Breaking News

Our Opinion

Our opinion: Disappointing DCNR audit

Given the importance Warren County places on the outdoors, a recent audit by Timothy DeFoor, state auditor general, is pretty disappointing. DeFoor performed an audit of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that showed the agency did not award all Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) grants competitively, instead using its own discretion when awarding some grants despite advertising it as a competitive process. The C2P2 program provides federal and state grants to municipalities, non-profit organizations and other community-based organizations for ...

Our opinion: Bipartisan caucus interesting idea

We don’t want to get overly optimistic about a new bipartisan caucus in the state’s General Assembly. A small group of Republicans and Democrats in the state House and Senate have formed the Pennsylvania Competitiveness Caucus, an effort the lawmakers say is an effort to unify efforts across state government and party lines to strengthen the state’s economic competitiveness efforts. Competitiveness is something that rural Pennsylvania struggles with, so it’s encouraging to see some state lawmakers who want to work together to collaborate on policies that drive economic ...

Our opinion: Rapp bill may help rural providers

Rural health providers need help — the real question is how to provide that help. State Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren, has an idea that recently passed the state House Healthcare Committee to create a grant program that facilities could pass on to new employees to help pay down student loan debt. Individual institutions would be eligible to receive up to $250,000 per calendar year, which they would use to directly pay toward their recruits’ student debt. To receive the reimbursement, staff must stay in the role for a minimum of three years. The bill would apply to nurses, ...

Our opinion: Birth trend is worrisome

More deaths than births soon to be national problem Seventy-five years ago, New York held nearly 50 seats in the House of Representatives — 45 to be exact. It has 26 today. It’s not news that rural New York has been losing population, with its rural communities being hit particularly hard. That’s a story throughout the Rust Belt. The real issue is that what has been a regional problem is soon going to be a national problem. According to a report released this week by the Congressional Budget Office, deaths will outstrip births across the country by 2033, seven years earlier ...

Our opinion: Broadband boost a plus for Pleasant

News that work to build out a new broadband internet system in Pleasant Township is good news. Allegheny Community Broadband has secured $2 million in public and private funding to build out the network, which is expected to serve 430 homes in Pleasant Township. We’re sure there are some who feel the cost is too high. A 25-year loan will be paid with revenue generated by user payments, with the system to be owned by Pleasant Township once the loan is paid off. It’s a heavy lift when you think about it. The cost works out to about $4,730 a person for the 430 households this ...

Our opinion: Make the most of new amenity

Warren is getting its first disc golf course after the Lumber Heritage Region has been awarded a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. An 18-hole course, blending into an existing conservation area, is a nice addition to the area and enhanced an already beautiful area of the 350-acre Hatch Run Conservation Area. Disc golf is new here in Warren County, but courses have proliferated in neighboring Chautauqua County with courses in Jamestown, South Dayton, Falconer as well as the Dunkirk area. Since 2015 there has been a disc golf association ...