Letters to the Editor category
Letter to the editor: Commissioners need to make drop boxes available
Westmoreland County residents are losing confidence in the integrity of our voting process. That loss of trust isn’t tied to one issue. It’s the accumulation of several concerns. Our commissioners have both an opportunity and a responsibility to address them directly. We should all share a simple goal: ensuring every...
Minky Worden: World Cup needs an ICE truce
With the world’s largest sporting event, the World Cup, slated to begin in June, the United States should call a truce in the campaign of terror being waged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies against immigrants and others. Major sporting events have long relied on the so-called...
Letter to the editor: Trump’s comments on Robert Mueller a new low
Donald Trump hit a new low with his comment about Robert Mueller stating that he was glad he’s dead. Wow! Such class. And then his Cabinet can’t defend him quickly enough. The problem with all of them is they just can’t understand normal thinking. Enough said. Dan O’Toole Trafford...
Letter to the editor: The Constitution and noncitizen voting
Our Constitution reveals that only citizens of the United States are permitted to vote. The Constitution’s 14th Amendment defines “All persons born or naturalized in the United Sates, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States” (ratified 1868). The 15th Amendment states that the rights of...
Letter to the editor: Clean energy should be powering data centers
Data centers are igniting citizen activism nationwide as residents demand a voice in how these massive, computer-filled warehouses will shape their communities. In Southwestern Pennsylvania, 22 data center projects are underway across six counties, according to FracTracker Alliance. Communities now find themselves on the front lines of a rapidly expanding,...
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: People rely on the post office
I was so heartened to read your article on a Manor resident nearly losing money in a lottery scam recently (“Manor resident nearly loses money in lottery scam,” March 9, TribLive). A bank transaction was stopped before any funds were lost. It is a wonderful example of the spirit and...
Letter to the editor: What we get for our taxes
The writer of the letter “Finland, Norway more attractive than U.S.” (March 25, TribLive) makes a point well worth repeating. Writing of his daughter living in Finland, he notes, “Sure taxes are higher (there), but a small price to pay for so many benefits … .” He notes that in...
Letter to the editor: Democrats need to put Americans first
When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. When you find yourself out of money, stop spending. That is common sense. The government is out of funds, yet Democrats want massive spending commitments before approving funding. Affordable Care Act health benefits and subsidies for immigrants is the major issue....
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...
Letter to the editor: We need a free press now more than ever
It would seem that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and our esteemed president slept through American history. Their abhorrent threats to the rights of a free press to report on a war of choice is a dangerous step on the road to totalitarianism. Our third...
Letter to the editor: A Democratic president would be disastrous
As someone who voted for Donald Trump twice, I have to say I am bothered by some of his policies and rhetoric. I have deep concerns about some ICE actions, as well as the Iran war. But my uncertainty is subordinated to my deep conviction a Democratic president would be...
Letter to the editor: Questions for Trump
Why did Kristi Noem spend $220 million on TV commercials? Who authorized this? This money could have been used to pay the TSA workers. Why aren’t they getting paid? Why are our senators getting paid and other workers are not? How did President Trump figure out that Iran would bomb...
Letter to the editor: America no longer shouldering allies’ burden
In his column “Trump’s Goodwill Bank is empty” (March 20, TribLive), Joseph Sabino Mistick, acting like a sufferer of TDS, claims President Trump has nothing left in his goodwill account and European leaders are aware it’s a one-way street and they can no longer count on the U.S. the way...
Letter to the editor: Trump’s war plans
To all MAGA suffering from TDS (Trump Delusional Syndrome), it’s war! Time to find a lifeboat. Your captain, Donald Trump, was daydreaming about Greenland and NATO, and the S.S. America struck an iceberg in the Strait of Hormuz. But fear not. What if I was to tell MAGA your stable...
Letter to the editor: Thanking unsung heroes who save lives
I would be remiss if I did not thank our “unsung heroes” — North Huntingdon Township EMS/Rescue 8, on behalf of my brother, Tom Arendas, who passed away Jan. 30. Tom was one of the first two people to receive his EMS certification for the service in 1974. He was...
Letter to the editor: U.S. could learn from Finland
The letter “Why do millions want to come to U.S.?” (March 7, TribLive) written in response to the letter “Finland, Norway more attractive than U.S.” (Feb. 25, TribLive) misses the point : It argues with something the original letter never said. Pointing out that other democracies sometimes do things better...
Letter to the editor: Trump is responsible for state of country
Wow! Look at where we are now. President Trump wages war on Iran — which I don’t believe was a threat to us. Attorney General Pam Bondi was reportedly moved to military housing because of her handling of the Epstein files. And let us not forget Robert F. Kennedy, our...
Letter to the editor: Republicans must support Trump
We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately. This statement is attributed to Benjamin Franklin, July 4, 1776. He was warning the colonies that they must stand united against England, even if they didn’t agree completely with the Continental Congress, or the Revolutionary War...
Letter to the editor: Fetterman’s failures
Fortunately, Pennsylvania is blessed with a smart and thoughtful governor, because its two senators have been such leadership no-shows. The one is a perfect imitation of an unplugged floor lamp, while the other seems, increasingly, in need of wearing his hoodie backwards. Obviously, Sen. Fetterman, if your podcast remarks (“Fetterman...
Letter to the editor: Bad look for Aspinwall
After seeing the segment about the Aspinwall mayor on the evening news March 11, I felt compelled to write this letter. Scott Zimmermann appeared very pompous and even almost jokingly said his crime “does not rise to that level (of resignation).” I attended the council meeting, and I was thinking...
