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Our Opinion

Our opinion: Mixed bag for ambulance incentive

Troy Clawson, Youngsville councilman, has an interesting idea to boost volunteer ambulance responses. Clawson suggests the borough set aside money and pay the Youngsville Volunteer Fire Department $150 for each call it responds to in the borough limits. The money would then be distributed in some way to those responding to EMS calls. Clawson called it a way to “navigate the animosity from volunteers” and “something we need to start moving forward.” “If you look at the numbers, we’re not looking at a lot of money,” he said, calling the idea an effort at “trying to ...

Our opinion: Wage plan could impact inflation

Pennsylvania’s lawmakers are considering a $20-an-hour minimum wage. We believe proponents of the increase are correct that an increase to the now-$7.25 minimum in Pennslvania is overdue. But, as we’ve editorialized when a $15-an-hour minimum wage was proposed in past years, our state needs to be mindful not to place an excessive burden on employers, particularly small businesses, and to be realistic about what the workforce in rural Pennsylvania truly needs. We believe the minimum wage should be increased. We do not believe $20 an hour or even $15-an-hour makes sense for the ...

Our opinion: Volunteer shortage unsurprising

Discussion at a recent Warren County Council of Governments meeting about volunteer firefighting equipment being unavailable because there were no firefighters to man it shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone. We’ve been writing about shortage of EMTs in volunteer fire departments for long enough that the handwriting may not have been on the wall for volunteers being able to fight fires - but they had taken the cap off of their red magic marker. Now, the handwriting is on the wall. Ken McCorrison, Warren County public safety director, recently told Council of Governments ...

Editor’s corner: Census data can’t make counties come to senses

Rust-belt Chautauqua and Warren counties are both no strangers to the disappointment that comes with the annual U.S. Census information. Since 1970, the two entities have combined to see a reduction of 32,524 residents from the region. From 2020 to 2023, Chautauqua County declined from ...

Our opinion: High court defends speech

We are grateful for the Supreme Court’s unanimous verdict in National Rifle Association v. Vullo — a case that cut to the heart of freedom of speech. New York state officials targeted the NRA specifically because they found the NRA’s message objectionable, and pressured private enterprises to “blacklist” or refuse to conduct business with the organization. “Today’s decision confirms that government officials have no business using their regulatory authority to blacklist disfavored political groups,” David Cole of the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued on ...

Our opinion: Tourism is key piece, but not a savior

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s “Great American Getaway” branding initiative should benefit Warren County. Our region’s options for outdoor recreation fit perfectly with Shapiro’s campaign, one reason it was gratifying to see Shapiro come in for a hike and a video showcasing Warren County recently. Partnering with the state can only help all of the tourism businesses that count on visitors coming to Warren County to spend their money. State officials are using your state tax dollars to showcase Pennsylvania’s status as a weekend getaway destination that is a stone’s throw away ...