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Lack of vaccinations drives state measles outbreak

My medical training didn’t prepare me for this moment. I grew up in Warren but now live in Buffalo and work as a hospitalist, meaning If you become a patient at the hospital and have to stay overnight or are not going straight to surgery, I am often one of the doctors taking care of you. I recently went to speak at a conference in Lancaster, Pa., at the center of the current largest U.S. outbreak of measles, which claimed its sixth death this past week. As I prepared for that trip, I found myself pondering how to reduce my exposure. I worried, not for myself, but for my beloved ...

Warren missing out on progress despite promises

At some point, Warren needs to stop confusing the preservation of an old building with economic development. The endless debate over 231–237 Pennsylvania Avenue West is a perfect example. This property has sat vacant for years. The city's redevelopment documents indicate that the building lacks water, electricity and heat, and requires roof repairs or replacement. Demolition specifications also call for asbestos abatement. Walk past the glass door, and you can still see the outline of a former state representative's office decal. That faded reminder says plenty about how long this ...

Veterans power U.S. economy, deserve assistance

After serving in their nation’s military, they’re now serving in America’s economy. There are nearly 8 million veterans in the U.S. workforce, and they have a lower unemployment rate than the population as a whole. Veteran-owned businesses generate $1.3 trillion in annual sales and employ approximately 4 million workers. But as Veterans Day approaches, leaders of veterans service organizations say some of the men and women behind that economic success are still struggling to find stable housing, get mental health care or translate military experience into a civilian ...

Everyday communications are maddening

For me, communications in 2026 boil down to telephone, texting, or email. I don’t do smoke signals anymore. Alas, my arthritic hands have consigned hand-written notes to the back burner. When I hand write, maybe the first line or two have some resemblance to my once clear penmanship. Then ...

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 ...

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, ...