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Changing political parties has become commonplace

David Skolnick

With the changing political climate in the Mahoning Valley, it didn’t come as a major shock that Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Cynthia Westcott Rice, a longtime Democrat, switched political parties and filed as a Republican. But after pledging her allegiance to being a Republican, Rice withdrew from the race Tuesday, about three weeks after she filed. Having an incumbent change political parties when seeking reelection was uncommon in Trumbull and Mahoning counties. It isn’t so much anymore as Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene did it in 2024, going from a Democrat to ...

At America’s 250th birthday, Democrats want a different country

Editorials

Jack Hughes delivered the gold medal to the U.S. ice hockey team in the winter Olympics, scoring the winning goal in overtime play. In a postgame interview, Hughes exclaimed: “This is all about our country now. I love the USA. I love my teammates. It’s unbelievable. The USA hockey brotherhood is so strong ... I am so proud to be an American today.” Moving indeed. But the question is, how much did Hughes’ effusive patriotic sentiments, his exhortation of love of country, resonate across our nation? We don’t hear much these days unbridled expressions of national pride, of ...

This is what working for Ohio looks like

Editorials

Work and production are coming back to Mahoning Valley, reviving its previous namesake as the “Steel Valley,” with the full investment of supporting the American worker with the passage of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, (https://home.treasury.gov/wftc/) Washington delivered the largest tax bill in nearly 10 years. These policies are not more government handouts or a subsidy; they are simply letting working people keep more of their own money. This historic tax bill is hardly covered. Instead, the news is focused on who Stephen Colbert has on his cancelled late-night show. This ...

What can Ohio do about its middling education ranking?

Editorials

Despite Ohio policymakers’ continued effort to meddle with education — at all levels — a recent study suggests there has been limited success on a national scale. “Most and Least Educated States in America (2026)” by WalletHub doesn’t even place the Buckeye State in the top half of states. We are 35th. That’s not a good look for a state that has worked diligently to attract large employers looking for a well-educated and well-trained workforce. Ohio is 36th for educational attainment, though 19th for the quality of education. Further, it was bundled into the worst ...

Warren needs a little less conversation and a little more action

Editorials

How many Warren City Council members does it take to set up a livestream broadcast of the entity’s regular meetings? Whatever that number is, we still — apparently — are not there yet. Last week, council again discussed why Warren hasn’t joined the 21st century and set up streaming of meetings like other comparable municipalities. Even much smaller cities — like Cortland — have such systems in place. Youngstown, the largest city in Mahoning County, offers its residents a tape-delayed broadcast, but at least it’s something. If this situation seems embarrassing to ...