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Our opinion: Get ready now to give buses more room

Next year, Pennsylvania drivers will be required to stop 15 feet away from a school bus with its red lights flashing and side stop arm activated. The increased distance is part of legislation that was signed into law recently by Gov. Josh Shapiro. The state will begin educating drivers on the new requirement in December, with the legislation to take effect in a year. The legislation also establishes enhanced penalties for repeat offenders, addressing a gap in current law that does not provide increased punishment for those with second or subsequent violations. "Every child deserves ...

Our view: Keep animal abusers accountable

A proposed state law that many right-thinking people in Pennsylvania might have considered to be a no-brainer or slam dunk in terms of virtually unanimous approval -- creation of a registry of animal abuse offenders -- is being greeted with a reception somewhat less enthusiastic. It's unfortunate that the measure, which could be a significant weapon in the battle against abuse of animals, is likely to be bumped into the new legislative year beginning in January, rather than being accorded the fast-track implementation of which it is worthy and making a positive impact starting in the ...

Our opinion: Additional oversight needed over painkillers

There is an obvious gap in the system that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania uses to make sure prescription-level painkillers aren’t being abused, particularly, it appears, in rural areas. Twice in less than a year the state Attorney General’s Office has filed charges against two Warren County pharmacy employees who had found ways to manipulate systems in place to track painkillers ordered and used. In the case of Warren General Hospital’s in-hospital pharmacy, the theft was uncovered when computer systems used to dispense medication led to an investigation that uncovered two ...

Don’t believe budget claims by Shapiro

Gov. Josh Shapiro recently defended his fiscal record. During Pennsylvania’s one and only gubernatorial debate, the governor insisted that (1) he balanced the state budget, (2) Pennsylvania has an $8 billion surplus, (3) he has cut taxes, and (4) Pennsylvania is the only “growing economy ...

Readers' Speak

Keeping faith Dear Editor, Today I was reminded that all that is in the headlines is simply history fulfilling itself. This came to mind as I was reading from the book of the Originator of human history. Upon further research of said book I found that there is an end of human history as we know it. In the book there is described events that were predicted to come to pass that we are seeing revealed as predicted. This book is centered around the Hebrew peoples and their descendants. In today's news there is much reporting concerning global hatred of Israel and the God of Abraham, ...

Winning ways at risk in U.S. elections

It appears that the Democrat party has become divided in their thoughts and actions from what they were even a generation ago. When some in the party use Socialist in the title, one realizes their thinking has significantly changed their beliefs; the values this country has espoused for centuries are now falling by the wayside. Cal Thomas’s article in the Times Observer on July 1, read: “As the saying goes ‘This is not your grandparents Democrat Party.’ It has clearly gone off the rails.” The article lists several examples of radicalism that are surging through the country, ...