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Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
Letter to the editor: Experience matters for coroner, and Ackerman has it
John Ackerman possesses the No. 1 item necessary to be the next Westmoreland County coroner: qualifications! Hands down, Ackerman’s training, education, certifications and experience raise him over his opponent. Ackerman worked side by side with me for 18 years and has shown a constant drive and dedication to determine cause...
Letter to the editor: Russia’s war demands should be rejected
I am writing this after reading about the demands Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made for the Ukraine war to end. He has demanded about 20% of what is actually Ukrainian territory be relinquished to Russia. This is much more than what was initially offered at the earlier proposal. As...
Letter to the editor: Wian best to lead register of wills office
In February, the Pennsylvania Senate approved and Gov. Josh Shapiro appointed Jon Wian to lead the vacated register of wills office following a period of mismanagement and resultant court-appointed conservatorship. As register of wills, Jon Wian is responsible for the county’s estates, probation of wills, marriage licenses, adoptions and guardianships....
Letter to the editor: Unrecognizable America
As an old flag-waving military veteran, it isn’t easy to say that I’m ashamed of my country. But I no longer identify with the America I once knew. A failed system of justice has seemingly blinded many who witnessed the Jan. 6 insurrection, followed by presidential pardons, and they have...
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of May 5
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of May 5....
Editorial cartoons for the week of May 5
Editorial cartoons for the week of May 5....
Letter to the editor: Game commission’s taxes
Do you feel your property taxes are too high? When gambling was approved in Pennsylvania, legislators voted to use it to help the residents with property taxes. However, the payment in lieu of taxes paid for property owned by the Pennsylvania Game Commission is $9.20 per acre, of which only...
Letter to the editor: The benefits of Sunday hunting
Pennsylvania hunters may soon be allowed to pursue deer, turkeys, upland birds and waterfowl on Sundays for the first time in more than two centuries. Senate Bill 67, currently being considered in the state Legislature, would amend state statutes to remove existing bans on Sunday hunting and give authority to...
Letter to the editor: Middle is disappearing
“The middle is disappearing,” according to Michigan Sen. Gary Peters. For this reason, he and other moderates in Congress have decided not to run for reelection. This sentiment reminds me of W.B. Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming”: Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the...
Editorial: PBS, NPR and being the helpers Mister Rogers talked about
After any tragedy or disaster, it is a virtual guarantee that someone will quote Fred Rogers. The man behind “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was known for his lifelong efforts to help children make sense out of what happened around them, from how crayons were made to having big feelings. Among those...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Let’s make it easier, not harder, to raise our children
When President Donald Trump was recently asked about giving new mothers “some kind of bonus” to increase the declining birth rate in the United States, he said that it “sounds like a good idea to me.” Vice President JD Vance has endorsed a $5,000 child tax credit, saying, “I want...
Adrian Wooldridge: The arc of history does not simply bend toward justice
Ronald Reagan was wrong. The nine most terrifying words in the English language are not “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” They are: “The arc of the moral universe bends towards justice.” This is a pretty phrase that was invented by a good person, Theodore Parker, and...
Parmy Olson: AI chatbots want you hooked — maybe too hooked
AI companions programmed to forge emotional bonds are no longer confined to movie scripts. They are here, operating in a regulatory Wild West. One app, Botify AI, recently drew scrutiny for featuring avatars of young actors sharing “hot photos” in sexually charged chats. The dating app Grindr, meanwhile, is developing...
Rich Harwood: Where is the ‘real America’?
Is there such a thing as a “real America”? A battle now rages over this simple question. Some Democratic Party operatives claim the real America are so-called “Trump voters,” who they say they need to better “study” in order to win future elections. Many Republican voices argue the real America...
Letter to the editor: Musk is no Edison
The letter “Demonizing Musk” (March 28, TribLive) stated that Elon Musk “is the Thomas Edison of our time.” That would be the same as comparing road kill with salt and pepper to a 5-star gourmet meal. Edison did invent many things, with a supporting staff, from the ground up. Despite...
Sounding off: Musk, Trump, Democrats, Pirates among week’s topics
Musk is no Edison The letter “Demonizing Musk” (March 28, TribLive) stated that Elon Musk “is the Thomas Edison of our time.” That would be the same as comparing road kill with salt and pepper to a 5-star gourmet meal. Edison did invent many things, with a supporting staff, from...
Letter to the editor: Kudos to Deer Lakes performers
Bravo to the Deer Lakes High School Drama Club for an outstanding display of acting, singing, tap-dancing and especially comedy in “The Drowsy Chaperone.” Kudos to directors Matty Derby and Natalie Erals for the long hours it took to bring the production to the stage, and superb talent of all...
Editorial: Denning’s downfall is object lesson for other officers
Fifteen months. That is how long Shawn Denning, 44, of Delmont will spend in a federal prison. The former Greensburg police chief was sentenced Thursday on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Perhaps U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon was being ironic in...
Letter to the editor: Natural gas key to Pa.’s energy success
Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger’s op-ed “Pa. must lead on renewable energy” (April 24, TribLive) wrongfully sidelines Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry and ignores the reality that affordable, reliable energy and environmental progress go hand in hand. Despite billions in subsidies and years of government support, intermittent energy sources like wind...
S.E. Cupp: What did Democrats do in their first 100 days?
This week, President Trump’s second term turned 100 … days, that is. And to mark the occasion, he held a rally in Michigan where he touted what he thinks of as his biggest accomplishments — tariffs, deporting alleged gang members to El Salvador and his creation of the Department of...
Anantha Shekhar and Vishnu Vardhan: Pittsburgh at center of next-gen health care
The prevalence and financial burden of chronic disease continue to rise. We spend $1 trillion each year in the United States treating preventable illnesses such as diabetes, cancer and hypertension, which affect more Americans now than ever before. Globally, the spiraling rates of incidence and cost are even more stark:...
Letter to the editor: Ackerman best pick for coroner
I offer my full endorsement of John Ackerman for Westmoreland County coroner. I have known John for 50-plus year and worked with him serving our community as a volunteer firefighter. The role of a coroner requires someone who can bring professionalism and a human touch to moments that are often...
No excuse for Kennedy’s lack of understanding autism
If you are not one of the people who was deeply offended by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent statements about the deficiencies of people with autism, I will assume that you do not know anyone with autism. Or at least, you think you don’t....
Letter to the editor: Data center concerns, opportunities
Your emphasis on the concern of the effect of data centers’ demand on the public’s power grid is impressive, and I am glad to see the industry is considering that in their plans. You have reported on an important new “industry” that is popping up all over our country, specifically...
Letter to the editor: Neglected incline area reflects badly on Pittsburgh
Recently, we took a dear friend visiting us from Norway to the Duquesne Incline to view “The ’Burgh” from Mt.Washington. We were disgusted; disgusted with the condition of the parking lot, walking along a narrow sidewalk next to busy Carson Street, and the rusting stairs and walkway to the incline...


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