.
I have watched Heather turn her own life experiences into an opportunity to help others. As a young single mother, she experienced firsthand the challenges of working hard, pursuing an education and still struggling to make ends meet. Those experiences helped inspire her to establish Clothed In Strength in March 2023, an organization focused on helping working single mothers move toward greater financial independence.
Heather's compassion is matched by her willingness to lead. She sees a need and asks, "What can I do?" She brings people together, organizes events, supports local organizations and gives her time generously. Her community involvement has included organizations such as United Way, Salvation Army, Junior Achievement, Rotary, Operation Warm and Second Harvest Food Bank.
What I appreciate most about Heather is the combination of compassion and action. She listens to people, treats them with dignity and follows through when she commits to something.
Those qualities are important in anyone serving a community. Heather's experiences, community involvement and commitment to helping others have given me a firsthand understanding of the person she is beyond a campaign or a title.
I am proud to know Heather and grateful to call her a friend.
HOLLY RITCHIE
Canfield
LaRose's mail-in ballot
request created confusion
DEAR EDITOR:
Sincere appreciation to the unknown Mahoning County Board of Elections lady who called me Sept. 9 in response to an email query I sent a few days earlier. She deserves recognition for her professionalism, demeanor and willingness to share her knowledge and expertise.
With respect to receiving a mail-in ballot request SOS 654 (026) form 11-A from Frank LaRose, Secretary of State, confusion reigned amongst my friends, relatives and me, who had already mailed in the forms directly obtained from the Mahoning County Board of Elections. Our chief concern was that we may have been facing a Texas copycat-style of voter purge. Let me explain our view in detail.
If we filled out and mailed the form received from the Ohio Secretary of State, then the Mahoning County Board of Elections would receive two forms. Would that duplicate filing cause our name to be purged per some policy and our voting rights to be denied?
Or, like one of Texas' vote-denying scenarios broadly reported by national media, the Secretary of State's form supersedes that of the local election board, and you must send in the second mail-in ballot form to vote?
The above two paragraphs appeared to be a blatant and egregious catch-22 (tactic) designed by a sinner of omission (poor pun intended) that could have, indeed should have, been clarified by Mr. LaRose in his Aug. 28 letter.
But let us refocus. We need more citizens like that lady. Our Mahoning County Board of Elections is fortunate to have her.
THOMAS R. METZLER
Canfield
When you feel pain at
pump, credit it to Trump
DEAR EDITOR:
Gas prices in America will not fall until after Donald Trump is out of office.
As America spins its wheels, Trump laughs all the way to the bank! The president's war with Iran was a calculated financial move to enrich himself.
At the start of the war, the world's top 10 oil companies collectively averaged $30 million in excess windfall profits every hour. They banked an estimated $23 billion in excess profits.
Major fossil fuel companies connected to Donald Trump include Venture Global, Energy Transfer LP, and Chevron.
Donald Trump has held significant financial investments in major fossil fuel companies, including Exxon Mobile, his holdings valued at as much as $12 million. Chevron at $6 million.
He is in no rush to open the Strait of Hormuz, not anytime soon.
A song by Tom T. Hall (1987):
Back when gas was thirty cents a gallon,
America was young and strong and brave,
Lord knows that I didn't have much money,
And my old car had seen some better days.
You were young and fresh as brand new roses,
I was so in love and strong and brave,
Back when gas was thirty cents a gallon,
And love was only sixty cents away.
I don't think I'd know you if I'd see you,
I practice my forgetting 'til it works,
Back when gas was thirty cents a gallon,
I didn't know the meaning of hurt.
Back when gas was thirty cents a gallon,
And sweet magnolias lined those country roads,
We burned a tank of love most every weekend,
And on work days, I helped 'em fix the roads.
My friends were many and our dreams were certain,
Whoever thought we'd go our separate ways?
Back when gas was thirty cents a gallon,
And love was only sixty cents away.
I don't think I'd know you if I'd see you,
I practice my forgetting 'til it works,
Back when gas was thirty cents a gallon,
I didn't know the meaning of hurt.
Back when gas was thirty cents a gallon,
And love was only sixty cents away.
PAUL R. LAWSON
McDonald
It's time for all Democrats
out there to open their eyes
DEAR EDITOR:
A recent letter writer said about me that "I deem Democrat politicians to be socialists" after reading my letter about the Democrat Socialists of America. I would suggest that anyone that believes that statement should get off the couch while watching MS NOW all day and explore other forms of media. The DSA has officially taken over the Democratic Party. Their candidates who are proud to call themselves socialists harbor insane ideas about this country and hate Jews. Why would people that think their way is best for the country openly hate an entire race of people? They have crushed moderate Democrats in the primaries all over the country. One of their superstars from Michigan, El-Sayed, is a radical socialist who recently meet with top democrat senators. He came away with a unanimous endorsement and $10 million from Chuck Schumer.
The Democrats that suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome will allow the DSA to turn America into a socialist country. The Democrats constantly accuse Trump of lying about them? Dr. Amy Acton is airing a commercial about her (age 12), and her brother (age 7) living alone in a tent "somewhere off route 7." The lack of specificity in her facts, no record of the police discovering the tent, she went to school on the north side of Youngstown, and her mother Donna Arthur said it was not true makes it logistically not true. The Ohio Medical Association also endorsed Vivek, her opponent. Sherrod Brown says he will refund the $1,336 that each household lost because of tariffs. He would be one of 100 senators; how would you do that Sherrod?
$521 billion a year is lost to fraud in this country. Obamacare currently has 760,000 fraudulent accounts costing taxpayers $2.2 billion. The DOJ is investigating 419,000 accounts that may have gone to illegal aliens. DOJ is arresting fraudsters and confiscating luxury cars, houses, boats, and jewelry every day. Yet the Democrat mayors and governors in these areas deny any knowledge of the crimes. The fraudsters are primarily from Haiti, Afghanistan, Syria and Somalia brought into this country by Biden and given automatic citizenship to escape poverty and crime. Seriously?
Democrats will call me MAGA and dismiss my facts. And yes, Trump is obnoxious and brags constantly. We do not belong in Iran and prices are too high, but less than they were under Biden. But the economy is moving in the right direction. Democrats, don't follow the DSA herd off a cliff into communism. Do some research and vote for people that have the same values as you. Take an honest look at the Republicans.
STEVE DUNN
Canfield
A list of Donald Trump's so-called 'accomplishments'
DEAR EDITOR:
He has established a masked police force with a budget larger than the Marine Corps. They are murdering citizens in our streets and in their gulag of prisons where people have "disappeared". They are not accountable to anyone but the administration.
He has raised the cost of living for all with his asinine tariffs and trade wars.
He undermines the First Amendment rights of a free press with unconstitutional "bans" on those he dislikes for their factual reporting.
He starts wars with all the strategic thought of a drive-by shooting and at a cost of blood and treasure while betraying our allies to his dictatorial pals.
He has cut funding for the one daily meal some kids get; funds for cancer research; funds for female healthcare; funds for public education all while using his office (grifting) to increase his wealth by $2 billion and his family wealth by more since regaining office.
He lies to his advantage at every opportunity and never presents any evidence or logical reason for his actions. He appoints others to lie for him and to endanger all citizens by spreading our military thinly across the globe and depleting their arms and able leadership to levels insufficient to defend us against despots he publicly admires. Other of his minions influence the beginning of deadly plagues with phony science, launch expensive investigations with no basis, sell off public lands for profit.
He is Donald Trump. Every one of the things he has done has been done with the approval and aid of collaborators, incumbent Republican members dominating Congress, passively or actively cheering him on. Trump is a carbuncle on the body politic and his collaborators the encircling pustules. Lance them with your vote. Dump self-serving congressional cowards in upcoming midterms and Trump in 2028. Otherwise, our democracy may sicken and die from their poisonous presence.
JIM CARTWRIGHT
Canfield