News Staff A bipartisan effort led by state Rep. Jim Rigby to expand growth opportunities in Cambria County was rewarded with the awarding of a special Keystone Opportunity Zone for use in spurring economic growth in underdeveloped areas. Rigby adding, “Things get done when we meet in the middle and securing this KOZ meant ignoring party politics … Read more
David McCormick, CEO of one of the world’s largest hedge funds and a former senior official in President George W. Bush’s administration, is accumulating support from longtime party fundraisers and officials in Pennsylvania even before he has formally announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate. Christine Toretti, Pennsylvania’s longtime Republican national committeewoman, and former state party … Read more
Charges against the wife of Somerset County’s suspended district attorney were dismissed Wednesday. Amy Thomas was scheduled for a preliminary hearing at the Somerset County Courthouse in front of Westmoreland County Senior Judge Mark Bilik. Thomas was facing simple assault and harassment charges stemming from an incident where she allegedly admitted to digging her fingernails … Read more
Blair County will have a drive-thru only COVID-19 testing clinic at the Blair County Convention Center, One Convention Center Drive, Altoona, PA, to help contain the spread of cases during the holiday season. Please consider getting tested before spending time with family and friends. Clinics will be held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week … Read more
A Blair County man faces a lengthy list of charges after police found a homemade explosive and drugs in his home. Brenden Smith, 26, and another man were found unresponsive in a shed at his residence in Antis Township on Dec. 17. The homemade explosive device was found in a cupboard in his home, according … Read more
The omicron coronavirus variant has been detected at Penn State University, according to health officials on Monday. The variant was detected by Penn State’s Testing and Surveillance Center. University officials say they’ve been testing for the variant and monitoring it’s spread across in the state and around the world. Health officials adding, “Penn State will … Read more
Authorities are currently investigating a suspicious death after a woman was found dead in a Ferndale home Tuesday morning. The woman is in her 30s and was found dead at 5:30 a.m. at a home on Summit Avenue. The name of the woman has not been released. An autopsy has been scheduled for tomorrow and … Read more
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate fell for the ninth straight month and payrolls grew again in November, according to new state figures, but the labor force shrank, as did the workforce participation rate. Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate dropped three-tenths of a percentage point to 5.7% from October’s rate, according to state Department of Labor and Industry figures released … Read more
Police say an Altoona man is behind bars after strangling a mother and her baby. According to the Altoona Police Department, 36-year-old Jeremy Wyatt was arrested Dec. 11 on a slew of domestic violence charges. They say Wyatt assaulted the woman over a five-hour period while holding her hostage inside her home. During this time, … Read more
The Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission voted Thursday in favor of new preliminary district maps over sharp objections from the House’s Republican leader, as a large increase in the state’s minority population helped shape big changes. The maps also reflect general population changes in the past decade, which have favored Democratic-leaning areas in the southeast, cities … Read more