Gannon’s men’s basketball won big and put Erie in a positive light
I would like to congratulate the 2025-26 Gannon University Golden Knights men’s basketball team for winning the NCAA Division II National Championship with an 84-61 win over Lander University on Easter Sunday. This is, obviously, a huge accomplishment and both the players and the city of Erie, that they represent, should be so proud. It was awesome to hear the numerous times that both Gannon University and the city of Erie were mentioned on the CBS broadcast. I have lived in Erie my entire life and it is so gratifying to see our city and one of its wonderful universities in the national spotlight in such a positive way.
Gannon University men’s basketball head coach Easton Bazzoli speaks during a ceremony celebrating the NCAA Division II men’s basketball national championship inside the Highmark Events Center in Erie, Pa. on April 7, 2026. Here, a reader praises the team and thanks them for putting such a positive national spotlight on Erie.
Once again, congratulations to head coach Easton Bazzoli, all of the players and Gannon staff as well as the city of Erie on this incredible accomplishment!
Craig Barto, Girard
Do our representatives go to Congress to get rich?
When interviewed about his opposition to individual stock trading bans for representatives and senators, Congressman Mike Kelly, of Butler, R-16th Dist., asked if we expect them to take a “vow of poverty” to serve in Congress. I would like to show what an exaggeration this is by pointing out the following.
Serving 15 years in the House of Representatives, Mr. Kelly has received $174,000 annually and:
Could take a pension now of about $45,000 per year,
Would have over $1 million in retirement savings if he fully participated in Congress’ 401(k) equivalent and invested in an S&P index fund, and
Is also eligible for Social Security.
Most full-time employees cannot afford to make maximum contributions to their 401(k)s and, as of March 2023, only 15% of private industry workers had access to a pension.
I suppose when you’re worth over $10 million (Mr. Kelly’s estimated net worth exceeds this number), have an annual salary of $174,000, a pension plan, and have access to confidential information that can possibly increase your chances of making even greater profits trading individual stocks, a conventional pre-tax savings plan with employer matching and pooled investment options does seem like a relative vow of poverty (sarcasm intended). Most Americans, however, would be quite happy with the salary and benefits Mr. Kelly enjoys.
Rather than reflecting the realities of his constituents, Mr. Kelly’s statement, in my view, communicated an apathetic view of their situations and an objectionable sense of entitlement.
Bill Meyer, Erie
United Way sustains Parton’s Imagination Library in Erie
The recent Dolly Parton feature in the Erie Times-News was a timely reminder of why Imagination Library has mattered to families across the country. Dolly Parton created the vision, and it remains a powerful one.
Here in Erie County, that vision has turned into something measurable and worth celebrating.
Since its inception, United Way of Erie County’s Imagination Library program has mailed 1,338,729 books to local children. A total of 25,185 children have graduated from the program, and 8,248 children are currently enrolled and receiving books each month. In 2025 alone, United Way of Erie County invested $336,112 to sustain the program locally.
Those numbers matter because they represent something bigger than a mailing list. They represent bedtime stories, early learning, family routines, and children growing up with books in the home before they ever walk into kindergarten.
That is what makes Imagination Library such a smart and lasting investment. It is simple. It is practical. And it works. Every month, a child receives a free, age-appropriate book mailed directly to their home. For families, the cost is nothing. For a community, the value is enormous.
In Erie County, this program continues because local people choose to support it through United Way of Erie County. That local commitment is what turns a national idea into a real and sustained local success story.
And while Imagination Library ends at age 5, the work of building readers does not stop there.
Community partners such as Hooked on Books for Kids help continue that momentum by making sure children can keep getting free books as they grow.
Erie County should be proud of what has been built here. More than 1.3 million books later, this is no longer just a nice idea. It is a proven local accomplishment and one worth recognizing.
Aaron L. Gast, director of brand for United Way of Erie County, and Dean Baldwin, executive director of Hooked on Books for Kids
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Readers weigh in on Gannon, Mike Kelly, and the United Way | Letters