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Our opinion: Water show makes a big splash

County residents have the opportunity to send the summer of 2025 out in style with Kinzua Rocks The Wake, scheduled for Labor Day weekend at Kinzua Beach. The weekend will include water stunt shows and a flurry of tribute bands to Kinzua Beach for three days of water stunt shows and concerts. Water skiing performances will alternate with Ski Extreme’s freestyle jet ski and flyboarding stunts from Wisconsin. Ski extreme specializes in jaw-dropping flips and spins on jet skis, as well as flyboarding, a relatively new extreme water sport that involves a water-propelled board attached ...

Our opinion: Heighten penalties on violence

Legislation introduced recently in the state House of Representatives is misguided, in our view. Rep. Josh Siegel, D-Allentown, introduced House Bill 1698 in the spring that would mandate a life sentence in prison for those who are convicted of violent acts against elected officials. The legislation comes after two such attacks in Pennsylvania in less than a year and shortly predates a shooting against Minnesota state representatives. “Our democracy is under siege,” Siegel said. “Extreme partisanship and inflammatory political rhetoric have fueled a dangerous culture of ...

Our opinion: Sharing can benefit rural students

Course sharing across the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is one step closer to becoming reality. It’s a program that will make education easier for college students, particularly those who are attending smaller, rural state colleges in the PASSHE system. Many of the students within the PASSHE system opt to attend the school in or near their hometown, which can limit their studies depending on the strengths and individual course offerings of their respective schools. For some students, the availability of more classes can make the difference of whether or not they ...

Editor’s corner: Can Stefanik conquer Big Blue wave of New York?

Western New York Republicans know the clock is ticking when it comes to the 2026 election for New York governor. During a political fundraising event June 30 in West Seneca, party leaders and supporters came to hear from their potential great hope to be the next leader of the Empire State: ...

Our opinion: Repeal Sunday hunting ban

The only ones who should be unhappy if the state ends its prohibition on Sunday hunting are deer. The state Legislature recently passed House Bill 1431 - a measure that was far more contentious than it really should have been. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office said in a news release Monday said he will sign the bill soon. It makes sense. The ban on Sunday hunting may have made sense decades ago, but it makes little sense now. Sunday has long been viewed as a day of rest - and state Rep. Robert Leadbeter, R-Catawissa, said that the institution of Sunday hunting would create “another ...

Our opinion: State must resist more spending

In a perfect world — or even just a better world — Pennsylvania’s state budget would be both completed on time and would be a plan in which Pennsylvania’s taxpayers could place their faith. We unfortunately do not live in that perfect world, and yet again our state budget has missed its deadline. We appreciate that Williamsport’s legislator, state Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, is declining his paychecks until the matter is resolved. Flick’s choice is an excellent example of leading by example. However, when contemplating our state budget, we do not want to ...