News

‘Bare minimum’ healthcare in rural areas may worsen

Local News August 18, 2026

Communities in rural Pennsylvania continue to face obstacles to receiving healthcare as new Medicaid and Medicare requirements may soon disproportionately affect residents. Advocates and nonprofits are working to keep these healthcare services accessible. Northwestern Pennsylvania has historically faced healthcare challenges for years, and is home to the phenomenon dubbed the “maternity desert.” Larger than Connecticut, this desert is composed of eight counties which lack access to hospitals with delivery services or maternity providers. “We are really seeing challenges with ...

Shapiro order puts curbs on data center growth

Local News August 18, 2026

Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order Tuesday putting curbs on rampant data center growth, the hottest political issue in Pennsylvania. Executive Order 2026-05 puts Shapiro’s proposed Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) requirements into effect in an effort to ...

Local News August 18, 2026

Emmy Irvin, 8, sells a glass of lemonade to Brian Myers of Altoona at her stand in front of her 57th Street home in Altoona on Tuesday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Ghost Town Trail honored as a 'great place in PA'

Local News August 18, 2026

The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association recently designated the Ghost Town Trail system in Cambria and Indiana counties as a great place in Pennsylvania. Through its “Great Places in PA” program, the association’s Pennsylvania chapter annually designates public ...

Hayden Panettiere, who starred in ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville,’ dies at 36

National News August 17, 2026

Hayden Panettiere, a onetime child star who soared to fame in the TV shows “Heroes” and “Nashville” while enduring struggles with alcohol addiction and depression, has died. She was 36. Police said Panettiere was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday. Lifesaving measures were performed but she was pronounced dead at the scene. No cause of death has been determined and Panettiere’s death remains under investigation. An autopsy found no signs of trauma and police said officers saw no signs of foul play. The television ...

Music critic and Bruce Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh dies at 76

National News August 17, 2026

Dave Marsh, a longtime music critic who wrote several influential books about Bruce Springsteen, including the early biography “Born to Run,” has died. He was 76. Marsh died Friday in Connecticut, his friend Jeffrey St. Clair, a co-editor of the online magazine Counterpunch, told The Associated Press. St. Clair said Marsh had been suffering from a degenerative brain disease for several years. Jim Rotolo, the SiriusXM radio host, announced Marsh’s death on his social media accounts. Springsteen paid tribute to Marsh in an Instagram post, writing that the loss had left the band ...