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Another Reagan moment

During the 1980 presidential election, candidate Ronald Reagan famously asked this rhetorical question of the viewing audience in a debate with President Jimmy Carter, “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” At that time, inflation was inflicting great economic damage on the audience. The audience knew it and held then-President Jimmy Carter accountable for it. This question, and the way viewers answered it, likely contributed greatly to Reagan’s landslide election victory that year. With the 2024 presidential debates and election approaching, we may be ...

Lending rules hurt small business

There’s a popular saying that goes, “the devil is in the details.” That could certainly be said to describe Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act and how it can — and will — adversely impact small business owners and the community banks that support them. Congress’ intent was to find ways to increase lending opportunities to small business borrowers. The act itself requires Congress to adopt regulations overseeing the collection of small business lending data. Section 1071 specifically requires financial institutions to compile, maintain, and submit to the Consumer ...

Gettysburg history must be saved

Have you ever been to Gettysburg? It’s a very special place, unique in the world and in American history. Over 160 years ago, this charming small town was under attack by southern rebels. Well, it is under attack again. This time by its manager and elected borough council officials. In 2018, the Gettysburg Borough Council by one vote decided to rezone a large part of the borough just one block from Lincoln Square for high-rise construction. Shocking, right? Thus, we have the pending Station Project east of Carlisle Street: Seven stories in one building and two other buildings ...

Gov. budget meets county needs

By Laura Burke Back in February, Gov. Josh Shapiro gave his annual budget address. His proposal includes bold ideas for a brighter future for Pennsylvania’s families and economy. Yet, from our Republican state legislators, I heard initial criticism and then crickets. I have to wonder why our Republican leaders aren’t embracing this budget. After all, many of its initiatives directly address the concerns I hear most frequently from Blair County residents. The number one question is: “How do we keep our kids from moving away?” The answers are vibrant ...

A (Cove) teaching moment lost and gained

The heckler’s veto has become a powerful force in American public education. Don’t like a book in your child’s school curriculum? Stand up at a board of education meeting, shout your condemnation and get the book banned from the school library. It has happened, again and again, despite the educational value of the books that have been shuffled off to storage or the recycle bin. A heckler’s veto was exercised recently in the Spring Cove School District when the complaints of an unspecified number of Spring Cove Middle School students resulted in “Lift Every Voice and ...

Other voices: Legislation will help nip illegal machines

By Frank Noonan No doubt exists that Pennsylvania is home to tens of thousands of illegal gambling machines. These are the games you find in mini-casinos, gambling dens, and other locations that attract crime. They are ruining our neighborhoods and downtowns in record numbers and none of us wants these eyesores in our communities. They need to be shut down. The best way to get rid of these machines and the problems that follow them is for state lawmakers to pass legislation to regulate and tax legal skill games. The measure calls for providing funding for law enforcement to ...