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View from Hickory Heights: Anxiously waiting

Local Commentaries

As March came in like a lion, I anxiously wait for the signs of Spring that are so familiar. When the grandchildren were young, we went outside as soon as it was comfortable. By comfortable I mean we had to wear jackets, but we could comfortably sit outside to eat our lunch. Many lunches were enjoyed by the little café table that sits on the upper side of my porch. There were only two chairs, but we could pull up extra ones depending on who was there. Yes, we ate with our jackets on, but it was so nice to be outdoors enjoying sandwiches and chips. First, we would have a snack out ...

Always running just a little bit behind

Local Commentaries

We finished undressing the Christmas tree on Friday. Today, Monday, a kind friend helped us take it apart and bag it. Yes, I know. It’s March 10th as I write this. I hear this echo in my head, “You’re just getting your Christmas tree down? It’s Lent already!” I was annoyed when I heard on January 6th that “today is ‘official’ tree-taking-down day.” Who decided this? OK, OK, I remember Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas from my childhood. It is the church’s end of the Christmas season, a nice tradition. My mother and I always tried to get our tree down and out ...

Our opinion: Cyber charter reform still needed

Our Opinion

A recent report from Auditor General Tim DeFoor confirms what we have long thought - the state simply must reform its method of funding cyber charter schools. DeFoor’s audit took a look at the budgets of five statewide cyber charters over a three-year period and found that revenue at those five cyber charters more than doubled to $898 million while the cyber charters’ savings grew by 144%. At the same time, here in Warren County, we’re going through the difficult process of closing two high schools because the Warren County School District can’t operate sustainably with the ...

Our opinion: Rainy day funds still off limits

Our Opinion

We share the concerns of state Rep. Joe Hamm, R-Hepburn Township, regarding Gov. Josh Shapiro’s plan to pull money from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to fill the gaps in his own spending plan. As Hamm noted recently the state does not have the prerogative to draw money from the fund at any given time — the money is earmarked for economic downturns. Any time that fund is touched, it must happen only under conditions of a recession or economic downturn, Hamm said. If he tries to do that, as indicated in the proposal to legislators, there is a potential for a lawsuit being filed, ...

Our opinion: Counting our delivery blessings

Our Opinion

State Rep. Martin Causer is among those concerned about the closure of UPMC Cole labor and delivery services. The Bradford Republican, whose district includes Cameron, McKean and Potter counties, is concerned the closure will create a significant maternity care desert across multiple counties. We’re not sure, given the distance from Coudersport to Warren, if any of the women who would have given birth at UPMC Cole will end up in the delivery rooms at Warren General Hospital, but whenever there is are changes like this there are ripple effects throughout regional health care systems, ...

Our opinion: Chipping in for area road work

Our Opinion

As Daylight Savings Time returned this weekend, work on important highly traveled roads cannot be too far off. Last week, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced its investment of $468 million to help municipalities across the Commonwealth maintain their roads and bridges. These investments, which come from state gas tax revenues, help municipalities pay for things like snow removal and road repaving. “Our roads and bridges are vital to connecting Pennsylvanians with services and opportunity,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Investments in municipal roads ...