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Weather unlikely to affect Big Boy viewings in Altoona

Big Boy week is here, and the weather forecast for the four days during which it will pass through the area is iffy, calling each day for partly sunny skies, but with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Still, while a behemoth confined to rails can’t dodge the raindrops, the most important public presentations for the world’s largest operating steam locomotive happen to fit into the better parts of the spotty weather pattern predicted by the National Weather Service between Wednesday and Saturday, based on an analysis of details. Wednesday is an exception, as the possible ...

State announces new eligibility rules for school meals

New eligibility guidelines are now in effect for free and reduced school meals for the 2026-2027 school year. On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Department of Education announced the recently released federal income eligibility guidelines from the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, ...

Court upholds termination of Blair County mother’s parental rights

A Blair County mother with a severe drug problem has lost her parental rights, according to an opinion issued last week by the Pennsylvania Superior Court. The opinion by a three-judge panel upheld a January decision by Blair County Judge David B. Consiglio, who rejected the mother’s ...

Tax targeted for repeal sees surge in revenue

A state tax on consumer electric bills currently seeing a revenue surge is targeted for a repeal. The House and Senate have both voted to repeal the 5.9% gross receipts tax on electric bills in recent weeks. But the two chambers have yet to put the repeal provision in an agreed to bill so it could be sent to Gov. Josh Shapiro for signing. The latest action came when the House Rules Committee amended a Senate-passed tax code bill, House Bill 1667, to include the gross receipts tax repeal last Wednesday. The tax repeal is in the mix with no sign of when an overdue state budget for ...

Altoona man facing charges for alleged endangerment, terroristic threats

A city man was taken into custody for allegedly pouring gasoline throughout a building’s basement and threatening to burn it down while people were inside. Giuseppe Failla, 32, was arraigned June 27 by Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on two misdemeanor counts of recklessly ...