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Letters to the Editor

UPMC Altoona deserves recognition

Recently my family and I spent way more time at UPMC Altoona than we would have wished. Our beloved mother spent time in the ER, ICU, 7th Floor, and finally Palliative Care on the 14th floor. During the many weeks she was there, we encountered nothing but the most excellent medical care. Along with that, we never dealt with one single person who was not kind, considerate, empathetic, patient and skilled. The aides, the nurses, the doctors, even the people who cleaned the room, never saw us without asking if my mother needed anything or if WE needed anything. The security guards, ...

Mental health must be addressed

A never-ending calamity in progress: this is my view of our country’s rather pitiful address to mental health. How many more mass shootings, suicides, assaults, etc., will it take for our country to put mental illness completely at the forefront? In my opinion, at least 90% of the gun violence in our country is a result of mental health issues. Every time a television commercial appears espousing a “get quick fix” solution after taking a medicine for clinical depression for a few days, I cringe. The message this sends is that one only needs to take medicine, and nothing ...

Notice the crops

Out my back door are hundreds of acres of fields which annually grow corn and soybeans. Alternating fields of soybeans and corn. Right now every corn field has been planted while grass covers the soybean fields. Meaning our farmers income is likely now cut in half. Not too difficult to assume there is no market for U.S. soybeans, as Brazil is now the top exporter of soybeans to China thanks to Trump’s tariffs. It also means that the big corporate farms are getting a lot of our tax dollars as subsidies to offset these losses, but not our smaller family farms. Across the ...

Are we doomed to repeat history?

In A Christmas Carol, the third spectre shows Ebeneezer Scrooge his miserable future, the consequence of his misanthropy and greed. Scrooge posited the critical query; “Are these the shadows of the things which Will be, or are they the shadows of the things that May be, only?” David French’s NY Times dire opinion piece on May 31, 2026, harkens to this existential question. Today, American populist demagogues persuade the vulnerable that democracy, decency and constructive compromise are weakness; tyranny, cynicism and brutality are strength. Ignorance of historical consequences ...

Country has great things to celebrate

I can’t imagine I’m alone in thinking how ironic our nation’s 250-year anniversary is happening now during this time of division in our country. It can also be argued that it is depressing. If we Google trying times in U.S. history, we will find that our great nation has had inner division problems before, probably just as important to the people of those times as they are to us now. When I get confused on how to feel about important issues, I like to read articles about the world written by learned people. They say we shouldn’t define one’s life by a stroke of bad luck and I ...

Dog owners urged to control pets

By Thomas Hand As Postmaster of Altoona, I would like to ask our residents who are dog owners to assist us during Dog Bite Awareness Month. Although this campaign is highlighted in June, please know your letter carrier practices dog bite awareness year-round. Even the most predictable pets can act unpredictably when defending territory or feeling startled. Because dogs rely on protective instincts, owners must manage their dogs during delivery times to prevent accidents. Keep your dog in a separate closed room before opening the front door. If you step outside, ensure the door is ...