NEW CASTLE —
All winter long, we kept waiting for reality to set in.
Week after week of relatively mild temperatures and minimal snow suggested bad things were just around the corner. After all, these things have a way of evening out.
But they never did. And with spring’s arrival this week, any opportunity for those feared days of reckoning are fading rapidly.
In fact, this week’s forecast is calling for record high temperatures near 80. This is June weather, not March.
Of course, weather in western Pennsylvania is notorious for its variability. And while warm spells or cold snaps are used to either defend or debunk global warming scenarios, they do nothing of the sort. The potential for out-of-the-ordinary temperatures or other weather conditions always exists, and these short-term anomalies have nothing to do with any long-term climate change.
Instead, they’re more likely attributable to shifts in the jet stream or alterations in ocean currents than they are the presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Arguments for global warming point to sustained increases in rising average planetary temperatures, not occasional hot spells.
Nevertheless, unless you enjoy skiing, sledding and paying heating bills, the winter of 2011-12 has been a remarkably pleasant one. And as spring officially begins, the string of above-normal temperatures appears to be determined to persist.
Let’s just hope this isn’t a harbinger of a record-hot summer. Temperatures have to return to normal at some point, don’t they?
Anyway, what we think of the weather — or hope it will be — doesn’t matter. It will come of its own volition.
So our best advice is to get out and enjoy these days. Perhaps they will continue for weeks, or maybe the weather will turn colder quickly. For now, there are flowers and blossoms to enjoy and comfortable temperatures to embrace. Make the most of them.
Editorials
Mild winter gives way to warm start of spring
- Editorials
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Our Opinion: Lousy voter turnout is a missed opportunity
Tuesday’s primary in Lawrence County had its share of winners and losers. But — based on the numbers — the biggest winner has to be voter apathy. Countywide, voter turnout in the primary was a whopping 17.1 percent. In case you missed it, our use of the term “whopping” is sarcasm.
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Our Opinion: Pennsylvania’s primary system is controlled by parties
Should Pennsylvania’s primaries be open to independent voters? That’s an interesting question and one we have explored in the past on this page.
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Our Opinion: State audit says city school district failed to collect from non-residents
Audit information about non-resident students who didn’t pay tuition at New Castle raises more questions than it answers. At least so far. We expect more details when the Pennsylvania auditor general’s office completes its report and the New Castle school district provides its response.
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Our Opinion: Make the most of your power to vote by casting ballot tomorrow
So what kind of turnout will there be for tomorrow’s primary? Recent history suggests somewhere between low and lousy. This year’s elections are devoted to local races, and there are few major ones being contested in the primary.
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Our Opinion: Privatization of county jail is worthy of examination
Generally speaking, we support government efforts to seek more efficient ways to provide essential services. So we have no problem with the decision by the Lawrence County commissioners to solicit proposals for the private operation of the county jail.
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Our Opinion: We endorse candidates for New Castle board
The New Castle school district is often a study in contrasts. There are complaints about the district on everything from taxes to nepotism, from test scores to ethical slights. Yet at the same time, plenty of students within the district excel. It’s a tribute to the hard work of those students, their families and the educators who support them.
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Our Opinion: You should be frightened, outraged by IRS abuse of power
When people talk about government posing a threat to citizens, a common topic these days is unmanned drones. But a more credible threat may be the Internal Revenue Service. This agency, responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing related rules, has the ability to make life miserable for the average individual.
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Our Opinion: Our endorsements for City Council race
The city of New Castle needs help. Financially distressed and operating under Pennsylvania’s Act 47, New Castle must find ways to reverse its population loss and fiscal challenges.
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Our Opinion: Court frowns on gerrymandering, but only slightly
Pennsylvania legislators have received the green light to put their own political interests ahead of yours. That’s a key point in the latest Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling on legislative apportionment in the commonwealth.
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Our Opinion: Study says distracted driving deaths are under reported
Suppose you operated a piece of heavy machinery at your job. And suppose it’s machinery that moves quickly with little effort. What would happen if you decided to take one hand off that equipment — while it was still in motion — and instead focused your attention on a telephone call?
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