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Our opinion: No ‘jokes’ in school threats

Enough is enough. It’s time to play hardball with the miscreants who wreak havoc on school districts here and across the country by making threats of shootings or bombings. Almost every time, the threats turn out to be unfounded and were simply an attempt to disrupt the educational process. But because we live in these times when school shootings are all too familiar, school and law enforcement officials must take them seriously. When a threat — real or perceived — is made, the people and entities charged with keeping our children safe must operate with an abundance of ...

Our opinion: Tobacco ban hits nerve once fine is added

The Warren City Council didn’t really change its policy regarding tobacco use in city parks recently. Smoking in parks has been illegal for years. It includes, by the way, cigars, pipes or other tobacco products in any manner or in any form - so yes, e-cigarettes and vaping devices are illegal in city parks, too. But the recent addition of a fine has upset some city residents who had no problem smoking in parks because they knew the worst consequence they would face was a warning. Attitudes changed when the city changed city ordinance to include a fine for violating the city’s ...

Our opinion: Some protection for restaurants

There’s good and bad in the food truck regulations being discussed by Warren officials. It’s good to reduce licensing requirements by accepting a state license rather than requiring a separate city license for food trucks. That was one of the main complaints raised by one food truck operator who preferred to operate in New York state because, somehow, it’s actually easier for the business to operate in New York than in the city of Warren. That’s unheard of. What needs work is ways to provide some sort of protection for brick-and-mortar restaurant owners who pay taxes and ...

Our opinion: Senator correct on stream cleaning

We agree with state Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, and appreciate his leadership on an important — though, perhaps not colorful or controversial enough to frequently capture voters’ attention — issue. Stream cleaning. “As elected officials, we are responsible for putting forth policies that protect the constituents we serve and help local officials respond more quickly and efficiently to emerging problems,” Yaw wrote in an op-ed column in Friday’s edition of the Williamsport Sun-Gazette. “This includes changes to ensure better maintenance of creeks and streams to ...

Our opinion: New fall fest a good addition

There’s been a lot of disagreement over some downtown redevelopment efforts. People on both sides of some development projects have a vision of what downtown can be and, despite disagreements, are making the case for projects that make downtown Warren a destination. There are other ways to make downtown a destination, among them new events that bring people downtown who perhaps wouldn’t come otherwise. And that’s why there should be excitement over the recently announced inaugural Downtown Warren Fall Foliage Festival on Oct. 11-12. Participating businesses will be ...

Our opinion: Bullying returns as school opens

Young people’s return to their classrooms each fall usually is a routine, uneventful exercise, even for young men and women transitioning from high school to a college environment. They’ve gone through the proverbial ritual of clothes-buying over the latter part of the summer, as well as having stocked up on pens and pencils, notebooks and other such necessities, not to mention the electronics — devices such as computers, printers and cellphones. Even for those students who would much prefer additional freedom from classes, tests and homework, the final summer-vacation days ...