Opinion category, Page 579
Letter to the editor: Parents must tell Latrobe schools to educate kids
When the Greater Latrobe School District surveyed parents earlier this year regarding a return to school after the “online learning” that ended the 2019-20 school year, a large majority said they favored a return to the the traditional brick-and-mortar model for a variety of individual reasons. I believe the number...
Editorial: Tearing down houses can build communities
One bad property can be the first domino in an unfortunate chain reaction for a community. Maybe it happened because of a fire. Maybe it stood empty after a foreclosure. Maybe it fell into disrepair when an absent owner couldn’t keep up with the maintenance. Whatever the reason, it becomes...
Letter to the editor: Praying for right election decision
I can’t stand sore losers. I also hate cheaters. I have no problem with letting this election be investigated carefully to see which is which. If one side won fair and square, the other side is a sore loser. If one side cheated, the other side may actually not be...
Tom Purcell: America 2020 — good time for a nice long sleep
“It’s a miracle!” said the doctor. “You’ve just awakened from a coma after a terrible accident in October 2016, but you’re doing well, all things considered!” “I’ve been out for more than four years?” said the patient. “That’s right,” said the doctor. “You must have several questions.” “You bet, Doc!...
Jonah Goldberg: Trump was right — the election was about him
At a rally in Wisconsin the day before the election, President Trump was talking about the choice between him and Joe Biden. He started to say, “This isn’t about …” and then stopped himself and said, “Yeah, it is about me.” He was right. The election was about him. Republicans...
Letter to the editor: Help restaurants, bars with gift card purchases
We’re often asked what the public can do to help Pennsylvania’s taverns and restaurants in light of the financial struggles being caused by covid-19 mitigation efforts. Since the holiday shopping season has started early this year, here’s an idea: Include on your shopping lists gift cards from locally owned small...
Letter to the editor: Veterans deserve ‘primo’ parking spots
With Veterans Day this week, I feel the timely need to say something. Stores are required to have handicapped parking spots. Meanwhile, all the necessities are usually located at the rear of stores. This requires a “travel” of about 50 to 100 yards depending on the store. If you need...
Editorial: The election’s over, and unfinished business beckons locally
Guess what? Not everything is about the election. It’s true. There are still things happening in the world that have nothing to do with who won the presidency — or attorney general or auditor or treasurer or one of the legislative seats. And maybe one of the best things about...
Letter to the editor: We should commend, not criticize, our teachers
I want to commend all teachers who have stepped up and adjusted their curriculum to provide their students with the best possible education during this pandemic. To members of the community who think teachers are working less and to disgruntled school board directors, please walk in their shoes. Teachers and...
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Nov. 9
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Nov. 9....
Editorial cartoons for the week of Nov. 9
Editorial cartoons for the week of Nov. 9....
Jim Nowlan: Election reveals there is space for a third political party
If the 2020 presidential election tells us anything, it’s that there appears to be space for a major new political party. Exceptions abound, but generally speaking, minorities and urban liberal white voters are comfortable with the Democratic Party. Rural voters are simpatico with Donald Trump’s brand of Republicanism. That leaves...
Robert T. Smith: The demise of Pa. wildlife management
Irreconcilable differences have existed for some time between Pennsylvania’s hunters and the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC). Due to socioeconomic conditions around the early to mid-1900s, there existed for a time a unique habitat situation (e.g., re-growth of logged areas, abandonment of small farms, etc.) that led to an abundance of...
Letter to the editor: We use ‘hatred’ too easily
If I read the word “hatred” one more time to describe a reaction to President Trump, I’ll scream! Admittedly, the media and critics have often been biased in their comments on him. However, using such an intense word to describe almost any disagreement in viewpoint is rampant and reflects a...
Letter to the editor: Won’t be listening to politicians’ holiday advice
Regarding Dr. Rachel Levine’s holiday advice (“Pa. health secretary urges that gatherings be limited to households”): Limit holiday gatherings to those within your own home? Will you be avoiding your elderly mother this holiday season, Dr. Levine? I will never forgive myself for following your advice this Easter. Many of...
Letter to the editor: Finding energy solutions that work
The birthplace of America’s oil industry was Titusville in 1859. Today, Pennsylvania is again an energy powerhouse as the nation’s second-largest producer of natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale basins. We have the primary building block of all successful economies — abundant and inexpensive energy. We have a...
Letter to the editor: Gaslighting America
Postmodern theory, the concept that nothing is verifiably true, simply doesn’t work for everyone. For many, truths of religion and science still undergird their worldview. Today’s progressive ideology seeks to reshape all belief systems to fit its cultural vision. This deconstructionist exercise is occurring in part through psychological manipulation known...
Editorial: Pennsylvanians, a keystone in this election, can continue to lead the way
When big things happen in the world, the job of hometown papers is often to find a way to connect it to the local community. The 2020 election turned that on its head. The battle for the presidency may have been a national story, but that was in large part...
Javier Miyares and Jim Rosapepe: Virtual learning was better option for some even before pandemic
As educators are well into the school year, the national debate about the efficacy of online learning continues. Now, though, the stakes are higher. As the economy emerges from the current health crisis, an educated and motivated workforce will be needed to fuel its recovery. Education is not one-size-fits-all, and...
Raghu Sangwan: Analyses offer look into voters’ minds
As Americans went to bed Tuesday night, many wondered if they would wake up to a new president, much like they did four years ago. But by 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, CNN’s Don Lemon put it best: “If anyone tells you they know, they don’t.” At that time several so-called...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Pennsylvania perfect site for election battle
“Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision,” Abraham Lincoln said. That simple principle has been tested before and may be again. This time, the stakes could not be higher, for both the nation and the highest court in the land. By all appearances, it seems like we hold one...
Sounding off: Schools should stay open
Everyone is familiar with the joke about the drunk looking for his keys under the streetlight, because that is where the light is best, even though he dropped his keys elsewhere. I feel there is something similar going on with the notion that closing schools will somehow affect the spread...
Letter to the editor: Mall walkers seek earlier hours during cold weather
The mall walkers who have been walking at Pittsburgh Mills for years would like to see the mall open a littler earlier in these colder months. It is such a wonderful, well-maintained mall where we all have made such great friendships. Florence Henderson Fox Chapel...
Letter to the editor: Triumph, tragedy, Trump and Biden
As we led up to the election Tuesday, we all “worried and wondered” what it would be, triumph or tragedy? For those who wanted President Trump to win, they saw a win for Joe Biden as a tragedy and vice versa. Voters saw a vast difference between what the two...
Letter to the editor: Pipeline safety is in the spotlight
A recent series by Spotlight PA detailed pipeline safety in the commonwealth through the eyes of the statewide Mariner East pipeline system, which cuts through this region (“Along Mariner East pipelines, secrecy and a patchwork of emergency plans leave many at risk and in the dark”). So often with this...
