Valley needs leaders who are willing to take some risks

Valley needs leaders who arewilling to take some risks
EDITOR:
We have a dysfunctional Valley. The Valley is experiencing hard financial times, and mediocrity describes the state of government in the Mahoning Valley.
Who is to blame? You got it! The voters. This means that the voters are satisfied with mediocrity. Until there is an awakening, nothing is going to change. Forget that our young people cannot get out of this area fast enough. Realize that no company of significance will even consider locating here. Enough said.
You got it. Roads, police and fire protection and garbage collection are our priorities. And, if this state of area government is not enough, the area is totally disenfranchised from the state and the federal governments. Trumbull and Mahoning counties cannot be found on the radar screens in Columbus and Washington.
Is there a short-term solution? No. Why? Because the majority of people in our region have tunnel vision. Unfortunately, this is not about to change. Adlai Stevenson said: "All progress has resulted from people who took unpopular positions." How true.
The bottom line is very simple. We have no elected officeholders who have the courage to take unpopular positions. We have no elected officeholders who have a vision for the Valley. Yes, business as usual.
CHARLES H. BENTZ
Warren
Koliser case reminds ofeverybody's need for love
EDITOR:
Unconditional love. It's something we give every day, generally reserved for our family, especially our children. No matter what they do -- right or wrong, good or bad -- we still love them ... unconditionally.
We've all been there, either as a child who did wrong and our parents still loved us, or as the parent who still loved our child.
The news has been filled with the Koliser case the past few months. It's a very tragic situation, indeed. No parent or family should have to go through what the Hartzell family is going through and will continue going through the rest of their lives.
But I ask you to please stop for a moment and think of Koliser's family, as well. They did nothing wrong except give that unconditional love to their family member. They, too, feel the pain, anger and torment from that dreadful day.
Families were torn apart, and many lives changed. We should keep all of them in our thoughts and prayers. A family shouldn't be judged by the actions of one member. Nor should a family be chastised for loving ... unconditionally.
NIA TILLETT
Canfield
Give thanks, Americans,for your freedom every day
EDITOR:
Who will you thank this Thanksgiving Day? We, who have been blessed to be born in a county like America, and those who have come here from other countries around the world should be thankful to our creator every day of our lives. For freedom to practice our faith every day if we choose. For freedom to earn an honest wage in the workplace. We can even choose who we will listen to and believe in the press, something most countries are denied. We can vote freely for the candidate of our choice.
We are thankful for the military men and women who have kept our shores from disaster. But most importantly, we can and should thank God for all the blessings that come in the way of family, friends and those who show us love and kindness.
America is far from a perfect place to live, but we the people of this great land should be thankful to God for his grace and mercy given to us as a nation, in spite of our ways.
ERMA NIEMI
North Lima