Teresa Mull

Eighty years on, Smokey Bear has aged like a fine oak

12 September 2024 9:20 pm

On a muggy mid-morning in early August, I arrived at the Berks County (Pennsylvania) Heritage Center to celebrate the birthday…

Is there a solution to chronic absenteeism in schools?

19 August 2024 11:50 pm

I hated going to school so much as a kid that to this day, the sight of Back to School!…

Secret Service director resigns after admitting agency ‘fell short’ during Trump assassination attempt

24 July 2024 2:23 am

US Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle, the person charged with ensuring Donald Trump’s safety and that of everyone at the…

What’s behind all the buzz about non-alcoholic beer?

19 July 2024 2:00 am

There’s nothing quite like the third swig of a gin and tonic at the end of a long summer’s day.…

What I saw at the Trump shooting

14 July 2024 5:13 pm

Butler, Pennsylvania The crowd had waited for hours in the heat for Trump to show up. When he did arrive,…

Adopting the Great Loop mindset

18 June 2024 4:20 am

When I asked Malinda and Keith Martin when a good time for an interview would be, Malinda wrote back, “We…

Pennsylvania at the polls

16 May 2024 12:50 am

It’s nicknamed “the Keystone State” because, if my memory of junior-year Pennsylvania history class serves me, in America’s early founding…

How serious is the feral pig problem?

17 March 2024 4:10 pm

Let’s play a guessing game: I’m a dangerous force threatening Americans’ health, safety and way of life. We largely rely…

Why ‘dirty’ coal is vital to a ‘clean’ green future

21 October 2023 5:50 am

The Central and Western regions of Pennsylvania are known for their majestic, untamed landscapes. Seen from on high, you’d think…

RFK goes it alone in Philadelphia

11 October 2023 3:06 am

Had you blindfolded me yesterday morning, led me to the front lawn of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, removed…

A storm is brewing in the Senate, too

10 October 2023 12:30 pm

After the US House stole the spotlight last week, sources on the Hill say a similar, yet more “behind-closed-doors” brouhaha…

College-town blues

1 September 2023 6:28 am

College towns are “decimating the GOP,” reported Politico in July, the reason being, in part, that “more college students and more faculty…

Why public schools never have enough money

22 August 2023 9:21 pm

The new school year is just a few weeks away, and that can only mean one thing: right on cue,…

How preserving old houses helps defeat wokeness

17 August 2023 1:52 am

To thwart the woke objective, the non-woke need to muster every asset we can. If you’re planning to relocate to…

Jason Aldean’s critics have clearly never been to a small town

20 July 2023 3:42 am

Country music superstar Jason Aldean has come under fire for a song that condemns violent crime and promotes the Second…

When vegans are worthy of our disdain

27 June 2023 11:14 pm

Celebrity chef John Mountain made headlines last week for banning vegans from his restaurant, Fyre, citing “mental health reasons,” reportedly…

To back Trump or to steer clear?

14 June 2023 5:05 am

Republican politicians face a conundrum in Donald Trump’s indictment that reminds me of a scene from Pride and Prejudice. Confronted…

Are electric vehicles really the future?

29 May 2023 2:05 pm

It’s a cloudless spring day, made for a country drive. Chartreuse trees explode with pollen and glow to near neon.…

Horse racing has a drug problem

6 May 2023 12:40 am

Tomorrow is one of the best days of the year, Kentucky Derby Day. It means spring is really, finally, officially…

Men: it’s time to bring back sideburns

5 April 2023 1:37 pm

Our nation’s collective Man Card is on the verge of being rescinded. The number of “lonely, single men” is rising…

J.D. Vance makes a big, bipartisan first impression

20 March 2023 12:32 pm

J.D. Vance gained prominence in 2016 for appealing to two camps. His critique of the roots of rural poverty, relayed…

East Palestine and the roots of rural mistrust

3 March 2023 2:26 pm

The East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment has thrust rural America into the national spotlight. Town mayor Trent Conaway, a hefty,…

Seed catalogs and their rejuvenating power

2 March 2023 6:26 am

Winter’s bleakest days have set in. “The holidays” are a distant memory. Rose-colored resolutions to wake up earlier, eat healthier…

Why after Covid does everyone drive like maniacs?

3 February 2023 2:27 pm

I’m cruising on an uncongested stretch of Interstate 80 when I see an eighteen-wheeler plodding up the hill ahead. I…

A pilot explains why air travel has become so stressful

24 January 2023 2:42 pm

Add your tropical dream vacation/work trip/family wedding to the list of lingering Covid consequences. If you’re like me, every time…