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Opinion

Our opinion: Uphill battle continues for Garrity

Our Opinion

Current state Treasurer Stacy Garrity faces an uphill battle. Despite a warm welcome in Warren County in June, the Republican candidate governor is the underdog in the race for the state’s top spot. According to the latest Quinnipiac University poll that surveyed 895 self-identified registered voters in Pennsylvania from July 9-13, 53% support Gov. Josh Shapiro’s bid for a second term as governor, while 40% support Garrity. Both candidates have commanding numbers among registered voters in their respective parties, while Shapiro holds a strong advantage among independents. In ...

Our opinion: Let competition set gas prices

Our Opinion

It’s hard to believe there will be many state lawmakers who will oppose a proposal by Rep. Melissa Shusterman, D-Paoli, to prevent gas station operators from using artificial intelligence to help set gas prices. Shusterman is drafting the legislation in response to a federal lawsuit filed by California residents alleging gas station companies including BP, Marathon Petroleum, 7-Eleven, Circle K, Walmart, and Albertsons.of violating California’s antitrust law through Kalibrate, a fuel-pricing software system used across the world. The plaintiffs allege Kalibrate's AI software pools ...

Our opinion: WRATH Unit pays a dividend

Our Opinion

Cody Brown hadn’t yet been elected as the Warren County District Attorney when he announced the creation of the WRATH Unit last September. But the Affidavit of Probable Cause filed in a recent case involving an area man accused of disseminating videos showing alleged child sexual abuse materials shows the value in having such a unit. No one knew quite what to expect when Brown, who was then the first assistant district attorney, announced a Web Response Against Traffickers and Harmers Unit to be housed within the District Attorney’s office. Specifically it will target offenders ...

Our opinion: We waited months for this budget?

Our Opinion

Perhaps the best thing about Pennsylvania’s 2026-27 budget process is that it is, finally, over. The $50.8 billion budget is balanced, ended up roughly $3 billion under the initial budget proposed by Gov. Josh Shapiro in February and includes priorities for both sides - including a continuation of increases in K-12 education funding following a landmark 2023 court ruling and continued funding of tax credits for businesses that donate money for scholarships to allow children to attend private schools. It also left untouched the state’s $7.7 billion “Rainy Day Fund,” which was a ...

Letters to the editor

Letters To Editor

Dear Editor, Whatever the future holds for skill games doesn’t change the current reality for Pennsylvania charities. As we watch the continued skill games debate in Pennsylvania, something must be made clear: whatever the future holds for skill games doesn’t change the current reality for charitable clubs. Our Moose lodges were already struggling, and more than ever we need immediate, reliable relief and an infusion of revenue to continue serving our communities. Electronic pull tabs (e-tabs) and the meaningful modernization of Pennsylvania’s small games of chance law is the ...

Socialists write checks that reality can’t cash

Local Commentaries

Socialists have a long history of writing checks that Socialism cannot cash, and the platform of the Democrat(ic) Socialists of America (DSA) continues that tradition. Socialism is Socialism, whether or not proclaimed “Democratic” for political convenience. There is no difference between Socialism and Communism except that Communists are honest about their intentions to subjugate the population to totalitarian rule, whereas Democrat Socialists try to sneak Communism through the back door. The Democrat Socialist platform promises to reduce the work week to 32 hours while keeping ...