Editorials category, Page 5
Editorial: RFK Jr.’s vision for the CDC should alarm Congress
Susan Monarez’s 28-day tenure as the nation’s top public health official was doomed from the start. Her boss, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., wanted her to do two things: champion his dubious anti-vaccine agenda and uphold “gold-standard science” at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recognizing the conflict, Monarez chose...
Editorial: State budget crisis is forcing Westmoreland Co.’s hand
Westmoreland County Commissioners are putting the brakes on spending. That makes sense. The county is not exactly swimming in cash. In December 2023, commissioners pivoted toward a last-minute tax increase to address shortfalls. Both the Republican majority and Democratic minority on the board agreed the county was in financial difficulty...
Editorial: Politics should not have a body count
When we look at our history, it is a timeline where the major marks are often political and frequently violent — and too regularly both. This is not unique to America. It is not a problem of modern history. It is global and timeless. Assassination has changed the face of...
Editorial: Cleanup & questions
Laurel: To cleaner water. When you live near waterways, you know that sometimes things end up there that shouldn’t. It might be trash. It might be chemicals. It might be sewage. But often it’s tires. There is no way of knowing how many tires end up in rivers, lakes or...
Editorial: What was forged on Sept. 11
It is hard to remember a time that Americans were on the same side. Except on Sept. 11. Every year on this date, the anniversary reminds us of the grim day in 2001 when we were united by the dark and unbelievable horror of the worst terrorist attack in our...
Editorial: How can an accused killer spend 10 years in jail with no trial?
Trials should happen as soon as possible after the defendant is arrested. The U.S. Constitution spells this out in the Sixth Amendment, the first of several rights afforded. “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the...
Editorial: Bad nurses give good medical workers a bad name
Medical professionals have occupied an interesting place in society in recent years. The covid-19 pandemic put them squarely on the front line, where they found themselves between patients and death. The National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization point to thousands of nursing staff and other health care...
Editorial: Florida is promoting dangerous policy to please anti-vaxxers
President Donald Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be health and human services secretary to shake up the country’s public health status quo. Shake it up he has, putting vaccine skepticism at the helm of life-changing decisions and placing chosen outcomes ahead of data. Florida is proving to be...
Editorial: No stocks for Congress
While a Gallup poll this year indicated about 62% of Americans own stocks, the numbers are not quite what they seem. Many people may have retirement money in a 401(k) or sock away savings in an investment account of some kind. Far fewer actually own shares. Federal Reserve data says...
Editorial: Are solar farms the latest NIMBY?
What do solar farms have in common with fracking, strip clubs, halfway houses and landfills? On the surface, it might be hard to see. Solar farms and fracking couldn’t be more different, with one promoting green energy and the other built on fossil fuels. Adult entertainment might be questionable, but...
Laurels & lances: Hits & hacks
Laurel: To an ap-peel-ing visit. The Savannah Bananas brought their signature form of entertainment married with baseball to PNC Park over the weekend. It was two days of fun and excitement rarely seen in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ home venue. Yes, the Bananas are out-of-town barnstormers. Yes, the event had a...
Editorial: No redistricting in Pennsylvania
Every 10 years, America asks the people to stand up and be counted. This is not about statistics. It’s not keeping score. It is about representation. Congress’ two chambers are populated in different ways. In the Senate, every state is equal. From tiny Rhode Island to powerhouses like Florida and...
Editorial: Health insurance cost spikes don’t just affect patients
The budget of most Americans is a delicate balancing act. You know what you have coming in and what should be going out. A decrease on one side or an increase on the other can throw it out of whack. There have been a lot of increases in recent years...
Editorial: Biometric privacy laws must evolve with the times
Who should be held liable when a person’s biometric data — their facial features, voice or fingerprints — is misused? Illinois is home to some of the strongest consumer privacy regulations in the country, including its rules governing the use of biometric data. Perhaps you were one of the folks...
Editorial: Again with the mail-in ballot envelopes?
Here we are at the end of August, heading into familiar rituals. Kids are back in school. Football is in full swing. Pumpkin spice lattes are heralding the start of fall. And once more, the rules about mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania are being juggled — tossed in the air and...
Editorial: Will Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story’ lead to a bad ‘Reputation’ for Democrats?
Yes, Taylor Swift is getting married. We know. The whole world came to a grinding halt Tuesday when the world’s biggest pop star announced her engagement to Kansas City Chiefs standout Travis Kelce. It drew a line in the zeitgeist, dividing it into B.E. (Before Engagement) and A.E. (After Engagement)....
Laurels & lances: Red lights & restitution
Laurel: To slowing down. Pittsburgh City Council is taking steps toward using cameras at red lights. Council authorized the use of automated red light enforcement last year. The technology would snap pictures of drivers who run lights and then send them tickets by mail. Now they are working toward a...
Editorial: Back to school means back to violence
Across Western Pennsylvania, kids are going back to school. College dorms are overflowing. High school football games are lighting up Friday nights. School buses are back on the roads taking little ones with backpacks and new shoes to class. The lazy days of summer are over, and the jam-packed schedules...
Editorial: New drugs, same crisis
The history of drug use in America is not necessarily a story of opium dens and crack houses. It’s a story of substances that weren’t illegal until they were abused. Patent medicines might be everything from a cold medicine on the shelf of a general store to the snake oil...
Editorial: IUP should clearly spell out hazing penalties
When you have a child or a pet that does something wrong, it’s important to address the situation immediately. Did your son hit his sister? You don’t want to let the fight go on and on and maybe talk about it Saturday. That sends the message the action wasn’t important....
Editorial: Power, money and the cost of scrapping our election system
It is no secret that President Donald Trump does not like mail-in voting. “Tremendous potential for voter fraud, and for whatever reason, doesn’t work out well for Republicans,” he said of it on Twitter in 2020. Despite pushback from officials across the country who have maintained the practice is safe...
Editorial: Firefighting under the influence is a danger to all — including public trust
Is there anyone we trust more than a firefighter ? These are the people who don’t just respond when called. They literally walk into fire. But despite the name, fire is only part of the job. They pull people out of vehicles when they are trapped there after a crash....
Laurels & lances: Animal edition
Laurel: To family fun. The Westmoreland Fair is all about bringing the community together with events and attractions that can satisfy people of all ages. Concerts to camel rides, rodeos to rabbit agility courses — there’s almost nothing you can’t find at the fair. And for some, it’s a family...
Editorial: Sinkholes are a Pennsylvania problem. Lawmakers could do something about them
Remember when old movies and television shows gave us the impression quicksand was the great scourge lurking beneath our feet? Nope. The number of deaths due to quicksand is so small it’s not statistically significant enough to track. But sinkholes are another story. The number of sinkholes is too varied...
Editorial: Overpaying for Pittsburgh’s vehicle maintenance makes no financial sense
Imagine you are trying to save money on your grocery budget while making sure you get the food you need at the same time. You sign up for a subscription service that promises groceries for a flat fee every month. It’s a common scenario. It’s the business model behind dozens...
