When 25-year-old Shawn Shatto died by suicide in May, her family was left struggling to understand why their daughter would take her own life. Imagine their horror to learn that she died with the help of an on-line chat room. Republican State Rep. Dawn Keefer, who serves parts of York and Cumberland Counties, wants to … Continue reading "Shawn’s Law; a bill to combat aided suicide"

As the nation enters election season there are many concerns facing voters, including wide-ranging national security issues. Tensions in the Middle East underscore the significance of U.S. policies and actions around the world. National security refers to the ability of the country to survive a myriad of threats. The threats can come in the form … Continue reading "Insights into US foreign policy issues"

Hearing and listening are not the same thing. Hearing is the literal perception of sound, but consciously understanding and analyzing that sound is listening. In the modern age of technology, there are many things that get in the way of active listening. Smart phones are the most pervasive example of this, but they are not … Continue reading "Compassionate listening in a hyper-connected world"

On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold walked into Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Over the course of minutes, they would kill twelve students and a teacher and wound twenty-four others before taking their own lives. For the last twenty years, Sue Klebold, Dylan’s mother, has lived with the indescribable grief and … Continue reading "A Mother’s Reckoning; author Sue Klebold"

Some 20 million Americans battle substance use disorder. Of that number, only four million or one-fifth receive treatment. Even though much of the nation’s attention has been focused on an opioid crisis that has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 in the last 20 years, alcohol is the substance most often abused. Almost 75% … Continue reading "September is National Recovery Month"

Health officials across the country are sounding the alarm over E-cigarette use, which is also known as vaping. Seventeen people across the state are believed to have “lung diseases associated with vaping,” according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Nationwide, the CDC reports six deaths and more than 450 cases of the disease. The department … Continue reading "Health officials sound the alarm over vaping"

Pennsylvania Congressional district boundaries made headlines in 2018 following a lawsuit alleging they were gerrymandered, giving Republican candidates an advantage in elections. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed and ruled the districts were so gerrymandered that they were unconstitutional. Lawmakers, with Republicans in the majority, and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf were given three weeks to submit … Continue reading "Redistricting Reform Commission releases report"

The debate over Pennsylvania school district property taxes rages on. For years, lawmakers have proposed eliminating the property tax burden, with little success. Advocates for change say the current system places an undue burden on citizens who can least afford to pay, like seniors and those living on limited income. Now, a new piece of … Continue reading "A legislative plan to eliminate property taxes"

Firefighting is expensive. There are recruiting costs, recurring training, and expensive equipment to purchase and maintain. Forecasting those costs is especially difficult because firefighters don’t only respond to fire alarms or battle blazes. Many departments also respond to calls for emergency medical services in their areas. In Pennsylvania, more than 96% of registered fire departments … Continue reading "Legislation aims to help fire companies recoup cost"

Last year, Lancaster County became one of the first counties in central Pennsylvania to limit what waste materials could be recycled to plastic bottles, metal cans, glass jars and bottles and corrugated cardboard. It came in response to China deciding to stop accepting recyclables from the U.S. creating an overabundance of recyclables in this country. … Continue reading "Are you recycling properly?"