In March, the Altoona Mirror reported on the fact that both the state and federal government agree on the need for expanded broadband access in rural areas. That’s because anyone living or working in a rural area understands how lack of access to high-speed internet hurts our students’ ...
Texting while driving is so dangerous that it’s outlawed. But doctors and nurses are expected to care for patients while keeping their eyes glued to a computer screen, following prompts and clicking boxes. Some electronic health record systems require 62 clicks just to order Tylenol, and ...
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was signed by President Trump and his fellow leaders at the G20 in Argentina. The accord modernizes the decades-old NAFTA and is chock full of provisions that will help American small businesses boost exports and safeguard their intellectual ...
The sun is getting brighter and the days longer. On Wednesday comes the Spring Equinox, marking the sun’s northward advance over our hemisphere and the promise of even more sunlight and warmth. Let there be life. The sun had its first close-up recently, relayed in December by NASA’s ...
I am writing this after seeing and hearing so much misinformation about the Altoona Area High School project. I served on the Altoona school board for 44 years. I have always had the best interests of the community in mind and wish to share some of the facts as I know them. In spring of ...
In Harrisburg, there is a renewed push by some that Sunday hunting should be permitted. The PA State Grange respectfully disagrees. Even while disagreeing, we certainly understand the rationale. The PA Game Commission believes it will make more money from the sale of hunting licenses. ...
I am writing to voice my opposition to a proposed state Supreme Court rule that, if enacted, could have negative impacts on patient care. I started my orthopedic surgery practice in Altoona in 1986, having come here directly out of residency and fellowship in New York City. Central ...
Do you know how often you use the services and programs provided by your county government? When you go to the courthouse for jury duty or to get a marriage license, it’s obvious that you are interacting with your county. But it’s not so obvious when you call 911. Or when you go to vote. ...
According to a survey done by U.S. News, “37 percent of students are prepared for college-level math and reading” (Camera, 2016). Compared to a survey conducted by four Glendale students (listed below), 80 percent of Glendale alumni now enrolled in a platform of higher education believe ...
College students need to play more video games. Seriously. New research shows that gaming actually improves cognitive and social skills. It’s one of the most accessible, inclusive activities for students. And, unbeknownst to many, professional video gaming has become a big business, so job ...
Former US senator was always himself By Dennis Roddy Harris Wofford, who died last week at 92, was so lacking in cynicism and guile that people today would scarce believe someone like him ever won a seat in the United States Senate. Born into a well-to-do family, young Harris walked ...
By David Shribman Pittsburgh Post-Gazette YORBA LINDA, Calif. — He was, like Calvin Coolidge, an introvert. He was, like Theodore Roosevelt, a battler. He was, like Bill Clinton, a policy wonk. He was, like Donald Trump, a polarizing figure. He was, like Warren Harding, a scoundrel. He ...
By Harry M. Covert For years, illegal drug use has been invading every community of the nation. One of the world’s biggest purveyor of drugs is on trial. And the talk is how opioids are destroying young and old alike. Use of pot, officially called marijuana, has creeped into public ...
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar wants to make prescription drug pricing more transparent. We agree, but his well-intentioned plan will only confuse and mislead consumers. What’s the good of listing drug prices in advertising if almost no one pays that “list price?” ...
The angry protests around the 2016 Mylan EpiPen scandal brought into focus the perils for patients when the price of a life-saving drug spikes precipitously. As a Type 1 diabetic who has been dealing with escalating insulin prices my whole life, I was heartened to see the outcry over our ...
My heart was broken when I heard about the massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh last month. I was sitting in my study preparing my sermon when the alert came. I immediately prayed, asking God to protect the people there. It was not until later that I heard 11 precious lives ...
A stranger appeared just as we were sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner. And he sat in the chair that we always leave empty to symbolize those, who due to death or distance, could not be with us this year. The stranger then began to talk — and even sometimes sing. “Let us bow our ...
This Thanksgiving, I am thankful to not have cancer. I hope. Six months ago, my family doctor sent me for a CT scan because I went in to be checked out for something that felt weird which ended up being nothing. However, the CT scan did reveal some nodules in my thyroid. A local ...
America’s medical system is facing a primary care crisis. To meet our nation’s needs would require almost 15,000 additional primary care doctors. Take into account the effects of aging and population growth, and the shortage will climb to almost 50,000 by 2030. There are thousands of ...
When a student feels sick during the school day, they visit the school nurse. But if their problem is emotional or psychological in nature, where can they turn for help? That’s the dilemma some Pennsylvania students face when they are bullied by classmates. Tragically, bullying reportedly ...