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    Opinions Rory Ryan 12 February 2026

    Feckless Democrats stand for nothing

    While a majority of Americans – including Democrats, Republicans and Independents – support a photo ID as proof of citizenship, the House Democrats overwhelmingly rejected the idea. Why? It's either because of their severe anti-Trump affliction or they realize an awful lot of noncitizens are likely to vote for the party that promises open borders and more freebies for illegals. (Probably both.)
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 7 February 2026
    One nation, under God
    Some days in this business do two things, both of which are personal: Urinate me off and waste my time. This is one such day. This is simply beyond the pale for anyone, much less a U.S. president.
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 30 January 2026
    Where was the liberal outrage then?
    Former Democrat President Barack Hussein Obama was often called the "Deporter-in-Chief," as the Obama administration removed more than 3 million illegal aliens over eight years, the highest number in U.S. history. I cannot recall much of anything even discussed about Obama's millions and millions of deportations of illegal aliens. No protests. No riots against law enforcement.
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 19 January 2026
    Property tax relief
    The crux of matter remains: How to ensure adequate funding for local schools, fire, police, EMS, libraries and developmental disabilities, should Ohio’s property taxes be abolished.
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 10 January 2026
    Sen. Kennedy: 'If you trust government, you obviously failed history class'
    Unlike a sizable number of his congressional colleagues, Sen. John Kennedy does, indeed, possess the common horse sense that God gave a goose. (OK, sorry for the poor mixed metaphor.)
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 31 December 2025
    The death of print?: Georgia's largest newspaper signals a warning
    For the record, I have been in printing and publishing for 46 consecutive years; and in each and every one of those years, at least someone has said to me, "Print is dead." Somehow, I've made it for almost five decades. But today, in 2026, I almost – almost – believe print really is dead. OK. Close the casket, already. Let's make it a happy wake. Otherwise, prove me wrong.
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 17 December 2025
    Meetings (mostly) are a waste of my time
    One of the telltale signs of a bad meeting is food. If you walk into a conference room and there are donuts or bagels, coffee, juices and soft drinks, you're in for a long meeting. It's even worse when the dimwit who demanded the meeting orders sandwiches around noon. You can kiss productivity goodbye for that entire day.
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 13 December 2025
    What we had was a failure to communicate
    Today, I ordered – online – a copy of Terence Moore's new book, "My Big Red Machine: The Tales, Drama, And Revelations Of A Fan Turned Journalist Covering Baseball's Greatest Team." Ostensibly, this was – and still is – to be a Christmas present for my 89-year-old father-in-law, Jim Graham. Of course, it is also my plan to quickly read Mr. Moore's book before it is gift-wrapped.
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 3 December 2025
    We'll miss the 'Fourth Commissioner'
    No doubt, I have written this before. I'm sure I've told it before. But around 20 years ago, I started calling Bill Fawley "the fourth commissioner," because so many newly elected commissioners were constantly seeking his advice on certain issues or policies. Needless to say, the "fourth commissioner" – and his institutional knowledge – will be missed by all.
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 27 November 2025
    Happy Thanksgiving to HCP readers and advertisers 
    We owe our most sincere thanks to you – everyone who reads and supports our newspaper and our website. Without our readers and advertisers, we could not possibly provide this essential community service. 
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 18 November 2025
    'Adrift' by Scott Reinbolt sheds light on law enforcement, cultural changes
    Southern Ohio Professor (and retired police chief and criminal investigator) Scott Reinbolt, J.D., was kind enough to share a copy of his 2025 book, "Adrift: A Citizen's Guide to American Policing," this past weekend. At 150 or so pages, it's a relatively quick read, and I enjoyed it. 
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 31 October 2025
    Local newspapers keep communities strong*
    I have the feeling that younger generations (damn; I hate writing that, it makes me feel old) prefer social media posts to fair and accurate news reporting. Everyone on social media can present his or hers or "its, they's, them's" (in 2025 moronic parlance) expert reporting via cell phone video, regardless of the facts.
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 24 October 2025
    Ratchethead Ledbottom: 'Pete Rose was ahead of his time'
    Since it's been a few years since his most-recent call, I had assumed that Ratchethead Ledbottom had passed away and we simply did not receive his obituary. Alas, the old curmudgeon remains upright, and his remains will be a future embalming endeavor (if necessary).
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 13 September 2025
    Charlie Kirk: A well-deserved Presidential Medal of Freedom 
    To those – from so-called educators to mainstream media hacks to paid public officials – who have cheered the man's assassination in the last few days, may your sickness soon be healed. It is beyond repulsive, but it is surely not contagious as Charlie Kirk so wisely proved.
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 7 September 2025
    Tom Homan is the right man at the right time in U.S. history
    To his credit, former President Obama appointed Tom Homan as Immigration and Customs Enforcement's executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations in 2013.  Obama awarded Homan a Presidential Rank Award in 2015 as a Distinguished Executive.  Obama, by the way, not Trump, was dubbed the "deporter-in-chief." Why weren't Democrats crying and protesting then? Hello?
  • Opinions Rory Ryan 21 August 2025
    Near misses on the highway with cell phone drivers
    I would suggest that those law enforcement reports submitted to the media ought to include citations for using a cell phone while driving; and it might, perhaps, discourage that all-too-common practice in Ohio and elsewhere.
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