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Pennsylvania lawmakers stumble on e-bike regulations

The Pennsylvania General Assembly, too often slow to react and slow to act, is again living up to that dubious, unflattering reputation, this time regarding e-bikes and e-scooters. Rather than already having properly addressed those topics with the best interests of the Keystone State and its residents in mind, the General Assembly continues to stumble along as the injury, death and damage totals tied to the bikes and scooters escalate. But, hey, as a CapitolWire article published in the Mirror’s Sept. 9 edition indicated, the legislature has delivered the message that it is racing ...

New train service needs local support

“Amtrak sets debut for second train” was the headline atop the Mirror’s Aug. 25 edition. However, there is much more to the story than that headline was able to communicate, and that includes the message that appeared beneath the headline: “Added Pennsylvanian route scheduled to start in November.” That “much more to the story” came from Mark Spada, president of Western Pennsylvanians for Passenger Rail. His message, one that cannot be spoken or referred-to too often, is that the ridership that the second Pennsylvanian draws will be key to any further service ...

Norfolk Southern issues far from resolved

To some of the people who initially kept up to date with developments stemming from the fiery Feb. 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, just west of that state’s border with Pennsylvania, the black plume of smoke that hovered over the town in the derailment’s aftermath is merely an unfortunate closed chapter of Northeast railroad history. But, in reality, those individuals are wrong. The situation surrounding the derailment, which involved 20 units carrying hazardous chemicals, obviously, now, is far from being closed. Despite the passage of more ...

Frankstown case a lesson for others

Probably, many public officials in the six-county Southern Alleghenies region have not heard about the ethics-violation case involving a supervisor in Blair County’s Frankstown Township. Regardless, most Southern Alleghenies region officials probably would be doing themselves a favor if they sought and reflected upon details of that case. The case can be very instructive. It’s appropriate to use the words “involves” or “involving” in reference to the case, rather than “involved,” because there has been no assurances put forth that additional proceedings related to ...

Flock uses, safety require more debate

It’s probable that most Blair County residents who, in recent weeks, heard references to Flock cameras believed that the devices would be just a big-city thing or an immigration-control mechanism confined mostly to states in close proximity to the Mexican border. Imagine the surprise and pangs of concern that were immediate reactions to the disclosure that such cameras already were here — that five such devices already have been installed in the area of Penn State’s Altoona campus and, apparently unbeknownst, have been spying on everyone who passes by. No doubt many people have ...

Quarter will make or break lawmakers

In today’s economy, a quarter doesn’t buy very much, even though it sometimes is the difference between buying something and not being able to make the purchase. Sometimes, superstitious gamblers drop a quarter near a slot machine at a casino, supposedly as a determinant as to whether or not the machine will be lucky — whether or not it should be played. Heads, lucky; tails, not lucky. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania lawmakers apparently believe that a quarter can be very unlucky for them; at least that’s the message emanating from the General Assembly’s 2026-27 state ...