News Staff The Blair County Emergency Management Agency is working cooperatively with Conemaugh Nason Medical Center, Penn Highlands Tyrone, UPMC Altoona Hospital, and Encompass Heath Rehabilitation Hospital to assure that COVID-19 Vaccinations are provided to all those agencies that are part of the Pennsylvania Department of Health Phase 1A Vaccination Plan. Effective this past Wednesday, January 6th, … Read more
A new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus has been detected in Pennsylvania for the first time, state health officials announced Thursday. Someone in Dauphin County tested positive for the variant “after known international exposure,” the Department of Health said in a news release. The patient had mild symptoms and has since completed isolation at … Read more
Doctors from University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are urging everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them. They say their numbers of COVID patients have dropped compared to where they were, and the mortality rate is not as high as they expected it to be. However, doctors there still encourage people … Read more
The Senate is rejecting an objection to Pennsylvania’s electoral vote count. Vice President Mike Pence made that announcement yesterday in the Capitol… http://blogaudio.virtualnewscenter.com/WRTA-010721-PENCE-REJECT.mp3 Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Scott Perry spoke up regarding his objection, but it had no effect… http://blogaudio.virtualnewscenter.com/WRTA-010721-PERRY-REJECT.mp3 The vote came hours after the objection was raised because protesters stormed the Capitol building and … Read more
Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler and House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff issued the following statement late Wednesday after protesters breached security at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. Cutler and Benninghoff said “Any act of violence or destruction is a crime and should be treated as such.” The two said that peaceful transitions of … Read more
Continuing his commitment to combatting sexual assault, Governor Tom Wolf today announced 37 institutions of higher education are receiving It’s On Us PA grants of up to $30,000 each. The governor established It’s On Us PA, the nation’s first statewide campaign, nearly five years ago and has made Pennsylvania a national leader in improving campus … Read more
The Pennsylvania Department of Health’s coronavirus dashboard showed an increase of 9,474 new coronavirus cases in the state today, bringing the statewide total to 683,389. Also alarming were the 368 additional deaths statewide. Five-hundred eighty-five new cases and 32 more deaths were reported in our area. Blair reported 102 additional cases. As for deaths, Cambria … Read more
A Pennsylvania man told police that he was “curious and bored” after he was arrested for setting fire to a three story abandoned hotel. Charges of arson, reckless burning, risking a catastrophe, burglary, and criminal trespass have been filed against 30 year old Andrew Higdon of Elk County, who is accused of torching the historic … Read more
Altoona’s Police Chief has announced that she is retiring as of March 1st. 67 year old Janice Freehling is the first woman to head the city’s police department. She announced that she is stepping down on the 20th anniversary of her appointment as chief…. a date she says she targeted some time ago. Freehling joined … Read more
After shutting down in September and leaving around four-hundred people without a job, a Pennsylvania based company is announcing they have a new buyer. Shop-Vac in Williamsport abruptly shut-down with little warning to employees back in September after a sale of the company fell through. But now, things are looking a little brighter for those … Read more