How many deaths are acceptable?

April 6, 2026

Recently, Gov. Josh Shapiro and the governor of Philadelphia County, Eric Krasner, stated that they will prohibit federal agents from enforcing immigration law in the Commonwealth. This should alarm anyone who values both the rule of law and the safety of our communities. Setting aside the constitutional reality that the Tenth Amendment does not empower state officials to nullify federal authority, there is a more urgent and human question that demands an answer. What is the real-world cost of these policies — especially for women? Across the country, law enforcement has documented ...

Mail-in voting proven safe

April 3, 2026

The saying “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander” certainly does not apply to our president. Donald Trump has once again cast another mail-in ballot in a recent Florida election as he continues to publicly bash that voting as a source of election fraud. He uses his normal strong arm practices with Congress to pass a bill that would abolish the mail-in process. Such a move by Trump once again displays his “two faced” way of governing in his corrupt administration. His SAVE America Act is his and the Republicans’ move to curtail citizen’s right to vote and ...

Congress needs to protect troops

April 2, 2026

“Thank you for your service,” is often heard from politicians who lack respect for U.S. troops and American honor. Now, as a new Mideast war places our soldiers, sailors and airmen in harm’s way, the Republican Congress shirks the Constitutional duty to declare war or halt what may be an illegal military action by our executive branch to support Israel. Our ally Israel previously demonstrated willingness to commit war crimes against a helpless civilian population in Gaza, destroying civilian infrastructure, killing tens of thousands of children and subjecting civilians to siege ...

Save integrity of Reiser House

April 1, 2026

On March 12, Hollidaysburg Borough Council temporarily tabled a proposal by the mayor to convert the Reiser House canal-era museum into a Slinky exhibit. I share the concerns expressed by the many constituents who protested his proposition. As an academic historian, I support new museums and do not object to a Slinky tribute. However, I adamantly oppose replacing canal displays. If the James family — the originators of the toy — or Just Play Products wish to create such an attraction, they are financially well suited to repurpose a vacant downtown building to achieve that aim. ...

State falls short for residents, facilities

March 31, 2026

Moving a parent, grandparent, or loved one into a long-term care facility is one of the most difficult decisions a loved one can make. It’s often fraught with emotion, worry and uncertainty. But it should never be “icky,” as described in an Associated Press article. After all, every aging adult deserves to spend their golden years being treated with the respect they deserve. And every long-term care facility should aim to deliver just that. But that doesn’t mean we don’t face challenges in delivering that level of quality care. You know what’s really “icky?” ...

Planting trees can help keep us safe

March 30, 2026

Altoona has always had hot summers, but with the last two summers, those temperatures have only gotten worse and more dangerous. The forest fires smoke in Canada has blazed to central PA, which causes air quality to decline. That creates risks for many people in our community, especially children and elderly. Children breathe faster than adults, which means they inhale more polluted air. Temperatures combined with poor air quality trigger asthma attacks and other breathing issues. According to the Pennsylvania Climate Impacts Assessment, “projected increases in asthma-related ...