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Local Commentaries

Two decades of madness raging on

Most weeks, I like to write about personal experiences that other people can relate to, and imbue them with humor, snide comments, or everyday frustrations. This week is different. I’m mad. It is an anger still festering after 20 years Tom O’Brien, my late husband, died of esophageal ...

Not nodding off on the important questions

Questioner: Who won the 2020 Presidential election? Respondent: I did but the outcome was false – “the big steal.” “And everyone knows it.” Q: What happened at the Capitol January 6, 2021? A: Patriots tried to prevent the illegal transfer of governmental power. Q: Can a ...

Sunday suppers with friends – senior version

Sunday has always been my favorite night for dining with friends. This preference goes way back to an early learning experience. During my college years, I worked summers in a fancy – but consistently busy - Cape Cod restaurant. The Sunday night patrons were always my favorite. The crowds ...

Shapiro’s utility crackdown won’t fix power shortage

Electricity bills keep going up, and Pennsylvania consumers are feeling the pain. For example, in Pittsburgh last year, many residents saw bills skyrocket 15% in June and more than 10% in December. Instead of embracing reforms that could lower prices, the state’s elected leaders are engaging ...

The beast finally settles in

Last July I wrote about Finian, our Maine Coon cat, and his stubborn need to be outside. For some reason he is well-behaved at the front door – as long as visitors don’t stand chatting with the storm door open. I mean, give the furry kid a break. A 10-minute open door is temptation even a ...

Targeting fraud can help rural hospitals

Vice President J.D. Vance recently traveled to Bangor, Maine, to spotlight the Trump administration’s crackdown on fraud in Medicaid and other critical federal health programs. Speaking to a capacity crowd, Vance laid bare the deep challenges of Medicaid in most states: “What you have in ...