Trumbull voters must be familiar with new machines

Trumbull voters must be familiar with new machines
EDITOR:
This upcoming November election is an important time for the citizens of Trumbull County. The League of Women Voters of Trumbull County has a concern it would like to share with the voters. With the implementation of the new electronic voting machines, the voters must take the time to familiarize themselves with the equipment.
This election features numerous candidates as well as five state constitutional amendments, four county issues and several local issues and liquor options. This may be daunting for individuals when they enter a polling place with new equipment. As people take a moment or two to become acclimated with the machine and take the time to read all of the various issues, lines may form.
The board of elections has been doing an excellent job of trying to reach out to the voters by demonstrating the machines at numerous organization meetings and locations across Trumbull County. The board has scheduled nearly 50 demonstrations in 60 days. The league has been monitoring this activity and is concerned by the lack of participation of the voters in the county. The number of voters attending demonstrations is very low in comparison to the number of eligible voters. Somehow the message is not getting across to the public about how important it is to them to become educated about the new machines.
The league would like to see all organizations in Trumbull County getting involved and encouraging their members and their members' friends and families to attend upcoming training sessions. A few minutes of time now could make a tremendous difference in November.
We would also hope that the local media will assist the board in promoting the demonstrations. By posting the times and locations in the paper and discussing it on television and radio, the media can really assist the voters in ensuring a successful election.
FRAN WILSON, president
Trumbull League of Women Voters
More must be done to stop violence in Youngstown
EDITOR:
I am concerned about the ever increasing shootings on the upper South Side near Taft Elementary and Woodrow Wilson High School. Notice I said shootings, actual gunfire, drive by shootings.
There was a shooting on the corner of Boston Avenue and Gibson that hit a man. There have been several shootings near the corner of Florida Avenue and Gibson and Philadelphia Avenue and Gibson that have hit houses. Now a shooting that started on a corner near Taft school and ended near Wilson school at the very time that children were walking to school.
I want some answers as to why this is occurring and why there has not been an increased police presence (Like on the East Side when there was that shootout with police) or whatever else it takes to deter this violence. This is an area that has so much violence that we are supposed to get federal money to stop it. Where is that money going? Why is the violence getting worse?
I am tired of the attitude taken by the police force that shootings aren't important if no one was hit. A person shooting out of a vehicle in a residential area has no idea if he will harm or kill another person, so all drive by shootings need to be addressed as attempted murder.
The latest shooting occurred outside of Wilson and two hours later a police officer tackled a student with a loaded handgun in front of other students in a classroom. Bravo to that police officer for his bravery. But I have some questions. First, with shootings outside of these two schools why weren't they in lock down as one would expect after the Columbine incident. Even after the loaded gun was found, the school still didn't go into a lock down. Classes were not dismissed. Counselors were not brought into talk to students who might have been shaken up. Why?
This violence and attitudes towards violence has gone on long enough. The time has come for the police department, Weed and Seed and the Youngstown city schools to address and end this violence.
I live in Ohio, not Iraq. As an American citizen, why should I hear, let alone fear, so much gunfire?
ANN ZARLENGO
Youngstown