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Our opinion: Branding leaves us underwhelmed

One of our initial questions about Warren Worx was the value of branding. As we have said consistently since the Warren Worx idea was first broached, branding doesn’t accomplish much unless you have something to brand around. In Warren County, that’s the outdoors and our natural beauty. We’re not exactly sure what Warren County’s new brand, “The Place To Become,” means in the grand scheme of things. It’s a little reminiscent of a branding initiative more than a decade ago in Chautauqua County, which tried to brand itself as The World’s Learning Center. Has anyone in ...

Our opinion: State trail offers a ‘tribute’

We must never forget the Pennsylvania connection to Sept. 11. With the most recent commemoration held last week, officials here are looking to next year — the 25th anniversary of the dark day for America. Last week, the Shapiro Administration invited Pennsylvania communities to join the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance in honoring the heroes and events of September 11, 2001. Leading up to the 25th anniversary in 2026, Gov. Josh Shapiro directed the Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation (PennDOT) and Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to work with local ...

Our opinion: Thompson raises concerns about oversight

Our system of government was wisely designed as a democratic republic — democratic in that most offices that have any measure of authority over our lives are filled, directly or indirectly, through democratic means and republican in that constitutions determine the scope of that authority, mindful of the necessity that different parts and levels of government should provide checks and balances to each other. In some instances, the federal government collects tax revenue and disperses it to state governments with instructions for how the funding should serve public needs. For this ...

Our opinion: Ag courses make sense if students want them

Warren County School District officials are mulling the addition of agriculture courses in its high schools. We can’t disagree with the conversation. Warren County farms produce a variety of crops and livestock. According to the USDA 2022 Census of Agriculture, Warren County has 380 farms, with 66,377 acres of county land occupied by farming. Crops are 30% of that land while livestock, poultry and other products comprise 70%. The market value of products sold, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, totaled $26,785,000 in 2022, a 26% change from the 2017 census. Farm related ...

9/11 is a day we must never forget

Americans today tend to have a short attention span. Important news often is quickly overshadowed by the latest nonsense posing as news that captures the nation’s attention. Yet some events are of such a magnitude that they remain seared in our memories. The attack at Pearl Harbor. Troops storming the beaches at Normandy. The fall of Saigon. And the events of Sept. 11, 2001. For those old enough to understand what was happening 24 years ago, when terrorists hijacked four planes — two of them brought down the World Trade Center, one smashed into the Pentagon and the fourth crashed ...

Our opinion: Proactive approach by DA’s office is encouraging

Warren County has seen too many internet-related sex crimes involving underage youth in recent months. We detailed a few of them earlier this week as part of the county’s announcement of the WRATH (Web Response Against Traffickers and Harmers) unit. Announced by Cody Brown, first assistant district attorney, the specialized investigative unit will work with local police officers to protect children from online exploitation. Specifically it will target offenders who attempt to victimize children through online communication or by possessing and distributing child pornography. The ...