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Oliver is the change Mahoning County needs

One way or another, change is coming to the Mahoning County Board of Commissioners. The only question is the variety of that change. Outgoing Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti wants her replacement to be fellow Democrat and two-term District 58 state Rep. Lauren McNally. She is battling Republican business owner and former Canfield City Council President Christine Oliver in what is expected to be a close race. If money talks, McNally should win. The former Youngstown City Council member spent almost four times what Oliver spent during the pregeneral election period. McNally ...

Retain Rulli in 6th District

U.S. Rep. Mike Rulli, R-Salem, is running for a third term in Ohio’s 6th District. Rulli’s two-plus years in Congress have been peppered with criticisms from opponents. Among them are his clear loyalty to President Donald Trump and his administration and apparent unwillingness to participate in town hall events in his district. Then there are the stock trades. In an Aug. 12, 2026, story, The Vindicator’s David Skolnick reported that Rulli failed to timely disclose 22 stock trades, including some dating back to late 2024, a violation of a federal law designed to prevent insider ...

Orchids & onions

ORCHID: To the Anthony J. Fox Family Foundation for its generous and civic-minded donation toward construction of an expansive children’s garden in Mill Creek MetroParks’ Fellows Riverside Gardens. Park officials recently cut the ribbon on the exciting new fun- and education-filled space that will enable Mahoning Valley children to play while learning about nature and horticulture. Though the foundation funded the bulk of the $3 million project, other donors are to be commended as well for completing the project without one red cent of taxpayer funds. ONION: To the growing ranks of ...

Sound off!

Went downtown to the Trump rally, but got there too late, so I stood on a Front Street sidewalk across from the Covelli Centre, where protesters shouted and chanted incessantly until the president’s motorcade passed. I was impressed with the group’s limited vocabulary, mostly the “F” word. The rally finally gave the protesters an outlet to put their eight or 12 years of formal education on public display. — Hubbard Anyone who believes that Amy Acton closed schools and businesses should know better. Gov. DeWine said it was his decision. What happened in Ohio was happening all ...

Lawmakers in Ohio have an education mess to clean up

Lawmakers who never bothered to complete the phase-in of Ohio’s Fair School Funding Plan or update data that could have helped more equitably fund the state’s public schools are now also operating with the knowledge that their beloved EdChoice voucher program has been deemed unconstitutional by an appellate court. (Interim state Attorney General Andy Wilson already has said he plans to appeal that ruling to the 6-1 Republican majority Ohio Supreme Court.) If their consciences weren’t already being prodded by the knowledge that they abandoned fair school funding, and that an ...

The illogical 2026 elections

If politics were logical, Republicans should be leading in the polls and looking forward to maintaining, even expanding, their congressional majorities. Putting aside President Trump’s annoying personality, his vulgar language and his narcissistic behavior — as difficult as that might be for many people — Republicans should be asking voters these questions: Do you remember why you voted out the Democrats two years ago because of their economic and crazy policies like transgender athletes in women’s sports? If you do, why would you return them to the majority in Congress which ...