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Letters

Claiming credit for others’ accomplishments

Governor Shapiro’s recent re-election commercials featuring students praising his “Universal Free School Breakfast Program” are misleading. This program was actually launched in 2022 under former Governor Tom Wolf before Shapiro took office! Despite spending over half a million dollars on television airtime in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to claim credit, the administration should focus on Pennsylvania’s educational rankings. According to U.S. News and World Report, the Commonwealth ranks 39th in education and 41st overall, with nearly 70% of 8th ...

Failure and blame

President Trump loves to talk about all the renovations he has initiated. The Ballroom, the Arches, The Kennedy Center, the black granite walkway leading to the Oval office, the new patio cover the rose garden, the bathroom done in white marble, the gold detailing covering the Oval office. The Reflecting Pool is a good metaphor for the Trump presidency. President Trump talk about the plans he had for the Reflecting Pool. He bragged how much cleaner and beautiful it will be after he gets done with it. He talked endlessly how the pool would be paint blue not just any blue but flag blue, ...

Bipartisan effort

The National 250th Anniversary States Fair was a once-in-a-generation opportunity for states to showcase their history, culture, tourism, businesses, and economic opportunities to millions of Americans celebrating our nation’s founding. Many states recognized the value of this event and eagerly participated. Pennsylvania did not. I believe Governor Josh Shapiro made a serious mistake by refusing to have Pennsylvania participate. The Commonwealth had an opportunity to promote tourism, attract visitors, support local businesses, and highlight the many historical sites that played a ...

What other newspapers are saying: Primary wins move Democratic Party further left

The story of the year in American politics so far, after Donald Trump ’s falling popularity, is the rise of the Democratic socialists. Their influence bears watching as the next generation tries to fulfill Bernie Sanders’s goal of taking over the Democratic Party. Avowed Democratic Socialists of America candidate Janeese Lewis George won the Democratic nomination for mayor of Washington, D.C., last week, and it wasn’t close. The 38-year-old won 53.5%-35.9% over mainstream black Democrat Kenyan McDuffie, and she did better in some upscale white areas than in the city’s black ...

Juvenile crime needs new ideas

The Williamsport Sun-Gazette’s Editorial Opinion (Monday June 22) describes a need for “multi-faceted” efforts addressing juvenile crime prevention. The opinion lauds efforts by Police to hold juveniles, parents and guardians “accountable”. Lycoming County Juvenile Probation Director Matt Minier, in an article by Pat Crossley (May 29 “We Care About Kids” Lycoming County Commissioners Host Meeting on Ways to Help Youth) explained that “evidence based probation instituted in 2009 is “time consuming, technical” and “greatly increased the workload of staff”. This ...

Not a Christian nation

I am compelled, once again, to correct to Mr. Adams’s false claims that we have been a ‘Christian’ nation since our founding. There is nowhere in our founding documents where Christianity is mentioned, let alone set above any and all other religions. In fact, many of the Founding Fathers were followers of Deism, which focused on reason and ethics rather than traditional religious dogmas. They were very clear, in the First Amendment to the Constitution, to clarify that religion and government are, and should be, separate entities and all people should be free to worship as their ...