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Heros can be found in many places

The Altoona High School class 1963 will celebrate their 80th birthdays on Aug. 2. The Friday before, a group of graduates will get together at Finelli’s Italian Villa. When I come home, I like to go to Finelli’s; it is so friendly and hospitable. Growing up I really didn’t know Frank Finelli since he is younger. He told me once that when he played football for Roosevelt the ’62 football team were his heroes. It never entered my mind that we were heroes. Looking back, I do remember that the older players at the high school were also my hero’s when I played for Roosevelt. ...

Community support makes Altoona special

On behalf of the Blair Regional YMCA Race Team, we want to express our gratitude for the incredible community support of the 52nd running of the Angie Gioiosa Memorial 4th of July Race. Your enthusiasm, encouragement and kindness created a truly special atmosphere for the runners, walkers, volunteers and spectators. From cheering on participants to offering helping hands, hoses and smiles, your support played a vital role in the success of the event. We are especially grateful to local residents, businesses, public safety officials, sponsors and volunteers who went above and beyond ...

Make visas and immigration easier

Why are we wasting hundreds of millions of dollars building concentration camps? Why are we not helping undocumented workers get visas to continue working? Why are we not working to make immigration easier? When my grandparents came here from Italy around 1910, all they had to do was come. Restrictive immigration laws were passed in the 1920s due to nativism, economic concerns and fears of radicalism following WWI. These laws aimed to limit immigration and favor those from northern and western Europe. A anti-immigrant sentiment, known as nativism, prevalent in the 1920s, was fueled ...

Athletic differences between men, women

Some Democrats are still promoting trans athletes, men, competing in women’s sports. If those men have passed puberty, it is unfair. I will present some examples of world records by both sexes. First, we’ll start with April 4, 2017, when the U.S. women’s soccer team played a U15 boys team in Dallas and lost 5-2. On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister was the first person to run the mile in less than four minutes. It was only by a few seconds, but he managed to do it. The current men’s record for the mile is 3:43:13. The current women’s record for the mile is 4:06:12, which means ...

Government workers are not above the law

Could someone please explain to me how government representatives that are sworn into office and swear to uphold the laws and the Constitution of the U.S.A. can knowingly and proudly break our laws and then avoid prosecution? The unlawful attacks with words and actions, by these anti-ICE hate-spewers, who don’t care if they are endangering the lives of these agents and their families, just keeps getting worse. Why do these government workers think they are above the laws? Are we not the United States of America? Are we not a sovereign nation with borders? How can we have ...

Protect the future and our children

It’s not “woke” to want to protect our children. Some will feel discussing the implications of the Texas flooding deaths so soon after the tragedy is disrespectful. The same was said following school shootings at Sandy Hook and Uvalde. I believe that this is exactly the right moment. Delay means that problems get swept under the rug. Unusual weather events that have become all too commonplace should ignite a national discussion about the climate crisis. The energy lobby has bought and paid for our politicians and buried the truth for many decades. Although no single incident can ...