Opinion

Extend ACA Credits, Then Find Real Solutions

Letters to the Editor

Editor, News-Register: Listening to the debate in D.C. on the issue of extending the Affordable Care Act health care tax subsidies brings me back to the Clinton years. The arguments some in Congress are using are the same as those they used to defeat the Clinton plan and the arguments used later to try to defeat the ACA: “If people get to have a choice where to spend their health care money, it will bring down the cost of health care. We need to reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals. People should get the money not the insurance companies.” These are great talking points, but our ...

A Good Path Forward

Editorials

The Ohio County Family Resource Network gave Ohio County flood victims a wonderful gift for the holidays — the chance to come together and talk. The organization hosted a gathering at the Valley Grove Volunteer Fire Department as a way for victims to just sit down and discuss what they’ve gone through over the past six months. For some, it’s really the first time they’ve been comfortable in talking about what they’ve witnessed and what they’ve experienced. It wasn’t just the opportunity to talk to each other. A grief counselor also was on site for anyone who needed ...

Salute to Preservationists Who Paved the Way

Letters to the Editor

Editor, News-Register: As our community focuses on the conclusion of the Streetscaping Project, we should not forget some of the people that invested their time, personal funds and passion in preserving our historic culture of Wheeling. Without their involvement Wheeling’s historic landscape would certainly not be interesting as it is today. Yes, government officials provided some of the funds for various projects, but the efforts of three local women stand out. Betty “Snookie” Nutting invested personally in preserving numerous buildings throughout the downtown. Her grasp of ...

Let the People Speak

Editorials

A group of Ohio lawmakers believes public bodies within the state should be required to allow public comment before decisions are made. It may come as a surprise to you that is not already the case, but state law requires only that the public be allowed to attend and/or listen to meetings. House Bill 609 would address that barrier to civic engagement with a revision “to require a public body to allow for public commentary and testimony before taking formal action on any item.” State Reps. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, and Meredith Craig, R-Smithville, are leading the bipartisan ...

‘No Red Tape’ Is the Right Move

Editorials

“When someone asks for help, the answer shouldn’t be a stack of paperwork.” That is true in most facets of our lives, but in this case, U.S. Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., is talking about addiction treatment — and rightfully so. Those ready and willing to seek help sometimes find themselves confronted with a daunting number of hoops to jump through. But Justice and U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., have introduced the No Red Tape for Addiction Treatment Act. “This legislation cuts through the red tape and puts lifesaving addiction treatment where it belongs — in the hands ...

Laws Must Be Followed

Editorials

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has been focused for years on improving literacy in the state; and in 2023, a law was passed to require teaching colleges and universities to align with the Science of Reading in its curricula for those who hope to become teachers. But a recent state audit shows that while most (33) have complied, five are in partial alignment and 10 are not in alignment. Among those 10 are Ohio State University and Ohio University. DeWine says the state has made “great strides” in implementing the Science of Reading in its K-12 classrooms, but that all 10 of the colleges ...