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Former area police officer charged with DUI in Altoona crash

A Johnstown police officer who previously worked in the Altoona and Tyrone departments was charged with driving under the influence after he crashed his vehicle into a parked car on Burgoon Road in the Knickerbocker neighborhood early Aug. 31. Jeffrey T. Barr, 24, of Altoona, had red, glassy ...

Beagle Bill would ban cosmetic testing

The sale of cosmetics tested on dogs and cats would be banned in Pennsylvania under a Senate-passed bill amended by the House Judiciary Committee Thursday. Senate Bill 381 would also mandate that dogs and cats used in lab testing be put up for adoption once they are no longer being used by the labs. The legislation, dubbed the Beagle Bill by lawmakers, was inspired by a 2022 case in which dozens of beagles were rescued from a Virginia lab whose operators were charged with violating federal animal welfare laws. Animal rights groups say there are more than a dozen animal testing labs ...

Logan House historical marker relocated to prime location

At the behest of Mayor Matt Pacifico, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission on Thursday relocated the historical marker that commemorates the Loyal War Governors Conference at the Logan House in downtown Altoona in 1862 from a spot where the marker was inconspicuous to a more ...

For her next trick, my dog makes change

My wife and I and her dog, Abbey, live together at our home in Duncansville. Actually, to be clear, my wife and her dog allow me to live with them on a controlled basis. Abbey has her own couch in the family room from which she watches TV, unless she is sleeping. She also has a special swivel chair in front of the large window in the living room so she can keep an eye on the neighborhood at her leisure. Abbey does not work or earn any money. I earn money to keep her in her present lifestyle consisting of food to eat, a warm, dry and air conditioned home in which to relax and free ...

Peoples reminds customers to prep for winter

As Pennsylvania welcomes a new season, Peoples Natural Gas urges its customers and neighbors to prepare their homes for fall and winter. Tasks ranging from scheduling heating appliance inspections to testing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can make a major difference in the safety of your home. Changing furnace filters, caulking cracks around doors and windows, and strategically opening and closing curtains throughout the day can make a larger difference in energy usage than many people realize. Before fall fades into a chilly winter, take the time to prepare your living space for ...