Opinion

Principled, fiscal conservative needed

Letters to the Editor February 23, 2026

Now, more than ever, we need a principled, fiscally conservative voice in Harrisburg. That’s why I am supporting Andrea Verobish in the special election to fill Representative Lou Schmitt’s vacant seat in the 79th Legislative District. Her values are our values: Pro-Life, Pro-2nd Amendment and in favor of protecting women’s sports. She believes strongly in unleashing Pennsylvania energy’s potential and she opposes reckless state spending and legalizing recreational marijuana. Andrea Verobish is uniquely qualified to represent the people of Pennsylvania’s 79th State ...

Logantown worthy of improvement plan

Letters to the Editor February 23, 2026

Beginning in 1992 and lasting over a decade, the Logantown community fought a battle with the Altoona YMCA to save their local park. This neighborhood conflict brought a lot of attention to Logantown’s deteriorating condition. Twenty-five years ago on July 6, Altoona hired its first planning director in three years, who focused his attention on the condition of Logantown during the ongoing dealings with the YMCA. He restarted a past program, the “Logantown Revitalization Strategy Area Plan,” that primarily obtained grants for needed home, street and sidewalk improvements for ...

Shift in CEOs shows trend in business

Editorials February 21, 2026

A measure of economic stability oftentimes — but not always — is continuity. But many companies are slamming shut the door regarding continuity, and how that will play out is a big wait-and-see question that will take a few years for an answer to be delivered, or at least a trend to be indicated. One bottom line, though, is that employees of an increasing number of companies are feeling uneasy about what might come next and whether it will be good or bad for them. “Faster CEO turnover at U.S. public companies has put the biggest class of incoming chief executives in years ...

State taxpayers left paying the bills

Letters to the Editor February 20, 2026

Just three months after the 2025-26 budget negotiations were finalized, Gov. Josh Shapiro has introduced his proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, beginning on July 1. Shapiro is, once again, proposing an irresponsible and unsustainable $53.3 billion budget, which represents a 6.3% increase over last year’s budget, further depletes the Rainy Day Fund and balloons the state’s structural deficit. Rather than do the hard work of sitting down with Republican and Democratic legislators to find ways to rein in spending and balance the budget, Shapiro is catering to special ...

We must do better for immigrants

Letters to the Editor February 20, 2026

Years ago I attended a friend’s naturalization ceremony. She was in America after her family left their homeland to escape oppression. The ceremony was deeply moving and filled me with pride and love for our country — feelings my grandfather must have experienced many years earlier when he became a citizen. That friend is now a nurse practitioner promoting the health of her fellow Americans. Today masked federal agents wait outside public buildings to prevent people like my grandfather from becoming productive American citizens. Instead, they will be forcibly returned to situations ...

Verobish will be accountable leader

Letters to the Editor February 20, 2026

I proudly support Andrea Verobish for State Representative in the 79th District. Our community deserves principled leadership rooted in family values, constitutional rights, and fiscal responsibility. Andrea understands that strong families and safe communities are the foundation of a thriving district. She supports protecting parental rights and ensuring our schools reflect the values of the people they serve. Andrea is also a strong defender of the Second Amendment. In our region, that right represents personal protection, heritage, and freedom. She is committed to standing up for ...