Hunter DeRensis: Will Pennsylvanians punish Republicans over Iran war?
On Feb. 28, Donald Trump made a bigger gamble than ever took place at any of his Atlantic City casinos. Betting that a joint U.S.-Israeli decapitation strike on Iran would result in another overnight, low-cost operation that the president could tout as a quick victory, Trump has risked both his...
Garry South: Kamala Harris is polling well, which signifies nothing
When I read all the hype being heaped on Kamala Harris’ lead in early polls for the 2028 Democratic nomination, I have to chuckle to myself. The release of a Rasmussen Reports poll in February was titled, “Kamala Harris Still Leads 2028 Field for Democrats.” One headline in the Hill...
Christopher Nicholas: Shapiro’s brand is high gloss, high cost
Pennsylvania’s “Get Stuff Done” (GSD) governor has a favorite state department that he’s willing to staff to the rafters: his personal, dedicated PR team. As published reports last summer detailed, Gov. Josh Shapiro now sports 21 employees in his executive office, “dedicated to promoting” his image. But earlier this month,...
Athan Koutsiouroumbas: Helicopter parents making Pa.’s teachers miserable
Pennsylvania’s teachers have the lowest morale in the country. According to the most recent Education Week survey, it is not about pay, curriculum or testing. Instead, it’s the parents. Pennsylvania teachers overwhelmingly say student behavior is not improving. In fact, they are among the most pessimistic about whether things are...
Editorial: The cost of waiting to protect children
Pennsylvania has spent years trying to atone for child welfare failures. There were generations of abuse in churches. The Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal put the state under a national lens. There have been persistent questions about ChildLine hotline reports that went unanswered. There was also the moment nearly...
Editorial: The truth about a balanced budget
What is so hard about a balanced budget? The math is supposed to be simple. Know how much money is coming in. Don’t spend more than that. But let’s be honest. That can be a challenge for a family of four. It doesn’t get easier when you are talking about...
Laurels & lances: Exemption & effort
Laurel: To being acknowledged. Monroeville officials appear to have secured a tax exemption for the Monroeville Convention Center, reversing an earlier denial by Allegheny County. After purchasing the facility in 2024 for just over
$5 million, the municipality made the case that the center serves a public purpose — much...
Editorial cartoons for the week of March 30
Editorial cartoons for the week of March 30....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of March 30
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of March 30....
Daniel Katz: Social media platforms aren’t the new cigarettes. They’re worse.
A jury in Los Angeles may have just done for social media what early lawsuits did for Big Tobacco. Outside the courtroom, families who said they have lost children to the effects of these platforms gathered in shirts that read “We Are K.G.M.,” expressing solidarity with the 20-year-old plaintiff. Inside...
Lori Falce: Constitution Under Construction: Privacy and probable causeVideo
The adage that a man’s home is his castle isn’t about authority. It’s about protection — the walls that keep others out. But even strong walls need a door. We understand that instinctively. Police need a warrant. But that shorthand doesn’t quite capture what the Constitution actually does. The Fourth...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: O’Connor dealing with the tough hand he was dealt
The job ahead for new Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor is to shrink and grow the city at the same time. It is not an impossible task, but it will require toughness. And O’Connor has been dealt a tough hand. The Peduto administration had a checkered record in the business of...
S.E. Cupp: Beware for all the president’s men (and women)
If I were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, I might start packing up my office at the Pentagon. While President Trump is boasting about the so-called success of a war with Iran that has no clear mission nor end in sight, Americans are souring on it. Big time. New polling from...
Harry Psaros: The day I stopped denying my son’s autism
When my son Gus was diagnosed with autism, my wife saw it first. I did not. Like many fathers, I resisted the diagnosis with a stubborn optimism that masked something deeper: fear. Michelle noticed the early signs — the speech delays, the social struggles, the subtle differences that began to...
Felicity A. Williams: The affordability crisis Pa. families can’t ignore
Across Pennsylvania, families are doing everything right — working, budgeting and planning — yet it still feels harder to get by. The reason is not hard to find: the cost of everyday life has risen faster than paychecks, and the squeeze is showing up in nearly every monthly bill. At...
Paul Kengor: Donald Trump — Hollywood’s strange savior
“The Hollywood industry is dying,” says “Saturday Night Live” great Dana Carvey. “The amount of productions is dying. … They have to do something so more production comes back.” That includes, Carvey noted, competing with foreign countries. The 61-year-old actor/comedian was speaking to fellow “SNL” alum David Spade, who was...
Abby McCloskey: Universal child care isn’t always good for kids
Free child care is starting to take root in the U.S. But is it good for kids? Last year, New Mexico became the first state to offer free universal child care. This year, New York began offering free child care for children ages 0-3 in certain cities, with a goal...
Letter to the editor: Jail officers need PTSD treatment
Researchers have found that the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rate for correctional officers is higher than for the military or police officers. A primary reason is correctional officers work in a confined institution in which there is a constant risk of having a hands-on intervention with residents. For the Allegheny...
Letter to the editor: Generation owners profiting from rising electric bills
The frustration in Diana Vahabzadeh’s commentary “Legislators must help bring down skyrocketing utility bills” (March 18, TribLive) is rightfully shared by millions of Pennsylvanians. She deserves honest answers about her recent electric bill increases. Duquesne Light Co.’s (DLC) base rates have not increased since 2024. Vahabzadeh’s June and December 2025...
Letter to the editor: Shell brings value to community
For nearly a decade, Shell’s petrochemicals plant has been a part of our community. Besides the economic and job growth, Shell continues to be a critical community partner. For example, Shell has established a partnership with the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) to invest in workforce development by supporting...
Letter to the editor: Fetterman has betrayed Pa.
While I worked on the Conor Lamb campaign in the 2022 Democratic primaries, I was proud to cast my vote for John Fetterman in the general election. He postured himself as a courageous and pragmatic progressive who would provide a breath of fresh air for the Democratic Party. It is...
Letter to the editor: Trump administration ignoring chemical leaks
The article “After deadly explosion, safety and environmental lapses at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works now rest with Nippon” (Feb 12, TribLive) highlights a prime example of how the Trump administration intentionally turns a blind eye to chemical leaks in the U.S., impacting the health of Americans. The article mentions...
Letter to the editor: Numbers don’t lie — this is what you voted for
Americans were warned. Look at the numbers. In 2016, the federal deficit was $590 billion. In 2019, it was $984 billion. Today, it’s about $1.8 trillion a year, and projected to hit $1.9 trillion in 2026. This is after Donald Trump’s record deficit when he left office. The national debt...
Editorial cartoons for the week of March 23
Editorial cartoons for the week of March 23....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of March 23
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of March 23....
