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Governor’s office does not respect accountability

Two scandals confronting our state, in our view, converge on one underlying issue. A state senator from Allentown has noted that in 2024 alone, Gov. Josh Shapiro spent at least $300,000 in tax dollars on flights. While that cost by itself should concern Pennsylvanians worried about the fiscal future of their state, there is a possibility — perhaps even a likelihood — that the actual cost was higher. “The data provided by PennDOT is woefully inadequate,” Sen. Jarrett Coleman said, according to The Center Square report published in Wednesday’s Sun-Gazette. “The PennDOT ...

Trump must keep abreast of new threat

The COVID-19 pandemic is essentially a scourge of the past, although it has not been defeated completely. Unfortunately, though, what is happening at this time in Africa’s Democratic Republic of Congo, if it remains a mystery for very long and remains unchecked, could evolve into something even more horrific than the horrors that COVID-19 inflicted. This country must mobilize whatever protective measures and resources it can muster to try to ensure that Africa’s current challenge never reaches America’s shores. But even those most optimistic regarding America’s capabilities ...

Sunshine Week shines light on need for transparency

Now, more than ever, you need to know. You not only need to know about the chaos in Washington, but you need to know what’s happening in your own backyard in state, county, and local governments closer to home, too. That’s why this year’s Sunshine Week, recognized as March 16-22, is so important. It reminds us of the need to ensure full transparency in government at all levels. We need a strong news media to pull back the curtains and shine a spotlight on every nook and cranny in government, from the Oval Office to the local school board. Records of older adults who die as ...

Can Trump win a trade war?

President Donald Trump knows better than to treat the “honeymoon” a president gets in his first months of office as a time to relax. He’s fighting as hard now as he did at the height of last year’s campaign. He’s even started what critics call a trade war. Every week, the White House astonishes liberals — and often conservatives, too — with dramatic actions on every front from immigration to Ukraine. Much of the media is in a daze. Democrats are dizzied and disoriented. The president knows how to keep his enemies, and more than a few friends, off-balance. But ...

Americans getting worse at grieving

In her “Turning Points” column in the Feb. 19 edition of the Wall Street Journal, Clare Ansberry attempted to answer the question of why Americans are “getting worse at grieving.” For many residents of Blair County, it is a topic that seems beyond settling on a widely verifiable conclusion. However, the points made by Ansberry in her column provide generous food for thought and, beyond that, food for discussion and lively debate. On that issue, “picking each other’s brains” has the potential to foster interesting outcomes, but it need not sour relationships, if the ...

Coal energy is a stepping stone to a brighter future

During the winter meeting of the National Governors Association, Gov. Patrick Morrisey showed his continued willingness to stand up for a “future for coal.” He spoke to Fox News Digital, saying he is “very hopeful” on coal partly because of what he believes is an impending information technology arms race with China. “And we have to catch up to what they’re doing in terms of the Chinese use of coal and many, many different types of fuel sources, because we can’t let them get ahead of us as they’re building capacity in AI, superintelligence, robotics and advanced ...