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Our opinion: ‘Kids for cash’ clemency appalling

Republican House Rep. Brenda Pugh is so upset by President Joe Biden’s commutation of the prison sentence of former Luzerne County Judge Michael Conahan that she wants to rename the President Joe Biden Expressway. “Conahan’s conduct is forever a blight on Pennsylvania and is a slap in the face to the victims and their families who deserve justice to be served for his atrocious crimes,” she said. “His clemency places complicity and a stamp of approval on his behavior. Children are among the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians. This decision is nothing short of a travesty and his ...

Editor’s corner: Unsustainable entities reach a tipping point

All is calm. All is bright. Those lyrics are synonymous with the sentiments of many residents in this region when it comes to preparing for the Christmas celebration. But it’s nowhere near as cheery when considering a new year that will be filled with important and urgent decisions. Do not ...

Our Opinion: Nothing heroic about murder suspect

Altoona has been accorded deserved praise but also has been inflicted with an undeserved black eye over the Luigi Mangione case — Mangione being the suspect in the high-profile murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Dec. 4 outside a New York City hotel. The latter is totally without cause, saddening people here who still firmly believe that murder is not a good thing. But reject any thought that Mangione, from a prominent Baltimore real estate family, is destined to rot and die in prison, a forgotten man, if he is convicted of the heinous New York crime. Considering the ...

Our Opinion: Consolidation case remains clear

The days are dwindling before a possible consolidation vote that could reshape the educational landscape in Warren County. We still haven’t heard an argument that changes our mind that closing Youngsville and Sheffield high schools is necessary. The facts are still clear - our population is decreasing, we’re cutting electives and course offerings and the district’s finances are on shaky ground. While we understand the concerns of parents over what the closure of Sheffield and Youngsville means for their children, the school district can’t position itself for the future by ...

Our opinion: Clock ticking on rent, tax rebate

Senior citizens or those with disabilities have until Dec. 31 to apply for the state’s 2023 Property Tax/Rent Rebate program. The rebate comes with higher income eligibility limits and a bigger tax rebate amount. Through September, more than 500,000 tax rebates totaling more than $304 million for older Pennsylvanians and people with disabilities had been processed, nearly double the amount distributed through the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program at the same point in 2023. Roughly 107,000 first-time applications were received through September. Gov. Josh Shapiro said in October ...

Our opinion: Taking on domestic violence

We hope our state and local leaders pay attention to a troubling study by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. The study examined how survivors of domestic violence in rural communities face additional barriers and burdens in reporting the crime. Some of the barriers are logistical — rural areas do not have the same infrastructure, the same availability of public transit and health care services that more urban and suburban communities have. Other barriers are more rooted in perceptions — perceptions about how police will handle reports and about what neighbors will say. We, ...