Opinion category, Page 201
Letter to the editor: Cyber charter schools best option for some
As a parent who’s experienced the life-changing impact of sending my children to a cyber charter school, I applaud the efforts during National School Choice Week, Jan. 21-27. I encourage parents to learn about the different types of educational options open to you. Then look closely at your children, consider...
Editorial: Innovative programs are best pitch for universities
There are just under 6,000 postsecondary schools in the United States. Almost 4,000 are degree-granting institutions — the kind of school you would pick if you want to leave with an associate degree in two years or a bachelor’s degree in four. The others are where you might choose for...
Letter to the editor: Public water resources should not benefit private industry
In the article “Lack of snow, where rainfall ends up factors in declining Beaver Run reservoir levels” (Jan. 5, TribLive), Renatta Signorini wrote about the dire situation at the reservoir. The water level is so low that the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County ordered corporations to stop withdrawing water for...
Editorial cartoons for the week of Jan. 22
Editorial cartoons for the week of Jan. 22....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Jan. 22
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Jan. 22....
Letter to the editor: St. Lad’s a sad example of ignoring value of history
Recent actions regarding St. Ladislaus Church in Natrona should be of concern to all citizens (“Time capsule unearthed at St. Ladislaus Church reveals 120-year-old treasures,” Jan. 12, TribLive). One need only to travel through Europe to discover the historical and emotional value of old churches. Some say they are not...
Letter to the editor: We all deserve economic justice
I could not agree more with the op-ed “Gilded age for college football” (Dec. 30, TribLive). Coaches are making 10 times what they made in the 1980s, adjusted for inflation, around 540 times what teaching graduate assistants make and over 400 times what adjunct professors make. This extreme income inequality...
Editorial: Tearing down the old Tree of Life is a chance to rebuild memories
The building that stood at the corner of Wilkins and Shady avenues in Squirrel Hill was part of countless beautiful memories over 66 years. While the history of Jewish worship in Pittsburgh begins its story in the 19th century, it was in the wake of World War II that a...
Letter to the editor: Continue the fight for Alzheimer’s funding and research
My sister was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in her late 40s. At 55, no longer able to provide round-the-clock support, we placed her in a care facility, where, on her good days, she feels one step closer to death; she is only 56. There are few affordable facilities that cater...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: ‘Is this a good idea?’ the first question to ask
“Is this a good idea?” Many questions are important, but if you are in a political or government position and your decisions affect the lives of others, it is exceptionally important. When Pittsburgh City Council members were sworn in this month, newly elected 34-year-old Bob Charland used his remarks to...
Trudy Rubin: If Israel is accused of genocide, why not Russia?
If Israel is being charged with genocide at the International Court of Justice, why isn’t Russia? This is a question I find very troubling, as do some of my readers. Despite harsh critiques of the civilian carnage in Gaza caused by Israel’s bombs — of which I have written my...
Ivor Ichikowitz : South Africa’s genocide case against Israel is rank hypocrisy
South Africa made history when it took Israel to the International Court of Justice — the United Nations’ highest court — and accused it of waging genocide against Palestinians while asking the court to order an immediate cease-fire. It might turn out to be the worst decision the country has...
Letter to the editor: Corporations and ‘fair share’ of taxes
The next time you hear someone gripe about corporations not paying their “fair share” of taxes, try this reply: “So let me get this straight: You want to take resources away from an efficient, wealth-creating organization (i.e., a corporation) and give them to a demonstrably inefficient, corrupt, wealth-destroying organization which...
Sounding off: Guns, taxes, MAGAs, Biden, immigrants among topics of week
Too many guns, not enough laws The writer of the letter “We have plenty of gun laws” (Jan. 6, TribLive) writes “it seems to me” we have enough gun laws already. Then why do we have so many more shootings than other countries with strict regulation? He says the U.S....
Letter to the editor: Threats to free speech
Among many alarming allegations in a 2023 lawsuit against Penn State are university-sanctioned harassment and silencing of an Abington campus professor. Filings show retaliation against him for asking questions during mandatory “antiracist” training sessions like “White Teachers are a Problem.” He was told that race-based disparagement of white-skinned people was...
Editorial: Westmoreland officials’ pay increase, workers’ strike notice are predictable problem
Westmoreland County officials cannot be surprised by employees bristling over contract negotiations. Aside from the four-year contract expiring Dec. 31 and stalled negotiations, there is the fact that many employees have been dealing with increased work and shorter staff for years. These are problems that might have come into the...
Letter to the editor: Too many guns, not enough laws
The writer of the letter “We have plenty of gun laws” (Jan. 6, TribLive) writes “it seems to me” we have enough gun laws already. Then why do we have so many more shootings than other countries with strict regulation? He says the U.S. cities with the strictest gun laws...
Gary Franks: America needs a constitutional tune-up
We are rapidly approaching our 250th birthday as a republic. And the nation is in need of a tune-up. With just a few tweaks of our Constitution we can put the nation on a path that would allow it to go another 250 years. The Constitution is the supreme law...
S.E. Cupp: It’s the money vs. the map for DeSantis & Haley
Anyone watching the Iowa caucuses results pour in Monday night could see very quickly that former President Donald Trump was going to walk away with a decisive victory. He won 98 of 99 counties, and was denied the 99th by only one vote. More than one cable news network called...
Cal Thomas: Why Trump prevails
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich appeared on Fox News Monday night as Iowa voters caucused and delivered a decisive victory for Donald Trump in his quest to win the Republican presidential nomination and a second term as president. Gingrich joyfully predicted that Trump would not only win the...
Lisa Jarvis: Measles outbreak should be a vaccine wake-up call
A cluster of measles cases in the Northeast is putting a spotlight on how easily the highly contagious disease can spread — and how dangerous any further slip in childhood vaccination rates could be. Infants and toddlers not old enough to have been fully protected through vaccination are vulnerable to...
Colin McNickle: A textbook case for regular property reassessments
The dominos of government nonfeasance have begun to fall in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. And the economic fallout could be catastrophic, says a researcher at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy. “This situation underscores the importance of regular property assessments,” says Frank Gamrat, executive director of the Pittsburgh think tank....
Dwan B. Walker: Communities depend on banks to invest in infrastructure
Aliquippa is the place where I grew up, attended school and raised my family. Eventually, it was the place that granted me the humbling opportunity to become mayor, a role I’ve served in for the last 12 years. It’s safe to say Aliquippa is a community I care about deeply....
Letter to the editor: County tax hike is fiscal mismanagement by commissioners
I stand in opposition to the decision by our three county commissioners to raise property taxes by 32.5% This outrageous increase puts a financial burden on seniors living on fixed incomes and families struggling to live from paycheck to paycheck. I have filed a complaint with the ACLU, and I...
Letter to the editor: Gas operation concerns in Bell Township
In Bell Township, our once-tranquil landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation due to the proliferation of natural gas operations. Four compressor stations, numerous drilling sites and waste facilities have dramatically altered the scenery along Route 819, replacing our serene entryway with an industrial zone. This stark transformation, especially when contrasted...
