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We fight the good fight

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This coming week is National Newspaper Week, a time to celebrate newspapers and community journalism as a cornerstone of our democracy and freedom. Thanks to all newspaper readers and advertisers for supporting the good fight.) Mrs. Jordan, an 80-year-old, longtime newspaper subscriber, recently called me to ask what channel the Little League Baseball World Series U.S. championship game would be on. I called her and told her. Not long after, Mr. Benson — a 20-year-old local resident — sent the paper a Facebook message asking when the community’s Grand slam ...

Electric vehicles are not without environmental consequences

Pennsylvania is the country’s third-largest producer of electricity, behind only Texas and Florida. The bulk of our state’s energy comes from coal, gas, and nuclear. Solar, wind, and hydropower account for only 3% of Pennsylvania’s energy production, yet left-wing environmental groups have been attacking the development of our state’s abundant natural resources, saying they pollute the Earth and are the cause of climate change. Earlier this year, the State College-based company EC Power and Flux Power, a battery manufacturer based in San Diego, announced plans to build a ...

The life, wisdom and positive example of a simple farmer

My father-in-law, Glenn Paulhamus, liked to characterize himself as a “simple farmer.” This always appealed to me, because growing up my mother liked to talk about living on a small dairy farm in upstate New York until she was age 15. She talked about what a hard life it was in those days. They had no central heat, but rather they lived by a woodburning stove. “The girls” milked the few cows they had and “the boys,” my mother’s brothers, did “the hard work.” Mom went to school, in the winter, on a horse drawn sleigh, which one time, she recalled, turned over in the ...

A city in need of a permanent address

The location of City Hall is an issue that has sparked passionate debate between and among our City leaders and community—debate that has played out in regional publications and social media, as well as in countless official city meetings. While no one yet knows how City Council will vote this Thursday on the disposition of City Hall, we two members of Council believe that it is likely irresponsible to vote without a long-term plan for a future City Hall. Mayor Slaughter’s editorial in Thursday’s edition of the Sun-Gazette outlined his belief that the most cost-effective solution ...

Support fearless journalism and help preserve democracy

The challenges and threats facing our Democracy can seem so enormous and systemic that you might think one person, one article, or one vote couldn’t possibly make a difference. But the biggest threat of all is giving in and believing all is already lost. This month we celebrate Democracy Day as a commitment to the preservation of our freedoms. At Spotlight PA, it’s also a stark reminder of what’s at stake, why we work hard to produce unique journalism that informs and equips people to drive change, and why we need your help. Nationwide, we’re losing newspapers at a rate of ...

Staying safe behind viral lines to keep America strong and healthy

The people of Lahaina in Hawaii’s Maui County are justifiably angry that the unmistakable tall, green sirens posted all around the island’s coast were not activated last month to warn everyone of impending wildfires. Many lives could have been saved. On the mainland, residents have benefitted from timelier alerts made possible by technical advances in forecasting hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods more accurately. As in wartime, civilian populations can receive early alerts of danger and later warnings to seek shelter. Americans of my generation may recall the DEW line, a string of ...