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Letters to the Editor

PSU gatekeeping leads to closures

Penn State’s closing of 7 Commonwealth Campuses because of declining enrollments is its own fault. However, it fails to acknowledge its camouflaged complicity in that decline. University Park, the main campus, is The Gatekeeper for all campuses. It favors student placement at University Park to increase revenue to support its growth. Since 1967, University Park’s construction spiraled and student enrollment increased from 22,000 to 48,000. To pay for it, enrollment grew. Annual student costs increased, with out-of-state students paying $24,000 more. When students with equal ...

Return to Sunday school important

Bellwood attracted me and my family in the fall of 1959. We have enjoyed almost a lifetime of Christian leadership here and now I am 91 with 65 years in three business developments and Christian teaching our youth. I see troubling concerns facing our town as we journey to the future. Recently, our borough has worked to update our streets and services while we see the loss of M&T Bank, and an old 1896-built stone United Methodist church. Thanks be to God for establishing The Hope Center with a food program along with THE DOOR helping our youth to come to know Jesus. I read in the ...

Biden vs Trump

Recently a writer on the Editorial Page said that America was heading in the right direction after four years of chaos under the Biden administration and his cabinet being the worst that ever served in the White House, well let’s talk about this terrible administration. Biden passed the Infrastructure Bill which Altoona received $40 million dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act, The American Rescue Plan, The Pact Act for veterans, The Chips and Science Act, lowered prescription drug prices for seniors, saw the creation of over 15 million jobs with job growth every month for over ...

Where does the fraud stop

Democrats are stubbornly defending rampant fraud in Minnesota. Why is Governor Tim Walz insisting on handling the “investigations” internally? The answer, as it usually is with Democrats, is simple: it has everything to do with political self-interest. Across the country, Somali-run child care centers, adult care facilities, and social service organizations have received massive public funding through programs beleaguered by fraud. In a vast majority of the politicians who enabled these programs — and turned a blind eye to fraud warning signs — benefited enormously. A prime ...

Richland School District praised

I would like to express many thanks to the Richland School District. Richland hosted the District Chorus festival on Friday, Jan. 9. They hosted 182 students from 34 different school districts. Richland can be very proud of their staff that provided a wonderful experience for these young adults. I must also say Blair County can be very proud of your students. The future for these young adults is very bright. Duane Ehredt Sr. Altoona

Taking from Peter to pay Paul

Before Christmas, President Donald Trump announced a one-time $1,776 payment to the men and women of our all-voluntary active-duty military. This gift lands somewhere between a good and great idea. Because the payment was issued quickly, the administration chose to fund it by redirecting roughly $2.6 billion from an existing military program, the Basic Allowance for Housing. There were certainly other ways to finance this bonus. Which brings us to a more troubling example of robbing Peter to pay Paul. In this case, the Peter is the American taxpayer, and the Paul is Paul Walczak, a ...