Ohio school safety: A top priority

As the school year winds down to an end, I find myself reflecting on the tragic events that took place over the past year within our schools. It is high time that we come together as a state and as a nation with creative solutions to better protect our schools, which seem to have become […]

VWCS needs wind energy dollars

The Van Wert City School Board believes its community should know the importance of potential wind farm revenue to the school district. Wind revenue would make a substantial difference to operating funds. VWCS is the largest school district in Van Wert County, serving 2,100 preschool through 12th grade students. Approximately 50 percent of students are […]

Wind: A failure of leadership

The Van Wert County commissioners and other local government officials talk a lot about economic development. Unfortunately, that’s apparently all it is: talk. During a recent candidates’ night hosted by the Heart Land Patriots, Commissioner Thad Lichtensteiger commended development director Stacy Adam for her work on economic development, noting: “Stacy is sharp, she is aggressive, and […]

Commissioners address wind issue

A few weeks ago, a group of business leaders and educators came to us to express their support for wind energy in Van Wert County. They extolled the financial benefits to the schools, businesses, and government offices that the current wind farm has brought and that subsequent wind projects would bring. We greatly appreciated that […]

Wind energy = needed revenue

Let’s face it, Van Wert County like most rural communities in the United States, is no stranger to the opioid epidemic. Mental health, school safety, and workforce development are also at the forefront of small communities across the nation. In a time where Van Wert is losing population and our median age is climbing, what […]

Profit: Airport upkeep a priority

Van Wert County can no longer continue to lose potential business due to inadequate airport facilities. My campaign slogan is “Work Together — Grow Together.” We must work together as county and city to ensure the Van Wert County Airport provides a warm welcome to all air travelers, especially corporate air traffic. Our current airport […]

Another year of gov. expansion

We learned a lot in 2017. We learned that it isn’t just the media that is in cahoots with the Democrats, it is also the upper echelons of the intelligence agencies. We learned that a special prosecutor can be appointed without an actual crime being alleged. And we learned that freedom of speech for conservatives […]

Developing future YM generations

In 1914, the YMCA in Van Wert was founded for the benefit of young Christian men in the city and began a rich tradition of service to this community. That tradition continues more than 100 years later as the YMCA looks to the future and the needs of new generations of local families. I am […]

Bill to keep Ohio business-friendly

Editor’s note: This is the last of three columns on economic development by Ohio Representative Craig Riedel. With 27 years of experience in business combined with what I have already learned in my time as your state representative, I know just how important it is to have strong employers and capable workers. Not only does […]

Workforce develop. top priority

Editor’s note: This is the second of three columns on economic development by Ohio Representative Craig Riedel. In my last column, I discussed the importance of workforce and business development in Ohio, especially in the 82nd House District. A lot of progress has been made-both through a key partnership with JobsOhio and business-friendly policies and […]