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‘The Addams Family’ is more than a musical

Local Columns

This weekend I had the privilege of attending the Mifflin County High School Drama Club’s production of “The Addams Family,” and I was absolutely blown away. The talent on that stage was incredible, but what impressed me even more was the dedication behind it, the long hours of rehearsal, memorizing lines, choreography practiced until it felt like second nature, and the courage it takes to step out on that stage. The commitment shown by these young performers was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Equally deserving of recognition are the directors, crew members, technicians, ...

What is a patriot?

Editorials

Today’s Sentinel features our JV magazine spotlighting patriots. When we think of patriots, we often picture those who serve in the military. While they certainly embody patriotism, the definition reaches far beyond traditional roles. Patriots can be found throughout our communities — in many forms and walks of life. The Juniata Valley is a special place, rich in history and grounded in the values of small-town living. It is a community where neighbors know and care about one another, where you can choose to live quietly or be deeply involved. Local businesses, institutions, and ...

Exercise caution as temperatures rise

Editorials

Central Pennsylvanians survived the noteworthy snowstorm that passed across the region last month. And, while meteorologists warned of additional snow heading into last weekend, the severity of the storm and resulting accumulation were nowhere near what we had Jan. 24-25. Given the frigid temperatures that followed, we’d imagine many are jumping for joy at the daytime highs in the 50s and 40s expected this week. It’ll certainly help the snow melt, but that brings with it another problem. The overnight temperatures — all expected to be below freezing — mean the reprieve can ...

Olympics a reminder of value of hard work

Editorials

An analysis by Truth in Accounting on which The Center Square reported in the Feb. 10 edition of the Sun-Gazette finds that Philadelphia will overspend in the 2025/26 budget year by about $17,000 per taxpayer. As we note that this sort of budgeting is unsustainable, we do not want to single out Pennsylvania’s largest city. The budget proposal by Gov. Josh Shapiro, as we’ve repeatedly criticized in editorials the past two weeks, uses assumptions about future laws and the state’s “rainy day fund” to ramp up government spending — despite our Legislature’s clear and ...

Higher education deserves real conversation

Editorials

Sian Leah Beilock, president of Dartmouth College, a private Ivy League research university located in Hanover, N.H., presented a bold assessment of higher education in this country in an opinion article she wrote for the Jan. 26 edition of the Wall Street Journal. No doubt the bold assessment presented by Beilock was not received kindly by many educators across America. Therefore, Beilock’s views should be a starting point for in-depth discussion and debate even in places where most people seem satisfied with their higher education resources and the opportunities they offer. But ...

Punishment must always fit the crime

Editorials

Public corruption should always trigger outrage, regardless of the offender. When people entrusted with public dollars abuse that trust, the damage goes far beyond the financial hit. It erodes confidence in institutions that rely on credibility to function. That is why the stark contrast between two recent public corruption cases in our region is impossible to ignore — and deeply concerning. In one case, a former Marshall County assessor, an elected official, was sentenced to two to 15 years in state prison for embezzlement. That sentence properly reflects the seriousness of the ...