Opinion category, Page 648
Erin Wall: How I miss you, my high school students, but we will meet again
Erin Wall teaches AP English at Woodland Hills High School, where she has worked since 2005. The sounds of our schools are silenced. The tapping of pencil marks, the screeching of desks, the ticking of the clock, the chiming of the bell, the laughter and chatter of voices that flow...
Matthew Brouillette: What’s goal to win war against covid-19?
In any battle, clear objectives are imperative. Unfortunately, in fighting a virus invisible to the naked eye, the end goal has become nearly as intangible: flatten the curve, slow the spread, contain the virus. But how flat? How slow? How contained? When will we know if we’ve succeeded? Clearly, we...
Letter to the editor: Suspend diesel tax to help truckers
Pennsylvania has the second highest tax on diesel fuel (I’m surprised we’re not No. 1) in the nation. Without truckers, medical supplies and groceries could not be delivered. Until the coronavirus pandemic ends, the tax on diesel fuel should be suspended. Tony Pittore Penn Township, Westmoreland County...
Letter to the editor: It’s always Trump’s fault
Regarding Richard P. Davis’ letter “Trump’s inaction on coronavirus” (April 7, TribLIVE): As usual, it’s all President Trump’s fault. Davis cites spring break in Florida and Mardi Gras celebrations in Louisiana. Funny how he left out Nancy Pelosi telling people to come to Chinatown in San Francisco in late February,...
Letter to the editor: Don’t listen to Trump
After watching President Trump’s daily updates on the coronavirus, it makes me wonder how far ahead of this problem we would be if Trump took it seriously months ago. While China, South Korea and other countries were locking down to prevent the spread of this virus, Trump was using it...
Letter to the editor: How is Gov. Wolf doing ‘everything we can’?
While the state loses over $6 million a day in liquor sales, our governor proclaims, “We are doing everything we can to help.” How exactly? Safe practices are in place at many stores that protect both customer and employee. We can’t do that at our Fine Wine & Good Spirits...
Lori Falce: Let’s get back to better than normal
We all can’t wait to get back to normal. This coronavirus shutdown is getting to everyone. We all want to get out of our houses, go back to work and be able to shop again like it’s an activity, maybe even a hobby, instead of a Navy SEAL excursion. We...
Paul Kengor: On vaccines, will Pitt do it again?
“Polio Is Conquered.” That was the jubilant headline atop The Pittsburgh Press on April 12, 1955 — 65 years ago. The headline was repeated in newspapers worldwide. And where had it happened? In Pittsburgh. The man who did it? Dr. Jonas Salk. Polio was one of humanity’s most malicious scourges....
Laurels & lances: Bunny, bottles, breakdown
Laurel: To a bunny’s best helpers. Easter is one of those milestone holidays for many kids, like Christmas or birthdays. For some, it could be hard to reconcile a quarantine celebration without egg hunts and family parties. But volunteers in South Greensburg helped the Easter bunny out by making sure...
Christopher Franklin: Give comfort to the essential
In the face of this unprecedented global pandemic, new phrases like “social distancing” and “flatten the curve” have quickly entered our American lexicon. But as government officials, business owners and frontline personnel around the world grapple with challenges we never could have imagined just weeks ago, there is one single...
Editorial: New heroes arise in pandemic
Hero. A person admired because of courageous acts or selfless endeavors. We all know what a hero is. It’s the firefighter who rescues a kid from a burning building or the soldier who falls on a grenade. It’s a police officer who stops a bank robbery. We recognize the heroes...
Sen. Mike Regan: Covid-19 assistance for law enforcement
Last week, Pennsylvania law enforcement experienced its first loss related to covid-19 with the passing of Lt. James Walker, a 32-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department. My heart goes out to Walker’s family and colleagues during this difficult time. Additionally, my mind is on the other 52 Philadelphia officers...
Letter to the editor: What’s happening at Mexico border?
Isn’t it strange that we have not been hearing much about what is going on at our border with Mexico? People from all over the world, including areas where the virus is rampant (including China and Iran), had been entering our southern border. The fact that Mexico has only reported...
Letter to the editor: Trump is protecting our country
In response to Richard P. Davis’ letter “Trump’s inaction on coronavirus” (April 6, TribLIVE): I see your statements as wrong. You have the nerve to say President Trump did nothing until mid-March. You need to find better sources. In January, the president restricted travel from China, and the Democrats called...
Letter to the editor: Trump’s leadership will cost us
For weeks hospitals, doctors, nurses, first responders and caregivers have been clamoring for masks, shields, gowns and other personal protective equipment. Yet, day in and day out at his daily coronavirus press briefings, President Trump has been touting how many “millions and millions” of masks and respirators are being produced...
Letter to the editor: US should make its own necessities
Medical necessity made searching for a drug that was not made in China or a third-world country a yearlong endeavor for me. I was prescribed a name-brand pharmaceutical by my doctor and had it filled at a well-known pharmacy in Greensburg. My medical insurance would only pay for generic. The...
Letter to the editor: Beware government takeover
Although the coronavirus situation must be taken with concern, there is an even greater threat to our country. The declarations of emergencies by federal, state and even some local governments pose a potential takeover of our lives by these entities. I understand the need based on our current system for...
Letter to the editor: Chewing through Tolstoy
As one of the few fortunates to stock up at the local library before they were shuttered due to the coronavirus, I decided to return to reading classic Russian novels. A book I’m currently reading quoted some passages from Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina,” which I struggled, and failed, to read in...
Colin McNickle: Coronavirus economic damage ‘real and enormous’
A rough estimate of coronavirus-related unemployment levels can be made for the Pittsburgh metro area based on data through the end of March. And it’s quite the sobering picture that’s certain to grow worse, says a scholar at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy. “The economic deterioration resulting from the...
Michael Bloomberg: To beat global pandemic, empower local leaders
While many Americans are watching the daily news conferences by President Donald Trump and some governors, the action behind the scenes is being led by the elected officials who are closest to the public, and who are directly managing the crisis in their communities: mayors. As we listen to public...
Letter to the editor: Cared for via church’s livestream
On Sunday mornings I feel comforted, loved and cared for by my church, which livestreams worship services. The Lord finds me at home. I don’t feel as if the church is being attacked at all (“Hempfield church pastor apologizes for open services on Sunday,” March 23, TribLIVE). In fact, many...
Letter to the editor: Hempfield property tax late payment relief
In response to the letter “Leaders must act on property tax relief” (April 2, TribLIVE): Hempfield residents will be happy to hear that at our last public township meeting, I requested our solicitor to prepare the appropriate legislation to abate (eliminate) the property tax late payment penalty of 10% until...
Letter to the editor: Westmoreland County, please stay home
Westmoreland County, please help us help you: Please stay home! Please accept this plea from the physicians, nurses and first responders in our county fighting covid-19 on your behalf. We will be OK and we are doing our part, but all of you have a huge influence on how things...
Letter to the editor: Will Constitution survive coronavirus?
The Democrats tried the Russia investigation, impeachment, then Russia a second time. The American people are getting wise to the Democrats’ tricks. They didn’t create the coronavirus, but they will use it to try to win the election in November. This virus has caused panic on Wall Street and an...
Letter to the editor: Trump’s covid-19 response incompetent
History may judge the handling of the covid-19 pandemic as the greatest failure of an American president in modern times. The Trump administration’s failure to heed warnings of a pandemic in early January allowed 70 days to pass before President Trump admitted how serious this crisis is. He attempted to...
