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Tax increase will enable city progress

For Altoona, 2025 could prove to be pivotal to the point of being reminiscent of the “new” Mountain City that evolved during the course of two decades, the 1960s and 1970s. The 1960s and ’70s — the major redevelopment decades — established a positive foundation upon which the city has, since, continued to build and to establish new strategies and strengths, despite formidable obstacles and setbacks along the way, many money-related, some not. With a new comprehensive plan in place, the city has the opportunity to pursue multi-faceted improvement, perhaps not on the ...

Dermatologists important part of health care

Jerry Seinfeld educed laughter from his television audiences when he called his dermatologist girlfriend “pimple popper M.D.” But people who pooh-pooh dermatologists’ place in medicine are missing an important part of the overall medical picture. The examinations dermatologists perform often identify problems or the beginnings of conditions of concern that other physicians might miss in what most people regard as “regular” examinations. Dermatologists often identify early signs of diseases, such as types of cancer that manifest, for instance, as rashes, and even tumors. ...

Celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving

This week kicks off the busy holiday season, although, considering the many Early Black Friday sales that have enticed shoppers in recent weeks, many people no doubt wonder whether the holiday season somehow expanded to a quarter of the year, rather than having remained confined to about a month and a half. Traditionally, the shopping boom began the day after Thanksgiving — Black Friday — but no more is that true. The non-stop home-shopping channels and online sales have changed all that. Unfortunately, local brick-and-mortar shopping, which helps to keep strong the economic ...

Celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving

This week kicks off the busy holiday season, although, considering the many Early Black Friday sales that have enticed shoppers in recent weeks, many people no doubt wonder whether the holiday season somehow expanded to a quarter of the year, rather than having remained confined to about a month and a half. Traditionally, the shopping boom began the day after Thanksgiving — Black Friday — but no more is that true. The non-stop home-shopping channels and online sales have changed all that. Unfortunately, local brick-and-mortar shopping, which helps to keep strong the economic ...

Insurance plans require careful thought

Medicare Advantage plans have been a godsend to millions of Americans who have placed full trust in what they have to offer — at a price they feel they can afford. Some have very enticing offerings, such as vision and dental care and caps on copays and other out-of-pocket charges, that help the plans seem superior to traditional Medicare, although some seniors no longer would — or are healthy enough to — make use of some of the offerings available under their plans. Again, Medicare Advantage plans have proven to be a godsend, but a wrinkle has evolved — a wrinkle that is ...

City licensing issue must be decided

As most Altoona residents probably are aware — to some degree, at least — one of the significant issues currently facing the city council is whether to end the requirement that workers in the plumbing and electrical trades be required to have a city-issued license in order to work within the city’s borders. The issue has been discussed in the past; each time it “went away” without major changes resulting. However, according to a Nov. 4 Mirror article, the council, several years ago, liberalized the licensing rules slightly by reducing the number of years of experience ...