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The endless horizon: Why generations of landlocked Appalachians keep coming back to Erie

Columns

Long before the furthest-left corner of the Commonwealth began welcoming millions of sunbathers, Presque Isle State Park served as a critical shield for a young nation. During the War of 1812, the peninsula’s natural, 5.8-square-mile harbor provided the perfect sanctuary. Master mariner Daniel Dobbins recognized that a shallow sandbar across the bay’s entrance would protect American shipbuilders from deep-draft British warships. Under the cover of Presque Isle’s dense forests, Commander Oliver Hazard Perry constructed a formidable naval squadron. In September 1813, Perry sailed ...

Acute grief reaction occurs in sibling who lost their sister

Columns

DEAR DR. ROACH: My sister died about a month ago. We were very close, and I was with her when she died of a brief but serious illness. The day after, I felt completely unbalanced. I had brain fog and nausea, which comes and goes, as well as extreme exhaustion and tinnitus. I saw my general physician and asked for a full blood test, which came back normal. She said that all signs pointed to grief and stress from a traumatic event. I then went to my doctor of otology, who did a full ear exam and concurred with my physician. I’ve had many people who’ve passed away in my life, ...

Dear Annie: Gift gaffe

Columns

Dear Annie: On a yearly basis, my employer recognizes employees who have dedicated 10, 15, 20, etc. years of service as well as individuals who are retiring. These employees have their names published in local press and also receive a gift. This past year I completed my 10th year of service. While my name was published, I never received a gift. Everyone else received one, so it’s not that the tradition stopped and I was unaware; mine was just somehow overlooked. My co-workers tell me I should ask about it, but I feel kind of awkward doing so. Is it tacky to contact the human resources ...

Obsessed with yesterday, Trump is unprepared for tomorrow

Columns

“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” The Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner wrote those words in 1951. Yet, they could be a commentary on the political scene 75 years later. No issue matters more to President Donald Trump than the results of the 2020 election. Despite newspaper investigations, congressional hearings and the results of over 60 legal challenges, he still says he won. This year, FBI agents in flak jackets seized boxes related to the presidential election six years ago in Fulton County, Georgia. After a Justice Department investigation, his ...

Shingles patient doesn’t experience pain due to vaccination

Columns

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was reading your recent column about shingles. Several years ago, I contracted shingles, even after getting the shingles vaccine. It hit me in my left eye, so I went to my eye doctor. (I wasn’t sure what the problem was.) He took one look at my eye and diagnosed me with shingles. He gave me an antibiotic that cleared up the problem. At no time was I in any pain, which I attributed to my getting the vaccine. Do you concur with my observation? I’m aware that getting shingles can be very painful. — L.J. ANSWER: Shingles is caused by a reactivation of the chicken ...

The GOP isn’t always the best party for conservatives

Columns

I often get asked for my advice on how to vote. I’m the first to concede these requests come from a very niche slice of the electorate — that tiny remnant of people who know who I am, value my opinion and share my exasperation with both parties. I am going to answer the question. But first let me explain why I don’t like it. I think too many pundits on the left and right fall into the habit of confusing or conflating the fortunes of a party with that of their philosophy. Many come by this tendency honestly. As the parties have polarized ideologically, it’s a natural ...