Election letters due Friday

April 20, 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. Friday, 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 ...

‘Sex discrimination is bad for business’

April 19, 2023

According to unadjusted Census Bureau data, for every dollar earned by men, women earn only 83 cents. Known as the Gender Wage Gap, and often cited as evidence of sex discrimination, does further analysis support or refute it? As a father of two adult daughters who work outside the home, I am personally invested in the answer. Using unadjusted data, the statement is correct, but the gap disappears when additional factors are considered. Voluntary life choices made by both men and women also impact wage earnings. After taking account of these, the gap virtually ...

Is Tennessee turning point? Let’s hope

April 17, 2023

By Donna Bullock and Morgan Cephas The endless cycle of mass shootings, collective grief and debate continues to divide our nation. As Black legislators, we navigate this cycle looking for the right moment to highlight the oft-ignored daily gun violence in our communities, and to offer solutions. We look for allies. We stand in the gap for others. We carefully express justified outrage that doesn’t fit neatly in the box of decorum or culture of the legislature. It is a delicate balance — a skill set many Black legislators have learned in state capitols across our ...

Equinox brings us fresh outlook

March 20, 2023

Hail spring, farewell winter, and a rousing welcome to the spring equinox for precisely positioning the earth — and us — in time and space. We watch in awe as the solar conductor rouses the vegetative orchestra to life, transforming fallow plots of land into flourishing gardens. Let there be life. The equinox provides a you-are-here moment as our planet travels around the sun. Today the solar disk appears directly above the equator; the northern and southern hemispheres have equal amounts of day and night; the sun rises true east and sets true west the world over. Every spring ...

Skill games aiding restaurants, bars

March 13, 2023

Running any small business is difficult, but for restaurant and bar owners, the last few years have been especially cruel. First they clawed their way through COVID, trying to stay open while meeting ever changing health safety guidelines. Many, sadly, didn’t make it out the other side of the pandemic. Then came the worker shortage that is still pummeling businesses today. And now, the triple threat is inflation. Talk to any restaurant owner and they can tell you how much more expensive everything they need to run their business has become in 2023. And they keep their ...

Fetterman’s decision can inspire others

March 8, 2023

More than 8% of Americans suffer from a major depressive disorder. Celebrities that we admire have sought treatment for depression: Bruce Springsteen, Kristin Bell, Jim Carrey, and Michael Phelps, to name just a few. A number of politicians, including Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., have spoken openly about their battles with depression. Some of our greatest historical leaders suffered from depression: Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Ulysses S. Grant, and Martin Luther King Jr., for example. Depression also impacted the lives of some of the most ...