Your Voice Mahoning Valley grows from a belief that the people are not being heard and that solutions to problems they face are not receiving adequate attention. The project is part of a statewide effort begun in late 2015 as Ohio news organizations worked together, experimenting with new ways to represent the people of Ohio in the 2016 election.

They came from all corners of Ohio, all walks of life, and they’re all trying to cope with the coronavirus pandemic in many of the same ways — more face time with family; experimenting in the kitchen; finally cleaning out that old, junky garage.

A new poll that shows President Donald Trump trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in Ohio also reveals that Mr. Biden’s “strong” supporters here outnumber Mr. Trump’s, a snapshot of the state less than 100 days from an election that will determine whether Ohio continues its unmatched swing-state streak.

Just months before Election Day, voters of all stripes in Ohio are at the same time both worried and hopeful.

The uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing protests for racial justice, concern for how the economic recession will affect businesses, families, and communities, and the overwhelming amount of misinformation circulating online about everything from vaccines to voting have already made 2020 a year unlike any other.

Manufacturing is among the first sectors that get hit by a recession … and the last to battle back. So for decades, a Northeast Ohio county like Trumbull -- built on steel and autos -- has struggled even when others have recovered. Now, by accident and intention, Trumbull County is diversifying.

The collapse of traditional manufacturing has hit Trumbull County as hard as any place in Ohio. Drastic cuts at the GM plant in Lordstown have many trying to figure out if the economic pummeling will continue -- and if there are alternatives.

The Mahoning Valley has been one of the hardest hit areas in the state by the ongoing opioid crisis. As local officials continue to struggle to find ways to reduce the number of fatal overdoses, one program being tried in other parts of Northeast Ohio may provide some relief. As part of the media collaboration, Your Voice Mahoning Valley, we look at whether needle exchanges could provide a solution to the problem of opioid addiction.

Ohioans level of comfort with the rhetoric of the 2016 presidential campaign varied by age, race, gender, economics and topics. But a recent poll for the Your Vote Ohio shows just about everyone had a problem when the talk targeted certain groups rather than issues.

Donald Trump’s biggest applause line at rallies in Ohio continues to be a promise: “Don’t worry; we’re going to build a wall.”