So long Cedar Fair

Company executives predict that the Cedar Fair Six Flags merger could be finished up by July 1. We're saddened to say goodbye to a familiar name, but it appears it's inevitable. We wish we were more confident, like as if it was the "Brady Bunch," and somehow this group just formed a family. We worry that old name — Cedar Fair — will be remembered so fondly, however, with melancholy, for the glory days, when Cedar Point, year after year, was named best amusement park in the world. In the whole damn world. The tallest, the fastest, the twistiest and most heart-pounding, ever, roller coasters and ride experiences anywhere, in the whole darn universe. Undisputed. King of all amusement parks. It was envisioned to be that; it was designed to be that. The merger with Six Flags, we hope, is successful for all parties. Replacing Cedar Fair, in our view, are big shoes to fill, but Cedar Point will always be No. 1 in our hearts. Dignity of work The J.H. Routh Packing Co., a pork processing plant in Margaretta Township, owes workers there an apology and a promise if the findings of recent inspections are accurate. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated Routh Packing Co. in December 2023 and January 2024. During the investigation, the agency found a variety of safety concerns, which prompted it to issue "40 serious violations, two other-than-serious violations and one repeat violation." The repeat violation was due to the company allegedly "exposing employees to amputation" and other serious hazards due to inadequate point-of-operation guarding on a meat saw. "J.H. Routh Packing Co. and other Ohio food industry employers must review their procedures to continually protect workers from preventable injuries and allow them to end their work shifts safely." The owners of this plant must do better by their employees. Find God in places of worship State lawmakers in Louisiana are forcing every public school district in the state to post the Ten Commandments inside every school building. What does that mean? Well, for one thing, in Louisiana, they don't care much for the U.S. Constitution and its requirement that the state not adopt a preferred religion. And, for a second, expect that some lawmakers in Ohio will be making the same anti-constitutional proposal for Ohio's public schools. Wait for it. With gerrymandered districts, Ohio's lawmakers like lawmakers in Louisiana are not worried about the constitution so much because their districts are rigged to give them unfair electoral advantages. The most important thing Ohioans can do to protect self-governance and equal representation is to approve the Citizens Not Politicians initiative to fix gerrymandering. If it is approved for the November ballot, it would create a 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission if approved by voters. The commission would be made up of five Republicans, five Democrats and five Independents who represent the different geographic areas and demographics of Ohio. It would prohibit current and former politicians, political party officials and lobbyists from serving on the commission. It requires fair districts by making it unconstitutional to draw maps that favor any political party or individual politician, and it requires the commission to operate under an open and independent process that relies upon impartial map-drawing specialists.