Editorial: What Texas tells us about the 2026 midterms
The early political signals emerging from Texas may offer a revealing preview of the national mood heading into the 2026 midterm elections. While one state rarely defines the entire political landscape, Texas often serves as an important barometer for the broader tensions shaping American politics today: polarization, ideological intensity and...
Letter to the editor: Christian nationalism abominable
Last month, the U.S. Army chaplains paid tribute to a Hindu holiday by posting a picture of the Nataraja, an image well known in Hinduism. It depicts the god Shiva in his “dancing” pose, standing with one leg raised and crossed over the other, and a small, troll-like beast crushed...
Editorial cartoons for the week of March 9
Editorial cartoons for the week of March 9....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of March 9
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of March 9....
LZ Granderson: There are 2 Americas. Falling mortgage rates matter only to the wealthy one
There was a McDonald’s in my neighborhood that we would drive by often when I was growing up. Each time, I would read about the weekly sale advertised on the marquee underneath the golden arches. Occasionally, I would ask my folks if we could stop at that McDonald’s on the...
Jessica L. Schleider: If social platforms are harmful, don’t just ban kids. Regulate the harms
As major social media companies head to court this year to defend themselves against claims that their products have harmed young people’s mental health, policymakers are searching for decisive responses. The lawsuits, which focus on whether platforms knowingly designed addictive, psychologically harmful systems for youth, are bringing long-avoided questions into...
Letter to the editor: Collier must deny Nixon Plan
Collier Township’s vision statement promises growth “while preserving a rural character.” Yet the proposed Nixon Plan would erase 29% of our remaining rural/wooded land in one stroke. Under Zoning Ordinance § 27-1808.1, the board of commissioners can only approve plans consistent with this vision and “compatible with the public interest.”...
Editorial: War is never as far away as it seems
When we watch war unfold on television, there is fear and uncertainty. But there also can be the detachment of distance. It is not a comfort, but it can be insulating to know what is happening is so far away. That is not true for everyone. Even neighbors in Western...
Letter to the editor: Red-light grants should not be accepted
Regarding the article “School crossing signs, zone signals in McCandless area to be replaced, upgraded” (Feb. 28, TribLive): The first problem is that the story seemed to say that red-light cameras are being installed in multiple locations, which is not correct. These are merely grants for safety improvements. Secondly, the...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Have faith, America
One local story last week — the announcement of the closing of Madonna del Castello Catholic Church just outside of Pittsburgh — is a reminder that while church attendance may not be what it once was, faith plays an incredibly important role in our communities. Madonna del Castello Church is...
Jim Nowlan: Stop the world, I want to step off
At 84, I am an analog guy in a digital world. Sure, I do Zoom meetings and check my smartphone too often. Yet my mental health suffers, I swear, from the almost vertical rate of societal change; political mayhem; transition from a human- to digital-dominated world; and the sense that...
Counterpoint: Make year-long standard time the nationwide standard again
I’m one of the many Americans who hate being forced to time-shift twice a year. After only four months on standard time, daylight saving time returns with a vengeance on Sunday, March 8, when 2 a.m. abruptly becomes 3 a.m. Only residents of Arizona (with the exception of those living...
Point: Time changes have advantages year-round
America’s current daylight saving time system — spring-to-fall DST followed by winter standard time — is an excellent compromise, providing all of DST’s many benefits for the majority of the year and yet avoiding winter DST’s difficulties during the dark, cold months. Evaluating DST is more complex than it might...
Letter to the editor: Why do millions want to come to U.S.?
The letter “Finland, Norway more attractive than U.S.” (Feb. 25, TribLive) has the tone of someone thinking they’d be better off living in Finland or Norway. If that’s truly how you feel, maybe start a GoFundMe account and have your socialist friends and family donate so you can afford to...
Letter to the editor: Bondi’s priorities
I don’t know about anyone else, but I was both embarrassed and shocked by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s congressional hearing. It seems not only does she want us to forget all about the Epstein files and the surviving victims, she thinks we should instead express deep gratitude the stock market...
Editorial: Hatred finds a microphone
Three things collided in Pittsburgh this week: hatred, technology and infrastructure. The result was antisemitic threats against Mayor Corey O’Connor broadcast over a public safety radio channel used by police and emergency responders. O’Connor comes from a diverse background. His late father was Catholic, his late mother Jewish. He has...
Letter to the editor: Hockey culture vs. football culture
How incredible and refreshing it was to witness athletic greatness (unmatched physical and cognitive supremacy) as displayed by the United States’ women’s and men’s recent gold medal-winning teams in ice hockey at the 2026 winter Olympics. With class and dignity, these physically and cognitively superior athletes made America proud. It...
Cal Thomas: The Clintons, at it again
How much faith should one put in the veracity of Bill Clinton when he testified last week in a deposition that he did “nothing wrong” in his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein? I guess it depends on the meaning of “nothing” and “wrong.” How much faith should one...
S.E. Cupp: Republican scheming backfires in Texas election
On Sept. 9, 2025, a little-known 36-year-old former middle school teacher and seminarian named James Talarico announced he was jumping into a crowded Texas Senate race, joining several other Democrats vying for GOP Sen. John Cornyn’s seat. He’d first made news by flipping a Trump-leaning state legislative district in 2018...
Joyce M. Davis: Iran’s martyrdom culture means this war could be America’s bloodiest yet
Few places on earth so revere martyrdom as Iran. I came to that conclusion during a visit to the country in 2002, not long after the Sept. 11 attack on the United States. In my book, “Martyrs: Innocence, Vengeance and Despair in the Middle East,” I open the chapter on...
Letter to the editor: Character development starts at home
Regarding the letter “Cellphones should be allowed in schools” (Feb. 21, TribLive): Schools should not be expected to develop citizens of good character, although they can certainly contribute to a student’s character. This primarily should be taught at home together with following rules and becoming responsible adults. Monica Yuhas Smock...
Lori Falce: Who really picks a party’s nominee?
A primary is different from a general election. It is the earlier opportunity for registered members of a party to have their say in who will represent them on the ticket in November. Primaries, given that they are between fellow Democrats or Republicans, should be more collegial. They should be...
Letter to the editor: Trump’s motives
Did anyone seriously wonder whether President Trump would attack Iran? Likewise, does anyone think it was a coincidence that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House on Feb. 11? On Feb. 19, a Washington-based investigative outlet revealed that pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s Manhattan apartment had an elaborate Israeli government-installed...
Laurels & lances: Raptors & rodents
Laurel: To flying high. The Tarentum Bridge carries about 36,000 vehicles a day across the Allegheny River. Soon it will also carry the weight of a $97.5 million rehabilitation project. But before construction begins in 2027, planners are making sure another set of residents is considered: the peregrine falcons nesting...
Letter to the editor: Democrats’ behavior reaches new low
In his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump stated the first duty of members of Congress is the protection of the American people, as compared to protecting illegal immigrants. He asked them to stand if they agreed. Every Republican stood up. Every Democrat remained seated. About half the...
