Op/Ed: Trails are no longer a luxury, but a must-have in many communities

By Patrick Starr, Pennsylvania Environmental Council  Patrick Starr, Vice President, Pennsylvania Environmental Council Trails and roads intersect in several ways, but from a transportation perspective they provide the same function. In many ways, trails are more accessible to a greater number of Pennsylvanians. Trails are beloved as a safe and comfortable place to move, to see, smell, and experience...

If you’re complaining about DEI, you don’t get the idea of America

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa You’re probably hearing a lot about “DEI” again these days — fueled in part in attempt to some discredit Vice President Kamala Harris’ run for President. You’ll be shocked to know I have thoughts. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. That’s what DEI stands for. What some of the people using it as a scare tactic are really saying is “White,...

Three truths: Biden is old; Trump is old and a criminal; and Democrats stink at politics

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa This much is true: Joe Biden is really, really old. Absolutely older than I would prefer as President of the United States. He walks slow — sometimes at 60, I do, too — and stumbles over his speech at times or even loses his train of thought while speaking. He’s also been among the most effective presidents of my lifetime, which goes back to Lyndon...

The only way to end the culture of political violence: vote

We are a nation steeped in violence but Donald Trump has introduced a new form of political violence. In the wake of the assassination attempt on him, we can’t react by denying reality or letting wishful thinking get in the way of dealing with that reality. By Rich Heiland, Columnist, The Times VIOLENCE HAS NO place in the United States? Seriously? What world do all the political and public figures...

Letter: Silent conservatives need to speak out or death of democracy will be on you

To The Editor: This is not about Donald Trump.  It’s not even about the sad souls seduced by him.  The insurrectionists who stormed the Capital to prevent the peaceful transfer of power were primarily guilty of being gullible.  They fell for the big fraud.  They did not do the defrauding.  Many have been held accountable for their actions.  Most of the ones who fooled them have not.  Yet. I...

There’s a crisis out there and it is coming for everyone regardless of politics…

But, how you vote definitely will make a difference. Trumpers may want to rethink what really poses a threat to them. It’s not folks of color, environmentalists or immigrants. By Rich Heiland, Columnist, The Times THERE IS A huge health care crisis looming in the U.S. and if you are a Trump supporter, you may want to start paying attention to it, regardless of your age. The crisis is one I might...

Remembering what really built this country: immigrants

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa I have to prove I was born in the United States, again. I got the letter this week that I am being “audited” for my Real ID driver’s license, which means I have to pull out my US Passport and haul off to the Drivers’ License Center in Lancaster to prove, yes, I was born in California some decades ago. Yes, it is annoying, as I proved my citizenship,...

Op/Ed: Social Security must not be left behind In 2024

By Becky Corbin, Special to The Times Becky Corbin. Times file photo. Presumptive presidential nominees President Biden and former President Trump have a lot of stops to make on the campaign trail, and Pennsylvania will be right at the top of their list. The Keystone State is a crucial destination for any candidate for national office, and combined with our state’s competitive Senate race, voters...

Letter: How secure are 21st Century nuclear weapons from cyber attack?

To The Editor, The world is facing three existential threats: climate change, nuclear weapons, and AI. I would like to point out that all three are interconnected. Perhaps what is most worrisome is the real threat of 21st-century nuclear weapons being hacked. I would like to raise the alarm about the two trillion dollar “enhancement” or “modernization” of  US nuclear weapons. ...

Why do some people want you to hate people who are just like your ancestors? 

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa For nearly 200 years, Americans — okay, some Americans — have ranted, attacked and complained about immigrants. As immigration literally helped turn this country from an agrarian backwater to a superpower, it was always foolish. But the recent verbal assaults by the likes of Donald Trump (ironically, the son of an immigrant), aside from being reprehensible...