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Public notice legislation fails community To the Editor: In a column published Tuesday, Oct. 7, in the Lewistown Sentinel, Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association President William Cotter touted newspapers, their ties and commitment to their communities, and the expansion of access House Bill 1291 promises regarding local government transparency. He’s off the mark, in some ways entirely, and in others only for certain parts of our state. One thing he’s right about: “local journalism is a service we depend on every day.” It’s a service my hometown, where my family’s ...

People endangered by ransomware

Editorials

Internet experts call it ransomware, a very particular type of virus that infects computers and restricts users’ access to their files or threatens the permanent destruction of their information unless a ransom — anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars — is paid. The virus typically announces themselves by popping a message up on screen — supposedly from the FBI or another federal agency — saying that because you violated federal law your computer will remain locked until you pay a fine; or, you get a pop-up message telling you your personal files have been encrypted ...

Transgenderism: A Biblical response

Local Columns

In the coalition that is LGBTQ + (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer), it is the T that has become ground zero in the culture wars. LG and to a lesser extent, B, have long enjoyed widespread acceptance in the culture. But it wasn’t until about 10 years ago when Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner transitioned to Caitlyn Jenner that the T really started to gain traction. I will say that there has been a pushback to Transgenderism that has surprised many (especially in recent years with the controversy surrounding men playing women’s sports). But the statement “I am a ...

Right-sizing: The Sentinel returns to downtown

Editorials

The Sentinel has a new home, and it’s returning to downtown Lewistown. On Monday, Oct. 6, The Sentinel officially opened its downtown office at 21 South Brown Street, moving from the larger building it occupied for more than half a century on Sixth Street in Highland Park. The change isn’t a matter of real estate. It’s a statement of purpose — a decision to right-size, refocus, and rejoin the daily life of the downtown. For decades, the Highland Park building suited the demands of another era, a time when presses rumbled and most of the staff worked under one roof. That ...

Outer Banks bring winds, waves, legends

Local Columns

(Editor’s note: This column is the second part of a two-part series) While the sights, history, and legends of the Outer Banks left me in awe, it was the people who call this place home and the lessons they unknowingly taught me that left the deepest impression. On our first day in Buxton, I asked the hotel clerk what there was to do in the area, the things I shouldn’t miss. Her answer stunned me. “Nothing,” she said matter-of-factly. I stood there in surprised silence unsure how to respond. I had two full pages of attractions I’d researched before our trip, yet here was ...

Do more than wear pink this October

Editorials

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Why should you care? Because had it not been for the early detection campaign’s inception 40 years ago, a loved one – your mother, sister, wife or maybe even you yourself – might not have been around to read this. Originally a weeklong push to promote screening and routine mammograms, the observance morphed into a 31-day drive to bolster funding for research and treatment, as well as garner support for survivors and honor those whose lives have been lost to the disease. The color pink came to be associated with breast cancer in the ...