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Who are the real bad guys? Sometimes we find out when we look within

Letters to the editor

Paul Nelson Tonawanda After 28 years of being a caregiver for four different family members, there is one question that remains with me from all four experiences. I am still a full-time caregiver for my autistic son. He’s taught me patience and how to live moment by moment. My late wife was psychotic and bedridden. She was addicted to opiates and became a full-time hoarder. I went through two bankruptcies, but learned that money is not nearly as vital as most people think. Caring for my parents was simpler and taught me to value every moment we have. My unanswered question is, ...

Keep foreign money out of Pennsylvania elections

Letters to the editor

Shirley Gorski State College Election season is coming soon. For Pennsylvania especially, the season means endless political TV ads telling us who to vote for or against. In 2024, Pennsylvania was the first state in history to surpass $1 billion in political ads spending in one year. A major problem with these ads is that no one knows where the money that pays for them comes from. It’s certainly not everyday Pennsylvanians donating millions to run the ads. But there’s a measure Pennsylvania can take to get the worst of this secret spending money out of our elections. Earlier ...

Society of Strangers

Columns

“True is it that we have seen better days.” — William Shakespeare Pearl Harbor brought out the best in the American people. We responded by pulling together for a major mobilization when an act of war landed on our soil in 1941. That December day, which Franklin Roosevelt eloquently declared would “live in infamy,” is within living memory. Twenty-five years ago, following the September 11th terrorist attacks, the opposite happened. The George W. Bush White House sowed a society of suspicious, separate and scared strangers. When the World Trade Center towers fell in ...

Older male wants to try a supplement to build up his strength

Columns

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m an 88-year-old male. I’ve been losing strength and muscle in my legs, which has caused me to need a walker. I’m currently in a physical therapy program twice a week, and I also do daily strengthening exercises at home. I’d like your advice on trying a diet supplement of whey protein, hydroxymethylbutyrate, chromium and leucine. It’s widely advertised on the internet with countless testimonials regarding its amazing success in restoring strength and endurance for elderly users. — R.C.O. ANSWER: I believe in evidence, not testimonials. There’s good ...

387,000 Pennsylvania households

Letters to the editor

Vicki Adams Mill Hall That's how many Pennsylvania households faced utility shutoffs last year. Not in a recession. Not during a natural disaster. In one of the wealthiest states in the richest country in the world, nearly 400,000 families couldn't keep their lights on. And in the same year, Pennsylvania's average electricity cost went up almost 15%. The average electricity bill has gone up more than 20% since 2024. Another round of rate increases is hitting us now. Where is Josh Shapiro on any of this? He's the highest-paid governor in America. He presides over the 47th-ranked ...

Dear Annie: Making room for what’s next

Columns

Dear Annie: My husband and I are both in our 70s, and he’s been pushing for us to sell the house and move into something smaller for over a year now. He’s not wrong; it’s more house than we need. But we raised our three kids in this house. Every room has something in it — the kitchen table my dad built, the height marks on the door frame, the driveway where our children learned to ride their bikes. I know we probably can’t stay here forever. But I feel like he’s asking me to hand over all these memories without a second thought. Am I being stubborn, or is he being cold ...