Opinion category, Page 31
Mary Ellen Klas: NIMBYs are coming for the data centers AI needs
The emerging political battle over data centers has a feature unfamiliar to present-day policymaking: The opponents are not divided along partisan lines. Instead, the conflict is between local communities and Big Tech developers, with elected officials caught in the middle. Politicians — from both parties — who have greenlit these...
Letter to the editor: Jan. 6 rioters pardoned, but hoagie-thrower charged?
In January, having taken office, President Trump immediately pardoned 1,500 Jan. 6 insurrectionists. Among these domestic terrorists were 170 who were convicted of assault of a police officer with a deadly weapon. On Aug. 12 in Washington, D.C., a man was charged with felony assault on a U.S. Customs and...
Letter to the editor: American Dream is possible
I have stood in parks where children laughed under streetlights, safe and free. I’ve walked downtown plazas alive with music, boarded spotless subways arriving to the second, saw maglev trains over 600 mph and visited schools with the latest technology. I saw a people happy and proud of their country....
Letter to the editor: Under this plan, worst teams could win World Series
There’s nothing good about seeing the Jolly Roger raised on a sinking ship. I have a way for the Pirates to make the playoffs and maybe win the World Series. Don’t laugh just yet … hear me out. Many baseball tournaments have a loser’s bracket with a chance to win...
Editorial cartoons for the week of Aug. 25
Editorial cartoons for the week of Aug. 25....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Aug. 25
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Aug. 25....
Letter to the editor: Questions on mass transit funding crisis
I have three questions regarding mass transit funding (“Pa. Senate leaders look to skill games tax as transit funding debate continues,” Aug. 17, TribLive). First, how did state government get into transit in the first place? Second, school districts go to private bus companies to transport kids; why not put...
Letter to the editor: Fighting for those living with Alzheimer’s
When I lost my grandmother to Alzheimer’s seven years ago, I never would have imagined that I would now be working with the elderly as an emergency medical technician and using my new degree in biology and neuroscience to start my career in research. I also never would have imagined...
Editorial: Power, money and the cost of scrapping our election system
It is no secret that President Donald Trump does not like mail-in voting. “Tremendous potential for voter fraud, and for whatever reason, doesn’t work out well for Republicans,” he said of it on Twitter in 2020. Despite pushback from officials across the country who have maintained the practice is safe...
Letter to the editor: Energy solutions will never happen
The need for a meaningful and sensible energy plan for our nation is nearly impossible with attitudes expressed in the op-eds “Point: Coal needs to be part of America’s energy future” and “Counterpoint: America needs affordable energy — coal doesn’t fit the bill” (Aug. 9, TribLive). Little change has taken...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Taking a bite out of justice
When Sean Charles Dunn cursed and threw his foot-long Subway salami sandwich at a federal agent in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 10 — protesting President Trump’s deployment of federal law enforcement officers to patrol the streets there — it normally would not have been a big deal. But the MAGA...
Charlie Hunt: In a closely divided Congress, aging lawmakers are a problem for Democrats
The 2026 midterms are more than a year away, but some high-profile primary election battles in the Democratic Party are gaining national attention. Much of that attention is focused on the age of the candidates. Thanks to Texas’ proposed mid-decade redistricting, a showdown is looming between two Democrats serving in...
Mary Ellen Klas: Abolishing voting by mail will hurt Republicans more than help
If President Donald Trump were to issue an executive order to abolish mail-in voting, as he announced he would on social media Monday, it would almost certainly be unconstitutional. It would also be baffling — because eliminating vote-by-mail would probably hurt Republicans more than it would help them in next...
Letter to the editor: Can’t take much more of Pirates’ disappointment
Don’t know how much more disappointment the Pirates can dish out. I quit watching the games on TV because it became unbearable. Listening on radio got even worse due to the sterling announcing crew we are fortunate enough to have (minus Robbie Incmikowski). Case in point — blowing a nine-run...
Letter to the editor: Speak out about Trump’s actions before it’s too late
I am a byproduct of World War II. My family lost everything, including my father, whom I never had a chance to know. This was all due to one maniacal person by the name of Adolf Hitler. Now I fear we are slowly evolving into another era of evil and...
Editorial: Firefighting under the influence is a danger to all — including public trust
Is there anyone we trust more than a firefighter ? These are the people who don’t just respond when called. They literally walk into fire. But despite the name, fire is only part of the job. They pull people out of vehicles when they are trapped there after a crash....
Letter to the editor: Nelson’s stance on legalizing marijuana shows he’s out of touch
State Rep. Eric Nelson is nearing 10 years in office, yet I believe he continues to ignore the will of his constituents. His opposition to legalizing recreational marijuana even when it could generate millions in tax revenue shows me just how out of touch he’s become. Studies show that 40%...
Mikhail Alexseev: Trump’s Russia and Ukraine summits show he can push for peace
By hosting an unprecedented short-notice summit with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European leaders last Monday, President Donald Trump significantly raised the prospects for ending Russia’s 3½-year-long war against Ukraine. The vibe at the opening was affable and positive. The participants genuinely looked determined to work out compromises that...
S.E. Cupp: Trump wrecks the crucial U.S.-Canada partnership
In June 1999, Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s vulgar and hilarious animated series “South Park” came to the silver screen. “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” followed Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny as they sneak into the R-rated film “Asses of Fire” starring fictional Canadian comedy duo “Terrance and Phillip.”...
James Stavridis: 10 ways to force Putin back to the bargaining table
Vladimir Putin came to Alaska and got the red-carpet treatment, complete with a fighter-jet flyover and a warm presidential handshake. The state was an ironic location for a summit given Russia’s continuing seller’s remorse over having sold it to America in the mid-19th century. While expectations were low for a...
Dan DeBone: A once-in-a-generation opportunity for Westmoreland County
As many in our business community know, the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce recently released the long-awaited feasibility and economic impact study for a hotel and conference center in our region. The results are not just promising — they are transformational. This project stems from a clear message: The loss...
Letter to the editor: The poorest are persecuted while the rich are indulged
According to the article “Pledge to move homeless people raises questions” (Aug. 14), there were 5,138 homeless people in Washington, D.C., at the end of January. President Trump has ordered that they leave “IMMEDIATELY.” He said, “We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the capital.” Kevin Donahue,...
Letter to the editor: U.S. has duty to stand up for Gaza
Gaza is dying and the world is watching. For over a year and a half, families have been starving, children are wasting away from preventable hunger and entire neighborhoods lie in rubble. This is not a tragic accident of war. It is the deliberate policy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,...
Lori Falce: Museums must be honest repositories of history
When I was a kid, we didn’t go on vacation to beaches or amusement parks. We didn’t take cruises or spend a week at the lake. My vacations were spent hiking across history and crawling through the cracks of time. I walked in Sacajawea’s footsteps. I climbed up the side...
Laurels & lances: Animal edition
Laurel: To family fun. The Westmoreland Fair is all about bringing the community together with events and attractions that can satisfy people of all ages. Concerts to camel rides, rodeos to rabbit agility courses — there’s almost nothing you can’t find at the fair. And for some, it’s a family...
