Editorial: What Fetterman said — and what people heard — about ICE
The deadly shooting Jan. 7 of a Minneapolis woman by a federal immigration agent has provoked intense reactions across the political spectrum and sharp calls for change. In moments like these, anger and grief often fuel demands for sweeping action — and that is neither surprising nor illegitimate. Against that...
Letter to the editor: Well wishes for Mayor O’Connor
On behalf of the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce, I congratulate Mayor Corey O’Connor on being sworn in as the 62nd mayor of Pittsburgh. I have had the privilege of working with O’Connor and witnessing his steady growth into the leader he is today. From his early days representing District...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Lessons from Nixon
This Christmas, as on many holidays and birthdays, one of my presents was another piece of Richard M. Nixon memorabilia to add to my considerable collection. This time it was a copy of a September 1974 Rolling Stone magazine — one month after Nixon resigned — with the former president...
Letter to the editor: Maduro’s arrest benefits Venezuelans, Americans
It made me happy when I saw on the news the Venezuelan citizens cheering and celebrating the arrest of their oppressive, corrupted, narco-terrorist leader, Nicolas Maduro. However, I was saddened by the images I saw on the news of our fellow citizens protesting his arrest. It is sad to see...
Letter to the editor: New food pyramid makes sense
As a resident of Western Pennsylvania, I see that a massive amount of people who are obese despite the decades of attempts to rectify this problem with the old food pyramid. People have had the idea of eating carb-loaded, high-processed foods shoved down their throats. Why are people criticizing the...
Letter to the editor: End term limits and congressional pensions
I have two suggestions for Congress that will be very unpopular: 1. Term limits. There is no reason for the length of stay and the accumulation of personal wealth experienced by many incumbents. Our Constitution spells out the assistance of a governing body, not a ruling class. 2. The elimination...
Editorial: An airport needs a plan, not a wish
Once upon a time, there was a small, regional airport in Westmoreland County. It had steady passenger traffic, popular leisure routes and a loyal base of travelers who appreciated skipping the long drive and long lines elsewhere. For years, that story held. Flights came and went. Suitcases rolled through the...
Letter to the editor: Removing abusive leaders
Religious, academic and media leaders often criticize the United States for resisting large‑scale immigration from developing nations. They argue that, because migrants are fleeing poverty and abuse, we have a moral duty to welcome them. But if morality is the standard, why is there so little outrage directed at the...
Letter to the editor: Role of local police in federal immigration laws
Recent events across the country have brought a multitude of concerns and questions about the role of local police agencies in federal immigration laws. First and foremost, the collective mission of local police agencies is to keep everyone in our communities safe. Local police officers do not have jurisdiction to...
S.E. Cupp: A tale of 2 Trumps — Iran and Minnesota protests
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled (sic) all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.” It’s...
Joseph Pollino: With high deductibles, even the insured are functionally uninsured
I recently saw a patient complaining of shortness of breath and a persistent cough. Worried he was developing pneumonia, I ordered a chest X-ray — a standard diagnostic tool. He refused. He hadn’t met his $3,000 deductible yet, and so his insurance would have required him to pay much or...
Frederic J. Fransen: America’s ‘Common Sense’ revolution
While Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence turned the smoldering embers of rebellion into the glorious fireworks of independence and revolution, it was a short pamphlet published six months earlier, in January 1776, that ignited the colonies’ revolutionary zeal and crowded out any notion of rapprochement with Britain. Thomas Paine’s “Common...
Letter to the editor: Pittsburgh departures
It’s been some week for Pittsburgh … departures. The Post-Gazette after 240 years. Mike Tomlin after 19 seasons. But take heart, Paul Skenes is here until… …well, probably NOT 19 seasons. Jim Vespe Mamaroneck, N.Y. The writer is “a grandson of Butler.”...
Letter to the editor: Trump’s enrichment of himself must be stopped
Our Constitution is structured to prevent a sitting president from using the office for personal gain. Because President Trump did not divest from his businesses, when he, his family or a government employee visits one of his properties, our tax dollars go directly into Trump’s pocket. It has been reported...
Lori Falce: When collateral damage is unwarranted
What is a warrant? There is no single answer. A warrant might be an order for arrest. It could be the piece of paper signed by a governor authorizing an execution. It could be a demand that someone appear in court or turn over property in a dispute. An extradition...
Laurels & lances: Animals & ambulances
Laurel: To new ways of thinking. For many community leaders, animal control is treated as just that — controlling the animals. Pick them up when they become a problem, hand them off to someone else to deal with however they choose, and move on. Delmont is joining a growing number...
Letter to the editor: Maduro’s capture a beginning
Has anyone read the grand jury indictment against Nicolas Maduro? The document is only 25 pages, with the majority being in a non-legalized format. Clearly, based on their arguments, most people have not downloaded a single page. If anything, the Maduro arrest represents just a beginning, with the need for...
Paul Kengor: Trump vs. the Western Hemisphere
It’s hard to say what’s more shocking: Donald Trump’s aggressiveness in the Western Hemisphere or his advocates’ unquestioning defense of his words and actions. From Greenland to Venezuela, from Canada to Colombia to Mexico, it’s quite astonishing. Let’s back up for some context. When he launched his first presidential campaign...
Jonah Goldberg: Trump isn’t interested in being honorable — he’d rather be feared
A decade ago, a famous and successful investor told me “integrity lowers the cost of capital.” We were talking about Donald Trump at the time, and this Wall Street wizard was explaining why then-candidate Trump had so much trouble borrowing money from domestic capital markets. His point was that the...
Letter to the editor: Done with Fetterman
I am done with Sen. John Fetterman. I voted for Conor Lamb in the 2022 Democratic primary, but he lost to Fetterman. I then voted for Fetterman. Who was I going to vote for … Dr. Oz? Give me a break. But I can tell you this: If Fetterman is...
Letter to the editor: Anger is a sign of weakness, not strength
There are seven capital or deadly sins, so called because they are as it were the sources of origin of all other vices and sins. They are pride, avarice, impurity or lust, anger, gluttony, envy and sloth. Anger is wrong if it is allowed to control the mind and overrule...
Editorial: Economic development can’t be built on ifs and maybes
In August 2020, Hempfield supervisors approved plans for a 250,000-square-foot home improvement store along Route 30 near Westmoreland Mall. Nearly five years later, the project has yet to move beyond the proposal stage. Why? It’s not as if Wisconsin-based Menards is unfamiliar with building. Supplying construction materials is its business....
Letter to the editor: Renee Good’s blood on Biden’s hands
The blood of Renee Good is on the hands of the Biden/Harris administration — period. The administration did nothing to stop the flow of illegal immigrants coming into our country. Kamala Harris was the border czar and in my opinion did absolutely nothing. The Biden administration was sworn to uphold...
Letter to the editor: Steelers need to do better on character issues
If you weren’t disgusted with the handling of the DK Metcalf assault on a football fan, perhaps you need to reevaluate your priorities this new year. While many think the two-game suspension was excessive, I don’t think it went far enough. There’s no question Metcalf made a huge mistake going...
Bill Dudley: Attacking Powell only undercuts Trump’s goals
If President Donald Trump thinks piling pressure on the Federal Reserve will further his goal of lowering interest rates and stimulating economic growth, he should think again. On the contrary, it’s likely to have the opposite effect. It’s hard to see the Justice Department’s criminal investigation of Fed Chair Jerome...
