Opinion category, Page 35
S.E. Cupp: In NYC, Zohran Mamdani makes politics fun
As a journalist and political commentator, I’ve covered politics for nearly 20 years — presidential elections, midterms, state and local races, even international elections. It used to be fun. There was the horse race, a colorful cast of characters, the debate over ideas and policies, all occasionally punctuated by a...
Kevin Sunday: Of buggy whips and AI chips in Pa.
The buggy whip endures. Not, of course, as a commonly used piece of equipment to spur on a steed or two on your daily travels, but as a short-hand epithet deployed in conversations about the need to adapt or perish in the face of technological change and innovation. “It’s really...
Matt Shorraw: Natural gas not sustainable for Pa.’s data centers
Gov. Josh Shapiro recently defended using natural gas to power data centers in Pennsylvania, calling it “environmentally sustainable.” As an organization committed to public health, Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania strongly disagrees. The evidence shows that relying on natural gas — or labeling it as sustainable — poses serious risks...
Lori Falce: How a movie star made people want to be journalists
When the news of Robert Redford’s passing came on Tuesday, it struck me hard. I believe it struck a lot of journalists the same way. For those of us of a certain age, Redford was not Waldo Pepper or Jay Gatsby or Jeremiah Johnson. He may have been the shadow...
Laurels & lances: College & consequences
Laurel: To increasing numbers. The Community College of Allegheny County is seeing its enrollment rise. The student population is climbing by about 9% over last school year. ‘This is probably the largest increase we’ve experienced in the last five years,” President Quintin Bullock said. That’s about 10,800 students at CCAC....
Letter to the editor: Our moral fiber is crumbling
The recent assassination of Charlie Kirk and watching how some have responded has made me step back and look at the moral fiber of this country. Political violence in 2025 has no place in America. We are enlightened people who should be able to discuss, debate and share ideas without...
Thomas Olp: Pa. families score touchdown for religious freedom
For many kids, sports are more than just a game. They offer physical and mental health benefits – better sleep, lower illness risk, reduced stress, and improved academic performance. In an age where children are glued to smartphones and screens at alarmingly young ages, athletics are more vital than ever....
Letter to the editor: Harrisburg’s budget inaction is a disgrace
It has been more than 80 days since the deadline for the Pennsylvania state budget, and Harrisburg still hasn’t done its job. The excuse we hear from the Legislature is that they have “one item — transportation — to work out” before the budget can be finalized. That is not...
Colin McNickle: International passenger and cost red flags at PIT
Two very large red flags are being raised by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy in its latest numbers-crunching of passenger traffic and costs at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT). But first, a brief overview. “So far in 2025, PIT passenger counts (based on airport reporting) have been lower for five...
LZ Granderson: Biden was supposed to be a bridge. He became a roadblock.
From the outside looking in, Gov. Gavin Newsom unofficially announced he was running for president March 30, 2023, the day he transferred $10 million from his state campaign funds to launch his PAC, Campaign for Democracy, along with a nationwide tour. Newsom unofficially suspended his campaign a month later, on...
Letter to the editor: Charlie Kirk’s legacy will endure
Charlie Kirk will not be forgotten. He is forever young, exuberant, authentic. Powerful images that will not recede. His youth makes his death more tragic and his inspiration an irresistible force. Hank Baughman Latrobe...
Letter to the editor: Time for EPA to side with Pennsylvanians, not polluters
For years, Pennsylvania communities have been battered by increasingly severe storms and flash flooding, a stark reminder of climate change that swamps our streets, strains our sewers and threatens our homes. That is why the Trump EPA’s new proposal to roll back the “Endangerment Finding” is so dangerously shortsighted. Since...
Editorial: How do we eradicate violence?
There is a lot of talk about hate right now. In the wake of the shooting of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, it’s everywhere. It is amplified, but it isn’t new. Hate has been a growing topic of conversation for years, often amid targeted violence. One of those moments...
Letter to the editor: RFK unfit to lead HHS
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent unhinged Senate testimony confirmed what we already knew: He is wildly unqualified to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Even Kennedy himself admits, “I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me.” On that point, he’s right. We need to...
John M. Crisp: Would more uncensored honesty make us a better nation?
Cellphones are ubiquitous these days, and just about everything that happens is recorded on video, usually from several angles. But I don’t think I want to see the graphic videos available on social media that show Charlie Kirk being assassinated in Utah last week. I hope you don’t either. As...
Bryan L. Kline: County prison’s disregard for religious freedom violates Pa. law
The treatment of inmate Kort Noel Eckman at Westmoreland County Prison is a troubling example of the systematic failure to respect religious freedoms in our correctional system. Eckman, awaiting trial on serious charges including attempted homicide, requested to wear a yarmulke in court and receive kosher meals aligned with his...
Letter to the editor: Home-care worker shortage at crisis level
As the owner of a home care agency for almost 25 years, I’ve operated with the reality that the inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates in Pennsylvania make it incredibly challenging to compete for a very limited pool of qualified workers. That challenge has now reached the level of impossible. States set...
Letter to the editor: AI robbing us of our future?
Can’t say why, I’m naturally vulgar, but the Ten Commandments remind me of the Dewey Decimal system. The connection may be in processes of listing and labeling. In one case, sin, and the other, books at the library. Among the Big Ten, the one that’s up my craw now is...
Editorial: Former Greensburg cops squandered pensions with drug crimes
A pension is different from a retirement fund. With a 401(k) or an individual retirement account (IRA), there is a simple mathematical transaction. It may have a few more strings than a checking or savings account, but the basic elements remain the same. An account is opened. Deposits are made....
Letter to the editor: Westmoreland should allow ballot curing
Elections should ensure that every eligible voter’s voice is heard. But too many ballots are rejected over small, fixable mistakes like a missing date or signature. Ballot curing — allowing voters to correct these mistakes — protects voters from being silenced by paperwork. Across Pennsylvania, 36 counties let voters cure...
Robin Abcarian: Kirk’s killing undermines basis of our democracy
The killing of Charlie Kirk is a national tragedy. It is hard to overestimate the enormity of what happened Wednesday on the campus of Utah Valley University, where a civil debate about politics taking place under sunny skies turned into a bloody horror show with what are certain to be...
Ryan Spak: FDA must do better for smokers trying to quit
I’m a businessman and a real estate developer, so I’m no stranger to overcoming obstacles. But one of my biggest achievements has nothing to do with the business world — it was quitting smoking. I’m confident that anyone who’s done it will agree. It’s a habit that’s hard to leave...
Letter to the editor: Words matter in today’s political atmosphere
Ever since President Trump was elected by a majority of votes cast and a majority of Electoral College votes, I have seen letters to the editor about him grow more hateful. Words such as Nazi and dictator are constantly used. These writers should educate themselves about Nazis and dictators before...
Letter to the editor: The devil is coming for the cowards
The devil is coming for the cowards. The cowardly lack of action from Russian Christian leaders regarding Putin’s ongoing destruction of Ukraine discredits anyone who claims to be a Christian. The cowardly lack of action from American Christian leaders regarding President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ongoing genocide in Gaza...
Editorial: Penn State president’s pay raise makes financial trouble hard to swallow
Penn State is having money trouble. Just ask. The administration will tell you. “The challenges we face — declining enrollments, demographic shifts and financial pressures — are not unique to Penn State, but they require us to make difficult choices,” President Neeli Bendapudi wrote in a February message. That was...
