Letters: Front-line workers deserve more compensation; Mask enforcement needed locally

Front-line workers deserve more compensation

I am writing this letter on behalf of Pennsylvania’s “front line” in hopes it reaches Pennsylvania’s politicians.

I work a job where my safety is at risk every day. I understood that risk when I took the job and was of the understanding that I would be paid a fair wage to compensate me for the risk I take going to work every day. Well things have changed. Due to this global pandemic, not only is my health at risk but I drive home every night praying that I don’t get my family sick. I remind our governor that we compensate soldiers in a combat zone with combat pay, and we as the “soldiers” of this “war against a silent enemy” also deserve to be compensated for the additional risk we take every day.

Those who were on unemployment prior to the pandemic are being given more money while we work for the same wages as before. And if I could support my family without my job I would stay at home like the rest of the state, but I can’t. Our “front line” consists of police officers, corrections officers, hospital staff, grocers, truck drivers, and the rest of the blue collar workers who were deemed essential by Gov. Tom Wolf and his staff so that the state could still function in a limited manner. All of these essential employees deserve to be compensated due to the additional risk they are undertaking simply trying to support their families.

A perfect summer activity?

I know that in the midst of so much disaster, this may sound rather trivial, but here’s a question: Is there any way someone or some organization could open up the old drive-in for the summer? The screen is still there. It could be a great and safe summer recreation.

More mask enforcement needed locally

In visiting The Arboretum at Penn State on Sunday, we were surprised that 40% of the visitors were not wearing masks and were not observing social distancing. If we are going to get the coronavirus cases to decline in Centre County, then these rules need to be adhered to and enforced. We saw no signs anywhere enforcing this policy. We were on campus Monday and of the few visitors, most were not wearing masks. The university needs to be responsible and at least post some signs and have staff or university police regulate who can be on campus.

Let’s all work to flatten the curve. Remember, we are all in this together — it’s time for university and State College officials to do their job and stop this increase in coronavirus cases.

Corman’s constituents deserve honesty

In a Sunday op-ed, Jake Corman shamefully misrepresents who is really blocking the telemedicine bill. Gov. Tom Wolf agrees with all the wonderful advantages of telemedicine and wants to extend those benefits to women’s reproductive choices. Corman and the Republicans are the ones who introduced the amendment that has jeopardized passage of the bill. They claim that restricting certain drugs is in line with federal guidelines, but the amendment goes beyond FDA requirements by banning any telemedicine prescription.

Corman’s real agenda is to ban telemedicine abortion, the narrow ideology that tanked the bill last year. I could respect a politician that gave reasons to deprive women of abortion services. I have lost all respect for Corman after reading his misleading article. His constituents deserve honesty, not BS.