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Central Cove participates in state convention

Local News

UNIVERSITY PARK Central Cove FFA members delivered an impressive showing at the 97th Pennsylvania State FFA Convention on the campus of Penn State University. Students competed in a wide range of Career Development Events and Leadership Development Events, earning commendable placements and multiple bracket recognitions across the three-day event. The Forestry Team secured an outstanding 3rd place finish, marking one of Central Cove’s highest team achievements of the week. Central Cove’s annual FFA Scrapbook placed fourth out of 38 entries, earning a coveted Gold Bracket ...

Ticker: Millions drop Obamacare after subsidies expire

International News

New federal figures show that about 3 million fewer people had Affordable Care Act health insurance plans in February compared with the same time last year. The Department of Health and Human Services suggests the 13% drop is due to a federal crackdown on fraudulent enrollment. But health analysts believe it’s more likely related to the Jan. 1 expiration of federal subsidies that has caused a surge in costs. The healthcare research nonprofit KFF has said it expects the number of people in the government healthcare program to continue to decline throughout the year. Saks officially ...

Europe bank head defends rate hike

International News

FRANKFURT, Germany — The head of the European Central Bank defended its June 11 rate hike as justified to ward off real inflationary pressures and said it wasn’t just a mere “insurance hike.” ECB head Christine Lagarde said Monday that without the quarter percentage-point increase, inflation could have lingered above the bank’s 2% target into 2028. “Some have characterized our rate increase earlier this month as an ‘insurance hike,’” Lagarde said. “I’m sorry to disappoint them. That is not an accurate description. We faced an outlook of rising headline and core ...

Comcast plans to split into two public companies

Local Business

NEW YORK — Communications giant Comcast is planning to split itself into two: one media-centered business that would include brands like NBCUniversal and Sky and a separate company focused on broadband and wireless services. In a Monday announcement, Comcast said the breakup will put both of these operations in a better position to pursue their own priorities and growth. The move arrives as communications companies continue to wrestle with years of cord-cutting, and shifting habits in how consumers now buy subscriptions for anything from their phone plans to streaming budgets more ...

Painting in the park

Local News

Artist Brienne M. Brown of Julian (Centre County) oil paints a scene Monday from a sketch she made while visiting a temple in India. Brown was painting at Garfield Park while waiting on her son as he attends Altoona Community Theatre’s Summer Drama Camp. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

America250 publication celebrates shared history

Local News

Inside today’s Altoona Mirror, readers will find a special publication dedicated to America’s 250th birthday — its semiquincentennial. It’s impossible to do more than briefly skim through our shared history in one edition — after all, thousands of books, papers and articles have been written about the United States of America, and indeed, there are several major research institutions, federal archives and special facilities all dedicated to the history of the U.S. The aim of this commemorative edition, then, is not to tell all, but to inspire, remind and prompt us to discover ...