Breaking News

Retirement expenses another unresolved consequence

On Sept. 28, 2022 the Old Lycoming Township supervisors held a township meeting at the Old Lycoming Township Volunteer Fire Department with standing room only. It was supposed to be the meeting where you could express your views, positive or negative on the regionalization of Old Lycoming Township Police Department. Many became so disgusted and left the meeting early when they found out that two of the Township Supervisors, had made their decision before the meeting started. We know that during several Township meetings the Supervisors promised that no decision would be made on ...

Autumn fun and COVID-19

Wow! It’s fall, when some of my hobbies and interests collide, and decisions need to be made about what to enjoy and when, although one solution my brothers and I have dreamed of for a number of years was recently put into place. Since one brother just retired from teaching and another retired a while ago (one still is working), we decided to combine two sports we really enjoy into a one-day event. We had our first ever “Cast and Blast” — we went trout fishing in the morning and inline deer hunting in the afternoon. The cast part was very successful although the hunting was ...

The Jersey Shore teachers’ contract and the risks of public perception

Way back in late July, the Jersey Shore School Board approved a new contract with its teachers. Attached to the agenda was a “Tentative Agreement Summary” of the Articles where changes had been made. When asked during “Public Comment” if the board had a projected cost for the new contract, the Board President responded that any cost projections would not be accurate and that when executed by both parties, the contract would be posted on the district’s website, where the average citizen could read it themselves. So, if no cost analysis was developed, on what basis did Mrs. ...

A hypocritical cease-fire would be a victory for terrorists

Worldwide calls are going out for a cease fire, meaning that Israel should stop its war on terrorism. Who is calling for the cease-fire? Hamas, the terrorist group that was behind the atrocities of October 7, 2023 in Israel, is now using its impressive propaganda machine not to call for a fair and honorable surrender, but rather to demand a cease-fire. Hundreds of thousands are pouring out in the streets across the world to demand that Israel stop its war against terrorism. The basis for the cease-fire is that the human shields utilized so effectively by its terrorist group are being ...

No populists in sight in today’s politics

In the grand ballroom of American politics, Democrats have long waltzed to the melody of progressivism while ridiculing Republicans’ preference for outdated tax-cut tunes. Ironically, they don’t want to pay for their style of big government with higher taxes on ordinary Americans, which their expansionary ambitions would require. Instead, they loudly proclaim that they want to tax the rich. It remains to be seen how true this is. Indeed, while Democrats profess their devotion to social justice and fight against income inequality, they often push for policies that favor the rich. ...

Vacationing with the uninvited — a tale of two COVIDs

It is something so many of us look forward to each year — the Family Vacation. In our case, it was a week in the Outer Banks, in a beautiful four storey house, not overlooking the beach, but on the beach; so much so that at high tide the waves rolled beneath the house. This would be our third year in this house. While our previous years here had been during the summer, this year we delayed it until September, anticipating more comfortable temperatures, fewer people, and less traffic. It would be a full house, with 14 friends and family, but little did we realize that we would soon ...