In bloom
Calvary Cemetery grounds crew member Jamie Maybush weeds a bed of flowers along Pleasant Valley Boulevard in Altoona on Monday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Judge vacates former Altoona man’s death penalty for 2004 murder
Federal District Judge Joy Flowers Conti in an order issued Wednesday vacated the death sentence imposed on a former Altoona man for the February 2004 murder of his then-girlfriend. Andre Staton, 63, will now be sentenced to life in prison without parole. Staton is presently incarcerated in ...
Blair County judge rejects motions in stabbing death case
HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Blair County judge denied and dismissed five motions for relief filed by defense counsel for the city man charged in the 2023 stabbing death of 42-year-old Christopher Helsel. President Judge Wade A. Kagarise issued an opinion on the petition for habeas corpus and four ...
Altoona man pleads no contest to sexual assault of child
HOLLIDAYSBURG — The city man who was caught sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in September 2022 pleaded no contest to the 15 felony counts against him Thursday afternoon and was sentenced to 10 years’ probation. Christopher Hauck Roberts, 36, was charged with five felony counts each ...
Huntingdon County Arts Council launches rebrand
HUNTINGDON — Community members gathered inside the Huntingdon County Arts Council building Thursday morning to celebrate the company’s official rebrand, marking the beginning of a new era. Executive Director John Kearns and board President Susan Wentzel unveiled their new logo to the ...
Altoona man arrested for allegedly selling methamphetamine
A city man accused of distributing methamphetamine from an Altoona apartment has been arrested following a multi-agency investigation that led to the seizure of drugs, cash and suspected drug-trafficking paraphernalia, according to the Altoona Police Department. Darrell Lee Smith, 64, faces ...