I have used County Health Rankings for years on this site to provide insight into the social ills plaguing the Alleghenies. Last year they lost their main funder, the Robert Wood Johnston Foundation. They are not doing the major data releases now, but they are updating their site as new data are released. This postContinue reading “A Rebound in Life Expectancy After the Pandemic”
Category Archives: Analysis
Pope Leo XIV Effect?
Scrolling through the feed on LinkedIn I came across this photo showing the Catholic Dioceses with the largest rise in converts. The Altoona-Johnstown Diocese reports an 84% increase in converts to the faith. Could this increase in converts be an example of a Pope Leo XIV effect? He is the first Pope to be bornContinue reading “Pope Leo XIV Effect?”
Day 2 of the Appalachian Studies Conference: Race, Health and Climate Disaster Response
On day 2 of the 49th Appalachian Studies Association Conference at Marshall University I took video of 2 individual sessions. There were many that day. The first session I filmed is on Race and Health in the Appalachians. The second session I filmed is on emergency response to climate change disasters such as Hurricane Helene.Continue reading “Day 2 of the Appalachian Studies Conference: Race, Health and Climate Disaster Response”
War is a Racket
Jackie Allison has submitted this article on how the Iran War and all wars are rackets. “War is a racket,” said Major General Smedley Darlington Butler USMC (1881-1940) in the book of the same name. Major General Butler received many outstanding medals and commendations during his years of military service including two Medals of Honor. TheContinue reading “War is a Racket”
MAGA Revolt over Iran War?
Many liberal pundits often predict that Trump’s MAGA followers will desert him every time he breaks one of his campaign promises. Except for the Epstein files, these predictions have not come to fruition. The latest prediction of a MAGA revolt is over Trump’s Iran war, which began on February 27. The polls so far tellContinue reading “MAGA Revolt over Iran War? “
Different Poverty Measures for Pennsylvania
Last week I posted on the new Small Area Income and Poverty Esimates (SAIPE) for the U.S. and Pennsylvania and for Cambria and Forest Counties. The poverty rates for the U.S., Pennsylvania, and every county in the state are presented in the table at the bottom of the post. Subsequently, this post will look atContinue reading “Different Poverty Measures for Pennsylvania”
New Poverty Estimates for 2024: Forest County is the Highest in PA
After a month delay, the Census bureau came out with new poverty estimates for 2024 for every state, county and school district. The Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates were probably delayed by the government shutdown. They also had to catch up on other economic statistics such as the unemployment rate. The map above showsContinue reading “New Poverty Estimates for 2024: Forest County is the Highest in PA”
Fracking Meeting on Laurel Ridge: Concerns About Contamination of Well Water
This past Tuesday I went to a fracking meeting on Laurel Ridge held by the Mountain Watershed Association (MWA) in Normalville, PA. There was a turnout of more than 20 people. They were discussing a proposed Shannon Compton Well Pad on Laurel Ridge. Presented below is the video of the meeting. Below that are downloadableContinue reading “Fracking Meeting on Laurel Ridge: Concerns About Contamination of Well Water”
Impact of Property Tax Hikes in Cambria County
Much is made of the recent property tax increase that the Cambria County commissioners passed — a 6.75 mill increase. This means that for every $1,000 in property value, the owner must pay an additional $6.75 in property tax. This post will take a look specifically at the impact of property tax hikes for CambriaContinue reading “Impact of Property Tax Hikes in Cambria County”
Reflecting on 2025 for Allegheny Independent Media
The end of the year is a time for reflecting on 2025 for Allegheny Independent Media. We have had 68 posts this year on a variety of issues in the Allegheny Mountains. By comparison there were 50 posts in 2024, a 36% increase. We had 11 posts by Lyrical Capo, 3 posts by Jackie AllisonContinue reading “Reflecting on 2025 for Allegheny Independent Media”