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Briefcase: Levin Furniture recognized

Local Business

SMITHTON Levin Furniture & Mattress and John V. Schultz Furniture have been named Furniture Retailer of the Year for 2026 by the International Home Furnishings Representatives Association, recognizing the combined organization’s remarkable history, community impact, and continued growth across the region. Levin, which has a location in Altoona, traces its roots to 1920, when Sam and Jessie Levin founded the Sam Levin Furniture Company in a single storefront in Mount Pleasant. Twenty years later, John V. Schultz opened his namesake furniture store in Erie. Though the two companies ...

McDonald’s shows strong Q2 profit

Local Business

McDonald’s posted a strong profit in its second quarter and named a new head of the U.S. market with sales at home under pressure as many Americans grow increasingly cautious about spending. Same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, edged up 0.8% in the U.S. That’s a sharp slowdown from the 2.5% increase a year ago, when the company had a big win with a meal tied to “A Minecraft Movie.” Global same-store sales rose 1.3%. CEO Chris Kempczinski said during the company’s earnings call on Tuesday that the U.S. performance was partly hurt by inconsistent ...

Oil companies continue to post profits with Iran war

Local Business

NEW YORK — Big oil companies continue to book massive profits as fighting in Iran disrupts energy markets and sends oil and gasoline prices sharply higher. Six of Europe’s largest oil companies posted combined first-quarter profits of $22 billion, more than 40% higher than last year. ...

Jury convicts Altoona man for unlawful contact with minor

Local News

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A city man with an apparent history of targeting juvenile females was convicted Tuesday afternoon of two felony offenses relating to the unlawful contact of a minor in 2023. After a one-day trial, a Blair County jury of eight men and four women deliberated about 25 minutes ...

Logan Township supervisors reject request to close off road

Local News

The Logan Township supervisors recently voted to accept the recommendation of its Planning Commission to deny a request by Ozzven LLC to close Sunset Drive off Goods Lane as part of a proposal to reconfigure the entrance to the commercial complex comprising the Hampton Inn, Cracker Barrel and Champs — and the entrance to the neighborhood next to it. The Planning Commission had recommended denial after hearing from several neighborhood residents who were all opposed to reconfiguration for fear it would increase traffic and decrease safety on their quiet streets. Ozzven wanted to swap ...