Amy Heutmaker

Amy's Note: This post is longer than usual. Given what is at stake for Russell Township residents, it needed to be. And yes, I just did an interview on a national podcast to talk about it! Please help me make sense of this, because I seem to have landed in some parallel universe where conservatism now means defunding our local police in Russell Township. If you have been following this blog or the news coverage of Russell Township in 2026, you may have noticed a new theme developing. The...

What happened today at the Mahoning County Fair in Canfield involving Dr. Amy Acton is frightening and unacceptable. According to authorities and reporting this evening, an armed man was arrested following an incident involving Dr. Acton during her appearance at the fair. Dr. Acton was thankfully unharmed, although others were reportedly injured during the incident. I am grateful for the quick response by law enforcement and those who stepped in to protect her and those around her. I don't...

When you dig into your family history, you quickly realize that the story of how you got here is rarely a straight, single line. Instead, it is a tapestry woven across centuries, borders, and completely different chapters of the American experience. In a world and a political climate that often feels divided, transactional, and exhausting, I find myself wanting to share this personal history. It is my American story—and sharing it is an intentional effort to bring genuine humanity,...