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Big Boy made a big impression

Letters to the Editor

The arrival of “Big Boy” in our little town of Altoona left a big impression on me as I know it did for thousands of others. I was transported back in time over 60 years. As a child, I would lie in my bed at night hearing the steam whistles, dispatchers and the screeching of cars, a haunting yet comforting sound. Altoona was once a bustling railroad hub; my father and grandfather were employed by the PRR. Big Boy brought that lost era back. Seeing that gigantic steel monster was like my early childhood years were flowing into my present. I could feel the intense radiating heat ...

Region must remain great destination

Editorials

One of the definitions in Webster’s Dictionary for the word “destination,” besides the definition “a place to which one is journeying,” is “a place worthy of travel or an extended visit.” That last definition is apropos, for a number of reasons, for this region — especially when one ponders several recent events. Think back to earlier this month when the world’s largest operating steam engine — Big Boy — arrived in Altoona, “posed” at Norfolk Southern Railroad’s Rose Yard for two days, then traveled to the Horseshoe Curve, where it “posed” again for ...

Group plans ‘sit in’ over ordinance

Letters to the Editor

I consider myself an independent thinker, and I believe people have every right to peacefully protest. That said, I find the idea of a sit-in over this issue confusing because I’m not sure it moves us closer to meaningful solutions. I don’t particularly like the ordinance myself. However, from what I’ve personally observed, our mayor and others involved have spent considerable time trying to connect people with resources rather than simply making arrests. Homelessness is a complex issue affecting communities across the country, and I don’t believe there is one simple ...

Grateful for support during July 4th race

Letters to the Editor

It takes much more than a race team to bring another successful Angie Gioiosa 4th of July Race to downtown Altoona. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who gave their time before, during and after the race; our generous sponsors; our setup crew; and our race timer for helping make the event run smoothly. A special thank you goes to the Mishler Theatre for opening their doors for the day before race packet pickup; the volunteers from the Cathedral for providing a wonderful food setup, along with cold watermelon and popsicles that were enjoyed by so many participants ...

The cost of freedom

Letters to the Editor

Now that all the parades, fireworks and enjoying the Big Boy train that traveled throughout the country to celebrate the 250 years of the signing of the Declaration of Independence are over, I started to wonder how many wars we have endured since then in order to keep our nation a free country. I am ashamed that my history lesson was at a loss for me, so I took the time to search for that information and would like to share it with you. The wars included: The American Revolutionary War, The War of 1812, Indian wars, Mexican War, Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I, World ...

Facing issues best done immediately

Editorials

Too often, elected officials act as if they are walking among uncooked eggs when they’re faced with a tough issue. They are fearful of cracking open the eggs and unleashing a sticky, hard-to-clean-up mess — when sometimes such a mess already exists. It was the Blair County commissioners who were faced with that kind of a dilemma early this year in connection with the county Planning Commission but, to their credit, they navigated it appropriately. Recent days confirmed the importance and correctness of what action they felt they needed to take, as well as how problematic ...