Columns & Commentary

State Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster) introduced Senate Bill 333 this week, which will require the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to make payments in lieu of taxes (PILT) to local governments and school districts to make up for tax revenue lost as the State of Ohio purchases the AEP ReCreation Land property.

May is a time for celebration. The winter finally gives way to the warm sun, and we as a nation prepare for the celebrations of the summer to come. Let us not forget, however, those who have sacrificed everything to give us these warm days of freedom.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost released the 2020 edition of the Sunshine Laws Manual, a one-stop resource for information on the Ohio Public Records and Open Meetings Acts.

Public school officials and advocates in Ohio are opposing the expansion of a state voucher program that would require local public tax dollars to pay for students to attend private schools.

Greetings Morgan County! Well…I did something stupid. I know you’re thinking I’m going to need to get way more specific. Okay, specifically I did something stupid involving a 50-caliber muzzle loader with a scope that I want to share with my fellow Morgan Countians because I think it teaches something about human nature.

I usually like to use this space to bring people laughter or deeper insights, but today it's my duty to bring you a somber message, a dire warning about the state of our constitutional Republic.

Veterans Day provides a special opportunity for us to recognize the bravery and service of the men and women who protect our freedom. Ohio is home to almost 800,000 veterans, the 6th largest veteran population in America. They come from diverse backgrounds, walks of life and points of view, but all share one trait in common – a commitment to a cause higher than self.

To the Taxpayers of Morgan County,

This year on Sept­ember 11th, Amer­i­cans will mourn the 18th anniversary of one of the most horrific days in U.S. history. We will pause and remember the way we felt when we first heard the news. We will recall where we were and who we were surrounded by. We will mourn the lives lost and the families who still grieve.

Of all the words people use to start a conversation, the four that always scare me are: “Hey, did you know?” Too often I don’t know the “information” being passed along because it isn’t true.

Dear Editor:

Freedom, independence, self-sufficiency: these are great and glorious concepts. We celebrate them this time of year, whether we process it that way or not, because they’re so deeply engrained in our image of America. We see ourselves as a nation of rugged individualists: seizing the bull by the horns, charting our own course, walking alone into the forest with an axe slung over our shoulder.

It’s been awhile since my last column. Since then, my spare laptop died – and four people close to me threatened to follow it.

To the Editor:

To the Editor:

To the Editor:

To The Editor:

To the Editor:

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has released the 2018 edition of Ohio Sunshine Laws: An Open Government Resource Manual. The release of the manual, commonly referred to as the “Yellow Book,” coincides with the beginning of National Sunshine Week.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, on March 2, issued a report indicating that 131,345 concealed carry licenses were issued in Ohio in 2017.

To the Editor:

To The Editor:

Have you driven through the Helmick Covered Bridge lately? You might want to change your plans and go somewhere else for your Sunday drive. I just returned from the Helmick Road area, and I almost wish I’d stayed home.