News

Oil will take weeks, months to fully flow

International News June 15, 2026

FRANKFURT, Germany — The tentative agreement to end the war in Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz would be good news for the global economy. But even as the price of oil dropped Monday, many questions remained about when and how it would start flowing again through the world’s most vital artery for energy shipments. Before the war, the strait carried a fifth of the world’s crude oil. Now, it will take time for hundreds of ships trapped in the Persian Gulf to exit through the narrow strait. And Gulf oil producers that throttled back production will need time to get the oil ...

Barrage kills 11 in Ukraine

International News June 15, 2026

KYIV, Ukraine — A cathedral in one of the oldest and most sacred landmarks in Eastern Orthodox Christianity was set ablaze early Monday as Russia bombarded Ukraine’s biggest cities, killing 11 people, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Russia fired the barrage of hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at the capital of Kyiv, and the second-largest city of Kharkiv, after Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke separately by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump. Arriving in France, Trump said he had a good conversation with Zelenskyy and Putin. “Now that this ...

B-52 bomber crashes at Air Force base

National News June 15, 2026

LOS ANGELES — A B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff at a U.S. Air Force base in Southern California’s Mojave Desert and burst into flames Monday, killing all eight people aboard, military officials said. Aerial footage showed virtually nothing left of the aircraft that went down around 11:20 a.m. during a routine test mission at Edwards Air Force Base, north of Los Angeles, the base said on its Facebook page. Black smoke rose from a large swath of charred desert near what appeared to be a runway on the base, with emergency vehicles nearby. It was not immediately clear what ...

Artists begin painting murals at Gable's building in downtown Altoona

Local News June 15, 2026

Last year on July 4, Elizabeth Garber sat by herself on a blanket in a field near DelGrosso’s Amusement Park to watch the holiday fireworks. The grass around her was high, and the moon and the fireflies were out, and it seemed to be “a little piece of fantasy come to life — a slice ...

Court rules skill games should be illegal

Local News June 15, 2026

The state Supreme Court on Monday ruled that skill games, slots-like machines found by the thousands in taverns, convenience stores and other retail businesses, should be considered illegal — ending a yearslong stalemate over whether the devices are permissible under the state’s gaming and crime laws. The justices remanded the case to Commonwealth Court for related proceedings and stayed their order for four months so that lawmakers can respond if they choose to do so. “Today’s ruling is a significant victory for consumers, taxpayers and the rule of law in Pennsylvania,” ...

Altoona Area School Board adopts 3% tax increase

Local News June 15, 2026

By a split 5-4 vote, the Altoona Area School Board adopted the final 2026-27 general fund budget with a 3% tax increase Monday, with board President Val Mignogna, Vice President Kelly Irwin Adams, Bob Pacifico and Stephanie McGinnis opposed. The budget’s revenues are listed at about $129.3 million, while expenditures total slightly more than $135.1 million, leaving the district with a deficit of about $5.78 million. With the 3% tax increase, the district’s millage rate is now set at 7.3003 mills. The increase will generate about $666,509 in revenue for the district, according to ...