Breaking News

Opinion

Pa. Turnpike Commission fails in transparency

Editorials

There are certain things we can depend upon in Pennsylvania. As certain as the sun will rise, there will be potholes, there will be football rivalries and the state Legislature will lock horns over something that should be an easy compromise. But hey, sometimes the potholes get paved (except at the Pittsburgh Mills). Sometimes your rivals have a year when they don’t play each other. Sometimes — albeit rarely —the General Assembly will find common ground on something the lawmakers all care about. However, one thing we know to be as reliable as gravity is the increase in tolls on ...

In modern age, breaking up still hard to do

Editorials

When pop singer Neil Sedaka released “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” in June 1962, it quickly became apparent that the song was destined to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and a short time later it did just that. Most of today’s young people probably never have heard of Neil Sedaka, but if they have heard of him, it is likely that only a small fraction of them can recite the title of even one of his hits. But he was a well-known, well-regarded singer “back in the day.” However, what he was singing about back then is as real today as it was in June 1962, although ...

Misplaced priorities in opioid crisis funding

Letters to the Editor

Blair County recently approved spending $92,300 to train 142 law enforcement officers for opioid-related emergencies — paying some officers overtime to do a job they swore an oath to perform. Meanwhile, individuals entering the SUD (substance use disorder) counseling field often pay out-of-pocket for their education and training. First, why are we paying another state to train our officers when local, cost-effective options exist? The LETI program — offered free through the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office — was brought to the District Attorney’s attention in 2023 at a ...

Trump’s bill doesn’t care about the poor

Letters to the Editor

Donald Trump does not care about helping anyone who is not a billionaire. The proof of this is in his wanting to limit and eliminate various parts of SNAP benefits, Medicaid, Social Security and the American Care Act. He has no feelings for the poor, the elderly, the disabled and sick citizens of our country. He only cares about giving to the very rich. How did so many Republicans ignore the fact that he is a criminal and a liar? Also he lied about how he truly felt about abortion to get Christians to vote for him. In 1999, he was pro abortion. Trump just wants to be a king and ...

Hoping rail merger benefits Altoona

Letters to the Editor

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern announced an $85B merger. Pending all approvals, the deal is expected to close in early 2027. The big question is what does that mean to the Altoona, Enola and Conway rail yards and the Juniata repair shops? I seem to recall much anxiousness when Norfolk Southern bought Conrail. Let’s hope this is a favorable outcome for everyone. John Pierce Cocoa Beach, Fla., formerly of Bellwood

HASD missing a key point: Transparency

Editorials

Hollidaysburg Area School District officials are now paying the price for their lack of initial transparency regarding the proposal to house an Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth program. That lack of transparency — or the minimum amount of it — has spawned concerns and fears on the part of parents of students of the district’s regular student body — the students who show up for classes to receive a good education, not to disrupt educational proceedings. Parents and other well-meaning district taxpayers have a right to question, and express opposition to, how the issue ...