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Letters to the editor

The Constitution needs you—now more than ever

Doug Keith State College As our nation faces growing authoritarian threats, I write to urge every member of our military and law enforcement to remember the oath they swore—not to a man, a party or a flag, but to the Constitution of the United States. That oath was not ceremonial. It was a solemn promise to defend the principles that make this country free: civilian rule, equal protection, rule of law, free speech, the right of due process, the right to protest and descent, the prevention of excessive or cruel punishment and democratic governance. When dictators rise, they ...

Build the next aircraft carrier

Donald Moskowitz Londonderry, NH The U.S. Navy's worldwide sea power commitments require the availability of at least 11 aircraft carrier strike groups. Our 11 aircraft carriers barely meet deployment needs due to world-wide flareups, transit times, routine maintenance, emergency maintenance and in-port replenishment. The useful life of our carriers is 50 years, and our oldest carrier, the USS Nimitz, is 50 years old and due for retirement. Its retirement will probably be extended. Two Ford class carriers are under construction, the USS John F. Kennedy and the USS Enterprise. ...

BBB

William J. Rothwell State College The so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act that passed the Trump Congress is a wrecking ball aimed squarely at rural Pennsylvania. By curbing federal support for Medicare and Medicaid, this legislation has put local hospitals under even greater strain—and the Republican members of Congress who voted for it have abandoned the communities they swore to represent. According to the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform, more than one in four rural hospitals in Pennsylvania (26%) are at risk of closing, with nearly 1 in 10 facing immediate ...

Rural America deserves better — it’s time to stand up

Lassie MacDonald State College Rural Americans have long been the backbone of this country—hardworking, patriotic and committed to community. But today, your rights, livelihoods and futures are under threat—not from immigrants, not from urban elites, but from a man who claims to represent you while gutting the very programs that keep rural communities alive. Starting in 2026, access to healthcare will be sharply restricted. Millions of rural residents on Medicaid—and even some on Medicare—will lose coverage. SNAP benefits that feed families are being eliminated. Rural ...

War with Venezuela?

Kimball Shinkoskey Woods Cross Most American citizens don’t get that Trump’s bombing of a Venezuelan drug boat was an act of war. Venezuela gets it, and they escalated things by sending jets to buzz U.S. Navy ships. The right thing to do would have been to capture the boat, verify drugs were on board and then take legal action, not provocative military action. This is how President Lyndon Johnson hyped-up the Vietnam War. He committed an act of war by sending a war ship into North Vietnamese waters. The North Vietnamese took a few shots at the boat, leaving it undamaged. ...

Applause, Applause

THANK YOU Lock Haven City Police and dispatcher for your quick response. Friday, I was at a local restaurant and we saw a man dressed very suspiciously and acting the same. We immediately left the restaurant and I called the emergency number and explained the situation. The officers were on the scene within three minutes. Thank you for taking my call seriously and keeping our community safe. — Anonymous APPLAUSE for STEP/Aging Offices for the awesome Senior Fair. The vendors were informative and had great Swag, too. Music by the Racquet Tears drifted through the room entertaining ...