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Outcome of NS case important

A major development affecting one railroad company usually is assumed to apply to others as well, if not immediately then over the long term. Therefore, all railroad companies, especially the major carriers, are no doubt monitoring closely how much success, if any, Norfolk Southern Railroad will have in trying to force two other companies to help pay for the $600 million class-action settlement to which Norfolk agreed in connection with its February 2023 derailment near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. Regardless of how current court proceedings conclude, railroad watchers probably ...

Parking may come down to mindset

In an April 9 front page Mirror article about downtown Altoona parking, a representative of Mountain View Eye Associates was quoted as saying, “The biggest thing anyone says is it really sucks to park (in the center city area).” Some people might disagree with the tone of that quote, but it must be acknowledged how challenging and frustrating parking has become downtown for many other people — and a turn-off to coming back unless absolutely necessary. Still, Altoona is not alone. Gone are the days when cities of Altoona’s size had a number of privately owned parking lots in ...

What other newspapers are saying: With spring comes need for motorcycle safety

With spring — at least once we get through this current cold snap — comes flowers in bloom, bird chirping, the sounds of bats hitting baseballs and so on. Including the roar of motorcycles. For many people, the end of winter and arrival of spring’s milder weather means getting their motorcycles out of storage and heading out on the highway. Those who are active on social media to any extent have probably seen the memes cautioning drivers to be aware of motorcycles on the road. There are also plenty of drivers who use bumper stickers to remind others about looking out for ...

Trump’s life work culminates with confronting China

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump abruptly announced a 90-day pause on most of his planned country-specific “reciprocal” tariffs — with the notable exception of the People’s Republic of China. In so strikingly singling out China as the focus of America’s economic and geopolitical ire, Trump was not merely clarifying that the United States views China and its regnant Communist Party as our leading 21st-century threat — he was also taking yet another notable step toward fulfilling his own lifelong goal of fundamentally resetting the terms of the U.S.-China bilateral ...

The clock is ticking. It’s time to get REAL and get that ID

Gotten your REAL ID yet? No? Don’t worry, you are not alone. In fact, the majority of Pennsylvanians haven’t. According to the latest statistics released by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), only 26 percent of Pennsylvanians have applied for a REAL ID. That’s certainly more than a bit concerning, considering the May 7 deadline is approaching quickly. On Tuesday, PennDOT announced that it will hold special REAL ID Days across the Keystone State to help residents prepare for the deadline when federal enforcement begins. The REAL ID Act was passed by ...

Fire safety always important

Near the end of an April 2 front-page Mirror article about a fire that damaged an Altoona home, a paragraph noted “there has been a rash of fires in the city lately, including two fatal fires on successive days — March 18 and 19.” For city residents old enough to remember the redevelopment decades of the 1960s and 1970s, the spate of recent blazes might have resurrected memories of the structure fires here that were not uncommon during those earlier years when the city began embracing an expanded character that was not deeply embedded in the railroad industry. Blazes in the ...