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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 ...

Are lawmakers ignoring constituents?

Letters to the Editor

TV daily news gives a snapshot of the day’s events and various commentators present their views. Some lean to the left and some to the right, and Fox News admits it presents opinion disguised as news. The Declaration of Independence starts with “we the people.” The people of the United States have often held opinions contrary to their government’s actions. Public demonstrations exerted pressure from “the people” which ended the Vietnam conflict. Locally, there have been two marches protesting the government’s reduction of Medicaid reimbursements for nursing homes. This ...

Let Freedom Ring concert praised

Letters to the Editor

I just wanted to give a shoutout to P&J Productions, Penn State Altoona, the City of Altoona and First Frontier of Blair County for a wonderful musical tribute, “Let Freedom Ring” on June 27 and June 28 at the PSU Altoona Misciagna Family Center. What an amazing showcase of local talent, from the singers to the young dancers, this patriotic performance was a wonderful lead in to the 4th of July weekend and a great tribute to our country and those who have served to protect it. Thank you for an amazing show! Karen Isenberg Altoona

An attack on most vulnerable species

Letters to the Editor

On July 10, the Trump administration finalized a rule that removes the longstanding regulatory definition of “harm” from the Endangered Species Act. This is the most monstrous attack ever on our nation’s most vulnerable species. For decades, that definition recognized that wildlife can be harmed not only through direct physical violence, but also when habitat destruction prevents animals from feeding, breeding, sheltering, or raising their young. Destroying an animal’s habitat is harm. Removing habitat destruction from the definition of harm will make it easier for reckless ...

Lawmakers need lessons on compromise

Editorials

Pennsylvania has an approved 2026-27 budget; that’s the good news. The bad news is how much unfinished budget-related business the state General Assembly has before it, but was unable to accomplish, despite missing the June 30 statutory budget-completion deadline by nearly two weeks. For starters, lawmakers were unable to come to agreement on a regulatory framework for skill games, including taxing those devices. While some state residents might regard that as unimportant, from a fiscal standpoint it is, because it is estimated that taxing those games could generate about $2 ...

What follows after Big Boy?

Letters to the Editor

We collectively experienced something very profound — the arrival of Union Pacific’s “Big Boy” in “Railroad City.” I was heartened by the throngs of long-distance travelers who appreciate heritage we often take for granted. Activities reminded me of Conrail’s much beloved, but long dormant, Rail Fest, a staple of my youth before Norfolk Southern’s takeover. This past week, pilgrims, promoters and politicians ventured to Altoona for something akin to a spiritual journey. But what now? As a historian, I not only think about past patterns, but hypotheticals. The hard truth ...