Breaking News

Columns

Clinton County continues to make its mark during America’s 250th

As the country celebrates its 250th birthday, Clinton County has wasted no time in commemorating the event throughout the county. Boroughs, municipalities, organizations and businesses have provided events, contests and displays to recognize the historical marker. Clinton County Government under the leadership of Maria Boileau (Voter Registration & Election Director) and Beth Whitty (Planning Office Coordinator) created and facilitated a countywide committee to collaborate and plan events leading up to July 4, 2026. The official kick off was held at the Clinton County ...

Nine Lessons from the Centre of the Commonwealth

The 250th anniversary of America’s independence prompts reflection on stories of national triumphs and historical moments. The true character of a nation, however, is not found only in capital cities or on battlefields; it is found in its most basic constitutive parts: local communities and the people from which they are composed. In reviewing the 250-year legacy of Centre County, we identified nine lessons that stand out as ways to be better individuals and community members. 1. Find the riches within Centre County is an educational hub and a powerhouse for technical ...

Dear Annie: We should vote on ideas, not physical likeness

MS NOW commentator Ali Velshi was not alone in complaining that women are “underrepresented” in Congress. It is true that women account for 51% of the U.S. population but only 29% of the House members. To which I say, “So what.” Basing the notion of fair representation on racial, gender or ethnic identity needs to be put in a folder — a paper folder stored in a dusty steel file cabinet. Most of us have additional identities — as electricians, teachers, environmentalists, grandparents, bus drivers, stock investors, union members. Who would represent me under this ...

Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship, emphasizing the promise of equality in the Declaration of Independence

The Supreme Court on June 30, 2026, declared that universal birthright citizenship is protected by the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, meaning that nearly all babies born in the United States automatically become American citizens, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. The ruling rejects President Donald Trump’s executive order, signed the first day of his second administration, which sought to end birthright citizenship for the children of parents present in the country illegally and for tourists visiting only temporarily. The high ...

Days of disgrace: America tells refugees to pound sand

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” reads the iconic welcome to the world’s oppressed inscribed on the Statue of Liberty. Emma Lazarus, the poet who penned those words, had herself helped Jewish refugees from the anti-Semitic pogroms of Eastern Europe who had fled to our shores in the late 19th century. As America’s 250th birthday approaches, it’s not untimely to consider her message. It has not only inspired hope for uncountable people desperately in need of it, but helped shape America’s proud, even lofty self-image as a refuge ...

Appalachian awakening: Rewriting American music culture

If there is such a thing as the classic Appalachian success story, the rise in popularity of the outside-the-box band Cigarettes @ Sunset would be that story. But nothing comes easy in Appalachia. The five-member band, which includes Garrett Dellinger, Ryland Bagbey, Sarah Vann, Wells Whitman and Ethan Moore, was born in the winter of 2022, practicing their music in the cold, unheated seats of the EDGE of the WORLD Snowboard Shop in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Four years later, they have amassed over 225,000 monthly Spotify listeners with a unique sound that blends lyrics about ...