News

Norfolk Southern responds about derailment concerns

Local News October 27, 2026

Norfolk Southern replied Tuesday to a request from the Mirror made early Monday evening for comment on letters sent by U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-Altoona, to the Federal Railroad Administration and Norfolk Southern demanding an explanation for there having been four derailments just west of the city this year — and calling for any problems identified to be corrected. Here is the NS response: “Norfolk Southern understands the concern and disruption caused by the train derailments that have occurred in Blair County in 2026. We take these incidents extremely seriously and are committed ...

Trial begins for Altoona man accused of assaulting officers

Local News October 27, 2026

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Blair County jury heard testimony Tuesday afternoon from first responders in the case against a city man accused of assaulting several officers as he was being arrested for domestic violence and attempting to escape a moving ambulance in April 2025. Daniel Carl Morse, 33, ...

Local schools ready for ban on cellphones

Local News October 27, 2026

Gov. Josh Shapiro on Monday signed into law a statewide bell-to-bell cellphone ban, prohibiting students from using their cellphones throughout the school day but preserving local control — allowing individual school districts to design and implement their own specific guidelines before the ...

Altoona Parking Authority must spend $70,000 by end of year

Local News October 27, 2026

The Altoona Parking Authority must spend $70,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) on parking technology before an end-of-the-year deadline for spending that money. The authority is planning to buy a kiosk for the exit gate of the parking garage, license plate readers for both the entrance and exit and possibly payment kiosks and meters for 11th and 12th avenues — along with software to run that hardware, to enable smart phones to read license plates on the streets and in the lots and to handle permitting, ticketing, validation and fine payments. The city allocated the ARPA ...

Large garage in residential area of Logan Township angers neighbors

Local News October 27, 2026

Kiley Snyder of Hillside Drive off Avalon Road in Logan Township used to call his neighbor John McTigue “dad,” and McTigue would call Snyder “son.” Those familial feelings have been washed away for the past year-and-a half due to the younger man’s opposition to McTigue’s ...

Green thumb

Local News October 27, 2026

Maureen McGough cleans out the garden in her yard next to her East Street home in Altoona on Tuesday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski