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Intermunicipal Relations Committee seeks to boost revenue

Officials of the organization that operates the state-mandated recycling program for Altoona, Logan Township and Hollidaysburg are looking for ways to increase revenues, so the organization can more easily make ends meet. An additional total of about $92,000 in annual costs for health insurance and wages since 2019 and slower delivery of entitlement grants from the state, coupled with almost flat revenues, is making it difficult for the Intermunicipal Relations Committee to put together a budget for 2027, according to Executive Director Brock Bryan. Bryan and committee members ...

A former Altoona man who is in a state correctional institution on multiple drug-related offenses has failed to convince the Pennsylvania Superior Court his sentence was “manifestly unjust.” Allen Lee Phelan Jr., 50, who lived in an apartment on the 1200 block of 15th Avenue, was sentenced last year by Blair County Judge Jackie Bernard to a prison term of 18.5 to 37 years behind bars after he was arrested three times over an eight month period. While those arrests did not involve drug deals, police on three occasions, beginning in August 2023, found Phelan in possession of large ...

Gallitzin man to serve up to 6.5 years on drug counts

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Gallitzin man found unresponsive after overdosing while he was supposed to be caring for two nonverbal, autistic patients in April 2024 was sentenced Tuesday afternoon to about two to 6.5 years in a state correctional facility. Scott Joseph Hollen II, 38, entered an open guilty plea to a single felony count of possession with intent to deliver, two misdemeanor counts each of recklessly endangering another person and neglect of a care dependent person and single misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance on his ...

Panel OKs AI content bill

The House Communications and Technology Committee approved a bipartisan bill Wednesday seeking to help individuals know when digital content has been created or altered by AI. The panel voted unanimously for House Bill 2534 giving individuals tools to verify authenticity of that content. HB2534 is sponsored by Committee Minority Chair Jason Ortitay, R-Allegheny, and co-sponsored by Committee Minority Chair Joseph Ciresi, D-Montgomery. The legislation focuses on digital content provenance, information embedded in or attached to digital content that helps verify its origin and ...

‘Supplier’ of fraud ring that targeted banks convicted

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Blair County jury convicted a North Carolina man Tuesday evening on 17 of the 20 felony counts against him for his role as the “supplier” of a fraud ring. Jaylon Maurice Speight, 31, of Walstonburg, North Carolina, faced single felony counts of corrupt organizations and dealing in unlawful proceeds, two felony counts each of forgery, access device fraud, theft and receiving stolen property and 10 felony counts of criminal conspiracy. The jury of seven men and five women deliberated about three and a half hours before finding Speight guilty of single felony ...

Nominations accepted for Season of Sharing

The Mirror is seeking nominations for its 2026 Season of Sharing recipient. Started in 2005, Season of Sharing uses the reach of the local newspaper and altoonamirror.com, the expertise of the Central Pennsylvania Community Foundation and residents’ generosity to benefit area nonprofits. The annual holiday appeal, now in its 22nd year, has raised $516,695 since its inception. Last year’s campaign raised $48,183 for the Dreams Go On Inc. A brief nomination form can be found as a PDF by going to bit.ly/320j9cz. The nomination form must be printed out and mailed to the Mirror ...