Letters to the editor
A welcome reminder
It was a joy to read about Jimmy Rasel and his family and his relationship to them. I can relate to this as I had a sister who had Down syndrome. My mom told us the doctor told my parents to put her in a home, and my father told the doctor we’re not going to put her in a home; we’re going to take her home! And Shirley made our close-knit family even stronger. She was so loving, so innocent and fun to be with. You could kid and tease her and she would kid and tease you right back. If you weren’t feeling well, she worried about you. Like Jimmy, she loved music and when our family went to a wedding, she was the best dancer there. And like Jimmy, Shirley loved Elvis and had most of his albums. We went to see Elvis many years ago, and at first, she was kind of terrified with all the people and the noise, but when he came out and started singing, she was oh, so happy. So glad we went.
We lost our sister at a young age and as my brother and I are the last of our immediate family, I know he, like myself, think of her often, but this story about Jimmy was a welcome reminder of someone who was such a loving part of our lives.
God doesn’t make mistakes when he blesses a family with a child like this.
Robert BonAnno
Washington
A win for consumers
The Pennsylvania Senate recently passed Senate Bill 990, sponsored by Sen. Camera Bartolotta, to protect Pennsylvania consumers’ ability to choose the vehicles that best meet their needs. At a time when families are navigating rising costs, this legislation would help ensure that government doesn’t restrict options or impose one-size-fits-all mandates on Pennsylvania drivers.
Vehicle choice is also a matter of practicality and affordability. While electric vehicles (EVs) suit some drivers, they don’t meet the needs or budgets of every Pennsylvanian household. This bill recognizes that no single solution works for everyone, preserving consumer choice and allowing market forces to work.
EV mandates and other restrictive policies could hurt Pennsylvania’s economy. The Keystone State has a long, proud history of energy development and manufacturing. In Pennsylvania alone, the natural gas and oil industry supports 400,000 jobs and contributes $77 billion to the state’s economy, according to the PwC.
Advancing this commonsense measure would be a win for Pennsylvania consumers.
Stephanie Catarino Wissman
Executive director, American Petroleum Institute, Pennsylvania