Opinion category, Page 564
Mary Schmich: Light returns after dark year
And now the light comes back. On Monday the winter solstice arrived, marking the moment we begin the slow climb out of the darkness, like weary miners exiting the pit. This year more than ever, the shift feels psychological as well as astronomical, so it’s a good time to take...
Eric Epstein: Three Mile Island cleanup must be fully funded
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently granted approval for the transfer of the license of Three Mile Island Unit-2 (TMI-2) from FirstEnergy, a public utility, to TMI-2 Solutions, a limited liability corporation based in Utah. The NRC approved the license transfer without holding a hearing. TMI-Alert speaks in opposition to...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: This Pittsburgher is a much-needed ‘Buddy the Elf’
Chris Webb wore his “Buddy the Elf” costume again this year, right up until Christmas, on the job at Nordstrom in Ross Park Mall. Webb is a natural in a Buddy costume. At 6 feet 4 inches tall with an easy smile and a knack for astonishment, he could have...
Editorial: Restaurants need multiple lifelines to survive the pandemic
There is something about eating at a restaurant that is so different from eating at home. Maybe, it is a special occasion. Maybe, it’s a chance to catch up with friends Friday night. Maybe, Mom just wants a break. Whatever the motivation, the reason we gravitate to these public tables...
Letter to the editor: We gave Trump a chance
Rearding Susan Nease’s letter “Biden deserves same chance Trump got” (Dec. 6, TribLIVE) responding to my letter “Give Biden a chance” (Nov. 29, TribLIVE): First, I am a registered Democrat. Second, I voted for Donald Trump in 2016, hoping an outsider would shake things up. Which he did. I was...
Letter to the editor: Pennsylvanians want climate change action
Climate change is one of the greatest threats we face as a nation. Stronger storms and more frequent flooding are already happening in Pennsylvania, and severe weather is expected to get worse. Taking steps to address the climate crisis isn’t just a good idea, it’s what people want. A recent...
Letter to the editor: Representatives aimed to subvert democracy
Seven Republican U.S. congressmen from Pennsylvania — Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (District 14), John Joyce (13), Fred Keller (12), Mike Kelly (16), Dan Meuser (9), Scott Perry (10) and Glenn Thompson (15) — signed on to the lawsuit filed Dec. 7 in the Supreme Court by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton....
Mona Charen: Lou Dobbs debunks himself
Two news organizations issued corrections recently. One was The New York Times. The other was Fox Business. One concerned an honest mistake. The Times admitted to having been scammed by the subject of one of its podcast series. Fox Business did not admit to anything but instead ran an interview...
Sounding off: Families have right to visit nursing home residents
I am writing to all families who have loved ones residing in nursing facilities in Pennsylvania. If your loved one is terminally ill or emotionally struggling, you have the right to in-person visits. On Sept. 17, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released memorandum QSO-20-39-NH to provide new...
John Stossel: Naughty vs. nice
Who was on Santa’s naughty and nice lists this Christmas? If I were Santa, I’d have given lumps of coal to: • Federal bureaucrats whose rigid rules delayed covid-19 tests. The CDC wouldn’t allow private companies to sell covid-19 tests until the CDC’s own test didn’t work. • President Trump,...
Letter to the editor: Opportunities for community involvement in Monroeville
The year 2021 is just around the corner. The new year brings with it many opportunities for people to be involved with local government. The Monroeville council seats in Wards 1, 3, 5 and 7 will be open, and there will be four seats open on the Gateway School Board....
Letter to the editor: Honoring past, present heroes
My dad never talked much about his role as a U.S. Army medic in World War II. One day, while sitting in the living room, he just opened up to me. He recalled how he was rushed to “the front” in an open Jeep in freezing temperatures and only wearing...
Lori Falce: Christmas village and family tradition
In my mother’s dining room, an antique sideboard carved and joined by my great-grandfather usually groans with the silver and gold she treasures — the frames that show her four kids and six grandchildren, her parents and her sister and the two dark-haired men who got her to say “I...
Letter to the editor: Project SEED still feeding hungry kids
Our lives have changed dramatically this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. One thing that hasn’t changed is the prevalence of food insecurity in so many homes. As covid-19 continues to cause shutdowns of so many aspects of our lives, rest assured that Project SEED remains committed to providing a...
Letter to the editor: Time to help our businesses, workers
For the last nine months, the pandemic has been raging across our country and across the world. Over the past few weeks, things only have gotten worse — with more infections, more hospitalizations, more deaths, more politicization and now another closure. I agree that we need to mitigate this virus,...
Mary Carney: Vital rural access hospitals need support
As we brace ourselves for another wave in covid-19 cases, we are reminded of the gratitude and overwhelming need for health care professionals. The rollout of the vaccine is giving us a sense of hope for the future, but Pennsylvania is still grappling with the state’s confirmed 577,000-plus covid-19 cases...
Letter to the editor: Making democracy work for all will take practice
It has been my custom in the days leading up to Christmas to take time and listen to a full recording of Handel’s “Messiah,” something I did this week. The opening took me back to the year when a friend and I ventured to Pittsburgh to join members of the...
Letter to the editor: Letter from Santa enchants granddaughter
I cannot express how excited my 6-year-old granddaughter was to receive not only a letter from Santa but a certificate reading that she made the “Nice List” this year. Seeing how thrilled she was on our iPad — “Grammy, Grammy, I got a letter from Santa!” — holding up her...
Letter to the editor: Love God by loving all you encounter
Scripture tells us that the Christ child was “laid in a manger” because there was no room for him elsewhere. He was turned away. Today, the Christ child continues to be turned away. He is turned away when there is no room in our hearts for our LGBTQ neighbors. He...
Letter to the editor: North Huntingdon chooses sunshine
Regarding the article “County considers pulling $30K grant from North Huntingdon for defying state public health mandates” : The Pennsylvania Sunshine Act ensures the right of the public “to be present at all meetings of agencies” and further, that it is “vital to the enhancement and proper functioning of the...
Letter to the editor: Families have right to visit nursing home residents
I am writing to all families who have loved ones residing in nursing facilities in Pennsylvania. If your loved one is terminally ill or emotionally struggling, you have the right to in-person visits. On Sept. 17, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released memorandum QSO-20-39-NH to provide new...
Editorial: Never too late for covid investigation tools
The state of Pennsylvania announced Monday a new “digital case investigation tool” is launching. The tool will let state residents between 19 and 64 years old who live in counties that don’t have county or local health departments help trace covid-19 contacts. It’s a good development. If the Pfizer and...
Jonah Goldberg: Ted Cruz shows why the GOP isn’t going back to Reaganism
Throughout Donald Trump’s captivity of the GOP, many Republicans have held fast to the hope that after he leaves office, the party can return to the sunny Reaganism of the Before Times. Of course, Trump’s bitter-enders have made it clear that they’d be happy to tear down not just the...
Frasat Ahmad: Muslims don’t celebrate Christmas, but still commemorate Christ
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right? Christmas has come. The Christmas trees, filled stockings, mistletoe and bright lights are spectacular. What’s not to like? So how come Muhammad down the street is not soaking up the holiday joy? I don’t see his house decorated with lights, or...
Letter to the editor: Drivers, riders should all pay fair share
Kudos to letter-writer Joe Kujawski (“Electric car fees? Fair is fair,” Dec. 4, TribLIVE). I couldn’t have stated the facts better myself. Note to the complainers: Please reference my letter “Comparing motorcycles, bicycles” (April 9, 2018, TribLIVE): Bicycle riders pay no user fees. Period. John M. Figler Tarentum...
