Letters to the Editor

Sound off!

To have the police drive around and harass business people for being too crowded is absurd. This country was founded on freedom, life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. After going through so much the last two months, it doesn't pass the smell test. We can and should do better. Give people some credit since following the state's rules and shutting down the whole country is probably the biggest mistake in our country.

-- Boardman

Warm weather is finally here, and it's nice to have windows open. Except for inconsiderate neighbors who tie out their untrained, ill-mannered mutts to bark, bark, bark, bark. One puts their ankle-biter out at 6:30 a.m. to yip-yap for 20 minutes. Then there are those who run their pro-sized blowers for 30 minutes if one leaf is on their driveway often two to three times a day into late evening. Get another hobby!

-- Youngstown

I wish someone would explain how rioting and looting honor a man allegedly killed by police. It seems that the event became a free pass for lawlessness and a license to steal.

-- Columbiana

Every day there is conflicting information on whether it is safe to reopen our economy or not. For me, there is a very simple answer. Once I see our president, senators, congressmen and their families going out in the public sector without masks or gloves, holding large political rallies, shaking hands and mixing with the everyday citizens, then I will feel it is safe to reopen our communities.

-- Canfield

Walter Williams' recent column is logically flawed. He reasoned that "black leaders and white liberals don't really want to do anything effective to improve the education of black students." Poor performing schools have less to do with the teachers and administrators as it has to do with the resources available at home. Inner-city families lack the resources to compete. Take a month-old inner city child and place him in the suburbs with an average family, and he'll perform better through his school years. Our national system of education needs a better division of resources.

-- Campbell

I heard that President Trump was demanding all churches be opened for worship immediately. My wife and I have belonged to the Greenford Christian Church for many years, and we feel our church leaders will make the right decision when to open our church and try to keep all of our members as safe as possible.

-- Greenford

President Trump is trying to suppress the "mail-in" vote. He lacks empathy or understanding for anybody but himself. I do not want Trump to be representing this Republican any longer. Please vote!

-- Campbell

We have now passed 100,000 deaths in this pandemic, and President Trump ridicules people wearing masks. He told a reporter to take his mask off. He has suggested that maybe we should take disinfectants to clean our lungs and told us to try dangerous drugs. Memorial Day instead of speaking about veterans giving their lives in war, he verbally attacked several people including a Marine Corps veteran and a congressman. He threatens governors for not opening fast enough. He's a danger to all of us.

 -- Girard

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"Sound off!" publishes Saturdays to provide readers with a forum to applaud successes, discuss issues, point out local problems or review events of the day -- all in a constructive manner. Preference is given to local issues, but will not include election issues. Selected "Sound off!" submissions are published. Names are not included, but residential community is.

Limit "Sound off!" comments to 80 words. Submit longer comments as "Letters to the Editor," a separate forum that publishes Sundays.

Submit via email to soundoff@tribtoday.com; or via the Virtual Newsroom by going to www.vindy.com and clicking "Submit News," then "Sound Off."

Letters to the Editor

Sound off!

Dave Wilkeson, Canfield Board of Education president, sought independent perspective of an outside search firm to develop a list of qualified superintendent candidates presented with only their qualifications visible to a selection committee. A few of the six candidates were finalists and participated in a public forum with residents before the new superintendent was selected. The "blind" initial selection process is an effective method of ensuring solely meritorious candidate selection without partisan favoritism.

-- Canfield

Why didn't the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County service us during the shutdown? Why wasn't curbside pickup available? Students from poorer households desperately needed access to WiFi hotspots / materials. The Library-By-Mail program was suspended when it was needed most. E-books / virtual materials were not enough. Instead of serving us, our money and the library's focus was on the Main Library renovation project. Don't ask for levy money again. You weren't there for us.

-- Canfield

Why can't the libraries be open? There are few people in there at any one time unless they are meeting. When we go to the library, very rarely is there another person even near me except when I go to check out. Then there is one the person checking me out. We are elderly and do not use electronics as the young people do. We are pretty much homebound and need reading material from the library.

-- North Lima

President Trump rightly supported the exoneration of Michael Flynn. This was a terrible miscarriage of justice perpetrated by high officials of the FBI with knowledge of the Obama / Biden administration. Any fair-minded individual reading the sworn testimony would arrive at the same conclusion as Attorney General Barr. Gen. Flynn is an American hero. America has a president who deeply cares about all Americans, unlike liberal Democrats who just crave power. Donald Trump will make America great again.

-- Poland

Trump says he's taking hydroxychloroquine. We have no proof. We do know that saying so supports his unverified claims of stable genius and absolute power and of being the only one who can fix this, sending his base into wild praise of his presidency. It also undermines legitimate doctors and scientists who caution against this potentially lethal drug as a miracle cure. Trump is exploiting our fears of disease and financial ruin to gather power and praise to himself.

-- Canfield

I give three cheers to the Youngstowner who gave us a great definition of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan. I want to send my taxes to making "America Great Again" than inching toward a socialist state!

-- Struthers

President Obama stated publicly, regarding his administration, "We didn't have a scandal that embarrassed us." Given the IRS misconduct, Benghazi lies, Operation "Fast and Furious," veterans waiting 90 days for medical care from VA hospitals, Hunter Biden levering his father's position to benefit financially, Hillary Clinton's unsecured server, FBI and DOJ giving Hillary a pass, and the unjustified targeting of General Flynn and POTUS resulting in a costly Mueller investigation, I'd say Obama doesn't embarrass easily!

-- Canfield

Our president is irresponsible. After suggesting Clorox be used internally, and pushing hydroxychloroquine, which led to a couple taking it and the husband dying, you'd think he'd know better. He may be trying to distract from his firing of a fourth inspector general or mounting COVID-19 deaths. But to tell millions that he's taking a medicine that tests have shown unhelpful and possibly life-threatening, reaches new heights. Is he not smart enough to know the effects of his words?

-- Campbell

The next time Trump supporters are grocery shopping, they should skip the toilet-paper aisle and stock up on Kool-Aid, which apparently they've been drinking.

-- Hubbard

April 11, you ran a Cal Thomas column where he outlined Biden's faults and lies. Then on April 13, two letters gave opposite views. I tend to believe Cal Thomas before liberal letter writers.

-- Girard

soundoff@tribtoday.com

­Have something to say?

Have something you want to get off your chest? Share it here with other readers.

"Sound off!" publishes Saturdays to provide readers with a forum to applaud successes, discuss issues, point out local problems or review events of the day -- all in a constructive manner. Preference is given to local issues, but will not include election issues. Selected "Sound off!" submissions are published. Names are not included, but residential community is.

Limit "Sound off!" comments to 80 words. Submit longer comments as "Letters to the Editor," a separate forum that publishes Sundays.

Submit via email to soundoff@tribtoday.com; or via the Virtual Newsroom by going to www.vindy.com and clicking "Submit News," then "Sound Off."

Editorials

Sound off!

Dave Wilkeson, Canfield Board of Education president, sought independent perspective of an outside search firm to develop a list of qualified superintendent candidates presented with only their qualifications visible to a selection committee. A few of the six candidates were finalists and participated in a public forum with residents before the new superintendent was selected. The "blind" initial selection process is an effective method of ensuring solely meritorious candidate selection without partisan favoritism.

-- Canfield

Why didn't the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County service us during the shutdown? Why wasn't curbside pickup available? Students from poorer households desperately needed access to WiFi hotspots / materials. The Library-By-Mail program was suspended when it was needed most. E-books / virtual materials were not enough. Instead of serving us, our money and the library's focus was on the Main Library renovation project. Don't ask for levy money again. You weren't there for us.

-- Canfield

Why can't the libraries be open? There are few people in there at any one time unless they are meeting. When we go to the library, very rarely is there another person even near me except when I go to check out. Then there is one the person checking me out. We are elderly and do not use electronics as the young people do. We are pretty much homebound and need reading material from the library.

-- North Lima

President Trump rightly supported the exoneration of Michael Flynn. This was a terrible miscarriage of justice perpetrated by high officials of the FBI with knowledge of the Obama / Biden administration. Any fair-minded individual reading the sworn testimony would arrive at the same conclusion as Attorney General Barr. Gen. Flynn is an American hero. America has a president who deeply cares about all Americans, unlike liberal Democrats who just crave power. Donald Trump will make America great again.

-- Poland

Trump says he's taking hydroxychloroquine. We have no proof. We do know that saying so supports his unverified claims of stable genius and absolute power and of being the only one who can fix this, sending his base into wild praise of his presidency. It also undermines legitimate doctors and scientists who caution against this potentially lethal drug as a miracle cure. Trump is exploiting our fears of disease and financial ruin to gather power and praise to himself.

-- Canfield

I give three cheers to the Youngstowner who gave us a great definition of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan. I want to send my taxes to making "America Great Again" than inching toward a socialist state!

-- Struthers

President Obama stated publicly, regarding his administration, "We didn't have a scandal that embarrassed us." Given the IRS misconduct, Benghazi lies, Operation "Fast and Furious," veterans waiting 90 days for medical care from VA hospitals, Hunter Biden levering his father's position to benefit financially, Hillary Clinton's unsecured server, FBI and DOJ giving Hillary a pass, and the unjustified targeting of General Flynn and POTUS resulting in a costly Mueller investigation, I'd say Obama doesn't embarrass easily!

-- Canfield

Our president is irresponsible. After suggesting Clorox be used internally, and pushing hydroxychloroquine, which led to a couple taking it and the husband dying, you'd think he'd know better. He may be trying to distract from his firing of a fourth inspector general or mounting COVID-19 deaths. But to tell millions that he's taking a medicine that tests have shown unhelpful and possibly life-threatening, reaches new heights. Is he not smart enough to know the effects of his words?

-- Campbell

The next time Trump supporters are grocery shopping, they should skip the toilet-paper aisle and stock up on Kool-Aid, which apparently they've been drinking.

-- Hubbard

April 11, you ran a Cal Thomas column where he outlined Biden's faults and lies. Then on April 13, two letters gave opposite views. I tend to believe Cal Thomas before liberal letter writers.

-- Girard

­Have something to say?

Have something you want to get off your chest? Share it here with other readers.

"Sound off!" publishes Saturdays to provide readers with a forum to applaud successes, discuss issues, point out local problems or review events of the day -- all in a constructive manner. Preference is given to local issues, but will not include election issues. Selected "Sound off!" submissions are published. Names are not included, but residential community is.

Limit "Sound off!" comments to 80 words. Submit longer comments as "Letters to the Editor," a separate forum that publishes Sundays.

Submit via email to soundoff@tribtoday.com; or via the Virtual Newsroom by going to www.vindy.com and clicking "Submit News," then "Sound Off."

Letters to the Editor

Sound off!

My praise and admiration go to Joseph Nohra for taking a reduction in his salary and for declining to accept a salary increase previously, and for giving back his mileage expense reimbursement. Jim Tressel is also commended for reducing his salary by 15 percent and nonunion employees will reduce theirs. These are brave actions for trying times affecting all of us. Why don't all government officials do the same during this pandemic?

-- Poland

This is a real bad idea to open so soon with COVID- 19 at present levels. It's even worse and very irresponsible for the Canfield Fair Board to even consider having the fair this year. It would show a real lack of common sense to put that many people in one place. We can go one year without the fair.

-- Beaver Township

Retail, hair salons, etc. are starting to reopen, but we hear nothing about our libraries. Some Ohio libraries are offering "grab and go" service where patrons place a hold on items and pick them up at the curb or designated location. I'm looking forward to our Youngstown / Mahoning County Public Libraries opening soon. Not everyone is tech savvy to download books or can afford TV streaming services or cable. We need our libraries open!

-- New Middletown

Now that everything is online or by email, what is someone to do if they have no access to internet? We are in an electronic desert here! There are no "Grub-Hub" or "Uber" type services available. No one advertises their phone number or address anymore. Can anyone help folks like us?

-- Lake Milton

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan is a career politician who never held a private-sector job in his life. A vote for Ryan is a vote for socialism, higher taxes, redistribution of wealth, open borders, big government interfering with our freedoms and more social programs that continue to fail. Ryan, Pelosi and Schiff are wealthy politicians who are out of touch with hard-working Americans.

-- Youngstown

This is a great read -- "China Rx: Exposing the Risks of America's Dependence on China for Medicine" by Rosemary Gibbons. A few things I also learned from C-SPAN about the medicine Hepern in the USA: 1. Lack of consumer protection for people, 2. Outsourcing, 3. No quality control in China, etc. The WTO under the Bush administration in 2001 was allowed in for good. Plus, the Smithfield Company is co-owned by a Chinese company.

-- Canfield

Dr. Richard Bright did not appear disgruntled during congressional testimony. To the contrary, he was composed, deliberate and controlled, as opposed to President Trump who always is angry, condescending and near rage. What other international leader vilifies decorated career military leaders, decommissions and / or fires them because they express opinions contrary to his? Or fires or "reassigns" respected medical experts for not endorsing unproven treatments or widespread use of unproven drugs?

Or disparages reporters?

-- Austintown

CNN contributor and former DNC Interim Chair Donna Brazile admitted sending the Hillary Clinton campaign CNN Town Hall topics. Presumably Brazile wanted to give the Democrats' preferred candidate an advantage over opponent Bernie Sanders. This year, to aid Joe Biden, she would need to send debate topics, questions and answers. And for Joe to get it right, the answers would need to be on a teleprompter.

-- Canfield

President Trump's incompetence cost American lives due to COVID-19. He spent February and March trying to wish it away, saying: "China has it under control," "We have it under control." Now he wants to reopen every state while the curve still is increasing in some. Our lives don't matter to him. How can he protect the country when he can't even keep the virus out of the White House?

-- Campbell

soundoff@tribtoday.com

__________

Have something to say?

Have something you want to get off your chest? Share it here with other readers.

"Sound off!" publishes Saturdays to provide readers with a forum to applaud successes, discuss issues, point out local problems or review events of the day -- all in a constructive manner. Preference is given to local issues, but will not include election issues. Selected "Sound off!" submissions are published. Names are not included, but residential community is.

Limit "Sound off!" comments to 80 words. Submit longer comments as "Letters to the Editor," a separate forum that publishes Sundays.

Submit via email to soundoff@tribtoday.com; or via the Virtual Newsroom by going to www.vindy.com and clicking "Submit News," then "Sound Off."

soundoff@tribtoday.com

Letters to the Editor

Sound off!

Have something to say?

Have something you want to get off your chest? Share it here with other readers.

"Sound off!" publishes Saturdays to provide readers with a forum to applaud successes, discuss issues, point out local problems or review events of the day -- all in a constructive manner. Preference is given to local issues, but will not include election issues. Selected "Sound off!" submissions are published. Names are not included, but residential community is.

Limit "Sound off!" comments to 80 words. Submit longer comments as "Letters to the Editor," a separate forum that publishes Sundays.

Submit via email to soundoff@tribtoday.com; or via the Virtual Newsroom by going to www.vindy.com and clicking "Submit News."

Here are some of this week’s submissions:

Political leaders like Gov. Mike DeWine have been in government most of their lives. They have no idea what it means to be told to stay at home and not work. I would like them to stay at home for two months without work or money and see how they feel. The cure has been worse than the disease. Millions of people will never get their lives back and have been affected forever. This is government over-reach at its best.

-- Boardman

There are lessons from the pandemic. Our country should not depend on foreign nations, especially China, for pharmaceuticals and supplies. We must manufacture them. Families should try to save at least two months of income to weather disasters. We now should allow young, healthy individuals to go back to work and require face masks for everyone if possible. Older people with pre-existing conditions can decide whether to risk going back, but with masks and social distancing, they can be safer.

-- Hubbard

Christina Hagan is running against U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan in November. I just donated to her campaign. It's time we get rid of Ryan, who does nothing for our district. Let's get a new face in the Washington swamp.

-- Girard

While I remain hunkered down in my home, I find it irresponsible and illegal for groups of protesters to congregate in mob fashion clearly displaying total disregard for social distancing and required personal protection. Are the responsible law enforcement agencies simply not aware of this situation, or (I suspect) simply afraid to confront armed dissenters.

--Youngstown

I can't believe the audacity of our president to brag about "only" 70,000 lives lost instead of the projected number thanks to his "amazing, quick actions." He should have lowered himself to pay attention to his daily briefings warning him months earlier, thus saving many more lives. I'm sure the loved ones left behind will properly thank him in the November election.

-- Struthers

Demagogues succeed because they are pathological liars, while those who support them consciously and deliberately prefer not to know the truth. During this coronavirus crisis, they are offended when they're advised to do the right thing during interactions with others. Those who won't wear masks for others' safety are wrong, and maliciously mean-spirited.

-- Mineral Ridge

It looks like President Donald Trump surrendered as wartime president. Instead of waging war with increased testing to stay healthy and open the country quickly, he uses his powers to force virus-infected meat factory employees to work -- not forcing factory owners to make plants safer or increase testing of workers. He supports armed citizens who violate state orders concerning masks and social distancing. He doesn't care about increased deaths so long as the stock market goes up to get him re-elected.

-- Campbell

Quips from Joe Biden, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, are more amusing than any "Saturday Night Live" performer. Biden's description of a female rally attendee as a "lying dog-faced pony soldier" is classic, not to mention his challenging a disagreeable voter to a pushup contest; or his belief that "poor kids are just as smart as white kids." My favorite is, "We choose truth over facts."

-- Canfield

soundoff@tribtoday.com

Letters to the Editor

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Readers share their thoughts

Trump said "no one saw this coming," but he was informed by his intel many times during January and February that a pandemic was coming. If Trump didn't see it coming, he's either incompetent by refusing to listen or thought he could wish it away. Over a million Americans contracted the virus and 60,000-plus have died. He brags they've done a wonderful job. He thinks drinking disinfectant will cure it. We will survive because of governors, medical teams and scientists, not Trump.

-- Campbell

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said he added President Trump's signature to stimulus checks as "a terrific symbol." Really? A symbol of Trump's caring largesse? His famous empathy? His Cuomo-like leadership? These are our taxes, authorized by Congress for critical need partly created by incompetence of which Trump is a terrific symbol. Mr. Mnuchin should go to Georgia, the only place where you can be tattooed while maintaining safe physical distance, and have his nose inked a nice dark burnt sienna.

-- Canfield

Desperate reaction by national media, Democratic leaders and liberal elites to accusations of sexual misconduct by Presidential candidate Joe Biden and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh are telling. Anyone with a scintilla of fairness must see the wide dissimilarity between the media coverage or lack of coverage of Biden and Kavanaugh. The bias is glaring. Biden is innocent until proven guilty. But Kavanaugh was guilty until proven innocent. How can Democrats attack Kavanaugh's alleged behavior and be mute on Biden's?

-- Canfield

In 2018, President Trump fired U.S. pandemic response officials. This January and February, he refused to listen to advisers and intel saying they were overreacting to COVID-19. He ignored the problem and lied to Americans. In March, Trump claimed it was under control. Recently, a Boston Globe editorial said, "Trump has blood on his hands." The virus could not have been prevented; however, with proper leadership, it would not have been this bad. This is a reason Trump should not be re-elected.

-- Campbell

President Trump was warned over a dozen times in January and February by intel agencies and Joe Biden that this was coming and ignored it. Now there are more deaths in three months, (61,000) than 20 years in Vietnam. Over a two-week period, Trump spoke for 13 hours and mentioned the horrible loss of life, the pain and suffering of 61,000 families for a total of less than 5 minutes. He's more concerned over the economy and the election than the human suffering.

-- Girard

Since when is a pandemic, which has taken the lives of 60,000-plus Americans, an appropriate occasion for sarcasm? Lysol and Clorox should not have to issue disclaimers about not ingesting or injecting their products. It is a sad state of affairs that some gullible individuals accept such "recommendations" as miracle cures. Unfortunately, some poor souls may be victimized by this advice. Sadly, our wartime president has demonstrated zero capacity for empathy or compassion for those impacted.

-- Austintown

Gov. DeWine is on TV as usual, and he says we need more testing. Today Rite Aid is doing testing. I just went by, but no one is there. This has turned into a big joke, but it's not funny.

-- Girard

Harry Truman said, "The only thing new in the world is the history you do not know." Those people in Washington today must not know much history because they keep repeating the same stupid mistakes! Example, NO country in the world has ever successfully pulled off the kind of currency debasement that we are now doing without producing a total disaster -- and it is coming soon.

-- Mineral Ridge

President Trump should be present at the mass burials in New York to see what a "great job" he has done. When this is done, he should be held accountable for COVID-19 deaths. Who is calling the kettle black when Trump said the World Health Organization acted too late. He wasted two months because of a "hoax." Shame on him!

-- Hubbard