Breaking News

Opinion

Work with the city to help homeless

Letters to the Editor

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 ...

Education can reduce sexual abuse risks

Letters to the Editor

Education can reduce sexual abuse risks While it is commendable that PA Representatives Jim Rigby and Kyle Mullins are advocating for passage of legislation to properly fund centers that “heal” children from abuses, more focus is needed on prevention than making predators pay for the healing. Reacting to a crime doesn’t prevent it. A proactive approach requires open and honest age appropriate and individual readiness education about sex, human sexuality, relationship boundaries, privacy, intimacy reproduction, diseases etc. Bodily systems are not to be weaponized and children ...

Leniency on property right decision

Editorials

Despite giving an example of blight in their municipality the tough attention it deserves, the Logan Township supervisors extended a degree of leniency — correctly — to the owner of a blighted property on Sandy Run Road, giving her about four months to get the unsightly situation under control. The supervisors had the option to file a misdemeanor code-violation charge against the property owner, based on the fact that repeated citations had been issued against the property. However, all considered, the supervisors’ action probably was the right move, due to all of the ...

Community lauded for job well done

Letters to the Editor

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 ...

Congratulations on a job well done

Letters to the Editor

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 ...

Thanks given for Vietnam wall work

Letters to the Editor

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