Dear Editor:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all individuals who came from Tyrone to Indiana for the IUP-Cal basketball game to see Tyrone native and IUP starting point guard, Eric Castorina, play. Both Eric’s family and I were overwhelmed by the response.
We think, with what we know, that there were about 130 Tyrone fans there. This includes the TAHS Boys Basketball team and some members of Eric’s family from elsewhere, but it does not include those IUP students from Tyrone who came and sat with the Tyrone group. The IUP Athletic Department was really impressed with the turn out, as were the staff at the Indiana Eat-N-Park where about 40 of us ate. I am certain that the turnout impressed both those in attendance at the game and those listening by radio over WCCS, the IUP affiliate, and Tyrone’s WTRN.
I also want to thank the staff of WTRN for the work they did to arrange the simulcast of the game with WCCS and their advertisers for supporting this special broadcast. I think the radio broadcast was a special treat for some in Tyrone who could not make the trip.
I hope that all you who came (and listened) had a great time. Sorry that we could not provide you with an IUP win, but it was a good game. We hope to repeat the event the next two years while Eric is still on the IUP team. I also hope that those who came out will feel free to come to IUP for other games and those with computers will tune into http:// www.redzonemedia.com for the internet broadcast of all the IUP games.
Sincerely,
Dr. Gary Buterbaugh
TAHS Class of 1963
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To whom it may concern,
I was majorly disappointed in out town on Saturday, January 25.
A benefit was held to make money for our YMCA. My son is 22 years old so it’s been quite a while since he has taken advantage of the Y’s facilities, but I felt it was my responsibility and my son’s and his family’s responsibility to support the Y’s benefit.
As I looked around the small crowd of people I asked myself, where are all the parents of the children who benefit from all that the YMCA has to offer. Where was our mayor? Where were the board members? Where were the teachers? Where were the employees of the Y? Where are the people who if the Y closes would be the first ones to complain because the kids are hanging on the street corners.
It was difficult for me to understand, because when I moved here 15 years ago, I felt so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful supportive community. I guess I just needed to mention this to whom it may concern.
Respectfully,
Beth Ann May
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Dear Editor,
Today I would like to write about Tyrone, Tyrone — “Hub of the Highways” —exactly. Geographically Tyrone is located about equally distant north, south, east and west between Philipsburg, State College, Huntingdon and Altoona. What an advantage!!
Let’s take inventory of ourselves, Tyrone Borough, that is. I have no conception of the location of Tyrone Township, but are you aware that Tyrone Hospital and Tyrone Area Schools are located in Snyder Township? Tyrone is surrounded by Snyder Township, Warriors Mark Township and Grazierville. Of what can Tyrone boast? How many subsidized housing units are there in Tyrone? I can count six, or is it seven? What percentage of the population does this give in relationship the number of taxpayers in the borough? No discrimination is intended for I once was one of them.
As for new business — there’s no argument there. For example we sure could use a hotel. Oh yes, we have a City Park Hotel. Where does one sleep, on the park bench? We have a very nice train station. How does one get on a train if it doesn’t stop? Many folks, older people in particular, would go shopping if some sort of short trip transportation was available, a taxi, for instance. But to shop for what? Nowhere that I know of in Tyrone can one purchase a man’s suit or a lady’s housedress. We do have a great shoe store. We are very grateful for that. I don’t know of any place in Tyrone that I can buy a pair of panty hose.
Well, what do we do? We go to Altoona of course. We by-pass Tyrone for there is nothing there.
We do have some nice downtown newly paved streets and street lights. Will there be some new shade trees?
Many of us are grateful for St. Vincent DePaul and The Salvation Army for food and clothing. They benefit young and old.
Look at Snyder Township and Warriors Mark Township; they are both growing, each in its own way.
I would like to know what percentage of revenue for the school district comes from Tyrone Borough, Snyder Township and Warriors Mark Township.
What is wrong with Tyrone? I don’t know. I have listed some negatives. I am sure there could be listed many positives as well. Then let’s see what can be done with what we have available to us. Oh yes, there are grants for this, grants for that. Where does that money come from? Voters, citizens, taxpayers, wake up! Don’t just sit there like a bunch of puppets. Get up and do! Speak your peace. Let’s see you work.
May God bless you all — I was raised in Warriors Mark, but have always thought of Tyrone as the “Big City” and a big part of my life.
Your’s truly,
Gertie Gunsallus
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Dear John,
I was saddened to see that your recliner has put you totally to sleep. You spelled my name right but that’s the only thing you got right in your remarks from the supine position.
But perhaps as far as getting facts right, I may be vulnerable since the facts I use are those printed in local papers. Lets review. Quoting the lengthy exercise in smoke and mirrors from the mayor and borough manager, The Daily Herald printed January 18: “The funds set aside for the Streetscape project are for that and just that,” said Stoner. “We have specific projects that are outlined that need to be completed as they are outlined. We just can’t move finding here and there. No Streetscape money is going into housing rehabilitation and no housing rehabilitation money is going into the Streetscape project. It just can’t happen.”
And yet a January 8 article written by Walt Frank in another area paper reported in a Tyrone datelined article, “Borough Council members Monday approved a proposal from Innovative Consulting Group Inc., of Altoona to complete redesign work and provide construction management services for the first part of Phase II of the borough’s Streetscape program.
“The estimated cost for redesign is about $10,000, and the estimated cost for construction is about $21,000.
“Community Development Block Grant funds will be used for the additional costs.”
John, am I not right in assuming CDBG funds are the source of monies for housing rehabilitation? There’s a $31,000 chunk that is going to be used for Phase II of Streetscape.
And that’s not the only time CDBG funds were used for Streetscape. According to a letter to the editor The Daily Herald printed from then-Councilperson Sara Jane Miller, in August 2001 which stated, “Residents should remember that the borough did spend a ‘small sum’, $170,000 of our Community Development Block Grant money to Pellegreni Engineers for the engineering these projects which could have been used for housing rehabilitation, utility line improvements, or other much needed community projects instead of downtown decorations.”
The “these projects” Mrs. Miller was referring to were the “hotel” and Streetscape.
In an August 2, 2002 Letter to the Editor, I rebuked your Mr. Lash for saying what you recently parroted that my facts weren’t straight. In that letter, I cited the same $170,000. Put those two together and that’s $201,000 of CDBG money taken from the entire community to serve a small, elitist community. As the saying goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Now as for not attending boring, cut-and-dried council meetings, I plead guilty. I see no point in addressing closed minds. The only way to change Borough council minds is to change heads.
Concerning revolution, I am merely parading the banner of our Founding Fathers, “No Taxation Without Representation!”
An election is coming up.
Viva La Revolution
Dan Meckes
