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Letters to the Editor

NS response doesn’t instill confidence

Following the recent derailment and having been pressed by Federal Officials, Norfolk Southern returned a lame response to the legitimate concern of future chemical catastrophe in Altoona. “Already, we have taken corrective action to strengthen our operating and maintenance practices and reduce the risk of a similar incident in the future.” They provided no details, and no level of confidence of what was changed to quell our concerns. “We take these incidents extremely seriously and are committed to conducting thorough investigations, sharing additional information when ...

Letter writer had right idea

I agree with the letter writer about hypocrisy in Christianity. As a pastor I have been dealing with it for almost 50 years. The writer cleverly tied together politics and Christian hypocrisy. He knows what the Bible teaches “about loving our neighbors,” but evidently, he doesn’t think the Bible has anything to say about “what people read, what they teach, whom they marry or what medical decisions they make.” According to him, it is hypocritical to only follow those parts of the Bible that fit our belief system. Concerning “what people read,” the Bible teaches us not ...

Gov’t, healthcare demand transparency

As someone living with an autoimmune disease on a fixed income, I know how important access to medicines and reliable care can be. When you’re managing a chronic condition and a budget at the same time, healthcare costs aren’t just a policy issue. They are personal. The 340B Drug Pricing Program gives eligible hospitals and clinics discounts on medicines, so they can ensure low-income and rural patients have access to affordable medicines. Its mission matters to patients across Pennsylvania, including me. Accountability for how the program operates matters too. I may not follow ...

The numbers are not adding up

The recent federal crackdowns on senior daycare fraud expose a deep-seated ongoing problem: Taxpayer dollars are being drained by systemic abuse, while regular families face skyrocketing health insurance costs. Some people may see the stern measure as a political movement. Corruption from frontline facilities overcharging the government mirrors the corporate exploitation from health insurance conglomerates overcharging patients. While a senior center might inflate attendance logs and bill for unjustified treatments to siphon public funds, insurance companies gouge the public with ...

Lawmakers should clarify data center regs

Taylor Township residents deserve a clear answer about who can say no to a data center. Solicitor Patrick Fanelli says municipalities cannot simply ban a legal use. The governor's spokeswoman says his executive order ties state permits to local support. Those are different explanations of the same approval process. Residents should not have to hire a lawyer to work out what their participation can change. Harrisburg should put that process into plain language: which decisions belong to the municipality, which belong to the state, and what happens when a project meets technical ...

Serving the public means serving people

Public service is defined as service provided by the government to the people within its jurisdiction. Simple enough, but perhaps our elected officials, on every level, need a reminder especially during election season. Public office was never intended to be a lifelong career focused on personal gain or self-serving agendas. Our founding fathers envisioned citizens with a patriotic spirit serving their communities before returning to their own livelihoods. Public service should mean putting people first, listening to concerns and finding solutions. Unfortunately, the Franks­town ...