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Our opinion: State has to help with sub shortage

A parent raised a good question during last week’s Warren County School District board meeting - why are students being monitored in auditoriums rather than taught in classrooms? The answer is simple. County schools often can’t find a substitute teacher to teach classes when a teacher is absent, leading to what are essentially big study halls. We all remember study halls. There wasn’t much learning going on there unless students were serious about their academics - and we know that definition doesn’t encompass all of the students in a big study hall. Our problem is felt in ...

Shapiro needs to commit to disability funding

As the dust settles from the 2024 election, Pennsylvania’s leaders must now prepare for the 2025 Legislative Session and the forthcoming Fiscal Year 24/25 budget debate, as families, caregivers, and individuals in the Intellectual Disabilities and Autism (ID/A) community look to Gov. Josh Shapiro to champion crucial funding needs. Last year’s budget delivered a historic funding boost for ID/A services, reflecting Governor Shapiro’s deep commitment to this essential community. However, the final enacted budget fell $93 million short of the Governor’s proposed funding—a ...

Our opinion: Worx is making some progress

We have many doubts about Warren Worx, and while not all of those doubts have been quelled yet we are encouraged by something discussed at this week’s City Council meeting. The city of Warren and Youngsville Borough have revitalization teams. But not all areas in the county have such bodies to focus on things that can breathe new life into smaller townships and boroughs. John Papalia of WCCBI said Warren Worx is creating a revitalization team in Sheffield. Once a team is created the group can work to develop a plan for the township that can be used to drive new development, new ...

Our opinion: Obey burn ban in wetter weather

Two wildfires earlier this month were all the reason area officials needed to institute a ban on open burning in Warren County. At the time of the ban, there had been roughly 100 wildfires in Pennsylvania - including one in Glade Township that took two days to bring under control and another in Youngsville shortly after the Glade fire was extinguished. What’s happened here is happening throughout the Northeast, including a fire near the New York-New Jersey border that has consumed nearly 7.5 miles of forest while putting hundreds of homes in harm’s way. That’s why, even ...

Our opinion: USDA offers seniors assistance

Senior citizens know well that a cost of living adjustment to Social Security won’t go far - especially given increases in the cost of federal health care programs. That’s one reason why the under-the-radar change to the federal poverty level for the Community Supplemental Food Program from 130% to 150%, making more residents eligible for aid. Hunger-Free Pennsylvania administers the food program in Pennsylvania as the Senior Food Box Program. Sometimes it can feel like we’re fighting a losing battle with food insecurity. Second Harvest officials told the Times Observer ...

Our opinion: Warren band rocked in Cleveland

Not many high school marching bands get the opportunity to perform for nearly 20,000 people. We’re glad the Warren Area High School marching band got the opportunity to do so - even if it did take a mistake by the Cleveland Cavaliers to make it happen. Last spring, Aaron Reinard, Warren Area High School band director, received an email from a gentleman working for the Cleveland Cavaliers asking if the band would like to perform at a game. After emailing back and forth for a couple of weeks, Reinard found out the Cavs had really been trying to reach out to a marching band from ...