Op/Ed: Why Donald Trump is unfit to be President

By Christopher Kowerdovich, Special to The Times Christopher Kowerdovich As an Iraqi War Veteran, I know firsthand what true leadership, discipline, and service to our nation look like. We expect our leaders, both in the military and in politics, to uphold these principles. That’s why I feel the need to speak out about why Donald Trump is unfit for public office. Pennsylvania has nearly 65,000...

Op/Ed: Africa: The gold medal avoidance

Edmond W. Davis The Olympic Games, often celebrated as the epitome of global unity and athletic excellence, have a darker legacy that is rarely discussed — a legacy that traces back to the 1904 St. Louis, Mo., Olympics, marred by overt racism, exploitation and gross disorganization. African marathoners Jan Mashiani and Len Taunyane were South African athletes who were dehumanized and forced to...

Op/Ed: Bob Casey stands shoulder to shoulder with veterans

By Dave McLimans, Special To The Times Dave McLimans I’d been in the Army for two years by the time I arrived in Vietnam, but neither my training nor the stories of other soldiers prepared me for the devastation I encountered there. Just as chilling as the bombed-out buildings and exhausted troops were the huge swaths of jungle reduced to ghostly lunar landscapes by Agent Orange. My United Steelworkers...

Immigrants don’t deserve hate, they deserve love and support

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa It’s hard to watch the events of the last few days and not be shocked and disappointed. Violent, hateful rhetoric continues to poison our national conversation and the daily lives of the people of Springfield, Ohio and some western Pennsylvania communities. It’s not the first time Americans have been turned against immigrants, seen racial tensions...

Op/Ed: Trails are no longer a luxury, but a must-have in many communities

By Patrick Starr, Pennsylvania Environmental Council  Patrick Starr, Vice President, Pennsylvania Environmental Council Trails and roads intersect in several ways, but from a transportation perspective they provide the same function. In many ways, trails are more accessible to a greater number of Pennsylvanians. Trails are beloved as a safe and comfortable place to move, to see, smell, and experience...

If you’re complaining about DEI, you don’t get the idea of America

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa You’re probably hearing a lot about “DEI” again these days — fueled in part in attempt to some discredit Vice President Kamala Harris’ run for President. You’ll be shocked to know I have thoughts. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. That’s what DEI stands for. What some of the people using it as a scare tactic are really saying is “White,...

Three truths: Biden is old; Trump is old and a criminal; and Democrats stink at politics

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa This much is true: Joe Biden is really, really old. Absolutely older than I would prefer as President of the United States. He walks slow — sometimes at 60, I do, too — and stumbles over his speech at times or even loses his train of thought while speaking. He’s also been among the most effective presidents of my lifetime, which goes back to...

The only way to end the culture of political violence: vote

We are a nation steeped in violence but Donald Trump has introduced a new form of political violence. In the wake of the assassination attempt on him, we can’t react by denying reality or letting wishful thinking get in the way of dealing with that reality. By Rich Heiland, Columnist, The Times VIOLENCE HAS NO place in the United States? Seriously? What world do all the political and public figures...

Letter: Silent conservatives need to speak out or death of democracy will be on you

To The Editor: This is not about Donald Trump.  It’s not even about the sad souls seduced by him.  The insurrectionists who stormed the Capital to prevent the peaceful transfer of power were primarily guilty of being gullible.  They fell for the big fraud.  They did not do the defrauding.  Many have been held accountable for their actions.  Most of the ones who fooled them have not.  Yet. I...

There’s a crisis out there and it is coming for everyone regardless of politics…

But, how you vote definitely will make a difference. Trumpers may want to rethink what really poses a threat to them. It’s not folks of color, environmentalists or immigrants. By Rich Heiland, Columnist, The Times THERE IS A huge health care crisis looming in the U.S. and if you are a Trump supporter, you may want to start paying attention to it, regardless of your age. The crisis is one I might...