Breaking News

Local Commentaries

The Vespa 400 was my ride

My four-wheel Vespa was not one of their world-renowned motor scooters. It was a car. A really small car. I don’t think my mother ever forgave me. “That’s probably the dumbest purchase you have ever made.” I bought the little red car during my junior year of college. No longer living on campus, it was a challenging year of half college credits and a full-time job. And to make it work, I had to commute 28 miles to work, 12 miles to Boston University, then 20 miles home each day. A 60-mile triangle. My bicycle was not up to the job. I waitressed on Cape Cod for three summers, ...

Penn State ag trip offers ‘incredible’ insights

On Nov. 15, I had the opportunity to travel to Penn State University for 4-H Animal Science Day. An experience that opened my eyes to the depth of agricultural education, the energy of campus life, and the many careers that support our food systems. What stood out most throughout the day ...

Nuclear remains key grid element

The Center Square correctly reported that nuclear power production in Pennsylvania was essentially relegated to being an afterthought for quite some time, but now, lawmakers are realizing this reliable, carbon-free source of baseload energy warrants a closer look as we prepare for significantly greater demand on our 13-state power grid. I serve as a co-chair on the bipartisan, bicameral Nuclear Energy Caucus because I know the meaningful role nuclear power has played in Pennsylvania’s past and continues to play present day, plus I want to ensure it is well positioned for the ...

All the comforts of home sweet home

Winter won’t officially be here until the 21st of the month. By then most of the Christmas parties will be over and we’ll be deep into present wrapping, food prep, and last-minute stocking stuffers. But with the snow on the ground and that raw westerly wind, I don’t care when the calendar declares the season. For me, it’s here. Give me that old bathrobe, the flannel pj’s, and the fur-lined slippers. Then leave me in my nest in the den: the recliner sofa facing the big TV. Oh, and the warm cat who occasionally visits for a cuddle and a snack. Recently, some friends and I ...

Parenting diabetic child offers lessons

When my son was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, I didn’t sleep for weeks. Every beep of a monitor, every minute his blood sugar was slightly off, every outing with friends felt like a risk I couldn’t control. The fear was constant because unlike the skinned knees and scraped elbows of childhood, this was something invisible, unpredictable, and potentially deadly. Like so many parents of children with T1D, I had to learn to balance vigilance with trust. I wanted to wrap him in bubble wrap and keep him close to where I could watch over him. But I also knew that my job ...

The filling legacy of Thanksgiving leftovers

Our post-Thanksgiving dinner has become a family ritual. Friday’s dinner even has its own name: “TurkeyPile.” Now that I look at the word in print, it doesn’t sound particularly appetizing does it? But it is old-fashioned wonderful. The holiday itself has its own heady anticipations. It’s hard to beat the aroma of that roasting gobbler, especially when there is a remaining bouquet of pumpkin and apple pies still hanging in the air. Those scents enhance the long-awaited, bronzed big boy as he comes out of the oven. There’s nothing quite like that mouth-watering eagerness. ...