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Early cancer screening saved my life

Letters to the editor

Joe Lahr Harrisburg The American Cancer Society now recommends that anyone 45 and up get screened for colorectal cancer, but when I turned 45, the recommended age to begin testing was still 50. However, with my family history of colorectal cancer, once I hit mid-forties, I asked my doctor about early screening. Looking back, that choice saved my life. During the colonoscopy, my doctor found pre-cancerous spots on my colon, but because of how early we found them, they were able to be removed right then and there. I left that appointment feeling like I’d been given a second ...

The revolt against tariffs

Columns

In 2016, Donald Trump’s support for tariffs helped propel him to a shocking electoral victory. In 2026, his tariff policy may help tank Republicans in the midterms. This turnabout counts as a surprise of Trump’s second term, and an unwelcome one for the president and his party. During his political ascent in 2015-2016, Trump exploited issues where there was a disconnect between popular and elite opinion, and trade was prominent among them. His protectionism — expressed in pungent and excoriating terms — poached traditional Democratic ideological territory and appealed to ...

Dear Annie: Different money habits than my husband

Columns

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 12 years, and we agree on most things. We like the same kind of vacations, have similar values and rarely argue about family. Money, however, is our recurring sore spot. I am a saver. I grew up in a household where unexpected expenses could throw everything into chaos, so having money set aside makes me feel secure. My husband grew up very differently. His parents believed that if the bills were paid, you should enjoy life while you can. A few weeks ago, we were having dinner and talking about taking a trip next spring. I mentioned ...

Why parents sometimes need to go to school, too

Columns

Everybody, according to an old saying of unknown but apparently wise origin, is an expert at raising other people’s kids. One child of recent national interest is the daughter of Nikole Hannah-Jones, the journalist who led “The 1619 Project,” a controversial and Pulitzer Prize winning reexamination of American history through the lens of slavery, instead of treating that American horror story as a sidelight. In a conversation that occurs in middle-class Black households nationwide, including mine, Hannah-Jones and her husband, Faraji Hannah-Jones, decided to take a bold, ...

Dear Annie: Cellphone etiquette in public

Columns

Dear Annie: I’m starting to wonder if headphones have gone out of style. Last week, I was sitting in a doctor’s waiting room when a woman across from me put her phone on speaker and had a very loud, very personal conversation for nearly 20 minutes. Everyone in the room could hear about her sister, her husband and what sounded like an argument over money. No one said anything, but several of us exchanged looks. A few days later, I was at the nail salon hoping for a little peace and quiet, and another customer was watching videos at full volume. Between the music, the commentary and ...

Woman succumbs to a prion disease, aka ‘mad cow disease’

Columns

DEAR DR. ROACH: Have you ever discussed prion disease in your column? It afflicts one in 1 million people, swiftly kills its victims in a matter of days, and is incurable. People commonly know it as “mad cow disease.” I recently lost a great friend to a prion disease, and she truly was one in a million. It’s a nightmare to endure. — R. ANSWER: There are three different prions that affect humans, with various ways in which a person can acquire the disease. Of these, the most common is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), which I assume is what you’re talking about. The most ...