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Our opinion: Area honors are well deserved

Area officials last week honored the contributions made by two area women to the Warren community. City Council members honored Mary Conarro, who tendered her resignation from the city Parks, Recreation and Landscape Commission after years of service. Conarro was also a member of the Warren City Council from 1994 to 2001 and efforts to preserve the Crescent Park pool. “She has been an ardent champion and supporter of countless community projects through her participation, her philanthropy and her voice,” said Mayor David Wortman. On Wednesday, Warren County Conservation ...

Our opinion: A picture worth a thousand words

The photo that ran with a Center Square story detailing state lawmakers’ deal on the state’s 2024-25 budget speaks more loudly than any sound bite state lawmakers could give. Democrats smiled broadly for the camera. Republicans were absent. One could argue Republicans were basically absent for most of the budget discussions given what’s in and out of the state budget. The $47.6 billion budget includes new education and human services spending, tax and regulatory reforms for businesses, and an infusion into mass transit systems that continue to hemorrhage money post pandemic. ...

Our opinion: Let us not forget we are Americans

In the moments following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump Saturday, there was horror and confusion. Trump emerged defiant from the pile of Secret Service members who rushed to protect him, but as the nation breathed a sigh of relief we learned the attack had, indeed, been deadly. Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief who was attending the Butler, Pa., rally with his family, had dived in front of his wife and daughter to protect them from the bullets. He died for them. Meanwhile, Trump was able to let the nation know he was injured but “fine” after the ...

Our opinion: A nice addition to three downtowns

City and county officials are making a nice addition to three county downtowns that capitalizes on one of the county’s biggest tourism assets. A state Department Conservation and Natural Resources grant through the Route 6 Alliance is covering the cost for bike racks and repair stations in Warren, Tidioute and Youngsville. The racks are coming first to Warren with plans to put racks in Tidioute and Youngsville later. Bike repair stations will also follow. It doesn’t sound like much, but spending $25,000 can have a big impact on local tourism. WIth the Trails at Jakes Rocks ...

Our opinion: Change in planting policies good news — but telling

It is good news that the state Department of Transportation will, under a new law, discontinue the planting of non-native or “invasive” species along Pennsylvania’s roadways. But it is also illustrative of certain underlying principles. The challenges of invasive species and their impact on native flora and fauna have been well-documented for decades. As the National Ocean Service notes on its website, invasive species are capable of “causing extinctions of native plants and animals, reducing biodiversity, competing with native organisms for limited resources, and altering ...

Our opinion: Be wary of growing government

What happens with a state park near the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland created in 2022 doesn’t much concern us here in Warren County. Most of us, after all, will never set foot in the Big Elk Creek State Park. But the controversy over improvements to the park does have an impact here in a couple of ways. First is the seemingly insatiable need for state agencies to expand the amount of land the state owns. We have seen that in Warren County with the 2,195 acre acquisition of land in Spring Creek by the state Game Commission. Such expansion preserves open space, but does so ...