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Our opinion: Get control of Medicaid fraud

It took the threat of federal penalties to push Gov. Josh Shapiro into taking seriously the issue of SNAP errors in Pennsylvania. In our opinion the state has a bigger issue with Medicaid fraud - and it shouldn’t take the threat of federal action to get the state to take the fraud problems seriously. A Commonwealth Foundation released last week said Pennsylvania charged more Medicaid fraud cases than any other state in 2024, with the state Attorney General’s office reporting $11.3 million in Medicaid fraud recoveries and $44 million in fraudulent charges. That same year, ...

Our opinion: Too much money in state elections

Pennsylvania’s judicial-retention balloting last year was an eye-opener, but not because of which candidates’ retention bids were successful. Rather, what was remarkable — and troubling to many people of this commonwealth — was the total amount in cash and the value of other support dumped into the campaigns on behalf of those seeking the voters’ ballot-box approval. According to a Spotlight PA article, at least $18.7 million was poured into the state Supreme Court election, and the Keystone State’s 2025 retention races were deemed likely to be among the five most ...

The St. Louis Post Dispatch: Republicans should not Trump from taking Greenland

President Donald Trump’s renewed, bizarre obsession with taking control of Greenland — and more to the point, his refusal to rule out using military force to do it — is straining America’s ties with its NATO allies to the breaking point, no doubt to the great cheer of the despots who rule Russia and China. Add to that Trump’s announcement of huge new tariffs against our allies as punishment for their resistance and it’s clear that Americans’ lives could soon become both more expensive and less safe. The Americans potentially facing economic and even military chaos because ...

Our opinion: Support WAHS robotics team

Warren Area High School’s VEX Robotics Competition team is writing the code for another successful season. The only limits at this point are seemingly outside of the team’s control - money to travel to competitions. Team 52575C- “I Can’t Pronounce That!” has achieved five state-qualifying awards across three tournaments while WAHS team 52575D is working to qualify. Both teams continuously work throughout the season to improve their notebooks, interviews, designs, match strategies and rankings. The boosters solicit sponsorships and are actively seeking sponsors to ...

Our opinion: Stay alert to utility scams

Scammers never take a day off, and this winter they have turned their sights toward Pennsylvania’s utility customers. The state Attorney General’s Office is warning residents to be wary of fake websites, misleading ads, and fraudulent phone numbers pretending to represent legitimate utility companies. It’s a reminder that anyone can be a target, especially when the bill is due, and the fear of losing heat or lights makes people act fast. Attorney General Dave Sunday said his office has seen a rise in impersonation scams that prey on urgency and confusion. “We are hearing of ...

Our opinion: Details needed on small necessities leave

No one will argue that Sen. Art Haywood’s proposal to create a Small Necessities Leave program in Pennsylvania wouldn’t help people who often need to be in two places at one time. But the devil is always in the details - and after two years of waiting, no one has seen those details. While the Democratic Senate Policy Committee decided recently to host a hearing on the idea, Haywood’s bill isn’t exactly new. The co-sponsorship memorandum was written more than a year ago in December 2024 with legislation yet to be drafted. The policy committee hearing indicates legislation ...