Editorials / Opinions

There is only one God that started everything 13.8 billion years ago. There is only one universe when God created Heaven in the beginning of time, 13.8 billion years ago.

God has no beginning and God is eternal and Divine- without a beginning or end and has always lived and will be forever with us, if we obey Him and ask Him for mercy if we are in trouble or despair in our life's journey to be with Him forever.

The  universe has at least 100 billion galaxies that can be observed with our telescopes and even the new 'James Webb' telescope that has been sending us back most beautiful pictures from deep space and time! Speaking of time, we are the only people that have ever lived in our universe. The Earth was created about 4.5 billion years ago.

No other place can support us. The closest star (besides our sun) is Alpha Centauri and is a very, very, big distance from our Earth; about 4.3 light years away. One light year is 6 trillion miles away! That is why no person or craft can travel to it, even with the speed of light (186 thousand miles per second).

Mr. Bob Scroggins wrote about space around one and a half years ago. Every year, Mr. Scroggins has written about Jesus, who is both human and Divine and God the Father and His Passion at Easter time! Thank you, Mr. Scroggins and thank you to The Susquehanna County Transcript!

Sincerely,

Bruce Moorhead, Susquehanna, PA

I was reading the local news and read where the Blue Ridge School District had a grant writer push through a grant for 700k to buy the property across the street from the campus, for 605K. I wonder why. As a taxpayer who has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to the county coffers, both as a family run businesses and personally, I'm dismayed that this was the best use of taxpayer monies.

According to public stats, BRSD has 990 students. 21 of them go to charter schools. Of the 969 enrolled in K-12 programs, 66% can read with proficiency, while 44% pass proficiency in math, but does graduate 90% of them. I would also mention that BRSD has parks the taxpayer maintains for sports in New Milford Borough and one in Hallstead.

I wonder, who are the 3 letter LLC businesses that have a sweetheart deal with the district? Do they pay taxes in the district or are they paying school taxes for another? I had siblings and children attend this school and went to school board meetings, as the only way to be heard is to go to these meetings. In today's world the feds have made parents villains when they question the elected, which is why I wonder how I missed any reporting on this land purchase, nor did I hear of it until the deal was struck.

I am a huge supporter of education and have no problems with books and lunch programs. I do have a problem when so many of the athletic programs have been axed, along with the arts and life skill programs that make for a productive citizen, only to throw money at a potential recreation park across the road seems to be an example of politics and politicians not reading the room correctly.

I hope to get a response about these decisions and just how many students will benefit from these decisions. If it is not 100% of the students, then I wonder if this is just an exercise in school district vanities.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Allen, New Milford, PA

We need to ask if is it morally acceptable that the typical workers wage has stagnated for the last 40 years while most of the economic gains have gone to the top percent? Do you believe that people and corporations, who are very wealthy is because of their own inherent qualities or because the game is rigged in their favor? Is it morally acceptable that the pay of an American CEO has gone from an average of 20 times that of the average worker 40 years ago to over 300 times today.

Inequality in America began widening in the later 1970s when unions no longer had as much power. Maybe join a union. Corporations pay lower taxes percentage wise. The Republicans at the top of the level of income, plus I'm sure lots of wealthy Democrats enjoy not paying their fair share as well. The current democratic platform is to lower taxes for everyone, except those who earn $400,000 a year. (How many of those do you think we have in Susquehanna County? Not many).

So, on Susquehanna County voting, we know the candidates, they are for the betterment of our county, vote for who you like. But for state and country elections, remember the Republicans are continuing their policy of taxing a teacher and a bricklayer more of a percentage than a company executive. So hold your nose when you vote for state and national and consider your tax equality and vote democratic. They favor more equality in taxes. Plus higher taxes for corporations helps to fund social problems like early pre-K classes that have shown on hundreds of studies to be the most important educational means for gaining fourth grade reading ability. As a former school psychologist I know how important 4th grade reading is toward success. Sometimes we need to pay attention, to vote for programs that will help us rather than hurt us further!

Sincerely,

Nancy Ross, Union Dale, PA