Letters to the Editor category, Page 20
Letter to the editor: Leaders should put more emphasis on bridge safety
Why are we getting another surprise major bridge risk now (“Corroded steel prompts closure of Jacks Run Road Bridge in Ross,” July 3, TribLive)? I thought “someone” was inspecting the major bridges after the failure of the Fern Hollow Bridge a couple of years ago. Maybe our leaders and mayors...
Letter to the editor: Does Trump enjoy causing pain, chaos?
How horrifying to read the article “UPMC to stop gender-affirming care for patients 18 and under by month’s end” (June 24, TribLive). This treatment can mean life or death (suicide). President Trump also ended the national LGBTQ+ youth suicide hotline. Since ending USAID, some estimates say more than 300,000 people...
Letter to the editor: Medicaid cuts threaten lives
As CEO of Mental Health America of Southwestern PA, I see firsthand how mental illness, addiction and trauma affect lives in our community. Every day, we connect community residents with the lifesaving care they need to survive and heal. Now, that care is under threat. Mental health is not a...
Letter to the editor: Whatever happened to fiscal responsibility?
Once upon a time the Republican Party promoted itself as the party of fiscal responsibility. With the current “Big Beautiful Bill,” they have destroyed whatever was left of that imaginary idea. Under the administrations of George W. Bush and Donald Trump, tax cuts favoring corporations and the very wealthy caused...
Letter to the editor: Churches need to stand up
With the exception of a few prophetic voices like Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde of Washington, D.C., and Catholic Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, most Christian leaders have remained cowardly silent in confronting the national environment of hatred, fear, discrimination and scapegoating promulgated by the current administration in Washington....
Letter to the editor: Social Security, Medicaid save lives
I have a very good friend whose daughter was born with a rare disease that caused her body to grow at a rapid rate when she was very young, and her organs, including her heart, were not given a chance to catch up. The mother was told that her daughter...
Letter to the editor: DNC needs to do better
Did you ever lay back with a bottle of strawberry Boone’s Farm and wonder what the rich people are doing? Not having contact with a social class of local, national and world leaders, yours truly doesn’t have too many leads to go on. Supine, whirling, dizzy, I’m wondering what people...
Letter to the editor: American Gestapo
Narciso Barranco was tending the lawn at an IHOP in California when he was set upon by six ICE agents with their guns drawn. Fleeing with his weed wacker, Barranco was thrown down, repeatedly punched and pepper-sprayed. (Film can be seen on the internet.) The ICE agents said he attacked...
Letter to the editor: Roberts and the Constitution
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts’ view of judicial criticism astounds me. Has he forgotten the very amendment (1) he is sworn to uphold? It’s one thing to encourage protection from obvious or disguised security threats or commentary intended to incite. However, his President Donald Trump and Sen. Chuck Schumer...
Letter to the editor: Did we really need a parade?
I love a parade. I enjoy the marching bands, floats and celebratory atmosphere. I have stood elbow to elbow, layer deep, on a New York City sidewalk hoping to get a glimpse of the St. Patrick’s Day marchers and other activity. Uncounted are the hours I’ve spent enjoying the Macy’s...
Letter to the editor: Musk’s problems just disappear
To date, 10 Starship rockets have failed to meet all their stated objectives (“SpaceX rocket explodes on test stand,” June 20), resulting in a zero success rate and a cost of over $5 billion. Colonizing Mars is Elon Musk’s fantasy dream, a project that scientists say has little chance of...
Letter to the editor: It shouldn’t take a law to bring back teaching cursive writing
I recently saw an article that stated Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering passing a law to teach cursive in schools again. Since when does it take a law by government to teach “cursive,” or what we called “writing,” in our schools? And by what law did it stop being taught? I...
Letter to the editor: Well sites must have evacuation plans
Thank you for your article “State environmental board maintains permit renewals for two Penn Township gas wells” (June 22, TribLive). My wife and I live within a half-mile of these proposed Drakulic site unconventional wells. The article states that “The site is tucked in among housing developments, and about 3,000...
Letter to the editor: Chicken restrictions too harsh in West Leechburg
I am writing as a concerned and engaged resident to urge West Leechburg leaders to reconsider the overly restrictive regulations on keeping backyard chickens in the borough. Backyard chickens are a source of fresh, healthy eggs, and they also offer families an opportunity to become more self-sufficient, teach children responsibility...
Letter to the editor: Nutting should think of the Pirates first
Dear Pirates owners Bob Nutting and family, I appeal to your responsibilities as Pirates owners to focus your management decisions on producing the best baseball team possible. I know this may conflict with your need to increase shareholder value and personal income, but you have a greater responsibility: to produce...
Letter to the editor: SNAP cuts would devastate local families
Food Assistance Match (FAM) is alarmed by the proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which would devastate families navigating food insecurity, especially in communities like ours. SNAP is among the most effective tools to reduce hunger, improve health and stimulate the economy. As a nonprofit that matches...
Letter to the editor: Cyber charter reform needed
The information revealed in a recent state audit of cyber charter schools should alarm every Pennsylvania taxpayer. These schools were so awash in excess funding that they had accumulated fund balances of $619 million in June 2023. This is money that should have been used for education or returned to...
Letter to the editor: ICE agents’ actions a disgrace
The recent actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations agents ordered to the streets of America has been a national disgrace. The role of our federal agents is to protect us, not to terrorize us at our work, our retail stores, our restaurants or our schools …...
Letter to the editor: America needs unity, not protest
With the Fourth of July approaching, I wanted to reflect on the recent “No Kings” protest. Within our country, thousands of people protested President Trump and his policies, implying he is a tyrannical king. This is flawed. America has not been ruled by a king since July 2, 1776. An...
Letter to the editor: Closed primaries work just fine
Some argue “open primaries,” where independents can choose to vote in one of the two major parties’ primary election, will ensure more moderate candidates being chosen. But the opposite is more likely. This is just an invitation to sabotage an opposing party’s primary. One common justification for open primaries is...
Letter to the editor: Metered parking deters shoppers, diners
When are Greensburg and Latrobe going to do away with metered parking? It’s 25 cents for 15 minutes to park. I would love to shop in downtown Greensburg and Latrobe more often, but when I go I feel the need to run in, get what I need and run back...
Letter to the editor: Border Patrol agents doing their job
The southern border is essentially closed for the first time that I can recall. This was accomplished by executive orders, and freeing up our Border Patrol agents to do the job they were hired to do. During the Biden/Harris administration, we were told repeatedly by the Democrats that we needed...
Letter to the editor: Air pollution and dementia
As a neurologist, I am concerned about the increasing prevalence of dementia. Current estimates of dementia risk are 11-23% for Americans. The number of new dementia cases is expected to double by 2060. Some risk factors for dementia (e.g., genetics) are nonmodifiable. However, one important modifiable risk factor is exposure...
Letter to the editor: Speaking out for Palestinians
The article “No kings protesters oppose Trump administrations’ policies” (June 15, TribLive) neglected to mention the large Palestine contingent that was present, including speaker Jacob Blumenstein representing Jewish Voice for Peace. After listening to Blumenstein’s plea to connect the fight against fascism, white supremacy and antisemitism in the U.S. with...
Letter to the editor: Don’t let ‘catch and kill’ be our norm
“Catch and Kill Bill” is not the title of a new movie sequel. It’s a phrase I made up to illustrate a few bad practices in our society today. “Catch and kill” is a real practice known to our media world and is becoming more common in our nontransparent or...
