Lori Falce: If you can predict the votes, you’re doing it wrong
There are things you can set your watch by, things that are as predictable as sunrise. Your child will look at you like you are speaking Aramaic when you ask if his room is clean. The government might not pass a budget on time, but your tax bill will appear...
Editorial: Transparency matters on ICE agreement
Did Springdale do the right thing in signing an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement without voting publicly or placing it on an agenda? It is hard to say yes, even if you agree with the partnership. For one thing, it wasn’t just hidden from residents. Springdale Manager Terry...
John E. Jones III: A year of challenges to the US justice system
Dickinson College President John E. Jones III was appointed as a federal judge by President George W. Bush and spent 20 years on the bench after being confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate in 2002. Jones spoke with The Conversation U.S. Senior Politics Editor Naomi Schalit about America’s legal landscape...
Jonah Goldberg: Does either party actually want to win the Senate race in Texas?
One of the worst features of the election primary system in our polarized “Red vs. Blue” time is the tendency of primary voters to flock to the candidate they most want to “destroy” the other party, not the candidate best positioned to do so. Let’s say a zombie is scratching...
Paul Kengor: Remembering Bob Hope at Christmas
This Christmas season, let’s remember Bob Hope, a truly special American. As pretty much anyone over 60 would attest, Hope was a household name once synonymous with Christmas in America. His annual holiday special on NBC was a must-see. He did comedy skits, sang songs in the snow with leading...
Editorial: Grand juries work but require restraint
More than 30 years ago, an investigating grand jury last sat to hear and deliberate evidence in Westmoreland County. That was in the 1980s when prosecutors were exploring allegations of law enforcement misconduct in North Huntingdon. After careful review, the grand jury recommended charges against the police chief and others...
Editorial: Against the dark of violence, candles provide light
There are certain places in the world that will forever be associated with stunning acts of violence. On Sunday, another pin was placed in that map. At least 15 people were killed when gunfire ripped across Australia’s Bondi Beach, where people gathered to celebrate the start of Hanukkah, the Jewish...
Peter Roff: How to save the post office
The more things change at the U.S. Postal Service, the more they stay the same, unfortunately. The volume of mail moving through the system continues to drop, yet the size of the workforce, thanks to a bad decision by former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to add full-time employees, has ballooned....
Matt Shorraw: Pa. must protect workers from extreme heat
Think about the last time the temperature approached 90 degrees, with oppressive humidity. Now imagine working under those conditions all day — maybe in a warehouse, on a farm, on a roof, inside a sweltering kitchen or factory, or delivering goods. Across Pennsylvania, many essential workers do this every summer,...
Letter to the editor: Whatever happened to decorum in politics?
Lori Falce’s column about the language of our politicians was right on (“America needs a bar of soap — and not just for Ralphie,” Dec. 12, TribLive). The word “decorum” comes to mind. Look it up if you don’t know what it means. Very few of our politicians have it....
Letter to the editor: Greensburg parking problems
I was in downtown Greensburg on a recent Friday, and I drove to the library to inquire about book donations. I parked in front and ran up the steps and saw that the door was locked. There was a sign stating the library was closed on Fridays. I decided to...
Letter to the editor: The politics of trickle-down hatred
Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins captured an uncomfortable truth when she warned of a “politics of trickle-down hatred.” You hear it in the hate-filled rants of Donald Trump that have normalized prejudice and bigotry. But the politics of trickle-down hatred didn’t arise spontaneously. It was cultivated and amplified by Trump, media...
Letter to the editor: Trump must be removed
Questions are arising about President Trump and his administration’s competency due to several missteps: • His tax cut gift to corporations and the wealthy is squeezing the middle class and worsening economic inequality. • His trade war is a disaster, leading to higher inflation and economic hardship, especially for farmers...
Letter to the editor: Choosing to believe the Christmas story
In response to the cynical views expressed in the letter “The real Christmas story” (Dec. 3, TribLive): Even if some of the opinions could be proven fact, his conclusion discarding belief does not necessarily follow. An unusual conjunction of planets did shine with amazing brightness in the East, a phenomenon...
Zoey Mundorff: Conformity culture destroys our personal identity
Our resumes promise perfection. Our “For You” pages guide us. Our ultra-connected generation drowns in a sea of unoriginality as we chase trends to fit in. We sacrifice genuine self-expression for digital status, searching for individuality in a conformed society. When I traveled to Italy last spring, I mapped the...
Kate Harper and Conor Lamb: New energy sources needed now to combat soaring prices
From the industrial revolution to the digital revolution, Pennsylvania has led the way in American energy production. But now it’s clear that the AI-fueled tech industry boom is poised to push our electrical grid to the brink. The question is: Will Pennsylvania keep its place as America’s energy leader? Or...
Letter to the editor: Lest we forget — honor all who serve
The anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Bulge is this week. I attended the Greensburg Veterans of Foreign Wars ceremony honoring not just those brave men and women but all who serve, especially combat veterans. I wrote this for them. “In the company of warriors Honoring the...
Letter to the editor: What’s the final line for Trump to cross?
Is there a line that President Trump supporters have that finally wakes them up to the abject cruelty and the numerous lies of this administration? Let’s start with the killing of the two survivors of the missile strike on their boat. First, when did we declare war on Venezuela? Second,...
Letter to the editor: Let’s change Dems’ name to Communist Party
I see one of the cadre of radical left Trump-hating letter-writers has now suggested changing the name of the White House to something he thinks is more befitting a medieval castle because he thinks the current president is acting like a king (”Let’s rename the White House,” Dec. 5, TribLive)....
Editorial: High suicide rate among seniors is a tragedy for entire community
While many people will be enjoying the next few weeks surrounded by friends and family, many of our neighbors will be isolated, especially those in their senior years. This isolation can contribute to depression and other disorders, which in turn can contribute to the rising levels of suicide or suicide...
Editorial cartoons for the week of Dec. 15
Editorial cartoons for the week of Dec. 15....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Dec. 15
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Dec. 15....
Carl P. Leubsdorf: Some Democrats showed promise in 2025 as future party leaders
Like most parties that lose presidential races, the Democrats have struggled through a difficult aftermath. But the handwringing over their lack of effective leadership failed to temper their strength at the polls. Exacerbating their difficulties has been the fact that neither of their two top congressional leaders — Sen. Chuck...
Bob Kustra: It’s time to rebuild the Republican Party, not rename it
President Donald Trump’s recent comments about renaming the Republican Party after him raises the question of whether this might be the spark that ignites a serious reconsideration of just what the Republican Party stands for and what the future holds for the party. Some will write off Trump’s ruminations about...
Letter to the editor: Thanks for nothing, PennDOT
The letter “Littering ruining our roads” (Nov. 26, TribLive) prompted me to add my two cents worth. Let’s start with: PennDOT is a joke! Hard to say it any other way. We have the second highest gas tax in the country at .576 cents/gallon. On top of that they have...
