Opinion category, Page 237
Letter to the editor: Vote Smail for Superior Court judge
Coming from middle-class roots, Westmoreland County’s Judge Harry F. Smail has a deep-seated faith and sense of personal responsibility, fair-mindedness and achievement through hard work. As an attorney and as a judge, he firmly holds to his strong belief that issues must be decided purely on the basis of the...
Letter to the editor: College football is a mess
I must be getting old … . After all the hype about the Ohio State/Penn State football game, what we saw on TV was at best high school football. If these are the No. 3 and No. 7 ranked teams, college football is a mess. Penn State High School was...
Julie M. Norman: Hamas and Hezbollah — how they are different and why they might cooperate against Israel
As Israel prepares for a massive military operation against Hamas in Gaza, risks of an escalating regional conflict loom large. The most critical additional threat to Israel is from Hezbollah, the militant group and political party based across Israel’s northern border in Lebanon. Hamas and Hezbollah are both backed by...
Letter to the editor: Presidential choices
Joyfully consider these options for president: Some say Donald Trump is crazy and Joe Biden is senile. I wouldn’t vote for anyone who calls his wife “Mother,” like Mike Pence. Sassy Chris Christie may float off the stage if he gets any bigger. Vivek Ramaswamy may be rich, but his...
Letter to the editor: Zellers best candidate as judge
I am writing in support of Leslie Uncapher Zellers for district judge. Our current magistrate is seeking another six-year term even though she can’t serve the whole term as a full-time regular district judge — she faces mandatory retirement when she turns 75. After 29 years, we finally have a...
Letter to the editor: Karaica cares about community
Many people complain about decisions made for their communities, but not many are willing to step up to the plate and run for a position where they could make a difference. I was a member of Springdale Borough Council for many years, and I know there is no way to...
Editorial: VA needs more than a review in wake of veteran suicide at facility
Suicide is a word people dance around. There is fear that it is part contagion that can spread if given too much exposure. There can be an idea that talking about it can give people ideas. While it is tempting to dismiss these as urban legends, there is data from...
Letter to the editor: Keep Peck Yakopec as judge
I am writing to endorse Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec for reelection as district judge. I have known Peck Yakopec for 30 years. She has been our local judge and an active member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas in Vandergrift. As a judge, Peck Yakopec has always been available...
Letter to the editor: Rockey best pick for Allegheny County executive
The members of the Pennsylvania Laborers’ District Council are proud to stand with the Steamfitters Local 449, our union brothers and sisters from the Boilermakers Local 154, and all of the local law enforcement unions in supporting Joe Rockey for Allegheny County executive. Why are unions lining up behind Rockey?...
Tom Purcell: The lost art of Halloween-costume humor
Halloween is upon us, which means you’d better be cautious about the costume you choose. Halloween has long been a staple of childhood, but in the past few decades it has been increasingly celebrated by adults — and for good reason. Until recently, it was the one day where adults...
Pat Browne and Jason Kavulich: How to get the most out of expansion of Property Tax/Rent Rebate program
When Gov. Josh Shapiro recently signed historic legislation creating Act 7 of 2023, he kept a promise he made to older Pennsylvanians by delivering a major expansion of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program. The governor recognizes this program serves as a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people in...
Nathan Benefield: Shapiro must reset his legislative strategy
The recent sexual harassment scandal rocking Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration has made many headlines. And though Shapiro must take these accusations seriously, there could be a silver lining for the governor: Appointing a new head of legislative affairs offers the opportunity to reset his relationship with lawmakers. So far, Shapiro...
Letter to the editor: Innamorato still a socialist?
I am having a problem believing Allegheny County executive candidate Sara Innamorato on her explanation on her “former” affiliation with the Democratic Socialists of America. She claims she left in 2018 to run for the Pennsylvania state House. This is my first red flag, because it appears to be a...
Letter to the editor: Peck Yakopec best choice for judge
As a local attorney and retired state representative who served on the House Judiciary Committee, I have known Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec for more than 34 years. I have appeared before many magisterial district judges, and Peck Yakopec is one of the best. She is honest, firm but fair, and...
Letter to the editor: Zellers should be next judge
It has been said that “there is no substitute for experience.” But there is a substitute for experience … and that is the truth. The truth is that our district deserves a full-time judge for a full six-year term. I believe Leslie Uncapher Zellers is the only candidate for district...
Editorial: Media not alone in questioning Aspinwall’s media policy
There is a difference between your mom’s house rules and your government’s requirements. A parent can make things up on the fly, improvising without worrying about any kind of appeal. Question the decree and you risk running into the insurmountable endgame response: “Because I said so, that’s why!” Government certainly...
Letter to the editor: Karaica best candidate for judge
Thankfully, my decision for magisterial district judge in Cheswick, Frazer, Harmar and Springdale is an easy one. I have known Mitchell Karaica all of his life, as he grew up going to school with my daughters. He has always had the character of being fair and compassionate, with a big...
Letter to the editor: Girardi committed to community, individuals
Michael Girardi’s legal education/experience and performance as a councilman make him an exceptional candidate for district magistrate. However, lost in the campaign is that he is a kind and caring person who is an advocate for the individual. During 42 years on Cheswick Council, I have served with many fine...
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Oct. 23
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Oct. 23....
Editorial cartoons for the week of Oct. 23
Editorial cartoons for the week of Oct. 23....
Michael Reagan: Republicans, our new national joke
The world is going to hell and taking America’s wealth, military power and geopolitical influence with it. Thanks to the terrorists of Hamas, we’re slowly being pulled deeper into a war in Israel that could set the whole Middle East on fire. And remember the bloody war in Ukraine? It’s...
Letter to the editor: How about ‘forgiveness’ for our national debt?
The White House should issue an executive order which cancels the nation’s $32,000,000,000,000 debt under the guise of “debt forgiveness.” Problem solved! Len Kabana Delmont...
Letter to the editor: An Allegheny assessment answer
Property taxes are always a bone of contention in Allegheny County. Everyone remembers the last assessment, with its disastrous inequities and bureaucratic snarls. In this year’s race for county executive, one candidate pledges no reassessment, leaving finances with no help for improving government services. The other wants a new assessment,...
Letter to the editor: Westmoreland needs higher wages to grow population
Some recent articles spotlighting trending population declines in Westmoreland County and efforts by county commissioners to make the county more attractive to employers and job seekers, while discussing a number of issues contributing to this decline, did not address the elephant in the room. This is WAGES. Pennsylvania still has...
Editorial: Shapiro fails on transparency with staffer harassment complaint
Quiet, private ends to potentially messy lawsuits or conflicts are common. They happen in entertainment. Nondisclosure agreements were wielded by convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein, with The New York Times documenting at least eight women. Bill Cosby accuser Andrea Constand’s NDA was a sticking point in the criminal case against the...
