Opinion

US will be facing lasting damage

Letters to the Editor February 3, 2026

Trump voters were warned the Republican administration held malevolent designs on America. But hope for lower prices, safer streets by deporting criminals and decreased foreign military involvement gained their vote. Tariff taxes on Americans fuels inflation. Masked agents roaming America terrorize citizens. Court orders protecting civil rights are ignored. An innocent Minnesota mother was summarily executed. American health care funds were slashed. U.S. forces are entangled in Israel’s wars. War crimes steal Venezuelan oil. Planned attack against Greenland leads NATO allies to ...

Frustration felt with power shift

Editorials February 2, 2026

I write as a deeply concerned citizen who is increasingly frustrated by what appears to be a sustained abdication of constitutional responsibility by both Congress and the Supreme Court in favor of an ever-expanding executive branch. The Constitution was designed around a careful balance of powers. Congress was vested with the authority to legislate, appropriate funds and conduct oversight. The Judiciary was entrusted with interpreting the law and serving as a check on unconstitutional action. Yet in practice, both branches seem increasingly willing to defer to executive authority ...

End of the road for the diner that could

Opinion January 31, 2026

LIGONIER, Pa. — All that remained of Ruthie’s Diner on Jan. 21 was charred, ice-encased rubble — the aftermath of firefighters’ desperate efforts to extinguish the blaze that ultimately consumed the modest eatery, which for more than 70 years had served locals and the travelers, anglers and hunters heading east along the Lincoln Highway. Several locals pulled into the parking lot and simply stared, at a loss for words as they watched a community mainstay reduced to charred ruins, thin smoke still rising from the ashes. Ruthie’s was the kind of place where everyone felt ...

PIT count of homeless misleading

Editorials January 31, 2026

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s annual, nationwide Point-in-Time (PIT) count of homeless people is aimed at “getting a handle” on the scope of homelessness in this country. However, that task this month — conducted, for example, in Blair County on Jan. 21 — can best be categorized as barely meaningful. How can a meaningful count be carried out during a miserable-weather month like this month has been? Homeless people, more visible to others when better weather conditions exist, have resorted to whatever means they have been able to find to protect ...

The language we use says a lot about us

Opinion January 31, 2026

Ancient proverbs can be helpful in adjusting our language and behavior in ways that can benefit every generation. They have become ancient because they work. One example: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger “ (Proverbs 15:1). It means calm, patient and kind words can de-escalate conflict, while harsh, angry responses provoke further rage. Try it sometime when you are in an argument with someone. Display humility, or say “I can see how you feel that way, but may I share my view?” The language we use to communicate with one another can heal or wound, ...

Letters show you care about country

Letters to the Editor January 30, 2026

The news lately, especially the last year, has been enough to make our heads spin about. I’ve heard of speed reading, but we may need lessons on speed listening to keep up with the sound bites. Of course, some people don’t pay much attention to it and that’s their right; a right that they’re wasting. So many things happening in Washington haven’t happened before or for a long time. That’s why I’m asking people to write to the editor of your local newspaper when you read something that bothers you and after it’s written, hit print and send it to your congressperson. The ...