It’s already time to start Giving Thanks

October 10, 2021

Can you believe it? The leaves will soon be turning colors, the nights are getting more brisk, Halloween is only a few weeks away, and Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. Just a couple of days ago my son mentioned to me that he is starting to prepare mentally for the Thanksgiving spread I usually cook for my family. He tells me each year that this is his favorite holiday. His comment served as a sudden reminder of our longtime newspaper tradition in which we invite local folks to submit to us a brief commentary on what they are most thankful for. We then share those thoughts ...

McKinley’s death remembered 120 years later

October 3, 2021

Any self-respecting history buff certainly knows already that recent weeks marked the 120th anniversary of the assassination and funeral of President William McKinley, a Mahoning Valley native. McKinley was gunned down Sept. 6, 1901, by Leon Czolgosz, on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y. He died eight days later on Sept. 14, 1901, and was laid to rest about another week later, as the nation mourned. McKinley was born in 1843 in Niles, where he had lived until 1852, when his family moved to Poland in Mahoning County, reportedly so he could attend better ...

Does technology keep us safer or overstep?

September 26, 2021

Billions of dollars worth of research on new highway safety technology that’s included in the federal infrastructure bill could keep drunken drivers parked — if the technology works correctly. But does it overstep? Debate has been heating up over the proposal, the logistics of making it work, potential malfunctions and, something that should be of concern to all Americans, our privacy. Increasingly “Big Brother” truly is watching, and now it could include keeping a record of our attempts to shift into drive and whether or not we’ve been drinking. The still-evolving $3.5 ...

Believe it or not, general election is upon us

September 19, 2021

Somehow, summer is just about over, the leaves are about to begin turning colors and soon we’ll be sleeping with the windows open. On top of that, Americans already are prepping to head to the polls. We all know how quickly election season hits us. Heck, I’m already hearing from confused friends who think there is a U.S. Senate race involving Tim Ryan this November. No, I explain, that’s next November — and Ryan, our local congressman from Howland, will be in that Senate race only if he defeats his one (so far) Democratic opponent Morgan Harper, a progressive from Columbus who ...

Recall strength, unity that emerged from 9/11

September 12, 2021

Like most of us who were born before Sept. 11, 2001, I recall vividly where I was that morning when the world forever changed. I first heard the news reports of an airplane striking one of the twin towers on my car radio. At that point, I didn’t fathom a thought of any conspiracy theory. In fact, I remember wondering how a pilot could be so stupid. I had dropped off my then-3-year-old son at preschool and swung quickly into the library to return past-due children’s books. As I approached the counter, I’ll never forget the look of dismay on the librarian’s face. She asked ...

Mask up to protect your favorite furry friends

September 5, 2021

Mankind apparently isn’t alone in suffering serious illness this summer. While we humans debate whether we should be vaccinated against the continuing global pandemic or if we need to wear a face mask at the Canfield Fair this weekend, song birds, white-tailed deer and even otters and primates have come down with illnesses just as baffling as COVID-19. Recently the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Veterinary Services Laboratories announced they’d found a COVID-19-positive white-tailed deer — where else but in Ohio. Apparently these are the first deer confirmed with ...