Lori Falce: A king’s lessons about democracy
King Charles III did not arrive in Washington this week with a fully armed battalion to remind Americans of his love. He did, however, show up with some cheeky side-eye and what passes for clever quips from a 77-year-old British grandpa. There is often chatter about the “special relationship” between...
Laurels & lances: Plans & pitfalls
Laurel: To planning ahead. Pittsburgh knew more than a year out that the 2026 NFL Draft would happen in the Steel City. It was an event expected to deluge the city with out-of-towners for three days — more if you consider the crews of people coming ahead to set things...
Letter to the editor: Agreements vs. contracts for sheriff’s department
As Westmoreland County sheriff, I signed an agreement to assist another law enforcement agency if they needed help with crowd control. There is no obligation on my part to assist in immigration enforcement. Had law enforcement assisted in Minneapolis crowd control, two individuals may still be alive. I do agree...
Jonah Goldberg: Whenever political violence erupts, Washington starts playing the blame game
A heavily armed California man was caught trying to storm the White House correspondents’ dinner Saturday with the apparent intent to kill the president. It didn’t take long for Washington to start arguing. Democrats denounce violent rhetoric from the right, but the alleged assailant seemed to be inspired by his...
Letter to the editor: Kudos to Trib draft coverage
It’s great! Fabulous photos — Sean Stipp’s photo of the Gateway Clipper, fountain and stadium is a showstopper. Stories combine facts and people features. Pittsburgh shines in the Trib coverage. Kudos to those who worked so hard to make this event go well and to the Trib photographers, writers and...
Letter to the editor: Dangers of psychedelic drugs
The recent executive order signed by President Trump to facilitate research on the use of psychedelic drugs to treat addiction and depressive illnesses has me concerned. As a board certified psychiatrist with over 30 years in addiction and mental health treatment, I realize that all medications have risks and benefits....
Editorial: Was NFL Draft a failed fundraiser or a promotional bargain?
OK, the 2026 NFL Draft was a week ago. It’s time to ask the big question. Was it worth it? That depends on two things: perspective and expectation. According to the NFL, the Pittsburgh draft was the most well-attended in history. It dwarfed the drafts in Las Vegas, Green Bay...
Letter to the editor: Electric cars are a win all around
As communities across the country grapple with rising fuel costs, air pollution and the growing impacts of global warming, one solution is becoming increasingly clear: the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Electric cars offer a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles. By producing zero tailpipe emissions, they reduce air...
Daniel DePetris: Will King Charles’ visit help soften the animus between U.S. and U.K.?
King Charles III is Donald Trump’s opposite in every way. The former is a master of protocol: Everything he does daily is scripted to a T. The latter despises a script, hates giving formal speeches and prefers to ad-lib in front of his supporters. Due to his bloodline and the...
Elijah Williams: Drug courts fail women, but there’s a solution
When Susan Burton lost her 5-year-old son after he was struck by a police vehicle in Los Angeles, her grief drove her into addiction. Crack cocaine became her way to cope, and California’s response was to lock her up again and again. Over two decades, she was incarcerated six times,...
Letter to the editor: Jesus, not Trump, is king
As I was driving home one day, and everyone was going about their business, I saw a man jogging and carrying a red flag, and of course the only thought that came into my mind was that of your president. On the flag was “Jesus is King.” How right he...
Letter to the editor: Iran, Israel and Trump
It is incomprehensible to believe Iran was any threat to the United States of America. In reality, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a threat to Donald Trump. Netanyahu did not persuade Trump to attack Iran as former secretary of state John Kerry has revealed Israel has tried to do...
Editorial: Security should not be political
Yet again, political violence is demanding attention. In 2025, an arsonist scaled a fence, slipped past security and set fire to the governor’s residence in Harrisburg while Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept inside during Passover. The attack forced them to flee and left the home badly damaged. In...
Letter to the editor: Iran’s transformation
Since Iran’s Islamist revolution in 1979, an unending cry has gone out: “Death to Israel and death to America.” That Islamic government has invested heavily over these past 47 years in its nuclear weapons program to do just that. Sadly, the Western world has ignored them as the Islamic regime...
Chris Bryant: Your SUV habit is killing off my favorite car — the station wagon
For motoring enthusiasts like me, station wagons are a near perfect package, combining spaciousness with sleek looks, exciting driving dynamics and decent fuel efficiency. Unfortunately my love of no-nonsense wagons (or estates as they’re called in the UK, Kombis in Germany and “breaks” in France) is no longer widely shared....
Jessica Melugin: Social media bans bring problems and don’t work
Bans on social media for minors are having a political moment. Parents’ sincere concerns and politicians’ instincts to capitalize on those fears are driving federal and state legislation like the kind already in effect elsewhere in the world. But no amount of good intentions makes these efforts good policy. At...
Letter to the editor: Why would we let anyone vote without ID?
I must be missing something. You cannot buy cigarettes, alcohol or a vehicle, fly on a plane or even rent a hotel room in this country without showing a photo ID. Why would anyone in their right mind think it’s not an issue to let people vote without showing an...
Letter to the editor: Teach Constitution, not Commandments
Teach the Constitution in schools, not the Ten Commandments. Otherwise, children will soon learn it’s OK to override “Thou Shalt Not Kill” to kill those who do not accept whosoever is considered the lord thy God, that God’s name or sabbath! Children will learn it is OK to covet and...
Editorial: Do rigid public comment rules help?
Public comment periods are meant to let people talk to the government. Sometimes it’s about actions that are happening or decisions that are pending. Sometimes it’s about bringing problems to the government’s attention. A comment period is one mechanism municipalities, school boards and other agencies can use to make that...
Letter to the editor: Trump has damaged America
America, “a shining city upon a hill,” I believe has been irreparably damaged due to President Trump and his supporters. This disgrace is clearly on you all. I couldn’t care less about Trump’s tiff with the Pope; it’s a Trump diversion. Let’s use common sense, vote with moral clarity and...
Atom Ariola: We need to stop confusing diplomacy with making ‘deals’
Something strange has happened to the language of politics. Everything is now a “deal.” Not a framework, not an accord, not a negotiated architecture — just a deal. The word appears everywhere, from headlines to cable news chyrons, as if it were the most natural way to describe diplomacy. But...
Jay W. Richards: Why universal basic income is still a bad idea
Elon Musk recently posted a pronouncement on X: “Universal HIGH INCOME via checks issued by the Federal government is the best way to deal with unemployment caused by AI.” Andrew Yang cheered. Sam Altman concurred. Their message: AI is coming for your job, and only the government can save you....
Letter to the editor: Energy companies’ responsibilities
The article “Limits on commercial water use at Beaver Run Reservoir sought by environmental group” (April 16, TribLive) regarding water withdrawals by energy companies from Beaver Run Reservoir suggests that these companies are not subject to the same limitations as other users. This simply is not the case. Pennsylvania’s natural...
Editorial: The Supreme Court’s spring reckoning
As a new round of opinions begins to arrive in the coming weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court enters its most consequential season. From April through June, the justices release decisions that do more than resolve legal disputes; they shape the country’s direction. Alexander Hamilton once called the court the “least...
Letter to the editor: Health care is a right, not a privilege
It is not only disappointing, but shocking, that Stacy Garrity, a Republican candidate for Pennsylvania governor, believes that ending the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits was “the right thing to do.” The preamble to the U.S. Constitution includes the responsibility to “promote the general welfare.” Health care is fundamental...
