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When you’re a parent, it’s always the first day of school

The first day of school recently arrived at our house. I woke up early to get the kids ready in time to take a few pictures out on the front porch before we left. I have to admit, I made them do the chalkboard thing — the mug shot where you write their teacher’s name and their grade on a placard and they hold it up — with varying degrees of compliance and cheer. Our chalkboard also has a section, my favorite one, for what they want to be when they grow up. One year, my younger son insisted I write “nothing” in the spot, and I did. Maybe it was sort of sullen or bratty, but ...

The fantasy of a decrepit Trump

The MSNBC anchor Lawrence O’Donnell believes he’s on to a scandal — the U.S. president who held a snap summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, and then immediately after, hosted a spontaneous meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and major European leaders at the White House, is so debilitated that he can barely function. His evidence is that Donald Trump had a light public schedule a couple of days after this flurry of in-person, high-stakes diplomacy. This would be little like a critic of Charles Lindbergh accusing the landmark aviator of being a layabout because, ...

Gas remains ‘keystone’ to state for future economic growth

We agree with Marcellus Shale Coalition President Jim Welty’s optimism — and we hope lawmakers across Pennsylvania can recognize the opportunities with which our state has been blessed. In an op-ed column in this past weekend’s edition of the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, Welty detailed how northern Pennsylvania is well-positioned to be at the center of new technologies and industries. While we still have some reservations about the potential uses and effectiveness of artificial intelligence — or AI — we believe that in time we, as a nation and a society, can find the best ...

Right now, Washington, D.C. is a disgrace

At its best, Washington, D.C., is a city of timeless grandeur, of iconic monuments and world-historical centers of power. At its worst, it’s a harrowing place where a remorseless 14-year-old could steal your car. The confluence of these two Washingtons in the terrible early-morning beating of the DOGE employee Edward Coristine, known by his sobriquet “Big Balls,” has prompted President Trump to federalize the D.C. police and deploy the National Guard. The software engineer played a significant role in the frenetic push to reform the federal government that dominated the ...

Volunteerism, sportsmanship not a laughing matter

As we have editorialized over the years, we believe our communities should appreciate what a blessing the Little League World Series is for our region and appreciate the men and women whose hard work makes this event possible — especially the volunteers. We’ve also frequently noted how the young players in the Little League World Series exemplify the best of sportsmanship. We believe the families throughout our region are honored to share the thrill of victories and the commiseration of defeats with them. And so we were disappointed last Thursday when one of our duly elected ...

What to do if you encounter a bear

A wayward black bear has been spotted roaming around Canonsburg neighborhoods this week, prompting borough police to take to social media to urge people to use caution if they encounter the wild animal. As an addendum to that message, we urge those who feel compelled to take a selfie with the bear to consider their safety. The bear is not interested in mugging for a photo but rather locating its next meal and, if it’s a mama bear, keeping watch over her offspring. Far too many instances of people attempting to capture pictures with a wild animal have ended badly, some ...