Opinion

County must ensure CYF stays strong

Editorials April 23, 2026

The Blair County commissioners are justified in breathing a sigh of relief these days that their efforts on behalf of the county’s Children, Youth & Families department have paid off. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services has restored the full operating license of the Blair agency following nearly four years of intense local anxiety over the ultimate fate of CYF and its vital mission. Going forward, the challenge will be to ensure that CYF does not return to the problem existence within which it had languished for so long. Accomplishing that will necessitate close scrutiny ...

Address crime, not 2nd Amendment

Opinion April 22, 2026

It’s time to put the debate over the 2nd Amendment to bed once and for all. I will cite two historical incidents in its support. The first is from our recent history and the second involves a recent foreign nation’s historical event. First, the 2nd Amendment is the principal reason Japan did not invade mainland USA to open WWII. The Emperor and Japan’s military wanted to, but were persuaded by Admiral Yamamoto not to. Instead, Japan adopted the “island hopping strategy” and attacked the U.S. Navy base in Hawaii. Yamamoto predicted this strategy would also likely fail. ...

Property tax bill was killed again

Letters to the Editor April 21, 2026

On March 23, Pennsylvania House Democrats killed property tax elimination — again. When Republican Rep. Mark Gillen offered an amendment to HB 1257 that would have begun eliminating property taxes, House Democrats used a procedural maneuver to declare it unconstitutional and avoid a straight up-or-down vote. The roll call tells the story: 99 Yeas, 100 Nays, split exactly along party lines. Rep. Solomon and every House Democrat voted to block it. When Rep. Jonathan Fritz rose to speak in favor of the amendment, the acting speaker cut him off mid-speech. This is not new. ...

Hard work appreciated

Letters to the Editor April 19, 2026

I’m sending many thanks to the parishioners of the five churches in Hollidaysburg who continue to host free “Soup Saturday” through the winter months. The fellowship at these Saturdays last all week as we go from one church to the next. Many friends meet and exchange news of their families and life happenings over a bowl of delicious hot soup prepared by loving hands. We really appreciate all your hard work and ecumenical service to all of us. Blessings on all who participated. Another example of how Hollidaysburg shines as a community of families and friends. Kudos to: St. ...

Economy a must-watch for election

Editorials April 19, 2026

Eye-opening at the top of the Wall Street Journal’s April 11-12 edition was the headline “Inflation hits two-year high.” Reporting that consumer prices jumped 3.3% in March from a year earlier, the largest increase in two years, the Journal said the April 10 inflation report from the U.S. Labor Department “was in line with the expectations of economists surveyed” by the newspaper “but the March reading was much hotter than February’s gain of 2.4%” The Journal continued: “The report is the first to capture the impact of the Iran war on inflation.” The Journal ...

WISE women truly make a difference

Editorials April 17, 2026

WISE Women of Blair County deserves applause for another successful Tribute ceremony and for the contribution it makes to our community. The organization, which hosted this year’s annual dinner on Wednesday at the Blair County Convention Center, honored seven women for their contributions that have made our community better. At a time when it’s easy to get caught up in governmental politics and the rhetoric among leaders who may or may not be making wise decisions, the Tribute ceremony provided a chance to hear about seven women whose interactions with others truly make a ...