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Fishing platform a matter of leadership

“An important step in creating new opportunities for anglers of all ability levels and ... a model for communities across the Commonwealth.” These are the words Cindy Adams Dunn, state Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources, used to describe a new fishing platform at the Tomb Run Campground on the Pine Creek in Wednesday’s edition of the Sun-Gazette. We agree. We’ve long argued that one of our region’s most notable blessings is the abundance of beauty and of opportunity nature brings. We’ve long extolled the value of recreation in our region’s outdoors for ...

Turnpike must consider users, weather in plan

The two sides in the debate about whether the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission should construct a new section of roadway atop Allegheny Mountain and eliminate the existing Allegheny Mountain Tunnel might not be giving enough attention to what should be the most relevant consideration regarding the project proposal. That consideration is this: If the project were to be pursued by way of the commission’s preference to build new roadway and eliminate the tunnel, would the traveling public and the commercial drivers who use the toll road be subjected suddenly to a winter-weather ...

Trying to preserve humanity amid AI revolution

Artificial intelligence seems to have found its way into almost everything. Schools are trying to balance using it in some areas while weeding it out in others. Some universities are returning to handwritten blue book exams to ensure original thought. Others are using artificial intelligence to screen assignments for signs they were generated by artificial intelligence. Employers face similar questions about where technology should assist workers and where it should replace them. For Catholic colleges in Western Pennsylvania, however, the debate recently gained another voice. Pope ...

Churches aid young adults battling mental health issues

We are nearing the end of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, and one of the main focuses this year has been urging people to seek help when needed, as more efforts are being made to reduce the stigma around struggling with emotional wellness. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, "(M)ore than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (59.3 million in 2022; 23.1% of the U.S. adult population)." The NIMH classifies mental health conditions into two categories: Any Mental Illness and Serious Mental Illness. AMI includes "mental, behavioral, or emotional ...

The British election should serve as a warning to Democrats who let their left fringe run riot with scant criticism. Too many Democratic strategists and friends in the progressive media read the noise coming from the far left as evidence of broader public opinion than warranted, even among Democrats. Then come voting day, turned-off moderates make them lose. Britain's voters just battered the Labour Party over what many perceived as social disorder amid uncontrolled immigration. Many were incensed by the influx of migrants from Muslim-majority countries, some prone to crime and ...

Privatizing postal service a bad idea

As we Americans celebrate the 250th birthday of our country this year, we ought to take a minute to appreciate an often maligned organization that has helped tie the nation together throughout its history. That organization is the United States Postal Service. Even in the age of email, the Postal Service has a key role in helping Americans communicate and do business. We ought to keep it that way. Privatizing the Postal Service would be a mistake that would result in less service and higher costs for citizens. Unfortunately, the concept of privatizing it has come up a couple of times ...