Hits & Misses
Politics
May 10, 2025
Tomorrow, we acknowledge birth mothers, stepmothers, foster mothers, surrogate mothers, single mothers, working moms, military moms and many other varieties. Thank you for all you do and here’s to a d...
Politics
Unhappy and mad
May 9, 2025
To the Editor: Studying the “Official Municipal Primary Democratic Mail-In Ballot, Monessen 4th Ward, 3rd Precinct,” I concluded that the Monessen voting public must not care much who runs for mayor o...
A plain, ordinary principle
Politics
May 9, 2025
As Donald Trump vows to deport millions of undocumented migrants, NBC’s Kristen Welker asked the president several times if he felt bound by the due process clause of the Constitution. And several tim...
Politics
May 9, 2025
THERE MIGHT BE NO SINGLE ISSUE in the United States that affects more areas than mental health problems. They can be caused by physical health issues, such as chronic pain or a dire diagnosis. But the...
Politics
May 8, 2025
SHOULD A VOTER BE REQUIRED to prove identity to cast a ballot? It’s a question that has been argued in Pennsylvania for years — just like it has in other states. A recent Spotlight PA and Votebeat art...
OK, kill PBS. But save MSNBC!
Politics
May 8, 2025
The thing I admire most about liberals is their balls-to-thewall bravery. This past weekend, for example, CBS’s Scott Pelley called Trump a “felon,” making him, quite simply, the finest investigative ...
Politics
Dictator in training
May 8, 2025
To the Editor: Conservatives want to stop the clock. Reactionaries want to turn it back. Trump and Co. are reactionaries. So it came to pass during the reign of King Donald I, a high stone wall was bu...
Joe Biden’s decline: The inside and outside stories
Politics
May 7, 2025
We’ve gotten a new tidbit of information about efforts by the Biden White House and some in the press to cover up President Joe Biden’s age-related infirmity. It comes from a new book, 2024: How Trump...
Politics
Remembering a great teacher
May 7, 2025
To the Editor: For nearly four decades I have lived a short walk from the Kelly Run landfill. As a legislator from 1985-2010, I served on the Environmental Resources Committee where I helped write law...
Politics
May 7, 2025
PETS ARE NOT JUST ANIMALS that live in our homes. For many people, their cats and dogs, birds and ferrets and other critters are a part of the family. There are 59.8 million American homes with at lea...
The Trump counterrevolution and the moral ledger
Politics
May 6, 2025
Despite the media hysteria, President Donald Trump’s counterrevolution remains on course. Its ultimate fate will probably rest with the state of the economy by the November 2026 midterm elections. But...
Politics
May 6, 2025
The editorial department of the Mon Valley Independent encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be no more than 500 words, must be in good taste and must include the author’s name, town of resid...
News, Politics
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
May 6, 2025
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK is celebrated in the first full week of May, and is when teachers get the credit they deserve. The big day was Teacher Appreciation Day on May 5, but teachers are just so gre...
The pre-Pope opportunity
Politics
May 6, 2025
Habemus chimney. “Habemus papem” (“We have a pope”) are the actual words the world will be hearing before too long when a new pope is elected by the College of Cardinals in their conclave at the Vatic...
Florida’s political shift from purple to deep red
Politics
May 5, 2025
SEBASTIAN, Florida — Florida used to be an eastern political version of Nevada. Now it is a southern political version of Idaho. Florida once was regarded as the prototypical swing state, much like Ne...
Politics
May 5, 2025
By ERIC TUCKER and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s removal of national security adviser Mike Waltz brings further disruption to a national security team that ...
Politics
Do you like him now
May 3, 2025
To the Editor: Your anniversary article gave an excellent explanation of the need for newspapers and the coverage you provide. My thanks, and hopefully the Valley’s thanks, to your owners and staff fo...
Trump’s economic philosophy that only a leftist could love
Politics
May 3, 2025
In an interview with Time magazine, President Trump explained how he approaches tariffs and trade negotiations. I use the word “explained” with some trepidation because explanations imply a certain de...
Hits & Misses
Politics
May 3, 2025
Prom season is in high gear around the Mon Valley. Dressing up, dancing the night away and having a blast with friends are all part of the prom experience. Prom is seen as a right of passage for teens...
Telling Trump the truth
Politics
May 2, 2025
As Donald Trump’s second term hit the 100-day mark, a slew of national polls all reflected his plunging popularity. The Washington Post/ABC survey, for example, gave him an approval rating of 39%, the...