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Our opinion: Skill games debacle is legislature’s doing

If there is one thing everyone in Pennsylvania can agree on, it is that a decision needs to be made one or another on skill games that are found in social clubs and businesses throughout the state. Of course, we can’t agree on that decision, hence the stalemate on the issue with a court-imposed Oct. 13 deadline for law enforcement to begin removing unlicensed skill games. What’s even more frustrating is lawmakers’ inability to bring legislation to a vote that would simply preserve the status quo to give lawmakers more time to dilly dally their way to a decision. Take, for ...

Our opinion: A way to help resolve EMS crisis

Quietly, the city of Warren is taking action that could benefit the rest of the county. City Council members recently approved a memorandum of understanding with the union representing city firefighters that will allow firefighters to pursue Advanced Emergency Medical Technician certification. Having firefighters capable of providing a higher level of EMS service obviously benefits city residents. Eight to 10 firefighters have expressed interest in the training. The initial goal had been to enroll six firefighters. The training will use a hybrid format, with some coursework ...

Editor’s corner: In troubled waters, border partners focus on lakes

No one could have predicted two years ago that a pair of Western New York’s treasured resources would become part of a political grudge that is part of strained international relations. When President Donald Trump issued the executive order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America in late ...

Our opinion: Finding growing concerns with AI

AI is a trending and fantastic tool. From schools, government to private industry many are taking advantage of the technology to improve products and learning. Within the last month, however, warnings from the artificial-intelligence industry have revived debate over whether advanced AI models could escape human control and threaten humanity. The CEO of Anthropic suggests the industry should slow down developing the technology and put more safeguards in place. According to the Associated Press, worries that an artificial intelligence might exceed human abilities or be misused by ...

Our opinion: Council’s Warren Worx questions are warranted

The questions Warren City Council members asked recently about Warren Worx are good ones. Council members questioned what measurable results Warren Worx’ efforts have produced, whether companies featured in Warren Worx marketing efforts had experienced increased sales, website traffic or hiring as a result of the marketing efforts or how many people who live outside Warren County and commute into the county have done so because of Warren Worx. There is also no data if local employers are filling job openings because of Warren Worx’ marketing. The questions are warranted. There ...

Our opinion: Find a middle ground on health proposal

No one wants to see Pennsylvania become New York with the heavy-handedness of the Empire State’s COVID-19 pandemic policies. At the same point, reasonable people should be able to recognize that the state Health Department needs additional authority to deal with emergent issues like the ongoing measles outbreak in the state. Doing nothing makes no sense. Accepting the Health Department’s proposed 502 pages of Chapter 27 regulations is ludicrous, because it feels as if the Health Department is trying to seize authority the state Legislature didn’t want to give in the first ...