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Witness to history: Nanty Glo man first on scene of Flight 93 crash

EBENSBURG — As a 29-year-old police detective for the Conemaugh Township Police Department in Somerset County, Nanty Glo resident Bubba Fatula was one of the first four local responders to arrive on scene minutes after United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in an abandoned strip mine in ...

US marks 25 years since 9/11 attacks

NEW YORK — Americans commemorated the 25th anniversary of 9/11 on Friday, remembering the shock, the dead and the sweeping consequences of the al-Qaida attacks on symbols of U.S. might and prosperity. The milestone anniversary brought memorial rituals — wreath-laying, flag-flying, ...

Naturalization ceremony held at Bedford County Courthouse

BEDFORD — Nearly two dozen individuals from 17 countries celebrated becoming U.S. citizens Friday, many of whom were excited to be Americans. “I’m so happy today; it’s a dream for me,” Egypt native Ziad Barakat said while standing beside his mother, Doraa Abdelrahaman, who also ...

September ushers in firsts for young, not-so-young

September is the traditional month for the start of elementary school and freshman college move-in. Do you remember your first day in first grade? I do, and it had an unusual twist. I was a late arrival in my mother’s life, unexpected at her age of 42, and 48 in 1939 when I entered Gaysport Elementary School in Hollidaysburg. Mothers were usually the escorts of their children to first grade, but my mom was concerned that she would look out of place, being so much older than other mothers who were probably in their late 20s or early 30s. So she asked my 20-year-old sister, Alma, to do ...

Blair County Department of Social Services sets opioid funding webinars

HOLLIDAYSBURG — The Blair County Department of Social Services has scheduled two more webinars to help those interested in applying for a portion of Blair County’s allocation from the National Opioid Settlement. The county expects to receive about $700,000 in its next allocation. Applications for a portion of that money need to be submitted by Oct. 9. Tricia Johnson, director of the county’s social services department and the chair of a committee that evaluates applications, will host one-hour webinars at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, and 5 p.m Monday, Sept. 21. During the ...