I am urging the members of the Legislature to vote no on HB 1650. This bill wants to close all the mentally disabled centers in the state of Pennsylvania by the year 2023. I am an advocate for the care and safety that the centers provide for the profoundly mentally disable and autistic ...

There are no words to describe the senseless and barbaric act of violence committed in Charlottesville, Virginia. Such loss of innocent life is always tragic. On this day, I am reminded of a quote coined by the 3rd Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, “Love for all, hatred for ...

I see that the City of Altoona is ready to exit Act 47. I only hope that city leaders conduct their business in a wise manner. I mean, just because the county commissioners got property values raised, I hope they don’t go on a spending spree with money collected from taxes. I also ...

Forty years ago, the 300 block of Fifth Avenue in Altoona was a much different place. Most homes were owned by people who lived in them. When people passed away or moved, homes became rentals. In recent years, neighbors have dealt with drug dealers, foul-mouthed jerks and people who live ...

Last year, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department approved insurance corporations to raise people’s marketplace health insurance premiums by an average of 33 percent across the state and by 22 percent right here in Blair County. They’re raising our deductibles and copays, too. Everyday ...

Wing Off needs recycling bins Recently we went to the Wing Off at Legion Park in Hollidaysburg. It was a warm and sunny evening. Upon arrival, the courteous parking attendants found us a place so we older people didn’t have to walk so far. The food servers were great and so was the ...

After reading the Friday, Aug. 4 edition of the Mirror, I had to just shake my head in disbelief. In the article about the drug bust as part of the story, the Mirror listed all the ingredients and containers needed to make meth. What were you thinking? I understand in this Internet ...

Any health care plan that does not include mental health coverage is unacceptable. Recently, a health care plan known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act was attempted to be passed that made mental health care coverage optional, including health-sustaining treatments such as ...

How refreshing, for once, to see on the front page the story of our own Dan Ott and his accomplishment. I had the pleasure of knowing Dan, his twin Dillon and sister Ceara, while they were students at Logan Elementary. What a fine family they are. I am sure his mom, who is a sweetheart, ...

Although my wife and I moved from Altoona to Virginia several years ago, we both still have our Altoona-area cellphone numbers. Because of this, this past weekend I was called by a pollster seeking opinions on the UPMC Health System. The gist of the poll was: If I could only go to a UPMC ...

In the coming weeks, millions of college-bound freshmen will be leaving home for the campus for the first time. As parents prepare their teens for college, it’s important to set aside time to talk about alcohol. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, ...

Concerning health care for all Americans, the nation has witnessed the spurious, corporate concerns of both Trump and the Republican majority of Congress. Both branches of government want to impose a system that would deny health care to countless Americans, including millions of Trump ...

Although President Donald Trump later changed his position, he revealed his true heart when he declared that instead of repealing Obamacare, he would let it fail. He was saying that he is willing to let people struggle again for decent health care; he was saying that he is willing to let ...

In reference to the article on July 25 concerning the sale of WTRN, I find myself confused by the court’s attempt to restrict correspondence with the FCC and to cease posting on social media by Ted Simpson, son of the late owner. I feel that there is shown a disregard of the constitution ...

Today we are bombarded with fake news and outright lies within our news media. This business is a very large industry globally owned by seven companies who control over 50 percent of the print media here in America. Forbes Magazine 2016 declared 15 billionaires in America control the entire ...

I just finished reading online the Mirror’s July 25 article regarding the sale of radio station WTRN in Tyrone. It appears we have a judge in Blair County who has decided to suppress the free speech of the station’s original owner and founder’s son, Ted Simpson. If I have read the ...

In a July 22 op-ed titled “Late-night charter vote suspect,” Susan Spicka, Executive Director of Education Voters of PA, attempted to distort the work of the Senate and wrongly attacks me for my vote on legislation to improve the educational system. The legislation Spicka referenced is ...

I live in the Highland Park area, and I have contacted the Central Blair Park and Recreation office manager several times about the removal of the playground swing equipment and their return to service time estimate. The manager has advised me that there is no present date of equipment ...

After watching yet another war story on Netflix about a battle in Afghanistan where more American soldiers were killed, you have to ask: When is enough, enough? This war has been going on for 17 years. If we have not achieved by now whatever our objective was, we never will. What ...

Thank you, Ed Kreuz. Why would Dutch Brennan be upset with Kreuz for watching out for the taxpayers’ money? Based on the increase in our school taxes alone this year, we need somebody on that board who is looking out for us. Ken Garman Altoona