Search for tolerance shouldn’t be elusive

June 6, 2023

John Hartsock stepped out of the Altoona Mirror’s sports pages in the May 27-28 edition to deliver an important message, that awareness and education effectively combat the stigma attached to mental illnesses. In the Mirror’s news pages, readers have seen what clinical depression looks like and how it can be treated effectively. Look no further than the continuing recovery of Pennsylvania’s junior U.S. senator, John Fetterman, who was hospitalized for depression this spring and has returned to his Senate duties. A stigma, it should be noted, is in the mind of the beholder, ...

Census data can be quite misleading

May 25, 2023

The Census Bureau collects a great deal of demographic data on U.S. residents. Governmental and private entities use this data as a basis for public debate and policy decisions on economic and social issues. For example, the bureau provides data on income distribution in the U.S. Unfortunately, if the data is not properly adjusted, it can lead to inaccurate and misleading conclusions about the degree of income inequality in the U.S. Demagogues can then use these conclusions to stir class envy and promote bad policy. The bureau data recognizes only cash income received by ...

Cemeteries are treasures; treat them as such

May 20, 2023

Do you realize that most of us live within a few miles of one or more museums of art and history, open during daylight hours, with free admission, created by past and current citizens, on land that was likely donated by a generous benefactor? I’m talking about the cemeteries that dot the landscape. They contain a wealth of historical information and display a variety of artistic expressions. In less than a week, on Monday, May 29, we will observe Memorial Day. In the years following the Civil War, in which more than 600,000 men died, veterans in small towns in both North and ...

ALS is not incurable, but is underfunded

May 1, 2023

“ALS is not an incurable disease. It is an underfunded one.” You may have read those words as part of fundraising campaigns by institutions and organizations working to combat ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. But here in Pennsylvania, it could soon be the reality if the ALS funding level in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget doesn’t change. As a member of the PA House Appropriations Committee, part of my job is to review the governor’s proposed budget requests and to interrogate department secretaries at budget hearings about funding requests for their respective ...

Alzheimer’s, gum disease are linked

April 26, 2023

Grandma always losing her teeth might be a funny family anecdote to some, but maybe there is something more to it than that. Sometimes we forget that the mouth is part of the body. The oral-systemic link is something that dentists emphasize rightfully because several studies published in the last decade point toward a link between Alzheimer’s and periodontal disease. The oral microbiome can affect overall health in the same way that it does in our gut, on our skin, and everywhere else throughout the body. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the supporting ...

Election letters due today

April 21, 2023

Letters concerning the May 16 primary election or candidates running in the election must be received in the Mirror’s newsroom by 4 p.m. today, April 21. There is a limit of one letter per person in each election cycle. To be considered for publication, election-related letters cannot exceed 150 words and must include the author’s name, complete home mailing address and home and daytime telephone numbers for verification purposes. Letters can be submitted online at vnr.altoonamirror.com; mailed to Altoona Mirror letters, P.O. Box 2008, Altoona, PA 16603; emailed to ...