Breaking News

Letters to the Editor

Work with the city to help homeless

I was reading the article about the sit-in by Indivisible Blair County and their postponed protest. I applaud them for their concern for the homeless. But I do have to ask what they have done to help end the homeless problem. I bet the city would welcome any help you can offer to help those who are homeless. I’m sure that the fine that could be imposed is the last thing they want to happen. I hope the group reads the same article and that they see how city officials have helped with the homeless they have encountered. And that they also see that the city created the Homeless Task ...

Community lauded for job well done

As many other train lovers did, my husband and I traveled to Altoona Thursday, July 9, to see the Big Boy locomotive; truly an impressive sight, along with many other beautiful, vintage trains. We had a most enjoyable day, but what helped to make it enjoyable was the great job done by the organizers and volunteers at the event. From the parking at the mall to the bus transportation to the train area, everything ran quickly and smoothly. There were ample attendants in the event area and multiple sites with tubs of complimentary water bottles on ice. All the volunteers we spoke with were ...

Thanks given for Vietnam wall work

I would like to thank Ken Fedora of the Central Pa National Guard and Veterans Association for refurbishing the replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall at the Van Zandt Medical Center. (Altoona Mirror of June 27). C. Arnold McClure Shirleysburg, Huntington County Vietnam veteran, 1967-68

Congratulations on a job well done

We need to congratulate the City of Altoona, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific for an excellent four day event. From 5:15 p.m. July 8 to 10 a.m. July 11, the Big Boy event was tremendous. In April when it was announced, a friend said to me “Altoona can’t handle this.” Was he wrong. What a great four day party! There are so many organizations that need to be applauded for a job well done. Welcoming 100,000 people to an outdoor event in the heat of summer and keeping them safe is no easy task and you did it. From all of us train buffs who grew up with trains in our backyards ...

Same standards apply to all political sides

Americans should be deeply concerned when any president appears to profit personally from holding the nation’s highest office. Reports that President Donald Trump and his business interests have accumulated billions of dollars in wealth while he serves as president raises serious ethical and constitutional questions that deserve public scrutiny. The Framers included the Emoluments Clause in the Constitution for a reason: to prevent presidents from accepting financial benefits that could influence — or appear to influence — their decisions. These protections were intended to ...

Enforce current e-bike rules

As the mother of two boys, I read your June editorial “E-bike crackdown welcome” with a strong sense of shared concern. You accurately highlighted scenarios that haunt local parents daily — riders losing control of their speed, collisions with vehicles, and the tragic potential for innocent motorists to be injured or deeply traumatized. These are not hypothetical fears; they are clear and present dangers on our local streets because age restrictions and vehicle-type laws are being largely ignored. Pennsylvania law states riders must be at least 16 years old to operate these ...