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Editorials

Amtran plan shows ongoing commitment

Units of local-level government and municipal-related entities know that, when seeking federal or state grants or loans, having a proposed project “shovel-ready” is advantageous when competing against others for the money. Amtran, Altoona’s bus service, obviously is aware of that, judging from the way it is pursuing its proposed $5.7 million project, the centerpiece of which is a new bus storage garage. Rather than waiting for the state or federal government “bearing a financial gift,” it is being proactive in trying to put the project in the right position for obtaining ...

Less mobility directly impacts US economy

Politicians are abundant in putting their self-serving “spin” on issues, circumstances and new developments good and bad, and they’re not shy about voicing rosy predictions and making promises for if they are successful at the ballot box. People who follow politics closely recognize that, but so do many people who have what they consider to be “better things to do” than monitoring closely the issues on the political and governmental landscapes. But although statistics can be “shaped” to benefit one’s own viewpoints and advantage, it is “stats” as a whole, without ...

Kennedy’s policies may cost lives

The single most important achievement of President Donald Trump’s first term was the lightning-fast development of COVID vaccines by the end of 2020. By some estimates, those vaccines developed under Trump’s “Operation Warp Speed” saved between 14 million and 19 million lives worldwide in their first year of use alone. While it’s true that the irresponsible mixed messaging Trump himself sent to his supporters (then and now) regarding the efficacy of the vaccines and of mainstream medicine generally has likely cost lives, the mortality score undoubtedly still lands in his ...

Logan Valley Mall’s demise blamed on many factors

The front-page article “A shadow of itself” in the Mirror’s Aug. 16-17 edition “painted” a sad, unwanted picture of a local retail giant — the Logan Valley Mall — now experiencing a deeply troubled existence and a pessimistic future. The situation is not unlike the “road” that other locally familiar malls — current and former — have traveled, or the bumpy “highway” on which some currently are struggling and, in the end, could be facing doom. Remember the bustling years of Logan Valley and the mecca status it enjoyed? It was exciting to shop there all year ...

Overbooked colleges lets kids out in the cold

College students can take the dorm experience seriously. You can’t walk into Walmart or Target without hitting a wall of ready-for-campus furnishings and accessories. For many, the must-haves range from comforters and clothes baskets to microwaves and mini fridges. Social media is thick with inspiration pictures and decorating videos. But not every student gets that experience. Some universities are treating the school year like a plane bound for Vegas: they’re overbooking. That means alternative accommodations are being brought into service. Students are being housed in ...

Monitoring weather keeps everyone safer

Mother Nature generally has spared Pennsylvania the number and magnitude of weather calamities that Florida, the Carolinas and Gulf Coast states almost routinely have experienced. However, troubling weather events have been on the rise in the Keystone State, and officials have been studying ways to become more proficient at warning the public about possible pending dangers. Now they believe they have made progress toward that goal, and it is reasonable to assume that they are correct, considering what is being put in place. An article in the Mirror’s Aug. 7 edition provided a ...