Editorials - News Item

Week in News

Photo: N/A, License: N/A, Created: 2012:05:10 10:26:07

SHAMOKIN - Winners of this year's Stock Market Challenge were treated to lunch at Original Italian Pizza on Thursday, where they received some real-life financial advice. Sponsored locally by Sunbury Motors and The News-Item, the game involved middle and (read more)

Budget steals headlines

During Gov. Ed Rendell's administration, the state budget typically made news for its timeliness - or lack thereof. Its passage was late in each of the eight years Rendell was in office. There was debate about the content of the budget, too, starting wit (read more)

Bin Laden and the media

The media, no matter their efforts at neutrality, are often branded either conservative or liberal. For newspapers, a particular label may have come from the days when political affiliation was proclaimed in a very obvious manner: the name of the newspap (read more)

Walt's Way

Ethnic foods make people go round

When Jo Ann, my brother Phil, his wife, Helen, and I visited an authentic Japanese restaurant in midtown Manhattan, my greatest fear was not that I would make a mistake ordering and wind up eating raw fish. While that was certainly a worthwhile fear to h (read more)

Capitol Matters

'Surplus' state properties for sale to bring in money

The commonwealth has sold off surplus state-owned property to bidders for decades, but the Corbett administration is calling new attention to the process as a way to help ease continuing fiscal problems. Approval by lawmakers of the 2012 property dispo (read more)

Drinks are on us

No names were mentioned or caucuses identified, but an auditor hired by the Legislature raised eyebrows last week when he said there were a few instances where individuals charged a drink to a legislative account. Not huge purchases of alcohol by lots of (read more)

Final budget still far off

Two months may seem like a long time for a finale, but that's how state lawmakers think about the next 60 days until the June 30 deadline for passing the 2012-13 state budget. That it has been nearly three months since Gov. Tom Corbett outlined his plan (read more)

Top 25 laws list features plenty of taxes, 'sausage'

Sausage-making can have a lasting impact. A new study by Temple University lists the 25 most important state laws passed during the past four decades in terms of their impact, good or bad, on Pennsylvania residents and public policy. The study by Templ (read more)

Don't get me started

Diversity is already here

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo. For those who don't know, Cinco de Mayo marks the day Mexico defeated France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 during the Franco-Mexican War. It's a minor holiday in Mexico, but in parts of the United States, it has become a day (read more)

Appreciate 'work' done by mom, dad, everyone

I'm a working mom. Oops. I'm a mom who also has a job outside the home. I'm a mother as well as an assistant editor/columnist here at The News-Item. Since I was 15 years old, I've received a paycheck from someone else. And last year, I joined the ranks (read more)

Talking Points

Editorials

The Time Machine for May 16, 2012: Back in 1923

- Seven hundred coal miners were out on what was termed a "button strike." The walkout was called to allow union officials to see who was or was not wearing a union button. The two affected collieries were Burnside and Franklin. - On the national scene, (read more)

Senate fililbuster rule part of 'do-nothing' Congress

The U.S. Senate claims to be the world's greatest deliberative body, but it rarely gives itself a chance to prove it these days because its filibuster rule has run amok. Common Cause, a government watchdog group, filed a constitutional challenge Monday (read more)

How's this for a deal? State pension, contract and unemployment

Some state lawmakers want to pass a draconian rewrite of the unemployment compensation laws that would harm laid-off workers who have no control over the economic conditions that have put them out of work. But the process has, at least, revealed a situa (read more)

Time Machine for May 14, 2012: Back in 1963...

- More than 1,000 people attended the dedication of the ultra-modern St. Joseph's Church, which had come in at a cost of more than $350,000. - Another city church, Lincoln Street Methodist, was observing its 125th anniversary. - Those who had an interest (read more)

Focus returns to easing budget deficit

At the close of two weeks of turmoil in Northumberland County government, it appears the focus is rightly returning to the most urgent matter facing the board of commissioners, taxpayers and all residents: the budget. New Chairman Vinny Clausi was visiti (read more)