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Our opinion: Lessening the road distractions

In three months, Pennsylvania will be implementing “Paul Miller’s Law,” which prohibits, as a primary offense, any driver from using an interactive mobile device while driving. In preparation for the new law, which begins enforcement June 5, officials from PennDOT, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), the Oil City Police Department, and the Highway Safety Network hosted an event last week at Oil City High School in Venango County to educate drivers on the consequences of distracted driving. “The list of potential distractions while driving is nearly limitless. Actions such as ...

Other voices: Trump could learn from Washington

Though rarely honored these days exactly on Feb. 22, his actual birth date, “Presidents Day” is officially still Washington’s birthday. And that’s entirely right and proper, as every American should happily honor our first chief executive. Washington was a man for the ages. Born a Virginia aristocrat, he carefully cultivated his virtues — self-control, moderation, civility; his strengths physical and moral — to become the most widely admired presence first in the 13 colonies, then in the new nation. As president, he also set the future course of the US government ...

Our opinion: Disappointing DCNR audit

Given the importance Warren County places on the outdoors, a recent audit by Timothy DeFoor, state auditor general, is pretty disappointing. DeFoor performed an audit of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that showed the agency did not award all Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) grants competitively, instead using its own discretion when awarding some grants despite advertising it as a competitive process. The C2P2 program provides federal and state grants to municipalities, non-profit organizations and other community-based organizations for ...

Our opinion: Bipartisan caucus interesting idea

We don’t want to get overly optimistic about a new bipartisan caucus in the state’s General Assembly. A small group of Republicans and Democrats in the state House and Senate have formed the Pennsylvania Competitiveness Caucus, an effort the lawmakers say is an effort to unify efforts across state government and party lines to strengthen the state’s economic competitiveness efforts. Competitiveness is something that rural Pennsylvania struggles with, so it’s encouraging to see some state lawmakers who want to work together to collaborate on policies that drive economic ...

Our opinion: Rapp bill may help rural providers

Rural health providers need help — the real question is how to provide that help. State Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren, has an idea that recently passed the state House Healthcare Committee to create a grant program that facilities could pass on to new employees to help pay down student loan debt. Individual institutions would be eligible to receive up to $250,000 per calendar year, which they would use to directly pay toward their recruits’ student debt. To receive the reimbursement, staff must stay in the role for a minimum of three years. The bill would apply to nurses, ...

Our opinion: Birth trend is worrisome

More deaths than births soon to be national problem Seventy-five years ago, New York held nearly 50 seats in the House of Representatives — 45 to be exact. It has 26 today. It’s not news that rural New York has been losing population, with its rural communities being hit particularly hard. That’s a story throughout the Rust Belt. The real issue is that what has been a regional problem is soon going to be a national problem. According to a report released this week by the Congressional Budget Office, deaths will outstrip births across the country by 2033, seven years earlier ...