Breaking News

Opinion

Bilger will listen

Letters to the editor

Debbie Meder Port Matilda Why am I voting for Ray Bilger to represent PA15 in the US House of Representatives? I know his background and experience in the military and national intelligence will be real assets to our area. But the main reason I am voting for Ray is because of his commitment and dedication to meeting and listening to the people of PA15. He has traveled throughout PA15 — the largest district in the state — and has engaged with locals to learn about the issues that impact them. His view is that all of us in PA15 are his bosses and Ray will find a way to get issues ...

Dear Annie: Marriage has lost its get-up-and-go

Columns

Dear Annie: I’ve been married only a few short years. My husband and I used to go out and have fun; we’d do things like day trips to the beach or going out to eat, just to get out of the house. Over the past few years, he has decided that his favorite pastime is sitting on the sofa. If I mention going somewhere, he comes up with an excuse: it’s too hot, gas is too expensive, he’s tired. Or if he agrees to go somewhere, he will cancel when the time comes to go, usually with one of the above-mentioned excuses. However, if it’s something he wants to do, he can’t get there ...

CPAP user is constantly awakened at night by a dry mouth

Columns

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 74 and have sleep apnea. I’ve used a CPAP device for over 20 years. Over the past four to five years, I’ve been awakened several times each night with a seriously dry mouth. I will get a drink, use the bathroom, and get right back to sleep, only to have the same thing happen over and over again. I’ve used several different types of face masks with a full face mask working the best, and I’ve tried using a chin strap without success. This impacts my quality of sleep. I am otherwise in pretty good health and have an active life. — G.I. ANSWER: Dry mouth is ...

The oil market that sets today’s gas prices was invented in western PA

Columns

The fall of 2026 is a moment of energy centrality, when geopolitics unfolding far away shows up in Americans’ everyday lives. In Pennsylvania, the statewide diesel price averages US$6.50 per gallon. In Iowa, farmers are paying more than $6 a gallon for diesel. And in Alaska, unleaded gas runs more than $9 a gallon. As a distinguished professor of history and environmental studies at Penn State Altoona, I write widely about oil and energy issues. This moment has me thinking about how the oil industry began nearly 170 years ago in northwestern Pennsylvania. Setting crude prices ...

Finding fact from fiction on the proposed KeyState project

Letters to the editor

Emily Wildman Philadelphia The recent public information session regarding the proposed KeyState chemical plant in Clearfield County highlights a crucial debate facing central Pennsylvania. As global supply chain disruptions and geopolitical conflicts continue to drive up synthetic ammonia-based fertilizer prices, finding ways to support Pennsylvania farmers is critical. Global ammonia production is roughly 200 million metric tons annually. Despite the story being told, the amount of ammonia this facility plans to produce (less than 100,000 metric tons per year) is less than .05% ...

Congress should keep its promise to combat injured veterans

Columns

When Americans are injured in combat, we have a responsibility to make sure they receive the benefits they earned through their service and sacrifice. For tens of thousands of veterans, we are falling short of that promise. Under current law, many veterans who were forced to retire from the military because of combat-related injuries must give up a portion of their military retirement pay in order to receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The Major Richard Star Act would change that. The bipartisan legislation would correct what DAV and other ...