The first signs appeared over Jackson Township this past weekend, as colorful hot-air balloons filled the summer sky and families gathered for food, music and festivities. The Food Fest and Balloon Classic were more than the beginning of another community celebration. They were Canton and Stark County’s annual reminder that, for one unforgettable stretch each summer, the center of the football world is right here at home.

Each year, tens of thousands of Americans die from firearm-related injuries. Public health data has consistently shown that firearm deaths include suicides, homicides, accidental shootings, law enforcement-related incidents, and deaths of undetermined intent.