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Meeting Mother Teresa

Editor’s note: The following piece was written by Dr. Punyabrata Roy, a psychiatrist with Cen Clear. Dr. Roy, as he is known locally, said writing is a hobby and in particular, he wrote poetry in his native language of Bengali. Today, he mostly writes articles on mental health, Roy said, but he wanted to share his memory of meeting Mother Teresa now, in light of the war in Ukraine. Only a couple of minutes with Mother Teresa made an everlasting imprint on my heart. It was in 1975 and I was a medical student at S.S. Medical College — Mitford Hospital, located in the old part of ...

Hoping hope will survive in Ukraine

For those who believe that there is no such thing as evil, they need to seriously re-think their escapist view. And for Americans who see the issues that divide us at home as the greatest threat that we face as a people, I suggest that they quickly re-focus. An existential crisis, unlike anything the world has seen since the 1930’s and 1940’s, is now upon us. The human tragedy that is unfolding in Ukraine is there on the international stage for all to see. Words, pictures and plaintive pleas — reaching us from innumerable sources — tell a story of death and ...

‘Invent Penn State’ spreading wings

Within the current state budget cycle, governors across the country are investing more heavily in higher education. This is encouraging to those of us who firmly believe that colleges and universities have the power to elevate individuals, as well as society overall.  Progress is born from innovative ideas, diverse perspectives and access to the right resources.  Multiple studies have borne out the influential role that entrepreneurship has in economic development, the standard of living in a country, innovation that opens doors to new markets, and ...

Liquor privatization: Half full or empty?

The debate on HB 2272 has started. Should Pennsylvania get out of the business of selling liquor, essentially going with private wholesalers and retailers. As the statewide political voice for family-owned taverns, bars, and licensed restaurants, it has raised a question within our membership. What would the new liquor world look like in Pennsylvania if HB 2272 were to be successful? For these small business establishment which supply tens of thousands of jobs supporting our state and local economies, it’s a question that seems to have more questions than answers. The ...

I really do love my brothers, but …

Are you one of those people who grew up with several siblings, some of whom others used to confuse you for when you were out and about. I was, and still am. But can I first say how much I love my sister, Cindy, and my brothers, John and Tom. My sister has a heart of gold, and would drive up from her home in Warriors Mark to help you at a momentás notice. Now she might get lost on her way to Hollidaysburg, even with a GPS on her phone and in her car, but hey ... that’s for another column. And what can I say about my brothers? Both were outstanding athletes in high school and ...

Gun advocates push at capitol

The General Assembly moved forward this week with a bill that would punish local governments for passing their own gun regulations, while some municipalities move to firm up their own pro-gun policies. This week, a Senate committee passed a bill that would leave municipalities on the financial hook for legal challenges to their own gun restrictions. The bill, introduced by Rep. Matt Dowling, R-Fayette, is cosponsored by dozens of his GOP colleagues. State law already restricts local governments’ ability to pass their own, tougher gun regulations. Despite that, as Dowling noted in ...