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Guest columnists

Why fair maps are essential for our democracy

Three strikes and you’re out? The politicians in Ohio have struck out three times, and we, the citizens of Ohio, are crying foul. Strike 1: Ignoring the will of the voters and the Ohio Supreme Court by repeatedly imposing unconstitutional maps on us. Strike 2: Charging us $20 million for a desperate failed election in August to try to fool us into signing away majority rule. Strike 3: Democrats colluding with Republicans on the political redistricting commission in the dark of night to draw up and then pass even more heavily gerrymandered maps. Enough is enough. The citizens of ...

Shift continues for cultural climate

As we approach what would have been the 51st anniversary of Roe v Wade, a landmark decision that secured the right to safe and legal abortions, the echoes of its impact resonate in the ongoing struggle for reproductive justice. This year, the commemoration takes on added significance, coinciding with the theme of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service: "Shifting the Cultural Climate through the Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence." In this reflection, we delve into the ongoing consequences of the overturning Roe v Wade, the transformative power of Kingian Nonviolence and crucial ...

When we set aside partisanship, parochialism

New Years is a time of renewal, and nothing says renewal to the Mahoning Valley’s economy than the recent announcement that Kimberly-Clark is acquiring 560 acres of some of the best shovel-ready property in the United States for manufacturing. It’s great to see the Valley’s stalwart economic development agencies, the Western Reserve Port Authority and the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber, work together as seamlessly as possible to make these opportunities happen. Congratulations to both teams. And now, like a good chess match, it gives the development actors ability to ...

Mahoning Valley’s story is changing

Economic indicators have not treated us kindly. According to the 2020 census, the Youngstown-Warren-Bordman metropolitan statistical area lost 8.35 people per day, every day, 365 days a year, for 10 years. According to recent data, Youngstown had the highest poverty rate in Ohio, and Warren was No. 2. In 2020, the Wall Street Journal highlighted our entire MSA as being among the most impoverished in the U.S., pointing out poverty is not confined to our urban cores. And, according to employment statistics, as we continue to get older and poorer, our labor force has shrunk by 34,000 ...

R&D tax puts ‘Main Street’ in jeopardy

As members of MS Consultants, Inc. — an engineering, architectural and planning firm based in Ohio with projects throughout the USA — we’ve watched our work transform from blueprints to the essential infrastructure that powers our communities. But our work, like that of many other engineering firms across the country, is at risk thanks to a devastating tax change. Firms like ours play a vital role in setting the foundation for local development because we’re closely tied to the people and places where we work. We invest in our communities and have, in turn, seen them grow, ...

New YSU chief reflects on becoming a Penguin

Penguins are amazing. They’re agile and have excellent problem-solving skills. They’re active communicators, even using verbal and nonverbal cues in their conversations. And when dangerous winds blow that could divide their group, they take turns sheltering each other from the peril. No wonder Youngstown State University — where I’m about to start a new job as president — long ago adopted the penguin as its mascot. I spent over 26 years serving our country in the Air Force, nearly a decade as a successful small business owner and another 13 years in Congress. Whether ...