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Letters to the Editor

Schmitt’s qualities make a great judge

We need to elect two new common pleas judges here in Blair County, and one of them needs to be Lou Schmitt. Lou has been a lawyer for 38 years. He is admitted to practice before all of our courts, including the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Supreme Court. He has represented many of our Blair County citizens in court. He has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer by Law & Politics Magazine for his work in the courtroom. I have been around Lou in both formal and informal situations, and I have watched him interact with all different kinds of people. He is one of the most ...

Musk playing a game with the government

As Elon Musk’s game of Where’s Waldo with our federal government comes to an end, we wonder where the elusive fraud and corruption were hiding after all. Was it hiding in school lunch programs or maybe essential research into Alzheimer’s and cancer. Wait, I know, let’s look in the secret billions sitting in offshore accounts. By offshore I mean tax laws as close as Delaware’s. That “offshore” money created by laundering billions in unpaid taxes is pouring into our country. Just buy property from our president like the Duvalier family, who brutalized Haiti and sucked the ...

A comparison of Biden, Trump

Did we have a tariff war when Joe Biden was president? No. Did Biden have good relations with neighboring countries and allies? Yes. Does President Donald Trump have these same good relations with other countries? No. What was Trump’s answer when he was told that his tariffs might cause a recession? “I don’t care.” In other words, he doesn’t care if you lose your job, your savings, your home, etc. Who elected Elon Musk to do Congress’s job? No one. Trump states he’s trying to find fraud and to save the government money. So, how much has his golf outings cost ...

Impact of lost services would be devastating

The Medicaid program is insurance paid with 50% federal and 50% state funds. This insurance provides health care for low-income adults and children. It pays for physician care, prescription drugs, services to victims of domestic abuse, physical rehabilitation services, home health care and services for pregnant women. The people affected are commonly called the indigent. Pennsylvania’s Medicaid Fact Sheet reports that the elderly and disabled who are 30% of the population get 78% of the funds, 35% of the births are funded and two-thirds of the nursing home residents are covered ...

Schmitt’s reputation speaks volumes

Blair County has two judge seats open and to be filled in the upcoming elections. When state Rep. Lou Schmitt announced his intentions to run for the bench, I thought, “Who else is better suited for this position?” Lou is a born and raised resident of Blair County, has spent decades here gaining experience in all aspects of the law, and has shown his true interest in our community as serving for years as the 79th Legislative Representative, which encompasses a large portion of Blair County. His reputation speaks volumes and is unblemished. Knowing Lou for many years, I know he ...

Schmitt will render wise decisions as judge

I’m voting for and supporting Lou Schmitt for Blair County Court of Common Pleas Judge. As a constitutional purist, retired litigator and corporate counsel, and concerned citizen, I understand how crucial it is to select the right person for this important position. I’ve personally known Lou since we attended Roosevelt Junior High School. We’ve stayed in touch into adulthood. I’ve seen Lou evolve from a whip-smart kid who had a talent for basketball, into a loving family man who worked diligently as a lawyer/mediator and then respected state official. Lou is perceptive ...