PA must do part to stop killing Chesapeake Bay

March 3, 2021

State Sen. Gene Yaw of Williamsport is correct. The pandemic-induced economic downturn and resulting $5 billion state budget deficit make it highly unlikely Pennsylvania lawmakers will rally now to make right the state’s shameful failure to meet its obligations to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. But that financial crisis must not serve as the final word or be relied upon to again duck the hard work and expense that must occur if Pennsylvania is going to finally correct the role it plays in the Chesapeake Bay. Yaw said even in good times, it was difficult to make the case for lawmakers ...

State bus group opposes added fees

March 2, 2021

The decision to toll bridges on the interstate system is one that the Pennsylvania Bus Association (PBA) strongly disagrees with. Our industry already pays more than its fair share to operate on Pennsylvania roadways and additional tolls would only add to that increasing cost. The COVID-19 shutdown and restrictions in Pennsylvania and around the country has had a devastating impact on travel and transportation operators. The motorcoach, tour and travel industries are dominated by small businesses, and most often these are family owned, multigenerational businesses. These ...

THON credit to PSU

February 25, 2021

Each winter the Bryce Jordan Center, normally the home for Nittany Lions basketball and other indoor sports, is put to a far more significant purpose as the headquarters of a remarkable charitable endeavor. THON, a 46-hour dance marathon led by Penn State students, raises money for pediatric cancer research and patient support. Billed as the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, it’s brought in nearly $200 million for a great cause in its nearly five-decade history. As with most fundraisers, the normal goal each year is to exceed the amount of money brought in 12 months ...

Misericordia testing program could be model

February 22, 2021

From the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak in this country and this state about a year ago, the nation has constantly been unwilling or unable to mobilize sufficient people and resources to conduct testing sufficient enough to really keep track of the virus spread, and in turn to effectively contain it. Even now, as we nationally conduct well over 1 million tests a day, experts warn it is insufficient, particularly in the wake of new variants that so far appear to be more contagious than the original. In that light, news that Misericordia University has managed to expand on-campus ...

All ears when it comes to mask wearing

February 20, 2021

To say this past year has been difficult would be an understatement. People keep asking, “When will we get back to normal?” I am not sure this is not the new normal. In many ways, this pandemic is like getting a big wad of chewing gum stuck on the bottom of your shoe. No matter how much you try to scrape it off, it simply smears and is a constant reminder that it is there with every step. The one fact that is sure is that the pandemic has brought out the very best in our medical community and our first responders, all of whom have put service to the citizens of our ...

Opioid addiction: Resuming war important fight

February 19, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic’s myriad effects on society and the economy have accelerated Pennsylvania’s other tragic public health emergency — deadly opioid addiction. State Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Jennifer Smith disclosed recently that 2020 might have eclipsed 2017 as the state’s worst year for drug overdose deaths. In 2017, more than 5,400 Pennsylvanians died from overdoses, mostly of opioids. Due to increased treatment, new prescribing protocols, prescription tracking and broad access to the opioid antidote naloxone, the death toll fell to 4,400 in ...