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Deserving ‘Feathers’ in his cap

Shining rays of sun on some good news: Randy Feathers has devoted most of his life to law enforcement and the betterment of the Altoona community. Now his efforts are being recognized. The Central Blair Recreation Commission announced Feathers would be the recipient of the prestigious Respected Citizen Award at the annual Community Classic Dinner and Auction on Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Bavarian Hall. Feathers is a former Altoona police officer, former state attorney general agent, ex-president of the Booker T. Washington Revitalization Corp. and current member of the Operation Our ...

Let’s hope patriotism can return

The emphases in this country on the beginning of World War II generally center around Dec. 7, 1941, the day of the infamous Japanese aerial sneak attack on the American naval fleet based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Actually, the war already was in progress for more than two years before that fateful day. The war is regarded as having begun on Sept. 3, 1939, when Great Britain and France declared war on Germany in response to the Nazis’ invasion of Poland two days earlier. The United States declared war on Japan on Dec. 8, 1941, and three days later — Dec. 11, 1941 — made the same ...

Fungal infections must be treated with caution

COVID-19’s dominance over health and medical news for nearly three years has, understandably, relegated other ailments and diseases to the background, although TV commercials and other advertising geared toward certain products and medicines have rightly continued to attract people afflicted with whatever the ailment, disease or condition those items purportedly treat. But in an Oct. 25 article, the Wall Street Journal put an information spotlight on a situation that can be regarded as still being greatly misunderstood, as well as having been greatly ignored up to now, despite its ...

Fungal infections must be treated with caution

COVID-19’s dominance over health and medical news for nearly three years has, understandably, relegated other ailments and diseases to the background, although TV commercials and other advertising geared toward certain products and medicines have rightly continued to attract people afflicted with whatever the ailment, disease or condition those items purportedly treat. But in an Oct. 25 article, the Wall Street Journal put an information spotlight on a situation that can be regarded as still being greatly misunderstood, as well as having been greatly ignored up to now, despite its ...

Deer season’s challenges, opportunities

Anticipation is giving way to excitement as Pennsylvania’s rifle deer-hunting season — an annual rite of late fall — gets underway. It is an exercise that tests perseverance and patience, observation and tracking skills and physical endurance in dealing with less-than-ideal temperatures as well as an array of possibly adverse, quickly changing weather conditions. Like other sports, hunting does not guarantees success. However, it can produce wonderful results, even if actual hunting success is not achieved. What we are alluding to is when it helps revive or bolster positive ...

Buying into the chance to buy local

Today is Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year for Christmas and holiday shoppers. It’s no secret that America has grown accustomed to online shopping. In fact, a reported 85% of consumers made an online purchase during last year’s holidays, according to national shopping data. However, with COVID-19 thankfully further in our rear-view mirror after the economy was crippled in 2020 and 2021, research shows consumers are returning to traditional shopping in local stories than prior to the pandemic. Let’s hope so. The NPD Group, which tracks national ...