Goodbye, 2017 More brickbats than bouquets
Anthem is exiting Ohio’s marketplace exchange next year. Individuals and families in as many as 20 Ohio counties, some 10,000 people, would have zero choice for coverage.”
“Enough already. Sunday’s shooting at the ordinarily tranquil main Columbus Metropolitan Library drives home the random violence that afflicts many Columbus neighborhoods. We need to find a way to get guns out of the hands of thugs and the mentally ill.”
“The Ohio Department of Education’s lackadaisical progress in holding accountable Columbus City Schools’ administrators who cooked the books on student test performance feeds suspicion that the state was negligent — maybe complicit — in a cheating scheme that extended to other districts.”
August
“Two bad gun bills are under construction at the Ohio Statehouse. They would do nothing to strengthen the Second Amendment, but they would trample on the property and equal-treatment rights of many ordinary Ohioans.”
“Every 18 months or so, the heavens have a way of reminding us on Earth how small we are in the cosmic scheme of things. That’s how often a total solar eclipse occurs, though usually we Ohioans aren’t in such a great position on our planet to observe them. This time, we will be close enough to see the ‘path of totality.’ ”
September
“Dog advocates are absolutely justified in being upset that too many dogs are being euthanized at the Franklin County dog shelter, but they’re wrong in where to place the blame. The government-run shelter, and its director Don Winstel, are stuck with the heartbreaking chore of putting down sick, injured and unadoptable dogs because of the irresponsibility of dog owners who fail to spay or neuter their pet.”
“On Friday Sept. 9, as the nation’s attention was focused on a monster of a hurricane bearing down on Florida, the nation hit a different sort of high-water
November
“If there’s any bright spot in the scandal that led to former Sen. Cliff Hite to resign on Oct. 17, it’s the courage shown by the young woman who spoke up about what she said was months of persistent sexual harassment.”
“Cars are spotted around town with the rallying cry scrawled on windshields and “Save the Crew” banners and chants filled Mapfre Stadium stands Tuesday.”
“Are Judge Tim Horton’s legal appeals exhausted? We certainly hope so, because he has exhausted the bounds of patience and decency.”
December
“Sexual-harassment training isn’t going to fix what ails the Ohio Statehouse. Nor will apologies, excuses of health problems or (oops) tying one on, prayers for a ‘naturalmarriage-values’ lawmaker with a politically inconvenient sexual orientation, or a vaguely explained resignation. The Statehouse needs to come clean about a culture of misbehavior and abuse that has, in the public’s eye, besmirched the Capitol.”