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Our opinion

In today's economy, a quarter doesn't buy very much, even though it sometimes is the difference between buying something and not being able to make the purchase. Sometimes, superstitious gamblers drop a quarter near a slot machine at a casino, supposedly as a determinant as to whether or not the machine will be lucky -- whether or not it should be played. Heads, lucky; tails, not lucky. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania lawmakers apparently believe that a quarter can be very unlucky for them; at least that's the message emanating from the General Assembly's 2026-27 state budget-preparation ...

Our opinion

Proficiency rates from schools across the state are not the only items the public will have access to at the moment. Earlier this month, the state announced it has launched a tool that makes it easier for parents and community members to view annual vaccination rates at individual schools -- not just at the state or county-level like before -- boosting transparency and giving families a clearer picture of how well protected their children's classrooms are. "Knowledge is power, and Pennsylvania parents deserve clear, accessible data about the health of their children's schools," said ...

Editor’s corner: Unhealthy banter drives measles resurgence

How is it, in an age of vast technology and information, Americans keep tempting fate when it comes to medicine? One decade ago — a mere four years before the COVID-19 pandemic, who would have ever thought it intelligent to not get a vaccination for measles? In 2004, there were less than ...

Our opinion: County misses out on state funding

In a recent news release this month, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced 50 highway, bridge, aviation, port, bike, and pedestrian projects in 27 counties across Pennsylvania were selected for $54 million in funding through the Multimodal Transportation Fund. These new investments, the release stated, will improve safety, strengthen local economies, and enhance mobility across the Commonwealth, connecting communities and people to opportunity. In Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, $972,000 will support the redesign of the intersection at Prince Street and Houcks Road to make it safer for ...

Our opinion: State can’t sit on reassessment sidelines

We typically represent our political parties either with an elephant or a donkey. But in the case of Pennsylvania lawmakers at the state and local level, the ostrich would be a better representation. No one wants to take on the issue of property reassessments because they don’t want to upset voters. The problem is property reassessments are a necessary pain in the tuckus that make sure our system of taxation to pay for public services is done in as fair a way as possible. One reason property reassessments cause ostrich-like behavior now is they happen decades apart in too many ...

Our opinion: Using caution as schools reopen

Students are heading back to our county’s schools starting today. With this yearly occasion, we remind the public to discuss traffic safety with youngsters and, for those who also are motorists, to be careful as children will be along our streets and roads on weekday mornings and afternoons. The website for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers some tips. "Your child should arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus arrives," the website advises. "Ahead of the new school year, visit the bus stop and show your child where to wait for the bus, ...