Letters to the Editor category, Page 28
Letter to the editor: Experience matters for coroner, and Ackerman has it
John Ackerman possesses the No. 1 item necessary to be the next Westmoreland County coroner: qualifications! Hands down, Ackerman’s training, education, certifications and experience raise him over his opponent. Ackerman worked side by side with me for 18 years and has shown a constant drive and dedication to determine cause...
Letter to the editor: Russia’s war demands should be rejected
I am writing this after reading about the demands Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made for the Ukraine war to end. He has demanded about 20% of what is actually Ukrainian territory be relinquished to Russia. This is much more than what was initially offered at the earlier proposal. As...
Letter to the editor: Wian best to lead register of wills office
In February, the Pennsylvania Senate approved and Gov. Josh Shapiro appointed Jon Wian to lead the vacated register of wills office following a period of mismanagement and resultant court-appointed conservatorship. As register of wills, Jon Wian is responsible for the county’s estates, probation of wills, marriage licenses, adoptions and guardianships....
Letter to the editor: Unrecognizable America
As an old flag-waving military veteran, it isn’t easy to say that I’m ashamed of my country. But I no longer identify with the America I once knew. A failed system of justice has seemingly blinded many who witnessed the Jan. 6 insurrection, followed by presidential pardons, and they have...
Letter to the editor: Game commission’s taxes
Do you feel your property taxes are too high? When gambling was approved in Pennsylvania, legislators voted to use it to help the residents with property taxes. However, the payment in lieu of taxes paid for property owned by the Pennsylvania Game Commission is $9.20 per acre, of which only...
Letter to the editor: The benefits of Sunday hunting
Pennsylvania hunters may soon be allowed to pursue deer, turkeys, upland birds and waterfowl on Sundays for the first time in more than two centuries. Senate Bill 67, currently being considered in the state Legislature, would amend state statutes to remove existing bans on Sunday hunting and give authority to...
Letter to the editor: Middle is disappearing
“The middle is disappearing,” according to Michigan Sen. Gary Peters. For this reason, he and other moderates in Congress have decided not to run for reelection. This sentiment reminds me of W.B. Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming”: Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the...
Letter to the editor: Musk is no Edison
The letter “Demonizing Musk” (March 28, TribLive) stated that Elon Musk “is the Thomas Edison of our time.” That would be the same as comparing road kill with salt and pepper to a 5-star gourmet meal. Edison did invent many things, with a supporting staff, from the ground up. Despite...
Sounding off: Musk, Trump, Democrats, Pirates among week’s topics
Musk is no Edison The letter “Demonizing Musk” (March 28, TribLive) stated that Elon Musk “is the Thomas Edison of our time.” That would be the same as comparing road kill with salt and pepper to a 5-star gourmet meal. Edison did invent many things, with a supporting staff, from...
Letter to the editor: Kudos to Deer Lakes performers
Bravo to the Deer Lakes High School Drama Club for an outstanding display of acting, singing, tap-dancing and especially comedy in “The Drowsy Chaperone.” Kudos to directors Matty Derby and Natalie Erals for the long hours it took to bring the production to the stage, and superb talent of all...
Letter to the editor: Natural gas key to Pa.’s energy success
Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger’s op-ed “Pa. must lead on renewable energy” (April 24, TribLive) wrongfully sidelines Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry and ignores the reality that affordable, reliable energy and environmental progress go hand in hand. Despite billions in subsidies and years of government support, intermittent energy sources like wind...
Letter to the editor: Ackerman best pick for coroner
I offer my full endorsement of John Ackerman for Westmoreland County coroner. I have known John for 50-plus year and worked with him serving our community as a volunteer firefighter. The role of a coroner requires someone who can bring professionalism and a human touch to moments that are often...
Letter to the editor: We need Carson as county coroner
I am writing in recognition of all Tim Carson has done as our county coroner. I oversee the Ray of Hope Westmoreland County Suicide Awareness and Prevention Task Force. I am also the Westmoreland County emergency behavioral health coordinator, so I see the impact of loss. In 2022, I approached...
Letter to the editor: Data center concerns, opportunities
Your emphasis on the concern of the effect of data centers’ demand on the public’s power grid is impressive, and I am glad to see the industry is considering that in their plans. You have reported on an important new “industry” that is popping up all over our country, specifically...
Letter to the editor: Neglected incline area reflects badly on Pittsburgh
Recently, we took a dear friend visiting us from Norway to the Duquesne Incline to view “The ’Burgh” from Mt.Washington. We were disgusted; disgusted with the condition of the parking lot, walking along a narrow sidewalk next to busy Carson Street, and the rusting stairs and walkway to the incline...
Letter to the editor: Where is MAWC leadership?
By now, many have lodged complaints about their water bill, service, taste, interruptions and a litany of other reasons to be disgruntled. My plea here is a bit different. Have you tried to talk with anyone in leadership at the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County? Do you know who runs...
Letter to the editor: Fighting tyranny again
Deservedly, Elon Musk has been receiving loud criticism from the media and the public at large. He continues to be the subject of scorn and condemnation. But in my opinion he is a puppet whose strings are being pulled by President Trump, a criminal who I believe is incompetent, cruel...
Letter to the editor: Abrego Garcia dangerous test on what’s to come
On Kilmar Abrego Garcia, President Trump is lying on the facts and wrong on the law. The Supreme Court ordered Trump to return Abrego Garcia and make sure that each deportee gets his day in court, as is our law. America does not deport people to prison without a hearing....
Letter to the editor: Political committees have too much power
I’m writing to express my concern with the behavior of local political committees during this primary season. Instead of focusing on endorsing the most qualified, community-minded candidates, these committees seem more interested in protecting their own influence and engaging in political favoritism. It’s frustrating to watch strong, principled candidates be...
Letter to the editor: Leaderless Democrats
Instead of learning from their drubbing in November’s elections, the leaderless Democrats have become the party of hate, resist and hypocrisy. During President Biden’s four years, they told us the border was secure, even closed, while tens of thousands of unvetted illegals marched into our country. They said they couldn’t...
Letter to the editor: PBM reform a bipartisan issue
The executive order signed by President Trump April 15, takes a step toward addressing the opaque and anticompetitive practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). While this is an important development, it’s important to recognize that PBM reform is supported by both parties in Congress. PBMs are intermediaries between insurers, drug...
Letter to the editor: Coverage of anti-Trump protests lacking
It is perplexing that the April 6 edition of the Tribune-Review gave an inordinate amount of coverage to several President Trump supporters hanging out in a barbershop, when comparative coverage of an anti-Trump protest by some 600 people at the Westmoreland County Courthouse was given almost 50% less space. Further,...
Letter to the editor: Sheridan for Franklin Regional school board
As a 2020 graduate of the Franklin Regional School District, I am writing to endorse Amy Sheridan for a seat on the school board. During my time at Franklin Regional, I participated in many extracurricular activities that were made possible by the parents who supported them. One of those parents...
Letter to the editor: Allegheny County Council should pass air permit fee hike
We know that Pittsburgh and Allegheny County suffer from pollution. Air quality — especially in the Mon Valley — is among the worst in the nation. That’s largely due to industrial facilities like U.S. Steel, which frequently violates air quality standards. The Allegheny County Health Department is the government agency...
Letter to the editor: Law and disorder
We live in a land of laws and disorder. A land where the rich and powerful answer to a different code of laws. One needs to look no further than the broad pardon powers of the president of the United States. Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 establishes the president’s...
