Letters to the Editor

The recent assassination of Charlie Kirk and watching how some have responded has made me step back and look at the moral fiber of this country. Political violence in 2025 has no place in America. We are enlightened people who should be able to discuss, debate and share ideas without...

Transparency is the foundation of democracy, yet our Westmoreland County commissioners continue to ignore a simple request: livestream and record public meetings. In 2025, when technology makes this inexpensive and easy, their silence raises real concerns. Livestreaming is not a radical idea. It allows working families, seniors, and those with...

“No taxation without representation.” That phrase lit the spark of the American Revolution, born out of resentment toward British tariffs. Time and again, tariffs have proved to be more than just economic policy — they are political tinderboxes. In the 1800s, they split North from South: Manufacturers demanded protectionism, farmers...

Trump. Shapiro. Hortman. Hoffman. Kirk. From the president to our governor to state lawmakers and now, an activist and nonprofit leader, violence against political figures in America is metastasizing seemingly by the day. When we justifiably fear harm to ourselves and our families for voicing our beliefs, the free society...

Regarding the article “Westmoreland commissioners decline to consider ballot curing for November election” (Sept. 11, TribLive): Why should “mail-in voters” get a “re-do” when they make a mistake on their ballot? They have the ballot for what, at least 24 hours before they can send it back? And up to...

It has become undeniable to me that President Trump is incapable of unifying this country. Why? First, he seems incapable of accepting views that do not align with his and has no interest in compromise. Second, I think he has bamboozled too many with his lies and diversions; if a...

I found the Associated Press article “After Charlie Kirk’s killing, a growing chorus of conservatives wants his critics ostracized or fired” (Sept. 14, TribLive) very misleading, shifting focus from where it belongs. The line “Some conservatives are seeking to upend the lives and careers of those who disparaged Charlie Kirk...

Let us speak truthfully and factually about the evil that has become the Democratic Party. I see it as a party that no longer believes there is anything good about America, a party that continually embraces failed radical ideas, psychological insanity and violence against anyone who speaks the truth. One...

I have a conspiracy theory of my own. Before I ramble like President Trump, let me start by using a political cartoon that appeared in the Trib. There were three drawings: a old man saying he can’t afford heat or medicine, an old woman saying she can’t afford food and...

Public comment periods during Westmoreland County commissioners’ meetings are meant to give everyone an equal chance to speak — under the same rules and time limits. Unfortunately, that standard is not being upheld at the commissioners’ meetings, as of late. On more than one occasion, individuals have been allowed to...

It has been more than 80 days since the deadline for the Pennsylvania state budget, and Harrisburg still hasn’t done its job. The excuse we hear from the Legislature is that they have “one item — transportation — to work out” before the budget can be finalized. That is not...

Charlie Kirk will not be forgotten. He is forever young, exuberant, authentic. Powerful images that will not recede. His youth makes his death more tragic and his inspiration an irresistible force. Hank Baughman Latrobe...

For years, Pennsylvania communities have been battered by increasingly severe storms and flash flooding, a stark reminder of climate change that swamps our streets, strains our sewers and threatens our homes. That is why the Trump EPA’s new proposal to roll back the “Endangerment Finding” is so dangerously shortsighted. Since...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent unhinged Senate testimony confirmed what we already knew: He is wildly unqualified to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Even Kennedy himself admits, “I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me.” On that point, he’s right. We need to...

As the owner of a home care agency for almost 25 years, I’ve operated with the reality that the inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates in Pennsylvania make it incredibly challenging to compete for a very limited pool of qualified workers. That challenge has now reached the level of impossible. States set...

Can’t say why, I’m naturally vulgar, but the Ten Commandments remind me of the Dewey Decimal system. The connection may be in processes of listing and labeling. In one case, sin, and the other, books at the library. Among the Big Ten, the one that’s up my craw now is...

Elections should ensure that every eligible voter’s voice is heard. But too many ballots are rejected over small, fixable mistakes like a missing date or signature. Ballot curing — allowing voters to correct these mistakes — protects voters from being silenced by paperwork. Across Pennsylvania, 36 counties let voters cure...

Ever since President Trump was elected by a majority of votes cast and a majority of Electoral College votes, I have seen letters to the editor about him grow more hateful. Words such as Nazi and dictator are constantly used. These writers should educate themselves about Nazis and dictators before...

The devil is coming for the cowards. The cowardly lack of action from Russian Christian leaders regarding Putin’s ongoing destruction of Ukraine discredits anyone who claims to be a Christian. The cowardly lack of action from American Christian leaders regarding President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ongoing genocide in Gaza...

Anyone who read the article “Penn Township examines parking along Rowe Road following house fire on nearby street” (Aug. 15, TribLive) was led to believe that first responders were held up due to parking on the street, and because of this the life of a young girl was put in...

I feel it is more important now than ever to proceed with utilizing our riverfront in New Kensington. Our entire riverfront is zoned I-2, “heavy industrial.” Other communities in our region have taken advantage of their riverfronts. Oakmont is a good example, where the old Edgewater Steel Plant closed in...

They came. Migrants from Mexico, in their orange and black. Making their way through Texas and Louisiana, stopping in Florida and traveling up the East Coast, as far as Canada. The monarch butterfly, one of nature’s many miracles. They came. In the dark of night, wearing protective gear. Broadcast spraying...

The headline “Kirk’s campus event polarizing” on page A7 of Thursday’s print edition is a bit perplexing as a continuation of the front-page story by the Associated Press. Nowhere does the article quote Utah Valley University students at the event expressing such an opinion. Much of the mainstream media chimes...

Senseless, hate-filled violence occurs daily from people on both sides. The two parties need to find common ground with policy, particularly gun reform. Gun reform is not gun control. It is a common ground. Children are dying, as are political podcasters who spewed hate. I do not applaud the senseless...

And so another act of political violence has taken a life; and a wife and two small children are left without a husband and father. That scenario alone, without delving into the whos, whats and whys, should be enough to make normal people feel somber and sad for our country...