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Easter basket can fulfill us in many ways

On this Easter weekend, no one is alone in concerns and uncertainties they might be feeling. Many others are enduring similar anxieties, while others are feeling various degrees of emptiness because of circumstances in their lives — wondering how that emptiness might be resolved. This holiday, grounded in the victory of Jesus Christ over death and opening the gates to salvation for mankind, should be one of joy, hope, reconciliation and resolution from the pains of daily life. Instead, events on the world, national and local “stages,” coupled with negative or otherwise dangerous ...

Good time to heed Jesus’ words

Scriptures say that the two revolutionaries who were crucified with Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary on the day known now as Good Friday joined the chief priests, elders, scribes and others in the crowds in taunting, mocking and otherwise verbally abusing Jesus. When one of the two implored Jesus to “save thyself and us,” however, the other rebuked him, saying both of them deserved their punishments but Jesus had done nothing to deserve his. According to Scriptures, Jesus responded to the one who had defended him, saying, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Jesus’ words ...

Our view: PA Turnpike needs more transparency

It has been about eight months since an internal Pennsylvania Turnpike report disclosed that more than $104 million in tolls went uncollected in 2020 — information that turnpike officials initially concealed from the public. That reluctance by the turnpike’s hierarchy was due to embarrassment that the switch to all-electronic tolling had not gone as planned and that losses seemed destined to continue piling up. Transparency regarding the huge loss would only make the embarrassment more problematic, the hierarchy surmised, and those officials subsequently were proven ...

Our view: City smart to address snow plan shouldn’t have to wait

Many Altoona residents might be thinking “A little late, aren’t you?” regarding city council’s Monday discussion of implementing new snow emergency parking restrictions in certain neighborhoods. Of course, the discussion was late for the winter of 2021-22, which already has given way to spring, although winter weather-type conditions in recent days suggest otherwise. However, what was discussed on Monday was not late for winters to come, some of which no doubt will be much worse than the one just past, even if only in terms of frigid temperatures. Many older residents of ...

No way around it: Putin must be overthrown

Much important world, national, state and local news over the past month has been relegated to the background — some completely overshadowed — by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s horrific invasion of Ukraine. Unfortunately, there is no sign of that changing anytime soon. Putin’s threats regarding use of chemical weapons have opened potential prospects for a conflict much broader and intense than what has occurred so far, and news organizations on all fronts must not allow any proverbial stone unturned in their attempts to keep the people of this planet informed. For ...

Addressing dropout rate has merit

The Altoona Area School District is considering a number of good strategies for trying to reduce the school system’s dropout rate. However, some district residents who read — and subsequently gave serious thought to — an article in Tuesday’s Mirror might be justified in wondering whether the district could be failing to give enough attention to two very relevant points. The article in question reported on an Altoona Area School Board meeting last Monday in which board members participated as a committee of the whole, rather than in their official board-meeting ...