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D-Day’s 80th anniversary: Pain remains

“‘O.K., we’ll go,’ (Gen. Dwight D.) Eisenhower said. With that, nearly 3 million men launched a heroic assault against (Adolf) Hitler’s tyranny. Today the invasion is still fresh in the Western imagination. It was the apotheosis of American power and morality, and of common purpose with the Allies. For returning veterans, the Norman countryside evokes crosscurrents of nostalgia, pride and guilt.” With those words, on May 28, 1984, Time magazine introduced its coverage of the 40th anniversary of the Allies’ D-Day Normandy invasion of June 6, 1944, the major steppingstone ...

As Americans, we must discuss patriotism more

The Memorial Day-related front-page article in Monday’s Mirror provided two pictures 180 degrees apart regarding the annual patriotic observance. It is apropos to reflect on both, not only encompassing communities in the Southern Alleghenies region but others throughout the state and nation. For many area communities, Memorial Day came and went as expected. There was healthy attendance at parades and other holiday-related ceremonies and events, with residents and visitors demonstrating respect for the brave, selfless men and women who gave their lives while in this nation’s ...

Prison’s challenges adding up

Pennsylvania’s county prisons have been a hot topic in the news periodically for much of the past half-century, with county prison boards and commissioners often wrestling with issues like: — Deterioration and whether to renovate the existing facility or build new. — How to deal with temporary overcrowding. — Whether to transfer inmates to counties with available space in their prisons. — Investigations tied to successful escapes. — Correcting “weak spots” and that provide a gateway for escapes and behaviors that can lead to troublesome inmate ...

Remember what holiday represents

On America’s political front, 2024 might end up being the most divisive year people of this nation will witness and experience in their lifetime. Many Americans already are longing for the day when the presidential election will have come and gone and, on that note some already are looking forward to winter, even if winter has not been their favorite season up to now. Most Americans want harmony and cohesiveness, even if they harbor differences of opinion on certain major or not-so-major issues. The kind of disrespect being lobbed virtually non-stop within and from virtually ...

Housing trust offers viable possibilities

At first glance, the $50,000 of Affordable Housing Trust Fund money that Blair County is making available to low- to moderate-income property owners to address code violations seems like a significant investment with broad positive potential. However, if you look more closely, you might grasp a different — albeit valid — position, even though the program represents a positive community investment for which county government merits plaudits, not criticism. Consider: The program, dubbed the Code Compliance Repair Assistance Program, will make only a total of 10 grants available if ...

Postal Service must practice better safety

Winding its way through Congress is legislation that would require the U.S. Postal Service to track crashes of vehicles carrying mail. The legislation, which carries the name Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act, and which passed the House on May 6, also would punish USPS contractors that fail to report accidents. Additionally, the Postal Service would be required to publish a yearly report focusing on its highway safety record. Are you surprised that the postal agency has not routinely been doing those things? So were many other people of this country when they learned about a Wall ...