Mahoning and Trumbull counties join Appalachian Regional Commission

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown, Warren, and the rest of Mahoning and Trumbull counties: Meet Oktibbeha, Tippah, Tishomingo and Yalobusha counties in Mississippi.

Why the greeting? Because Mahoning and Trumbull counties are about to join those areas in the Appalachian Regional Commission.

U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette, R-14th, of Bainbridge Township, had failed in three previous attempts to include those two counties as well as Ashtabula County in the commission.

His fourth attempt succeeded.

“I wasn’t going to back down, and I’m thrilled that the fight to keep the counties on the list worked,” said LaTourette, whose district includes seven northern counties in Trumbull and all of Ashtabula.

The U.S. House approved the inclusion of 10 counties, including the three in Ohio, in the commission by voice vote today. The Senate already authorized the bill that funds the commission over the next five years with those counties added as new members. The Senate was to appropriate the money — $510 million over five years, including $87 million this fiscal year — today. Then the bill heads to the president for approval.

Ohio receives about $4 million annually from the commission.

For the complete story, read Wednesday’s Vindicator or vindy.com