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Blair inmate: Parts of mouse found in prison food

Blair County Prison inmates filing lawsuits with the federal District Court in Johnstown have repeatedly complained about rodent infestation. Now, one inmate, Kenneth L. Harrell, 36, of Hollidaysburg, who is awaiting a jury trial on firearms offenses, knows the problem from personal experience. Harrell, an inmate in the prison for more than 16 months, was eating oatmeal for breakfast a week ago. At the bottom of his bowl, he noticed a tail, and parts of what, in Latin, is called a mus. In short, he had eaten part of a rodent, and the experience left him feeling not so well. “I was ...

Carrolltown teen charged as adult in killing of 2

JOHNSTOWN — A Carrolltown juvenile was charged with criminal homicide after his mother and a family friend were found dead in their home Monday. Judah Quinn Courtney, 14, was arraigned Tuesday before Magisterial District Judge David L. Beyer on two felony counts of criminal homicide, four ...

Kress Building to reopen in downtown Altoona

Officials will celebrate the grand reopening of the Kress Building, 1406 11th Ave. in downtown Altoona at 5 p.m. Oct. 9. The Kress Building, originally designed in the early 20th century with Art Deco architectural influence, was opened as a 5-10-25-cent store in downtown Altoona in 1922. Today, following a two-year full renovation project by American Chestnut Real Estate Group, the building has been restored to its historic beginnings. The building contains three floors with more than 18,000 total square feet of space and is now a key anchor building contributing to the ...

Bedford Township couple sentenced in pet hoarding

BEDFORD — The couple who pleaded no contest to charges stemming from an “extreme” case of animal abuse and hoarding in 2023 received lengthy prison sentences in Bedford County court Friday. Nyal Barton Piper, 82, and Renee Lynn Piper, 64, were each sentenced to 7.5 to 40 years in ...

Saint Francis University gets new 3D printer at Curry Center

Rachel Manack was a little late Friday for an open house at Saint Francis University’s satellite campus in the Curry Innovation Center on 11th Avenue, where local high school teachers were getting an early look at the university’s new industrial-scale 3D printer. Manack was late because ...

Attorney again asks for Mangione’s return to Blair County for hearing

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A defense attorney for Luigi Mangione says a New York court notice denying Mangione’s transport to Blair County for a November pre-trial court hearing on forgery, firearm and records tampering is insufficient because the denial was issued by a data analyst. Altoona ...