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Addressing issue of blight also addresses concern for crime

The impact of “blight” — or deteriorated residences and properties on neighborhoods and communities — is an issue with which we have long suggested both voters and elected officials should concern themselves. We have noted that blight infringes on the property values of neighbors, undermining their incentive to fully invest in their homes and businesses. We’ve expressed worries that this facet of blight in turn makes it much more challenging for communities to attract more investment — employers to bring the jobs and developers to build the housing that our families need ...

Exploring our fascination with rockets

At his Madison Square Garden event a week before the election, Donald Trump went on an extended riff about the famous “chopstick” maneuver of Elon Musk’s Space X. In describing his slack-jawed amazement at watching the feat – the first stage of a Starship rocket returning to the launch tower upon coming back to Earth – Trump spoke for all us. The various videos of the operation that witnesses have posted online never get old. It’s not just the technical achievement – the joyous awe of spectators is itself wonderful to behold. The other day, President-elect Trump ...

Family-run businesses that make Thanksgiving possible

Tom McIlwain is sitting just outside the double doors leading to the country store at Pounds Farm, shaking off the chill and warming up with a cup of hot coffee. The 91-year-old has just finished herding the last batch of live turkeys, gathering them onto a large trailer to go to the processing center for this year’s Thanksgiving season. The Apollo native calculates he’s been chasing some kind of farm animal for most of his life. Despite retiring 15 years ago, he is still herding turkey, saying he is proud his efforts are an integral part of putting the main dish on family tables ...

Insurance plans require very careful thought

Medicare Advantage plans have been a godsend to millions of Americans who have placed full trust in what they have to offer — at a price they feel they can afford. Some have very enticing offerings, such as vision and dental care and caps on copays and other out-of-pocket charges, that help the plans seem superior to traditional Medicare, although some seniors no longer would — or are healthy enough to — make use of some of the offerings available under their plans. Again, Medicare Advantage plans have proven to be a godsend, but a wrinkle has evolved — a wrinkle that is ...

What other newspapers are saying: Courts must settle question for all elections

Pennsylvania needs an answer — once and for all — on mail-in ballots. The ability to use the voting alternative without a reason like being out of town or having a medical condition was given blanket approval with the passage of Act 77 in 2019. It promptly got its first test with the 2020 primary during the pandemic. But since those first ballots were cast, it has been a problem. The issue isn’t the ballot itself. It is the envelope — two envelopes, actually. Was the ballot put in the secrecy envelope? Was that envelope put in the mailing envelope? And then we come to the ...

When religious beliefs got tied to 2024 election

Data analysts are already publishing available information about sex/gender, income, education and racial/ethnic breakdowns of Americans who voted for Kamala Harris versus those who voted for Donald Trump in the presidential election this year. Another set of data explores the important relationship between religious beliefs and support for presidential candidates and their policies. By way of background, according to a Gallup poll conducted last year, 68 percent of Americans identify as Christians; 33 percent say they are Protestants, 22 percent are Catholic and the remainder say ...