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Letters to the Editor

An acknowledgement of the land we took

DEAR EDITOR: Genealogically, my maternal and paternal arrivals to the United States occurred in 1913 and 1921, respectively. Long before my family’s presence on this continent, the work of establishing our nation was done. And what a nation it is! Cue the chorus! Strike up the band! Wrap yourself up with red, white and blue pageantry! Go ahead, indulge your parochial selves, but temper that jingoistic joy with at least a glance at reality. Our history has many voices, many perspectives. It most certainly should include the honest recognition that our country was founded and ...

Ohio needs better listeners in office

DEAR EDITOR: Ohio is getting ripped off. Everyone knows it. Too many insiders are more worried about loyalty tests, branding and planning their next campaign than about what really matters — what people are putting on their dinner plates. I’m 22. I study finance at UC. I don’t pretend to have every solution, but I know this: Ohio wasn’t built by insiders. It was built by people who showed up to work every day, kept their families afloat and kept this state moving even when leadership failed them. Look at Youngstown. Whole factories shut down, not because people here stopped ...

Social safety nets: Where’s the baby?

DEAR EDITOR: One of the most contentious subjects, somewhat aligned with politics, is the term “social safety nets.” Whether the term is a proper definition of the various assistance programs is arguable, but for now, we will stick with it and apply the acronym, SSN. Currently, there are over 80 federally and state-funded SSNs. Such funding is taxpayer money, thus the division of support. No industrious individual wants a portion of their hard-earned money going to someone else — someone they don’t know, someone who they may see does not deserve it, someone who they feel ...

Vote ‘YES’ on Issue 2, a renewal for MCBDD

DEAR EDITOR: As the mother of a 19-year-old son with multiple disabilities, I know how critical the right support system is — not just for the child, but for the entire family. My son Ryan attends Leonard Kirtz School, where he receives not only an education, but dignity, independence and connection thanks to the caring staff. The Mahoning County Board of Developmental Disabilities provides services that change lives. More than 600 children have already benefited from early intervention programs that begin at birth, and support does not stop there. MCBDD extends care into ...

A child named Evan shall lead you

DEAR EDITOR: This story is worth sharing. After church this morning, a little boy and his mother wanted to speak to me. The little boy, Evan, handed me a $20 bill. He wanted to give our Save Our Library group the money to help keep our library in its current location. His mother explained that he comes to the library every week and cannot understand why it would ever be moved. I thanked Evan for sharing his money with us and assured him that we could buy three more signs because of him. Out of the mouths of babes … Thank you, Evan! JOAN C. SMITH Poland

Recognizing rights of those in long-term care

DEAR EDITOR: Every October, communities across the country recognize National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Month, honoring the 1.3 million individuals who live in nursing homes, assisted living, and other residential care settings, while raising awareness of the rights that protect them. This observance serves as a reminder that residents deserve more than basic care. Under the Federal Nursing Home Reform Law, residents are guaranteed rights that uphold dignity, choice, and a meaningful quality of life — rights that do not diminish with age. In celebration of this ...