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‘All of the above’ a responsibility

When Pennsylvania families flip a switch or businesses start operations, they expect the lights to come on. Warning signs, including power plants required to operate at maximum output, suggest that duty is increasingly at risk. “All of the Above” is a familiar phrase in energy debates. It means we must be open to using all energy sources to respond to increasing energy demand, collaboratively engage with stakeholders, and seek all ideas to drive innovation and maintain affordability. For Pennsylvania, “All of the Above” must be more than a slogan. It has to be a commitment to ...

Speak out now — if you dare

The philosophy “I disagree with what you say, but will defend unto death your right to say it” has been attributed to Voltaire (1694-1778). Subsequently, we have used it to paraphrase the First Amendment to our Constitution. In short, we simply call it “free speech.” Fast forward 250 years: two (so far) of the late night shows that millions of us have enjoyed regardless of who sat in the White House have been canceled because their hosts said mean things about President Trump. Stephen Colbert was first and his top rated show went on to win the Emmy for best talk show. But going ...

A commitment to covering state news

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. There are more forces at work than ever to silence free and fearless reporting, and there are fewer resources than ever to undertake the independent, unbiased investigative journalism that keeps our government honest and ensures it ultimately answers to “We the People...”. That work is the mission of Spotlight PA, a nonprofit newsroom founded in 2019 to ...

Reflections on an end to summer

As I write this, it rains outside. I have to lower the windows so the rain won’t wet my floor. It’s a short and heavy downpour. I love it. Sadly, it ends as fast as it begins. A few minutes later the sun returns, and not much later the streets and roofs are dry again. As if the rain had never stopped by. It’s funny. Even though I don’t like getting wet, I absolutely love rain. There’s nothing more tranquil than walking in the woods while gentle rain falls on my umbrella. Everything seems so peaceful. There’s no sound but the raindrops on the umbrella and my steps on the ...

When the people of our republic stop talking

America lost a faith-filled husband, father, and patriot. For many, there will be a permanent hole in their hearts and a void in their lives that will never be filled. To say this was a senseless tragedy is an understatement and brushes aside the true nature of what really happened: Charlie Kirk was murdered for loving God, his family, and America by those who don’t. Our political climate has reached a fever-pitch, and our beloved America, our grand experiment, our fragile republic, is broken. Many today are wondering if it is broken beyond repair. The timing of Charlie’s ...

The meaning of ‘we’

In Hebrew, the word is anu, a derivative of the word “we.” Rarely does one shed a tear going to a museum. The last time this happened to me is when I went to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. It was nearly another tearful moment while visiting Anu, the Museum of the Jewish People in North Tel Aviv, Israel. The three-floor museum is a study in modern museum presentation and management. Visitors start on the third floor and work their way down. The top level is described as a mosaic of modern Jewish identity and culture. Included on this floor are issues of ...