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Letters to the Editor

Why are there 611 school districts?

DEAR EDITOR: Reducing property taxes is as simple as reducing costs. There is no reason why Ohio needs 611 school districts. For example, Lordstown has 403 students, Mathews 613. Smaller districts like these should be abolished as their students could easily be absorbed by surrounding communities without new buildings or additional science laboratories, libraries, athletic programs, etc. Superintendents, finance officers and their office staff would be eliminated, as would the expense of school boards. It’s past time to consider consolidation of schools. DON ...

Revolution is coming to America

DEAR EDITOR: Ariunzaya Khajidmaa, a Mongolian citizen, recently protested her country’s extreme corporate, political, and judicial corruption, stating “I want a fair society where ordinary people have a voice, and where government officials are held accountable. Seeing so much inequality, injustice, and arrogance from those in power pushed me to speak up...” Idealism? Certainly. [Ref: CTV News (Canada); Published: June 07, 2025 at 5:00AM EDT.] Mongolia is a quasi-democratic nation. We United States citizens also live in a quasi-democratic nation given the Electoral College. ...

Mayor and public works chief in Youngstown should resign over handling of Realty Tower explosion

DEAR EDITOR: The May 22, 2025, Vindicator article where the National Transportation Safety Board suggests the gas company attempt to shut off the gas fell short is wrong: Dominion Gas followed proper procedure in locking out a pressurized gas line taken out of service. The picture in the paper shows a yellow circle around the key lock pin on the gas valve. This key lock pin can only be installed when the gas valve is closed. The key lock pin on the valve means the gas line is pressurized: PERIOD! During 1981, I visited the many basements and boiler rooms in the downtown area to meet ...

Sound off!

Total federal revenue for fiscal year 2025 is projected to be a record $5.2 trillion, with expenditures of $7 trillion. So we do not have a revenue problem. Members of both parties need to do what Americans across the country do and spend less than you make. So we can begin paying off the $37 trillion national debt. A debt for which we are paying a trillion dollars a year just in interest. — Austintown The U.S. House of Representatives just passed the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” — a slapdash, trillion-dollar monstrosity that no one read and no one can defend. It slashes ...

McGuffey Reader can help today’s kids

DEAR EDITOR: Youngstown and Ohio face a persistent literacy challenge, with only 35% of fourth graders reading at grade level, and worse results among eighth graders. While new mandates focus on the “Science of Reading,” we should also consider proven methods from the past — specifically, the McGuffey Reader. Created by William Holmes McGuffey, a former Ohio University president, these readers shaped generations of literate, thoughtful and morally grounded citizens. For over a century, they formed the backbone of American education, selling over 120 million copies and teaching ...

Time for class: Driving 101

DEAR EDITOR: Summertime, more of sharing the roadways, time for a “Driving 101 Refresher.” Let’s begin with the roadway itself, its design, and more importantly, its markings. • Pavement Markings: Lines, arrows, symbols guide the drivers on lane usage, where to turn, go straight, or stop. Most ignored marking is the solid, thick strip informing drivers where to stop at an intersection. Turning lane stopping distance from the intersection is a little further back than the straight lane. The reason. Providing enough room for the driver turning into your roadway. We’ve all ...