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Editorials category, Page 15

Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
Editorial: What can Pennsylvania do about truancy?
Schools can be caught in a no-win situation when it comes to getting kids in the doors. Students are required to attend school until they turn 18 or graduate. It might be a public or private or charter school, but they have to be learning to read and write and...
Editorial: Cyril Wecht changed forensics and true crime
There is no denying that Cyril Wecht was a leading figure in his field. The forensic pathologist’s career was about death and the puzzles that surround it. He reviewed evidence in the assassination of John F. Kennedy and consulted on the investigation of Robert F. Kennedy’s shooting death. He weighed...
Editorial: Applying to college shouldn’t be so complicated
Although college isn’t for everyone, earning a degree still offers a pathway to success for many Americans. Yet, each year, hundreds of thousands of low-income, college-ready students never actually enroll, partly because the application process prioritizes administrative busywork over academics. Policymakers should work to make it simpler. Applying to college...
Editorial: Jacob Jaillet’s story reveals the overlooked consequences of gun violence
When it comes to tragic outcomes, death can often be seen as the most terrible end. It is important to remember that sometimes that might not be true. Jacob Jaillet was not murdered by a bullet on July 27, 2021. It severed the 21-year-old’s spinal cord and left him imprisoned...
Editorial: Some government jobs require more professionalism than popularity
Elections or appointments can fill a job vacancy in one of two ways. It may by popular acclamation — meaning of all the people up for a job, one person emerges as the favorite. Or it may be by default if only one person is in the running. In jobs...
Laurels & lances: Blood, gators and money
Laurel: To a rapid response. In the event of an emergency, time isn’t money. Time is life or death. The speed of getting medical attention is the difference between survival and tragedy. That is why it is amazing to see local EMS organizations on the cutting edge of a vital...
Editorial: Time for Westmoreland’s register of wills to step down
Contempt of court has been in the news a lot lately because of the multiple counts leveled against former President Donald Trump by a New York criminal court judge. On Tuesday, a Westmoreland County official found herself in the same boat. Sherry Magretti Hamilton is the register of wills. It’s...
Editorial: TSA checkpoint bill is overdue
State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Squirrel Hill, wanted to have the TSA Firearm Compliance Act introduced to lawmakers already. That hasn’t happened. It has been held amid ongoing communication with state and federal law enforcement to make sure the proposal accomplishes the goals of cutting back on the number of guns...
Editorial: Paying a dirty cop’s pension seems like a crime
It ought to go without saying that breaking the law voids an agreement. For example, if you shoplift at Walt Disney World and get kicked out, Disney is under no obligation to refund your expensive tickets. If you get in a fight in the bar of your hotel, be prepared...
Editorial: Why do USGA and Oakmont Country Club need state money for U.S. Open?
The U.S. Golf Association is, technically, a charity. According to a ProPublica investigation, the U.S Golf Association has assets valued at $791 million. In 2022, the organization had $223 million in revenue and $263 million in expenses, leaving it $28 million in the hole. Those expenses included 10 people making...
Editorial: Rustic Ridge emerges as village of importance
Pennsylvania does not have “towns.” The state has a few dozen cities, most notably the bookends of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The rest fall into two real categories. Boroughs are what most people would identify as towns: communities that are bigger than an unincorporated village and smaller than a city. Townships...
Editorial: Difference between Brittney Griner and Marc Fogel? One came home
On Wednesday, WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner was featured in a “20/20” interview ahead of the release of her new book, “Coming Home.” It was a powerful interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts. The 6-foot-9-inch athlete was generally quiet and subdued as she spoke in her deep, gentle voice about the basketball...
Laurels & lances: Education and resistance
Laurel: To recognizing worth. The cost of a college education has skyrocketed in the past decades. Pennsylvania’s college costs, in particular, are higher than in many other states. Auditor General Timothy DeFoor visited Westmoreland County Community College on Tuesday to talk about opportunities in his office. The department is expanding...
Editorial: For a change, state lawmakers put ethics at the fore. Now they should look in the mirror
Bryan Burhans has stepped down from his position as executive director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The move came suddenly after lawmakers and other commission members questioned a limited liability company he operated. “That’s not to suggest there were any ethical violations on his part, but there were questions about...
Editorial: Internet accessibility shouldn’t be a bait-and-switch
How is a new government program like a special rate from your cable company or cellphone provider? It can expire, leaving you with a bill you didn’t anticipate. For low-income households who were given access to broadband internet through federal investment, the special offer could be about to end. The...
Editorial: Kent State shooting should teach lessons for dealing with protesters
The students were upset. They wanted to be heard. They were emphatic that the university listen to their demands. They were opposed to a war half a world away and wanted to do something. And then people died. In May 1970, U.S. college campuses were rife with protests regarding the...
Editorial: Let the competition begin: The FTC did its duty banning noncompetes
In a narrow vote this week, the Federal Trade Commission approved a rule that will ban the vast majority of noncompete clauses by U.S. employers, which have long prevented workers from switching jobs or setting out on their own. In doing so, the agency did its duty to protect American...
Editorial: Can civility return to politics?
On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania primary confirmed what everyone already knew: President Joe Biden, a Democrat, will face off against former president and Republican Donald Trump in November in a replay of the 2020 election. In a similarly unsurprising revelation, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, will defend his seat against his...
Editorial: Giving district judge probation from doing arraignment is right sentence
Arraignment is the first step in the journey of a criminal case through the court system. While arrest might kick off the process, it is arraignment that sets a case on its path. It’s where a defendant is formally charged. It’s also the first time that person might plead guilty...
Laurels & lances: Passover, primary and Kennywood Park
Laurel: To a celebration of faith. Across the region and around the world, Passover is being celebrated. The commemoration of the end of Hebrew slavery in Egypt connects the Jewish people with their faith and their history. The holiday has a poignant feeling this year amid the Israel-Hamas war —...
Editorial: Biden administration rule is no substitute for congressional action
The environmental disaster caused by a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, last year should have spurred federal lawmakers to take seriously the need to improve rail safety. But a measure passed by the Senate languishes in a House that struggles to accomplish anything of consequence. A Biden administration rule...
Editorial: Can new architect put Hempfield project back on track?
Hempfield Area School District has a new architect. The board hired Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates of Mechanicsburg after the resignation of Core Architects in February. It is the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of the school district’s plan to renovate the high school. The project has dragged on for...
Editorial: Pittsburgh City Council briefings skirt intent of transparency requirements
Government transparency is black and white. Records are either open or they aren’t. A meeting is public or it isn’t. There are reasons for both. The majority of government activity should happen in the open. It should be well documented. It should be searchable, accessible and with as few hurdles...
Editorial: Voting is your duty and your obligation
Every year, twice a year, we do our best to push you to the polls. It’s your duty, we tell you. That is true. It’s your responsibility, we stress. Also true. It is your privilege, we encourage. Just being accurate. But, this year, we are adding one more item to...
Editorial: U.S. needs to make more and faster strides on Fogel release
It took only nine months, but the U.S. Senate took its first step toward pushing for Marc Fogel’s release from a Russian prison. At this rate, the Oakmont teacher may serve his whole sentence before he receives any real help. On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations voted for...


Editor's Picks

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