WTAJ - www.wtaj.com (WTAJ) — The old K-Mart building will be back to life later this month when Rural King has its official grand opening Rural King has been family-owned since 1960 and has since expanded to 130 locations in 13 states “Our locations have an outstanding product mix with items such as livestock feed You never know what you will find at your local Rural King and that’s why every trip is an adventure,” their website reads T-N-T’s Smoke House Barbecue Company announced they’ll be in the Rural King parking lot for both dates Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" these are the actual most popular baby names so far in 2025 Whether it’s a short vacation or they’re jetting off to begin their career show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift National Teacher Appreciation Week begins May 5 take advantage of these freebies and deals A pair of dwelling fires over the weekend left one person dead several without a home and multiple firefighters injured firefighters were called to a dwelling fire at 105 E where it was reported there was entrapment City firefighters arrived on scene about 10:30 p.m to find three people hanging out of an attic window and a fourth person trapped on the second floor Firefighters were able to rescue the three on the third floor adding that those three were flown to “other hospitals for treatment.” the Blair County Coroner’s Office reported An autopsy will be conducted early this week to determine the cause of death for 64-year-old Sandra Howard “There was heavy fire in the rear of the second floor when we arrived,” Free said in describing the conditions of the late night blaze that was called in by a passerby “Five firefighters were transported to UPMC (Saturday) night,” with three of those transported to UPMC Pittsburgh for additional treatment All have since been released and are expected to make a complete recovery two for smoke inhalation and a fourth for dehydration The fifth firefighter suffered a concussion when part of the ceiling fell on his head The fire started on the second floor and is under investigation by the state fire marshal as well as the Altoona Fire Department and Altoona Police Free estimated the damage at $35,000 to $40,000 and said there was insurance on the single-family home The Red Cross was called to assist the family and the Salvation Army supplied hydration for the firefighters Logan Township United Fire was also available to assist a dwelling fire in Logan Township left one man without his home but thanks to some “divine” timing Fire crews responded to 3002 Gwin Road about 1:30 p.m where Logan Township United Fire Department Chief Rusty Shoenfelt said the fire seemingly began on the right side of the house and moved inward The wind caused the flames to brush up against the neighboring house resulting in some exterior heat damage to that home According to the elderly occupant’s cousin he regularly passes by the house to make sure his cousin is doing all right as he is not currently in the best health While he was making his trip over on this occasion he noticed the beginnings of the blaze and acted quickly to save his cousin The homeowner does not have much use of his legs and he typically uses a motorized scooter to get around His cousin said he had to kick open the door to the house because it was stuck and quickly found his cousin in his chair The smoke inside the house made it difficult to see – or breathe – so the cousin could only make it part of the way to the door while carrying the homeowner before running out of breath That’s when a pair of Penn State Altoona students stepped in to help The cousin said the two students entered the house after crossing the street from campus and rescued the two men from the house as the fire continued to build It was “divine intervention” on all accounts from his arrival at the house in time to pull his cousin out of the fire to the college students entering to save them both They all escaped unscathed and the homeowner did not require any medical care There was no official assessment of the property damage but there was severe damage to the home and two vehicles Shoenfelt said he indicated he wasn’t notified of the blaze by any fire alarms Shoenfelt said it’s important for residents to check their detectors monthly and swap them out every 10 years adding that preventative fire safety is crucial to give everyone the best chance of making it out alive in the event of a blaze “We encourage people to ensure they have working smoke detectors,” he said The homeowner will be staying with relatives and did not require any housing arrangements The residents of the neighboring house were out of town at the time of the fire Logan Township United was joined on scene by Pinecroft Volunteer Fire Company Greenwood Volunteer Fire Company and Newburg Volunteer Fire Department Excelsior Fire Department also arrived on scene to offer their Rapid Intervention Team according to the International Association of Fire Chiefs acts as a standby search and rescue team in the event of a firefighter getting injured or going missing Shoenfelt said about 50 firefighters in total were on hand to combat the blaze adding that there were no injuries reported AMED offered medical assistance and officers with the Altoona and Logan Township police departments were present as well Shoenfelt said the state police fire marshal will be investigating the cause of the fire Copyright © 2025 Central Pennsylvania Newspapers LLC | https://www.altoonamirror.com | 301 Cayuga Ave. The Iowa Department of Transportation will close part of Interstate 80 in Polk County beginning the night of May 5. Drivers traveling westbound on I-80 will encounter closed lanes and need a detour. Beginning at 10 p.m. on May 5, crews will close the driving lanes on westbound I-80 between the U.S. Highway 65 interchange near Altoona and the northeast mixmaster in Des Moines, according to Frank Leong, a construction engineer for the Iowa DOT's Grimes office. Crews will be removing an overhead sign truss, a news release said. The interstate is scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. on May 6. When construction begins, drivers will follow the marked detour route. The route instructs westbound drivers to drive around the closure by exiting at the U.S. Highway 65 bypass. Drivers will use Hubbell and Euclid avenues to reach Interstate 235. Drivers wanting to rejoin I-80 can continue north through the mixmaster or connect to Interstate 35 as well. Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth. Pirates Preview: Bucs Start Quick Getaway in St. Louis Nick Gonzales Close to Starting Rehab Assignment: ‘I’m Feeling Great’ One of Pirates’ Few Bright Spots Dimming; Team’s Struggles Build Pirates Conclude Dreadful Homestand With Lifeless Loss to Padres Pirates Preview: Bucs Try to Salvage Series vs. Padres, Ugly Homestand Pirates Minor League Report: Hunter Barco Earns Triple-A Promotion Pirates Minor League Report: Konnor Griffin’s Five-Extra Base Hit Weekend Pirates Top Prospects Update: Developing Another Ace? Pirates Minor League Report: Hunter Barco’s Hot Start Pirates Minor League Report: Termarr Johnson Starting Strong Pirates Q&A: Holderman’s Struggles, When Will They Finally Win? Pirates Q&A: Offense, Paul Skenes Velo, Spending (+) Pirates Q&A: Why Won’t MLB Step in?, Lineup Construction, More (+) Pirates Q&A: Oviedo Timeline, A Shortstop of the Future? (+) Pirates Q&A: Fan Frustration Boils, Back of Bullpen Woes (+) Pirates Roster Moves: Dennis Santana Returns From Bereavement Pirates Transactions: Liover Peguero Back in the Big Leagues Pirates Roster Moves: Hunter Stratton Joins Bullpen in Place of Key Reliever Pirates Roster Moves: Gorski Selected, Burrows Recalled; Suwinski Optioned to Indy Pirates Roster Moves: David Bednar Returns From Stint in Minors Other top pitching prospects to make an impact last week include a trio of Triple-A pitchers: Bubba Chandler, the No. 1 overall prospect in the Pirates’ system, who struck out nine batters across five innings of one-run ball on an efficient 71 pitches; Thomas Harrington, who allowed two runs in five innings on Tuesday, April 29 before getting blown up for five runs in five innings to end the week, and Braxton Ashcraft, who struck out six batters in six innings on Friday, May 2. At the plate, Jack Brannigan and Esmerlyn Valdez hit two home runs apiece for Altoona and Greensboro, respectively, while No. 16 ranked infield prospect Yordany De Los Santos did them one better, clearing the fences three times in Bradenton. Sammy Siani, who began the season in a funk, began to turn things around at the plate, hitting two triples on April 29 (along with a walk and a stolen base) before ending his week with a three-hit game. Nick Yorke, similarly, caught fire as the calendar flipped to May, picking up eight hits in four days, two home runs among them. Malcom Nuñez went 6-for-14 with three walks and two doubles on the week for Indianapolis, while 2024 first round pick Konnor Griffin notched a pair of two-hit games, homering in the first and doubling in the second. The ball was sailing in Greensboro, as per usual. Shortstop prospect Javier Rivas went 2-for-4 with a homer on May 1; catcher Axiel Plaz ended a triple shy of the cycle on May 3, and Maikol Escotto went a perfect 4-for-4 with three doubles in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader for the Grasshoppers. The only thing that keeps me from being completely without hope for the Pirates in the near future is this extravagant wealth of pitching they have across all levels. If they had someone who knows what they are doing, they could parlay that into some offense. These are valuable trading chips. You are exactly right! Where is Cheringtons ability to win a trade? Especially for hitters! Enter your email address to get all of our posts sent directly to your inbox. Copyright © 2024 National Hockey Now. All rights reserved. In no way endorsed by the Pittsburgh Pirates or Major League Baseball. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (PA/IL) or 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN only) or 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA only) or 1-800-522-4700 (CO Only) or TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789. Sideline Cancer won the NBCRC Men’s Spring Basketball League title. Team members include (from left): First row — Elliott McCall, Andruw Harman, Tyler Magaha. Back row — Rob Block, Dameon Turner, Zach Simpson, Rocco Grassi, Lambert Palmer. Missing from photo are Damon Rickens, Ryan Adams, Reggie Pirah and Ian Jabateh. Copyright © 2025 Central Pennsylvania Newspapers, LLC | https://www.altoonamirror.com | 301 Cayuga Ave., Altoona, PA 16602 | 814-946-7411 Matthew Paul Zakrzwski, 52, of Altoona, unexpectedly passed away Wednesday evening at UPMC Altoona. He was born in Altoona, the son of Linda L. (Cassidy) Zakrzwski and the late Matthew P. Zakrzwski. He is survived by his mom; three daughters: Torri, Krystin and Kasey; four grandchildren: Lydia Marie, Braxyton, May-May and Ivy; his fiancee, Shena Nolan, and her children: Ronnie, Shane and Kamy; his brother, Thomas A. Zakrzwski of Florida; his sister, Teresa A. Zakrzwski of Virginia; and several aunts, uncles and cousins. Matthew worked at Tony & Ryan’s Upholstery Shop for 19 years and was a bus driver for the Altoona Area School District. He was a member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. Matthew was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 8, 2025, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, with Fr. John Lynam, celebrant. Committal will take place at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in Matthew’s memory to: Central PA Humane Society, 1837 E. Pleasant Valley Blvd., Altoona, PA 16602. Arrangements are provided by The Stevens Mortuary Inc. Online condolences may be made at www.stevens familyfuneralhomes.com or Stevens Family Funeral Homes Facebook. Cathy E. Decker, 69, of Roaring Spring, passed away Friday, May 2, 2025, at home. She was born Aug. 29, 1955, in Altoona, daughter of the late Harold and Catherine (Westover) Conley. Cathy attended Northern Bedford High School. She was employed at Cove Shoe and the Spring House Restaurant, and was also a housekeeper. Cathy enjoyed spending time with, and pranking, her family and friends. She also enjoyed watching Brian ride his e-bike down the lane. Private services will be held at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Autism Foundation, 2701 Little Elm Parkway, Ste 100-513, Little Elm, TX 75068. A patch of maroon and white tulips now blooming around the Altoona Area High School sign not only show off the school colors, they provide an example of what can be accomplished with teamwork and patience. As part of a unit on plants in Jessica Hogan’s science class, a group of six students got their hands dirty last November, placing about 250 tulip bulbs in the ground in hopes of spring blossoms. This week, the tulips burst into bloom, bringing a sense of school spirit and pride to sophomore Jonah Walters as he and his classmates looked on at their work during class Wednesday morning. “My girlfriend comes out here after school, and she looks at them and (asks) ‘You did those?’ and I laugh every time because it’s funny and cute,” Walters said. According to Walters, the project showed the amount of teamwork that he and his peers were willing to put in to see the bulbs blossom. Seeing the tulips bloom made all of the work worth it, he said. “It was a success, as all of us were working together as a team to plant these tulips,” Walters said, adding it was a fun project. Hogan said the class received a grant from the Altoona Area School District Foundation to purchase the tulip bulbs from the Netherlands. They also purchased gardening supplies like diggers, shovels and soil. Through the project, Hogan said, the students learned necessary life skills about working together and respecting each other’s individual differences. “I thought it would be a great way for them to see that you can start something, and maybe you don’t see the instant results, but down the road you see the benefit of what you started,” Hogan said. Emotional support professionals Judy Vaughan and Eli Mencer filled in for Hogan for the final days of planting the bulbs while Hogan was on vacation. Vaughan said she wasn’t sure whether the students planted the bulbs deep enough or if they would survive the cold freeze from January. When the bulbs spouted, grew and blossomed with the school’s colors, it was “very exciting” to see, she said. “This is our first year piloting these classes in regular classrooms, so this was a good experience for everyone,” Vaughn said. Antis Township will apply to the state Department of Community and Economic Development for a $250,000 grant to ... It has taken me 22 years to finally get a nominee elected to a Blair County sports Hall of Fame. This weekend, Penn ... A Philipsburg man is behind bars after a monthslong investigation into an armed burglary led state police to ... Mitch Jebb’s walk-off single helped the Altoona Curve pull off a 3-2 victory over the Akron RubberDucks in front of 3,592 fans at PNG Field Sunday afternoon. The heroics of Jebb were set up in large part in the top of the ninth inning. The RubberDucks started the inning with a leadoff double by Alex Mooney. Mooney then scored the tying run on Joe Lampe’s single giving Akron some significant momentum. “It definitely switched everything up because if they get that bunt down, they’re back in the scoring position, so that was a really intelligent play by Jack (Brannigan),” Jebb said. “That totally changed the flow of the game.” The play itself might not typically be executed in game, but it’s not something unfamiliar to the Curve who routinely practice that exact situation in spring training and throughout the early part of the season. “It’s definitely something we teach and we talk about it,” Altoona manager Andy Fox said. “We worked on it in spring training and to execute it in season, in a big situation is huge, and that’s why you do it,” he added. While the double play thwarted any momentum from the RubberDucks, back-to-back singles by Sammy Siani and Brannigan swung it back in the Curve’s favor. Nick Cimillo grounded into a double play, but Siani ended up at third to set the stage for Jebb, who was in a position his manager was more than confident having him in. “He’s a guy who’s going to put the ball in play and he’s got a chance to beat out an infield single with two outs,” Fox said. I think the biggest thing from a development standpoint is watching them slow the game down and not let the moment get too big for him.” And he didn’t as he smacked the delivery from Ross Carver into shallow left field for a single. He did so by just sticking to what had been working all day for him, keeping it simple. “I wasn’t really trying to do much, just trying to do exactly what I have been doing at the plate,” Jebb said. The Curve got their first two runs of the game courtesy of a two-run homer in the second inning by Wyatt Hendrie. Wilber Dotel might not have gotten the win, but his performance helped keep Altoona in the lead throughout his six innings of work. He allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out 10. Dotel was able to go deeper than usual in his second start of the series as a result of being lifted after 1.1 innings Tuesday night thanks to a lengthy rain delay. He was just more aggressive and attacked the strike zone,” Fox said. ” He really had his change up going and his slider really was making it look like a strike and it was tough for them to lay off.” Him going deep into the game allowed Fox to minimize the use of his bullpen which had been taxed throughout the series against Akron. Now, they’re in a much better spot heading into their series against Erie. “It helped us out. He had a shorter outing on Tuesday and it helped him be able to go a little bit longer today,” Fox said. “Being able to reset the bullpen now with the day off, and only really use two guys is big going into next week.” Pirates infielder Spencer Horwitz continued his rehab stint in Altoona over the weekend. In Saturday’s game, he was 1-for-4 with a double and on Sunday he went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Through one week of his rehab assignment with the Curve, Horwitz has gone 2-for-16 with a double, two runs, a walk and two strikeouts. Following the 5-3 loss to the RubberDucks Saturday night, Curve pitcher Hunter Barco was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis. He allowed two hits and three walks in his sixth scoreless outing of the season. He racked up 26.1 scoreless innings to start the 2025 campaign, an Altoona franchise record. The roster move will be made official on Tuesday ahead of Indianapolis’ game against Columbus. The most valuable player or players in this series spent more time on the field than the players and that’s the grounds crew. Led by manager of field operations Aaron Jones, the grounds crew was in a constant battle with Mother Nature from the outset of the series, including a 1:48 rain delay Tuesday, a rain-shortened game Friday and rain constantly falling all weekend. Without their efforts, there’s no way all six games would’ve been able to be played. Altoona will head to Erie for a six-game series beginning Tuesday. With the promotion of Barco and the injury to Anthony Solometo, much of the rotation has yet to be determined for the series. Five players from the Altoona Mirror’s core coverage area made the Pennsylvania Sports Writers all-state boys’ basketball team, announced this weekend. Bishop Carroll Catholic’s Jace Casses, who was on the third team last season, led those selections with a second-team slot in Class 1A. Other regional players joining Casses on the 1A team included Conemaugh Valley’s Jeremy Dietz, who was on the first team, Turkeyfoot Valley’s Bryce Nicholson, who landed on the second team, and Saint Joseph’s Jayden Stamm, a third-teamer. In Class 2A, Claysburg-Kimmel’s Brayden Haney and Portage’s Trae Kargo each made the third team along with West Branch’s Joel Evans. Owen Koleno, also from West Branch, made the first team, and Curwensville’s Davis Fleming was a second-teamer. Both of those players participated in the Altoona Mirror Classic in April. In Class 3A, Central Cambria three-sport star athlete Grady Snyder was picked to the third team along with Chestnut Ridge’s Justin Whysong (who also played in the Classic), North Star’s Andy Retassie and Westmont Hilltop’s Jack Wesner. Central senior Eli Muthler, the Altoona Mirror’s Male Basketball Player of the Year, was selected to the third team in Class 4A along with Clearfield’s Braison Patrick. Boston University-bound Donte Tisinger (played in Classic) landed on the first team, and junior Amier Robinson was on the third team. A full list of selections and players and coaches of the year can be found on B4. BELLWOOD — The Bellwood-Antis baseball team dropped to 6-9 on Saturday, losing 6-4 to Westmont Hilltop in high school action. The Blue Devils, who trailed 6-2 after five innings, got two hits and two RBIs from Landon Sneath. One of his hits was a home run. The Hilltoppers got two RBIs from Justin Ray and two hits each from Connor Sweeney and Bryce Goodman. WESTMONT HILLTOP (6): Sweeney dh 422, Ray 2b 411, Goodman 1b 312, Rocco rf-p 301, Chiodo c 300, Miller 3b 301, Gartner p 400, Oakley ss 301, Bennett lf 220, Kohan cr 000. Totals — 29-6-8. BELLWOOD-ANTIS (4): Dorminy cf 311, C. Swogger c 300, Plummer ss 400, Berkowitz 1b 311, Sneak 3b 312, Kyle dh 200, Gulvas p 000, Mock p 000, Gonzalez 2b 300, McConnell lf 310, Swogger rf 301, Miller cr 000. Totals — 27-4-5 2B–Goodman, Oakley, T. Swogger. 3B–Dorminy. HR–Sneath. RBI–Ray 2, Goodman, Rocco, Miller, Dorminy, C. Swogger, Sneath. WP–Gartner. LP–Mock. SO–Gartner 5, Rocco 1, Mock 4. BB–Gartner 3, Gulvas 4, Mock 2. Records: Westmont Hilltop (7-8), Bellwood-Antis (6-9) STATE COLLEGE — The Altoona boys volleyball team competed in the State College Little Lion Invitational on Saturday. The Mountain Lions competed in two pool plays but were unable to qualify for the playoffs. In the morning pool play, Altoona lost 25-17, 25-20 to North Allegheny, 29-27, 25-21 to Pennridge and 25-16, 25-13 to Central York. In the afternoon pool play, Altoona lost 25-12, 25-20 to Manheim Township, 25-16, 25-15 to Latrobe and 25-19, 25-15 to Canon-McMillan. The Mountain Lions got 37 kills from Lukas Weathersbee to go with 16 kills from Luke Mitchell, Caleb Terza’s 61 assists, Logan Coldwell’s 15 digs and 40 digs from Nino Yohn. ALTOONA: Coldwell 10, Mitchell 9, Terza 7, Weathersbee 7, Huey-Kish 4, Yohn 3, Keagy 3, Trimmer 2, Coon 1 Rose Elaine (McGarry) Stewart, 78, Gallitzin, passed away April 30, 2025, in her home with family by her side. She was born on Oct. 13, 1946, in West Virginia, daughter of John and Evelyn (Howell) McGarry. Rose enjoyed puzzles, camping, fishing, lottery games and playing bingo. The family would like to thank 365 Hospice and her friends at Emerald Estates for the care and support given to Rose. At Rose’s request, there will be no public viewing. The family is being served by Serenko-Claar Funeral Home, PC, Portage. Online condolences can be made at serenkoclaarfuneralhome.com John Sisto Law 6, LS Fiore 3: Multiple hits–Pyo 2, Kustaborder 2, Irvin 3, Goodman 2, Husted 2, Ballos 2 (JS), Kraft 2 (LSF); WP–Irvin, LP–Myers; SO–Irvin 9, Pyo 1 (JS), Myers 1, Kraft 2 (LSF) Masonic Lodges 4, Marana Electric 3: Multiple hits–Replogle 2 (ML), Pincin 2 (ME); WP–Muth, LP–Hileman; SO–Muth 11 (ML), Hileman 13, Zorger 1 (ME) Sheetz 14, Drenning Delivery 4: Multiple hits–Beaver 3, Carter Bridenbaugh 3 (S), D. Pincherri 2, Sprouse 2 (DD); WP–Carter Bridenbaugh, LP–Sprowls; SO–Carter Bridenbaugh 5, Orner 3 (S), Sprowls 2, Gority 1 (DD) Locker Room 11, ARC 10: Multiple hits–Stere 2, Smith 2 (LR), Carter 4, Berwager 3, McPhillips 3, Britton 2, Anderson 2, Dukeman 3 (ARC); WP–Stere, LP–Carter; SO–Stere 4, Buechele 1, Pyzowski 4 (LR), Carter 5, Berwager 7, Britton 2 Locker Room 2, Drenning Delivery 1: Multiple hits–Pyzowski 2 (LR); WP–Lutz, LP–D. Pincherri; SO–Lutz 5 (LR), Pincherri 8, Carey 1 (DD) Park Home 24, ARC 2: Multiple hits–Gamber 2, Roland 2, Nedimyer 4 (PH); WP–Hescox, LP–Anderson; SO–Hescox 4 (PH), Britton 2, McPhillips 1 (ARC) LS Fiore 5, Marana Electric 0: WP–Kraft, LP–Pincin; SO–Kraft 8 (LSF), Pincin 3 (ME) Holsinger’s Plumbing 4, John Sisto Law 3: Multiple hits–Goodman 2 (JS); WP–Farabaugh, LP–Goodman; SO–Farabaugh 5, Carter Klausman 2 (HP), Kustaborder 8, Goodman 5 (JS) Holsinger’s Plumbing 5, LS Fiore 4: Multiple hits–Carter Klausman 3, Perretta 3 (HP), Hershey 2 (LSF); WP–Carter Klausman, LP–Hershey; SO–Carter Klausman 11, Johnston 3 (HP), Hershey 5 (LSF) John Sisto Law 6, Masonic Lodges 5: Multiple hits–N. Pyo 3, Kustaborder 2, Irvin 3, Goodman 2 (JS), Moschella 2, Muth 2, Erb 2 (ML); WP–Goodman, LP–Replogle; SO–Goodman 4, Pyo 4 (JS), Replogle 3 (ML) Park Home 13, Locker Room 1: Multiple hits–Roland 2, Garvey 2 (PH); WP–Williams, LP–Stere; SO–Williams 7, Gamber 1 (PH), Stere 2, Pyzowski 5 (LR) Sheetz 13, Fiore True Value 7: Multiple hits–Wilkins 4, Maddox Lingenfelter 3, Leo Fanelli 3, Wasovich 2, Luca Fanelli 2, Myers 2, Ryan 2 (S), McKillop 2 (FTV). WP–Maddox Lingenfelter (S). LP–Brawley (FTV). SO–Maddox Lingenfelter 7, Leo Fanelli 1 (S), Brawley 3, Tomchick 2 (FTV). Sylvan Veterinary 10, Makdad 7: Multiple hits–H. Coble 5, A. Coble 3, Mish 2, Schiappa 2, Clayton 2 (SV), Shock 3, Baker 2, Thomas 2, McNair 2 (M). WP–Schiappa (SV). LP–Baker (M). SO–Schiappa 3, H. Coble 3 (SV), Baker 4, Thomas 1 (M). Cumming Motors 19, Fiore True Value 0: HR–Giger, Noel (CM). Multiple hits–Giger 4, Noel 4, Delasko 2, Novak 2 (CM), Wilt 2 (FTV). WP–Giger (CM). LP–Weyant (FTV). SO–Giger 5, Noel 5 (CM), Weyant 3, Menin 6 (FTV). Eagles (BAYB) 10, Sheetz (AIYBL) 4: Multiple hits–Max C. 3, Cooper M. 2, Carter C. 2, Dylan L. 2 (BAE). WP–Carter C. (BAE). LP–Luca Fanelli (S). SO–Carter C. 12, McCoy G. 2 (BAE), Luca Fanelli 2, Maddox Lingenfelter 4, Leo Fanelli 1 (S). Caracciolo (BAYB) 13, Makdad (AIYBL) 8: HR–B. Burrough (BAC). Multiple hits–Pullara, B. Burrough, N. Burrough, Hewitt (BAC), Rhoa, Williams (AIM). WP–B. Burrough (BAC). LP–Rhoa (AIM). SO–B. Burrough 8, Pullara 3 (BAC), Thomas 7 (AIM). Sheetz 8, Sylvan Veterinary 3: Multiple hits–Maddox Lingenfelter 3, Wasovich 2, Luca Fanelli 2, Wilkins 2 (S), H. Coble 2 (SV). WP–Wasovich (S). LP–Gunnett (SV). SO–Wasovich 6, Maddox Lingenfelter 1 (S), Schiappa 3, H. Coble 1 (SV). Makdad 15, Fiore True Value 9: Multiple hits–Baker 4, Rhoa 3, Thomas 3 (M), Tomchick 4, Weyant 3, Wilt 3, Fiore 2, George 2 (FTV). WP–Shock (M). LP–Brawley (FTV)). SO–Shock 1, Baker 6 (M), Brawley 1, Wilt 1, Rentz 1 (FTV). Sheetz 11, Cumming Motors 4: Multiple hits–Kaack 3, Wasovich 2, Maddox Lingenfelter 2, Myers 2 (S), Noel 2 (CM). WP–Maddox Lingenfelter (S). LP–Noel (CM). SO–Maddox Lingenfelter 6, Luca Fanelli 4 (S), Noel 4, Delasko 3 (CM). Sylvan Veterinary 10, Makdad 0: Multiple hits–Gunnett 3, Clayton 2, A. Coble 2 (SV). WP–Schiappa (SV). LP—Thomas (M). SO–Schiappa 4 (SV), Thomas 3 (M). Sheetz 4, Makdad 1: Multiple hits–Wasovich 3, Luca Fanelli 2 (S). WP–Wasovich (S). LP–Thomas (M). SO–Wasovich 12 (S), Thomas 7 (M). C&J Cabinets 8, Altoona First Savings Bank 6 Makdad AAA 8, Altoona First Savings Bank 3 Altoona First Savings Bank 20, Cesare Battisti 7 First Frontier Blair County 11, Stuckey Subaru 0 Caracciolo’s 11, Eagles 8: HR–Clabaugh. Multiple hits–Crist, Clabaugh, Learn (E); Burroughs (C). SO–D Learn 9, Clabaugh 7 (E); N Burroughs 8, Gray 3, Rilk 1 (C) Martin Oil 23, Messner’s 7: Multiple hits–Seiler, Plummer, Schmitt, Hartman, Biddle (MO); Wright, Brubaker (M). SO–Seiler 1, Smith 4, Schmitt 5 (MO); Zendek 5, Wright 1, McKnight 2 (M) Eagles 6, Messners 2: Multiple hits–McCahan, Gates, Crist, Clabaugh, D Learn (E). SO–Clabaugh 11, Peterman 2 (E); Myers 5, Wright 3 (M) Caracciolo’s 10, Parson’s 5: Multiple hits–Pullara, Showalter, Jones (C); T Hatfield, L Hatfield (P). SO–Pullara 3, B Burroughs 6, Rilk 1(C); Wiser 5, T Hatfield 2 (P) D Squared 6, Ritchey’s 3: Multiple hits–Baker, Benson, C Sloey (D); Beech, Corle, Adams, Showalter, Stoy, Gallice (R) Irvin’s 8, McClellan’s 7: Multiple hits–Dubbs, Miller (I); Weiand, B Cusick, Brown (M) Irvin’s 8, UVA 5: Multiple hits–Smith, Bridenbaugh (U); Williams, Mertiff, Cmar (I) INDIANA, Pa. – The former Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center executive director pleaded no contest to child pornography charges in an Indiana County court Tuesday morning. Eric Palmer, 41, alongside his attorney Thomas Kauffman, entered his plea before Indiana County President Judge Thomas Bianco. In entering a no contest plea, Palmer doesn’t admit or deny guilt, but agrees to accept the judgment of conviction. Bianco set Palmer’s sentencing for Aug. 22, stating that the charges could warrant up to seven years’ incarceration and a $15,000 fine. In addition, Palmer will have to register and report annually to Pennsylvania State Police for a 15-year period under Megan’s Law requirements, Bianco said. Palmer was charged in November 2024 with 10 felony charges of child pornography and one felony count of criminal use of a communication facility after an investigation into a tip received through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline. The investigation led state police in Indiana County to a Google account registered to Palmer. The affidavit of probable cause lays out the case against Palmer, showing Google reported eight files of child sexual abuse material were uploaded/distributed/saved. One of the files depicts a female victim between 4-8 years of age, fully nude on a couch with her genitalia exposed, according to the investigating officer. Google provided the user’s name, telephone number, birth date and email address, as well as the IP address and the file name of the image tagged as child pornography. On July 10, 2024, police served an administrative subpoena on Comcast, noting the IP address was traced back to Palmer, court documents state. Police received a search warrant on Sept. 4, 2024, and executed it the next day on Palmer’s Church Street residence in Indiana. Court documents show that Palmer, who agreed to talk to police, said his Gmail account had been “killed” by Google a few months ago, as his account was flagged for sexual exploitation or child pornography when he was uploading all of his files to his Google Drive. At the time, Palmer told police he never came across child pornography online and there would not be any such files saved or deleted on his devices. He also said there would not be any hidden apps or hidden files on his device. Police seized multiple devices belonging to Palmer and, after being logged into evidence, they were forensically analyzed by the state police Southwest Computer Crime Unit Lab. The analysis by the crime unit revealed “multiple files of child pornography” on Palmer’s desktop computer – in a hidden folder on the computer as well as multiple other locations, the report states. Deleted files of child pornography were also found on the computer as well as on two external hard drives which belonged to Palmer, court documents state. One of those picture files depicted a fully nude female victim between 10 and 12 years old, investigators said. Palmer, who previously served as director of the Indiana County Technology Center, was hired at GACTC in 2018. He was suspended from GACTC after the charges were filed. Palmer is no longer listed on the school’s online employee directory. Nicole Zernick, former assistant director at GACTC, has been serving as executive director while Palmer’s case moved through the courts. Mirror Staff Writer Conner Goetz is at 814-946-7535. Altoona had plenty of success at its Mountain Lion Classic on Friday at Mansion Park on a day where several meet records fell. Xavier Midder began his day by winning the 110-meter hurdles rather comfortably in 14.54 before he set a meet record in the triple jump with a new personal best of 49 feet, 6.25 inches. It is the 13th best distance in the United States this season. “I was really happy,” Midder said. “I had already planned on jumping big today. I think the key for me was speed. I sped up today and threw my legs out longer. I want to get to 51 feet. I know I can get there too.” Midder’s jump broke the meet record of Lance Hamilton (48-9.5) from 2019 but was just short of his facility record of 49-8.5. Earlier in the meet, Altoona had already claimed another record that had stood for more than 40 years. He ended his meet by winning a third event, the long jump, with a distance of 23 feet, 2.5 inches to edge Bellefonte’s Zane Hummel, who jumped 23-0.5. Altoona’s 3200-meter relay team of Mary Stoltz, Ashlyn Noce, Brionna Adams and Emerson Snare bested their seed time by more than 10 seconds and broke a meet record held by State College that had stood since 1981 with a time of 9:26.24. “I was really happy,” Stoltz said. “We have been slowly progressing. We didn’t have one of our relay legs for two weeks due to an injury, so we were nervous about that setback. But we ran well today, and we’re excited for districts. I’m glad I got to experience breaking the record with my teammates before leaving at the end of the year.” Hollidaysburg’s Emily Clapper also got into the act with a group of runners she calls friends in the 400. Clapper set the meet record in the 400 with a time of 56.33 after being pushed by Saint Marys’ Lucia Hayes, who also topped the previous meet record in 56.83. “One hundred percent it helped by being pushed,” Clapper said. “I know all of the girls in the race, and before it we were pumping each other up saying we could do it. The 400 is hard. I’m just happy to have great competition. They are all so nice and all so good and they push me.” After the race, unlike many of the others held Friday where racers go their separate ways after the race, most of the 400 competitors hung out and laughed together. “We’re all friends off the track — but on the track you want to beat each other,” Clapper said. “We all mutually have that respect for each other, but when we’re on that track, everyone is going for it.” Altoona junior Kihlee Noel didn’t break any meet records, but it probably felt like it to her after she broke out of a slump with two event victories. Noel upped her personal best in the discus by nearly five feet with a throw of 127 feet, 1 inch on her second throw. Noel came into the meet seeded third in the event and survived a throw of 126 feet, 6 inches by Punxsutawney’s Mary Grusky on her final throw to claim first place. “I was really excited walking out to retrieve my disc when I heard the number,” Noel said. “I have been having a rough past week, past two weeks, so I was really excited to hit that mark. I’m hoping to keep increasing my numbers, especially with districts coming up. I have focused on technique this past week in practice and working with my coaches on my technique to change it a little bit, and the atmosphere of this event helped too.” Later in the meet, Noel hit another PR — this time in the shot put where she threw 39 feet, 6 inches to edge out Grusky again. Altoona freshman Brionna Hudson edged teammate Triumph Kilmartin to win the high jump with both athletes clearing 5 feet, 5 inches as their highest jump, and Altoona sophomore Ashlyn Noce won the 1600 with a personal best time of 5:03.49. All of that individual Altoona success led to a girls team title, 152-125.5, over State College. Hollidaysburg finished fourth. State College won the boys team title, 127-86, over runner-up Altoona. The Golden Tigers were fifth. Following the lightning delay, Hollidaysburg’s Isaac Yarnell returned to win the 200 dash in 21.82 seconds. State College’s Sanai Abdullah broke a meet record in the long jump with a distance of 18 feet, 9.5 inches, and State College broke the girls 400 relay meet record with a time of 48.92. Mifflin County’s Carter Smith set both a meet and Mansion Park record in the 800 run with a time of 1:51.94. Altoona honored former star athletes Mike Reid and Kelly Davis by presenting the winners of both the 2A and 3A shot put (Reid) and 2A and 3A 100 dash (Davis) special awards in the former AAHS athletes’ honor. Reid’s Altoona shot put record throw of 58 feet, 0.25 inches set in 1965 still stands today. Kelly, who graduated in 2011, currently holds the AAHS record in the 100 with a time of 12.3 seconds. The Class 3A Outstanding Performer Awards in honor of Cindy Gutzwiller for the chapter of Blair County were presented to Altoona’s Mary Stoltz and Branson Adams and Hollidaysburg’s Emily Clapper and Isaac Yarnell. 1, State College (SC) 127; 2, Altoona (A) 86; 3, DuBois (DB) 67; 4, South Western (SW) 58; 5, Hollidaysburg (H) 45; 6, Lewisburg (L) 44; 7, Mifflin County (MC) 43; T-8, Saint Marys (SM) 41; T-8, Danville (DV) 41; 10, Clearfield (C) 39; 11, Bradford (BD) 29; 12, Bellefonte (B) 27; 13, Warren (W) 16; 14, Somerset (S) 13; 15, Indiana (I) 11; 16, Punxsutawney (P) 9; 17, Derry (D) 6. 1, Altoona (A) 152; 2, State College (SC) 125.5; 3, Punxsutawney (P) 79.5; 4, Hollidaysburg (H) 53; 5, South Western (SW) 51.5; 6, Saint Marys (SM) 51; 7, Somerset (S) 34; 8, Clearfield (C) 29; 9, Bellefonte (B) 25; 10, Indiana (I) 24; 11, Derry (D) 21; 12, Danville (DV) 16; 13, Bradford (BD) 13; 14, Warren (W) 11.5; 15, DuBois (DB) 10; 16, Mifflin County (MC) 6. HOLLIDAYSBURG — An Altoona man arrested in March 2023 and charged with selling drugs has rendered guilty pleas for a state prison sentence of Darius Lamar Harris, 40, who has been contesting his criminal charges, advised Judge Jackie Bernard on Friday that for the recommended sentence, he would enter the guilty pleas to several counts of possession with intent to deliver, criminal use of a communications device and related offenses. When handing down the sentence, Bernard recognized that Harris will be credited for time served in the county prison and that he is eligible for a reduction of his minimum sentence, as determined by the state Department of Corrections. He has no prior criminal record, defense attorney Joseph Addink told the judge. Altoona police arrested Harris on March 23, 2023, after an investigation prompted them to initiate two early morning search warrants at residences on the 1700 block of 14th Street and on the 1300 block of 17th Avenue. With assistance from the state police Strategic Tactical Response Team, the Blair County Drug Force and the state Office of Attorney General, officers took Harris, Monte Washington and Dione Boynton into custody. The officers also seized seven ounces of crystal methamphetamine valued at $4,200, 1.5 ounces of heroin valued at $14,000, 1.5 ounces of fentanyl valued at $21,000, 6.7 ounces of marijuana valued at $1,675 and four guns. When filing charges against Harris, police said Harris told them that the drugs were his and that he had been making buys in Johnstown. Harris’ charges also indicate that drug task force officers arranged purchases of cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine from him on Feb. 28, 2023, and March 22, 2023. The sentencing order Bernard handed down also requires Harris to get his high school equivalency diploma while incarcerated. Harris acknowledged that he didn’t graduate from high school, but told Bernard that he has always had a job. When Bernard asked what prompted him to sell drugs, Harris replied: “This is just something that came along,” allowing Bernard to add her conclusion of what came along. “Easy money,” she said. Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456. Annual expenditures for improvements and maintenance to owner-occupied homes are expected to grow modestly through 2026, according to the leading indicator of Remodeling Activity recently released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The LIRA projects that year-over-year spending for home renovation and repair will increase by 2.5% to reach a record $526 billion by the first quarter of 2026. “A slight downturn after the pandemic’s record expenditures gave way to modest gains in the sector this year,” said Carlos Martin, director of the Remodeling Futures Program at the center. “Recent increases in the sales of existing homes are expected to drive slow but steady growth in home remodeling and repair.” The U.S. remodeling market soared above $600 billion in the wake of the pandemic and, despite recent softening, remains 50% above pre-pandemic levels. However, industry fragmentation, inflation and a shortage of skilled trade labor jeopardize the ability of the industry to fully meet demand. According to Improving America’s Housing, another report from the JCHS, the extraordinary strength of the remodeling market has been supported by the aging of homes and households, as well as record-high property values, but far more investment is needed to address growing needs for energy efficiency and disaster resilience of the country’s 145 million homes. Locally, the remodeling market in the area has seen consistent growth in recent years, said Jim Brown, owner of J.R. Brown Construction Inc., Hollidaysburg. “A key driver of this trend is the increasing number of older homeowners investing in “aging in place” renovations, which enable them to remain comfortably and safely in their homes as they age. At the same time, many empty nesters are now tackling home improvement projects that were previously put on hold while raising children or covering college expenses,” Brown said. John Degenhardt of Duncansville said he sees the market as sound with plenty of work available, while Nicholas Martynuska of Nicholas Builders, Altoona, said he is receiving calls for new builds, but most are for additions, outdoor living spaces, kitchen and bath remodels. The age of both buildings and homeowners has been contributing to the strength of the remodeling industry, according to the JCHS. “While older adults typically lead in remodeling expenditures due to greater financial stability, Blair County stands out as a well-rounded market. Here, we serve a diverse range of clients across all age groups, reflecting a balanced demand for renovation services throughout the area,” Brown said. “I see all ages having work done and some of it is people in older homes just doing replacement and general repair also,” Degenhardt said. Martynuska said he sees a mix in the age of people having work completed. “Some are remodeling so they can age in place as they grow older, some are retrofitting for aging family members that are moving in that can no longer live on their own, while some are adding living space for their growing families,” Martynuska said. “I feel our biggest issue is rising prices and the instability of them, plus the availability of some specialty items,” Degenhardt said. “With the rising costs of new home construction now out of reach for many in our region, residential developers are increasingly hesitant to take on large-scale projects. As a result, the remodeling market has remained strong, offering homeowners a more accessible and cost-effective path to improving their living spaces,” Brown said. Labor problems continue to be an issue plaguing contractors. Brown also said adding to the uncertainty is the looming issue of tariffs. “Much of the softwood lumber used in our projects is sourced from Canada, while gypsum for drywall commonly comes from Mexico. A proposed 25% tariff increase on these essential materials would drive costs even higher, potentially pricing more customers out of the market and slowing growth across the construction and remodeling sectors. Unfortunately, the current political climate is not beneficial to the construction industry and its clients,” Brown said. Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467. A book signing event is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 10 at the Altoona Barnes and Noble store. Books will be available for purchase, as well as a few activities for children to participate in. Published by Fulton Books, Lindsay Chirdon’s book will help young readers learn about the hard work, discipline, determination and grit necessary to be successful in life. With colorful artwork and a heartwarming message, “The Leaderville Series: A Volleyball Story” is sure to delight readers of all ages, inviting them to revisit this engaging story again and again. Readers can purchase “The Leaderville Series: A Volleyball Story” at bookstores everywhere or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play or Barnes and Noble. While attending Saint Francis, Chirdon competed on the Red Flash women’s volleyball team. She has worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs for 10 years and currently works as a workforce development specialist, teaching courses rooted in professional development, leadership and personal growth. Chirdon is also passionate about writing books that teach children valuable life lessons. “Join Mia of Leaderville as she learns the importance of hard work and having a positive attitude,” Chirdon wrote. “Children of all ages, sizes, and abilities dream of becoming anything from Major League Baseball players to company CEOs, world-renowned artists or even professional dancers. But they don’t know what it truly takes to get there. This story walks through the journey of a volleyball player who set a goal for herself and the path she took to reach it.” While the Ghost Town Trail in Ebensburg is recognized as a great place for outdoor recreational opportunities like ... Small ball helped pace the Altoona Curve as they took down the Akron RubberDucks, 6-2, in a six-inning rain-shortened game Friday night at PNG Field in front of 4,439 fans. The Curve were down 1-0 after Akron scored on back-to-back doubles in the first inning, but used a healthy dose of small ball and timely hitting to take a 4-1 lead after the third inning. “It’s been a big emphasis from spring training on,” Altoona manager Andy Fox said. “These guys are going to have to do the little things when they get to the big leagues. And you might as well do them down here and in game.” Catcher Shawn Ross led the inning off with a double, and advanced to third when third baseman Mike Jarvis dropped a perfect bunt down to put runners at first and third with no outs. Jarvis stole second and an errant throw into center field by RubberDucks catcher Cooper Ingle allowed Ross to score and tie the game. Second baseman Termarr Johnson sacrifice bunted Jarvis and Brenden Dixon, who walked in his at bat, to second and third, respectively. Mitch Jebb doubled to plate both Jarvis and Dixon to give the Curve a two-run lead. Nick Cimillo’s fourth- inning home run provided some more run support for Altoona before the Curve added some insurance runs in the sixth. Cimillo led the inning off with a double that bounced off the centerfield wall, before Jarvis singled and set up runners on the corners with one out. Jarvis stole his second base of the game to put runners at second and third. Dixon struck out to bring Johnson up to the plate with two outs. Johnson subsequently bunted for a base hit and scored Cimillo. A throwing error by Akron pitcher Ross Carver allowed Jarvis to score from second and give the Curve a 6-2 lead. “I had a couple situations where I was able to help my team out,” Johnson said. “Getting guys to second and third, less than two outs, giving Jebb a chance to be able to get a couple runs in for us. Then the other time getting two runs in. It’s pretty good just having those go successfully with you.” Having a player of Johnson’s caliber willing to bunt multiple times to help the team score is integral in the success of the team, and it paid off as Altoona was able to execute when it mattered the most. That all starts with Johnson at the top of the order. “When I’m on base, I’m able to cause havoc around the base paths,” Johnson said. “It makes it a lot easier for hitters to get fastballs and it makes life easier for all of us.” Nick Cimillo picked a good night to hit his first home run of the season as he launched a solo home run in the fourth inning to add an insurance run for the Curve. Cimillo also added a double in the sixth inning. His double was one of three doubles and four extra base hits from the Altoona offense Friday night. The Curve racked up five stolen bases in six innings of action. It’s something Fox wants to and continues to emphasize with his players. “Anytime you can get guys in a scoring position and put pressure on the defense, I think, is paramount,” Fox said. “It’s kind of our identity as a team here, but also the identity of the organization to put pressure on the defense.” Both Jarvis and Jebb had two stolen bases a piece while Sammy Siani also added a stolen base of his own. Altoona sends Hunter Barco to the mound Saturday and Wilber Dotel on Sunday when the Curve finished up their series with Akron. Jackson Litzenberger, 16, of Juniata makes a move on his skateboard across North Juniata Avenue on Friday evening. The Friends of the Altoona Area Public Library recently made a donation of $50,000 to the library. Taking part in the presentation were Jennifer Knisely (left), executive director, and Shasta Langenbacher, vice president of the Friends. The National Association of Letter Carriers and the U.S. Post Office, along with the Central Labor Council of Blair ... Join the Railroaders Memorial Museum on May 8 for the last speaker in its History After Hours Lecture Series. ... The Blair County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Blair County Youth program will graduate 22 Blair County students ... Hunter Barco made another start with the Altoona Curve and threw five scoreless innings This outing marks 25.2 straight innings for Barco without any runs allowed to open up the season That impressive stat actually made history for the Curve marking a franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings Barco's start to the season was straight up dominant and now he has been rewarded with his name in the record books If that wasn't enough, Barco was also rewarded with a promotion as the Pirates decided to move him up to the next step towards the big leagues He will join Indianapolis' strong rotation featuring other top-ranked prospects Bubba Chandler 🚨 NEW RECORD 🚨@Pirates prospect Hunter Barco sets the new @AltoonaCurve franchise record for scoreless innings -- with a little help from his defense -- at 25 2/3 frames. pic.twitter.com/hk29f1k2XQ Barco is ranked as the seventh-best prospect in the organization and top-ranked southpaw according to MLB Pipeline After returning from Tommy John surgery in 2023 using all his tools to put together a career ERA of 2.54 and a 1.01 WHIP in the minor leagues Last season he was very successful, posting a 3.27 ERA across 66 innings, with a K/9 of 11.32 and a WHIP of 1.06. Barco's success sent him into 2025 with a lot of eyes on him, and he actually entered the season with an uptick in velocity sitting around 95-96 mph after previously being around 93 mph That increase in velocity has evidently benefitted him a lot, accounting for his 0.00 ERA, along with a 11.92 K/9 and a 0.70 WHIP. Double-A hitters have completely struggled to produce any offense off of him which is why the Pirates decided it is time for the 24-year-old with just 110 career innings to get the chance in Triple-A The Pirates are currently 10 games behind .500 which is an early sign of being sellers at the deadline Andrew Heaney will likely be one of the first to go (in trade) if he keeps this up creating a spot in the rotation to add another left-hander This promotion could also be indicating another potential debut. Chandler is doing very well in Triple-A and is one of the top-ranked prospects in all of baseball. Paul Skenes wants him up here so with the window to save a year of service time further opening Barco's spot in Indianapolis yet it will be very exciting to see what follows Indianapolis has a dominant rotation right now and it got even better and hopefully these young guys can do just that when the time comes © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"6c","src":"6d","url":"6e"},{"type":"6b","value":"6f"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"6i","url":"6j"},{"type":"6h","value":"6k"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands placeholders);\n",{"attributes":"ei","loadingType":"e7","name":"ej","source":"ek","type":"ea"},{"type":"e5","value":"el"},{},"commercial-api","(function () {\n mmClientApi.push('getPageData' If that wasn't enough, Barco was also rewarded with a promotion 🚨 NEW RECORD 🚨@Pirates prospect Hunter Barco sets the new @AltoonaCurve franchise record for scoreless innings -- with a little help from his defense -- at 25 2/3 frames. pic.twitter.com/hk29f1k2XQ Last season he was very successful, posting a 3.27 ERA across 66 innings, with a K/9 of 11.32 and a WHIP of 1.06. Barco's success sent him into 2025 with a lot of eyes on him, and he actually entered the season with an uptick in velocity That increase in velocity has evidently benefitted him a lot, accounting for his 0.00 ERA, along with a 11.92 K/9 and a 0.70 WHIP. Double-A hitters have completely struggled to produce any offense off of him This promotion could also be indicating another potential debut. Chandler is doing very well in Triple-A and is one of the top-ranked prospects in all of baseball. Paul Skenes wants him up here there has been no better pitcher than Pirates’ prospect Hunter Barco the Pirates’ number seven ranked prospect has been off to a lights out start setting a franchise record with the Altoona Curve for most consecutive scoreless innings with 25.2 on the year This kind of performance has earned Barco a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis Barco’s most recent start against Akron was just another installment in what has been a great start to 2025 for Barco His season at Double-A ended ceremoniously with an ERA of 0.00 and held opposing batters to a .131 average Hunter Barco hasn’t allowed a single run this season. His 25.2 scoreless inning streak is now the longest in @AltoonaCurve history pic.twitter.com/PTwK67drsJ who was drafted out of the University of Florida in 2022 has been on a rocket ship type of trajectory ever since coming back from his Tommy John Surgery That kind of injury can slow down a lot of player’s production but Barco largely has been even stronger since coming back from his rehab he has a career ERA of 2.54 through 30 starts Barco will now join a stellar rotation in Indianapolis Chandler is likely to be called up to Pittsburgh very soon so Barco could be in a prime spot within the rotation in the near future MLB Pipeline ranks him atop all left-handed pitchers and getting to Indy this early in the season should have him right on track to make his projected Major League debut in 2026 PA – Wilber Dotel matched his career-high with ten strikeouts in six innings of one-run ball and Mitch Jebb singled home the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth to finish off a 3-2 win for the Curve over the Akron RubberDucks on Sunday afternoon at Peoples Natural PA – Wilber Dotel matched his career-high with ten strikeouts in six innings of one-run ball and Mitch Jebb singled home the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth to finish off a 3-2 win for the Curve over the Akron RubberDucks on Sunday afternoon at Peoples Natural Gas Field Dotel picked up two strikeouts in the first and fifth inning and allowed his lone run around two singles and a stolen base in the sixth inning Dotel’s six innings were the longest by a Curve starter this year he allowed just three hits and two walks in his outing Dotel is the first Curve starter to strike out ten batters in a game since Thomas Harrington did so last on July 20 Altoona starters rank fifth among Double-A clubs with a 2.96 ERA and second in WHIP with a 1.04 mark Wyatt Hendrie accounted for the first two runs of the game with a two-run homer off Akron starter Austin Peterson in the third inning After Akron drew even in the top of the ninth on a single from Joe Lampe the Curve used back-to-back hits off righty Ross Carver to start the ninth inning After Sammy Siani and Jack Brannigan singled Mitch Jebb singled him home with his second hit of the game to send Altoona to the victory Termarr Johnson added two hits out of the leadoff spot and Siani recorded his first three-hit game of the season on Sunday Justin Meis tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in relief his fourth consecutive outing without allowing a run The Curve open a six-game series at Erie’s UPMC Park on Tuesday night Starters for Tuesday’s game are to be announced; first pitch is set for 6:05 p.m For tickets and more information on the 2025 Altoona Curve Season call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office the Stockyard Team Store is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m during every home game and online 24/7/365 All the highlights from our Sunday win live here!https://t.co/PUxEXhg1nC RubberDucks Game Recap | Box Score WP: Cam Sanders (1-0) LP: Ross Carver (1-1) Save: N/A but the Altoona Curve walked it off in the bottom of the ninth to win 3-2 on Sunday afternoon and earn a split of the six-game series at Peoples Natural Gas Field After a double play ball left a runner at third and two outs Mitch Jebb lined a single into left field to score Sammy Siani from third and give Altoona the victory Austin Peterson kept the Curve off the scoreboard for most of the afternoon on Sunday Altoona got to Peterson for two runs in the second on Wyatt Hendrie’s two-run home run But the right-hander quickly settled back in to finish his outing with 5.2 innings pitched allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four Jake Miller worked a scoreless inning and a third Alonzo Richardson tossed a scoreless eighth Ross Carver got two outs in the ninth before allowing the Jebb single Akron’s offense finally cracked the scoreboard late on Sunday Travis Bazzana opened the sixth inning with a single before stealing second base Jorge Burgos singled up the middle to score Bazzana and make it 2-1 Curve Alex Mooney doubled to left before coming around to score on a Joe Lampe single to tie the game 2-2 On the board!Jorge Burgos singles home Travis Bazzana to cut the Altoona lead in half!TOP 6: Altoona 2 | Akron 1 pic.twitter.com/OCtviXs6cB Big time hit by Joe!Joe Lampe with the RBI single to score Alex Mooney and tie the game!TOP 9: Akron 2 | Altoona 2 pic.twitter.com/rOPUNaVVkU Miller worked a scoreless 4.1 innings across three outings this week…The RubberDucks stole 11 bases in the series…Cooper Ingle picked up six hits in the series with five of the six being doubles…Game Time: 2:37…Attendance: 3,592 The RubberDucks will return to Akron to begin a six-game series against the Somerset Patriots at Canal Park. The series begins on Tuesday, May 6 at 6:35 p.m. The game broadcast is on 640 WHLO, the 640 WHLO iHeartRadio channel, and akronrubberducks.com, and available on Bally Live. Tickets for RubberDucks home games are available at akronrubberducks.com/tickets This upcoming week marks one calendar year since the Pittsburgh Pirates called up right-hander Paul Skenes who went on to win National League Rookie of the Year honors currently 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA at Indianapolis Two more highly ranked right-handers – Thomas Harrington (MLB Pipeline No 6 Pirates) – are on the Indianapolis roster according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat writer Noah Hiles Source: Hunter Barco has just been promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis He doesn’t have the name recognition of Skenes and Chandler but he has put his name in the record books of the Double-A Altoona Curve He didn’t figure into the decision of the 5-3 loss moving to 25.2 consecutive innings without giving up a run Hunter Barco hasn’t allowed a single run this season. His 25.2 scoreless inning streak is now the longest in @AltoonaCurve history pic.twitter.com/PTwK67drsJ The Pirates selected Barco in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft after his college career at Florida In two seasons in the Pittsburgh organization he is 5-4 with a 2.54 ERA over 33 games (30 starts) and 110 innings This article first appeared on Minor League Baseball on SI and was syndicated with permission customized to your favorite sports and teams In a display that could reshape his career Hunter Barco captivated fans with an extraordinary pitch performance that rewrote Altoona Curve history astonished spectators with an unparalleled 25.2 consecutive scoreless innings a feat defined by precision and relentless determination Barco’s command over the game was undeniable as he delivered five shutout innings while conceding just two hits and three walks His exceptional ability to miss bats and induce weak contact led opponents to compile an astonishing batting average of just .131 against him—a true testament to his effectiveness with two pivotal double plays preserving his dominance Barco’s journey to this point is marked by remarkable resilience Once heralded as a first-round talent from the University of Florida an injury necessitating Tommy John surgery in May 2022 altered his prospects his steady climb through the ranks has silenced doubts The progression from a 3.27 ERA performance at High-A Greensboro in 2024 to his current record-setting display illustrates a dramatic evolution marked by meticulous refinement and a refined pitching arsenal Technical Brilliance and Strategic Pitching What sets this rise apart is not just the consistency Barco’s pitch mix—comprising a fastball in the low-to-mid 90s and an effective splitter—has proven to be nearly unhittable His command over these pitches and ability to keep opponents off balance have significantly contributed to his elevated status One striking observation noted in his performances highlighted that “through 6 starts not a single batter has reached 3rd base,” a reflection of his tactical acumen and the synergy between his pitching and the athletic defense behind him Such a dominant outing has not gone unnoticed The promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis is a well-deserved recognition of his burgeoning talent The move underscores the club’s confidence in his potential to extend his success and eventually make an impact at the Major League level Fans and analysts alike are eagerly anticipating Barco’s next appearance as the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians prepare to host Columbus Clippers—a stage where he is expected to continue building momentum As Hunter Barco prepares to take the mound again next week his record-setting performance is a harbinger of possibilities ahead His journey from overcoming injury setbacks to rewriting franchise records speaks volumes about his perseverance and skill he not only secures his place in history but also builds a compelling case for a future in the big leagues The broader narrative emerging from his success is one of hope and relentless ambition—a reminder that even the most challenging setbacks can be transformed into remarkable comebacks The clash between the Diamondbacks and the Mets serves as a turning point in a challenging season where every inning demands determination and fresh energy—especially when a key.. A storied family legacy in baseball is about to ignite fresh competitive fervor on the diamond setting the stage for a unique confrontation between two brothers who have.. A torrential downpour failed to extinguish the flicker of hope in the hearts of Padres fans as hints of Jackson Merrill's imminent return emerged—even if nature had different.. An unexpected turn has reshaped the Texas Rangers' approach to offense as the organization brings in former star Bret Boone to lead their hitting efforts—a move that promises.. An electrifying return has reignited a surge of optimism as a resilient leader steps back onto the field after a daunting injury Resilience and Revival Luis Arraez’s comeback.. An unexpected twist in this season’s narrative emerges as one of baseball’s brightest stars battles a nagging setback illuminating both the fragility and relentless spirit inherent in top-tier.. © 2024 Motociclismo - All rights reserved Motociclismo Please enter your username or email address to reset your password © 2024 Motociclismo - All rights reserved Motociclismo PA – Hunter Barco fired five scoreless innings setting the franchise record with 26.1 scoreless innings thrown to begin the season but the Curve fell 5-3 to the Akron RubberDucks on Saturday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field Barco allowed just two hits and walked three in his scoreless outing both clubs were held scoreless for five innings before Akron scored four times in the sixth inning off Cy Nielson The Curve scored three times off the RubberDucks bullpen in the seventh inning using a leadoff double from Pirates rehabber Spencer Horwitz Jack Brannigan slammed his third home run of the season to bring Altoona within two The Curve used a single from Tres Gonzalez and three straight walks to plate another run Akron’s bullpen permitted just one baserunner after the seventh a one out walk to Gonzalez in the ninth and held on for the win after Travis Bazzana hit a solo homer in the ninth inning Fineas Del Bonta-Smith tossed two scoreless innings of relief in the loss Reliever Wilkin Ramos allowed his first run of the season in the ninth inning ending a 11.0 scoreless inning streak of his own Horwitz went 1-for-4 at the plate and played eight innings in the field on Saturday night The Curve wrap up their series on Sunday afternoon against the Akron RubberDucks Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians RHP Wilber Dotel takes the ball for Altoona with RHP Austin Peterson on the mound for Akron Watch all the highlights here!https://t.co/59mGNkkrxX TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need Justin Guerriero is a TribLive reporter covering the Penguins, Pirates and college sports. A Pittsburgh native, he is a Central Catholic and University of Colorado graduate. He joined the Trib in 2022 after covering the Colorado Buffaloes for Rivals and freelancing for the Denver Post. He can be reached at jguerriero@triblive.com Stay up-to-date on important news from TribLIVE 1-800-909-8742 © 2025 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved About Us Advertise Career Opportunities Contact Advertising Contact Circulation Contact Newsroom Contact Us Feedback Request Correction Resource Center Scholarship Opportunities Send Letter to the Editor Send News Tip Subscribe Subscriber Services Blog eFeatures Email Newsletters eTrib Facebook Home Delivery Instagram LinkedIn Marketing Minute Store Locations TribLIVE App - App Store TribLIVE App - Google Play X (formerly Twitter) Arts & Entertainment Best of the Best Business Directory Circulars Contests Coronavirus Lifestyles Local News YaJagOff Obituaries Opinion Our Publications Photos Real Estate Sports Video Weather Cookie Settings Privacy Policy Terms of Service PA – The Altoona Curve are pleased to announce the return of CurveFest A spring celebration of Curve Baseball at CurveFest will give fans their first opportunity to purchase single-game tickets and the first 200 fans who purchase in-person at Peoples Natural Gas Field will receive Altoona Curve gloves fans that hold season tickets and mini plans will have their first opportunity to pick up their tickets for the 2025 season There will also be a game-worn Curve jersey sale at the Stockyard Team Store for fans in attendance Fans that purchase tickets at CurveFest for Opening Day will receive another complementary ticket of equal or lessor value for any other April or May game any fan that purchases a ticket for the Curve’s July 3rd matchup with the Harrisburg Senators will get another complementary ticket of equal or lessor value for July 1st or July 2nd Individual tickets will be available for purchase online on Saturday March 1 at 2:00 p.m the Curve Box Office will be open from 9 a.m The kick-off event will feature live music, food, and vendors on the second level concourse. Vendors that are interested in participating can contact Tony Talarigo at [email protected] to coordinate their participation with a donation to Altoona Curve Charities CurveFest will feature complimentary food from Holland Brothers and live music from Zac Grace Fans will also have a great opportunity to sign up children ages 3-12 years old for the Ritchey’s Dairy Curve Kids’ Club to receive a free ticket to 12 Sunday home games. Upgraded memberships are available as part of the Curve’s Little Locos that includes additional ticket vouchers Little LOCO packages will be available for pickup at CurveFest Fans attending CurveFest are encouraged to park in the red or tan lots to purchase their tickets at the Box Office windows The Altoona Curve Booster club will be in attendance at CurveFest to invite fans to renew their membership or join the Booster Club The Curve are also pleased to announce the return of the team’s pre-season FanFest where Curve fans will have their first opportunity to meet the 2025 Curve coaching staff and players More information on FanFest will be revealed later the Stockyard Team Store is open online 24/7/365 AltoonaPenn State Altoona announces spring 2025 student marshalsPenn State Altoona has announced the student marshals for spring 2025 commencement. Student marshals are chosen to represent their graduating class based on outstanding academic achievement. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons — Penn State Altoona has announced the student marshals for spring 2025 commencement Student marshals are chosen to represent their graduating class based on outstanding academic achievement student marshals lead graduating students during the commencement procession Penn State Altoona will hold its spring 2025 commencement ceremony at 10 a.m in the Arena of the Adler Athletic Complex Below are testimonials from each of the four student marshals: Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology “Looking back to when I enrolled at Penn State Altoona it would have been impossible to predict the path leading me to this moment now I had a rough idea of the next four years and perhaps a slightly rougher plan for after that I don’t think any high schooler’s life plan lasts more than two semesters into college “I will be forever grateful that my ideas for the future fell apart at Penn State Altoona I have met the most incredible people — both students and faculty — whose passions and support have led me to expand my horizons more than I had ever anticipated led research and learned so much more than I knew there was to learn I wouldn’t have had this same experience at any other school “As Student Marshal for the Division of the Arts and Humanities it is my honor and privilege to tell you that our futures as graduates are uncertain and undetermined Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Early Childhood Education I will forever have gratitude for the experience I’ve had here “My time at Penn State Altoona was beyond what I ever could have imagined four years ago I am incredibly fortunate to have shared this journey with my roommates Each person — whether in a small moment or a significant one — has played a role in shaping who I am today and care I’ve received from others have inspired me to embody those same qualities as I move forward “As this chapter of my life draws to a close I find myself wishing it could remain open just a little longer I carry with me countless memories that will forever remain in my heart As I transition from one classroom to the next I am filled with excitement for what lies ahead and I wish you all the very best in the next steps of your journey “It is an honor to be nominated as the Student Marshal of the Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Reflecting on my time at Penn State Altoona I realize how much it has helped me grow both academically and personally I aimed to pursue a medical career but had little experience or direction I’ve been fortunate to receive guidance from dedicated instructors and peers helping me navigate the path to graduate school who went above and beyond to expand my knowledge and invest time in my success along with the unwavering encouragement of my family My family has been there for me long before college providing consistent support and reminding me that growth often comes with stepping outside of one’s comfort zone I feel ready to embrace the next phase of my journey with confidence.” Bachelor of Science in Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology “I expected college to consist of uneventful classes and tedious coursework I proudly say that my experience at Penn State Altoona was not just unexpected “I’d like to acknowledge my family — especially my mother and father — who countlessly sacrificed their time and resources to provide clear avenues to success our interactions on and off the court made an intense academic demand enjoyable your support helped me approach each day with confidence and joy Steven Betza for his unmatched personal and professional guidance as they never failed to entertain each other before “I conclude my undergraduate experience with the highest regard for Penn State Altoona and its student and faculty network It is with tremendous gratification that I accept the honor of being named the 2025 Student Marshal for the Division of Business AltoonaPenn State Altoona to host tap class starting May 9Penn State Altoona is offering a six-session jazz dance class for adults beginning June 3. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons — Penn State Altoona is offering a six-session jazz dance class for adults beginning June 3 The beginner adult rhythm tap class is perfect for those new to tap It offers a comprehensive introduction to basic steps No prior experience is required — just bring your enthusiasm and tap shoes in the dance studio and Wolf Kuhn Theatre of the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts Students may bring a water bottle. There is a $50 fee registration fee. To register, contact Christian Howard at csh5393@psu.edu or 814-949-5452 — Penn State Altoona will hold a Take Back the Night walk on Thursday Help raise awareness for sexual and domestic violence and support survivors with laps around the pond The event is sponsored by Penn State Altoona’s Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies program and is open to the public passed away at his residence Tuesday after a valiant battle with Stage 4 multi-focal glioblastoma brain cancer There is now a void in their hearts that will never be filled with whom he celebrated 41 years of marriage; his daughters of Robinson Township and Nicole (James) Itle of Portage; his cherished grandchildren: Lauren June Stanley Connor Joseph Stanley and Madalynn Jo Itle; siblings: Carol; Joseph and wife Michael Calandra; Roger; and Jayne and husband Andrew Speizman; and aunts and uncles: Florence (McClure) and Thomas Mack Phillip “Cheech” and Norma Cicero and Patricia Walkovich Rick also enjoyed the blessings of numerous nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews: Ryan Cicero Michele (Rob) Smith and Joshua (Jill) Cicero Rebecca Dzombak and Nikolas Midttun and Jesse (Anna) Dzombak Joseph and June (McClure) Cicero; father-in-law and mother-in-law Jack and Adeline (Walkovich) Penrod; and many beloved aunts uncles and cousins who filled his youth with fond memories and happy times Rick was a 1977 graduate of Penn Cambria High School and a 1989 graduate of Saint Francis University He was employed by UPS and enjoyed his route throughout Hollidaysburg He enjoyed working as an usher with the Altoona Curve He was also employed by Cambria County as the jury van driver and was affectionately known as the “Van Man.” He was a member of Holy Name Catholic Church and was a life member of the Saint Pietro de Roma Italian Club (Cresson) and the Bavarian Aid Society (Altoona) He enjoyed golfing and bowling with his friends listening to classic rock and enjoying time with his family and his pups Tamara Hoffman for enabling us to care for Rick at home Online condolences can be made at serenkoclaarfuneralhome.com passed away peacefully Friday at his residence He attended Cathedral School and Bishop Guilfoyle High School in Altoona he was united in marriage to Margaret Boring Surviving are his wife; five children: Charlotte Adams (David Morgan) (Sara Guyer) and Margaret Leonard (Chris Leonard He was the proud grandfather of 11 grandchildren: Naomi Morgan Lily Rae Adams and Jacob Leonard; a great-grandson He retired from Norfolk Southern Railroad after 29 years of service Ray was a loving husband and father who always put his family at the forefront Therese of the Child Jesus Catholic Church in Altoona Arrangements will be made at the convenience of the family Why I picked Lock Haven University: “I picked Lock Haven because I had prior connections at the university and liked the coach and the team I knew they could help me achieve my goals as a wrestler and student-athlete.” Greatest high school achievement: 4-time state place winner Nationally ranked since sophomore year and was on the national college recruiting big board Coach Clark’s quote: “Raegan is a hard worker and is someone who isn’t afraid to chase her dreams She has spent many hours both in the practice room as well as in the gym to build up the skills and the strength she needs to reach her goals I wish her the best as she continues her career at Lock Haven University.” How I got my start in wrestling: “Dave and Jen Fouse started a girl’s elementary wrestling program at Northern Bedford.” Other interests: Hanging out with my friends and family What getting to wrestle in college means to me: “It’s super special for me because I have been a pioneer for women’s wrestling It is exciting to have these opportunities and see the sport I love grow.” Probable college major: Health Sciences/Nursing BOSTON — To say the Celtics have dominated the Knicks over the past two seasons would be an understatement New York lost all four of its meetings with Boston this season by an average of 16.5 points per game That came after the Celtics won four of the teams’ five matchups during their 2023-24 championship season It’s more than enough reason for the defending NBA champs to feel confident heading into their Eastern Conference semifinals pairing with the Knicks which isn’t taking anything – or anyone – for granted at this point of the season So everything we did in the regular season doesn’t really mean a whole lot now,” Celtics guard Derrick White said So just understand it’s the playoffs A big part of the reason why Boston is on guard against New York is the play of All-Star Jalen Brunson The recently named NBA clutch player of the year is averaging 31.5 points 8.2 assists and four rebounds per game this postseason It includes a 40-point performance and what proved to be the winning 3-pointer in New York’s 116-113 Game 6 closeout win over Detroit Seems to make all the big plays for them,” White said “And he’s had an unbelievable year And obviously this playoffs he’s taken it to another level So it’s going to be a group effort to try to slow him down and to understand that he’s a really good player but just trying to make it as difficult as we can for 48 minutes and just have a lot of different guys to try to slow him down.” While Boston swept the season series with New York it took a 119-117 overtime win that included late 3-pointers by Kristaps Porzingis and Jayson Tatum for the Celtics to prevail in the final regular season meeting on April 8 Brunson believes how they learned and adjusted from the first three meetings showed up in that game But he also knows progress isn’t enough at this point “I feel like we played better in that game … Obviously still not getting it done,” Brunson said “Played and competed better than the first three games so that’s something we can look at and build off of.” CAVS 112: Tyrese Haliburton made a go-ahead 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter that sparked a decisive burst for the Indiana Pacers who stunned the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Haliburton finished with 22 points and 13 assists Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 33 points ROCKETS 89: Stephen Curry scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter Buddy Hield made nine 3-pointers and scored 33 points and the Golden State Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with a win over the Houston Rockets in Game 7 The Warriors will face the Timberwolves Tuesday night in Minnesota — Carmelo Anthony is joining NBC Sports as a studio analyst when NBC and Peacock begin their NBA .. who rose to fame as the frumpy and bitter Gladys Ormphby on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and made over 200 television appearances during a 45-year career thanking her many fans and telling them: “She wants you to know she probably had more fun doing those shows than you had watching them.” Buzzi won a Golden Globe and was a two-time Emmy nominee for the NBC show that ran from 1968 to 1973 She was the only regular to appear in all six seasons “Ruth Buzzi was a comedic genius,” Nancy Sinatra posted on X “Working alongside her on Laugh-In was the most fun I ever had working I treasured her friendship and I am heartbroken to wake up to the news that she is gone “Her laughter and warmth touched us all Buzzi was first spotted by “Laugh-In” creator and producer George Schlatter playing various characters on “The Steve Allen Comedy Hour.” Schlatter was holding auditions for “Laugh-In” when he received a picture in the mail of Buzzi in her Ormphby costume The character was clad in drab brown with her bun covered by a hairnet knotted in the middle of her forehead “I think I hired her because of my passion for Gladys Ormphby,” he wrote in his 2023 memoir “Still Laughing A Life in Comedy.” “I must admit that the hairnet and the rolled-down stockings did light my fire My favorite Gladys line was when she announced that the day of the office Christmas party The Gladys character used her purse as a weapon against anyone who bothered her On “Laugh-In,” her most frequent target was Arte Johnson’s dirty old man character Tyrone F the struggler,” Buzzi told The Connecticut Post in 2018 she speaks for everyone who’s been marginalized reduced to a sex object or otherwise abused And that’s almost everyone at some time or other.” Buzzi took her act to the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts in Las Vegas where she bashed her purse on the heads of Frank Sinatra “Ruth Buzzi brought a singular energy and charm to sketch comedy that made her a standout on ‘Laugh-In’ and the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts especially the unforgettable Gladys Ormphby captured the delightful absurdity of the era,” said Journey Gunderson executive director of the National Comedy Center in Jamestown Her other recurring characters on “Laugh-In” included Flicker Farkle; Busy-Buzzi a Hollywood gossip columnist; Doris Swizzler a cocktail-lounge regular who got drunk with husband Leonard played by Dick Martin; and an inconsiderate flight attendant Buzzi remained friends through the years with “Laugh-In” co-stars Lily Tomlin and Jo Anne Worley WASHINGTON — The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to clear the way for Elon Musk’s .. Larry Field of Altoona was in his car when the storm hit Blair County on Tuesday evening “It was quite a blast,” the former sheriff said noting there was “a lot of lightning and thunder.” “it was still moving” from the wind wires and signs blown down by the fast-moving storm it was reported that a cellphone tower was toppled The National Weather Service at State College issued a severe thunderstorm watch about 3:28 p.m which was upgraded to a severe thunderstorm warning about 6:10 p.m Garden Heights resident Charles Geist was at a Curve game with his son when the storm hit “We no sooner got there than the rain just rolled in and all of a sudden my phone starts buzzing,” Geist said Several of his neighbors told him to “get home” because his tree “snapped” and fell onto his home along Eveningtide Avenue Geist said he had just put a new roof on the house in either August or September was “probably 60-some years old,” Geist said adding that he and his family moved in about 42 years ago there’s no structural damage anywhere,” Geist said it was more fun to watch the Curve’s groundskeeping crew trying to put the tarp down on the PNG Field when the storm began “They couldn’t get it down,” Geist said with a laugh It wasn’t just Geist’s property that fell victim to downed trees and power lines Multiple routes such as Frankstown Road and U.S 22 were either partially or completely blocked by toppled trees Blair County 911 was inundated with calls from the moment the storm began with dispatchers saying over the scanner that services were extremely “backed up” due to the number of reports around the county The Altoona Fire Department said in a Facebook post that Blair County 911 was in “emergency mode” and should only be used for extreme circumstances The department also said in a different post that as of about 7 p.m. all units in the city were in use and responding to calls Penelec stated the storms brought sustained winds that reached between 50 and 65 mph and left about 73,000 people without power across the state about 6,787 out of 55,974 tracked meters were without power in Blair County as of 10 p.m crews prioritize clearing hazards like downed power lines downed trees and blocked roads to ensure public safety Damage also must be assessed before crews can safely access outage sites and initiate repairs Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor is at 814-946-7458 A consulting firm that has been working with the city for a year — and that helped snag a new city manager — is .. A Blair County man is behind bars after police were alerted to a man allegedly assaulting a woman on Altoona’s .. a key figure in Turkey’s latest effort to end the four-decade Kurdish conflict Onder died of multiple organ failure 18 days after he was hospitalized following a heart attack the Florence Nightingale Hospital in Istanbul’s Sisli district said in a statement reported by Anadolu news agency Onder was a member of parliament for the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party and was one of several politicians to visit jailed Kurdistan Workers’ Party leader Abdullah Ocalan in a bid to find a path to peace Onder and fellow DEM Party lawmaker Pervin Buldan met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month as they sought to build a framework to end fighting that has caused tens of thousands of deaths The political push for peace was given added impetus in February when Ocalan called for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party to disband which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and most Western states Erdogan at the time described developments as an “opportunity to take a historic step toward tearing down the wall of terror” between Turks and Kurds “We offer our condolences to the people of Turkey his family and loved ones,” the DEM Party said in a statement “It is a requirement of loyalty to his memory to achieve success in the struggle for peace that he waged at the expense of his life.” Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus described Onder as “a valuable person who earned everyone’s respect with his political stance where his calm demeanor and sense of humor marked him out in Turkey’s often highly charged politics his political life was spent serving pro-Kurdish parties including a seven-year stint as a young man for protesting a 1980 military coup He was jailed again in 2018 over a speech he gave five years earlier Onder was part of a delegation to take part in a previous effort to end the Kurdish conflict between 2013 and 2015 telephone poles and wires were brought down throughout the region by raging winds and a severe thunderstorm that left about 10,000 Blair County residents without power Tuesday night said Emergency Management Director Mark Taylor Taylor said the number of people without power had been reduced to about 3,900 there were still pockets of customers without power Taylor said there were some people with roof damage but the county didn’t receive any reports of significant damage from local management coordinators as of Wednesday morning noting the city of Altoona was hit the hardest Altoona Fire Department Fire Chief Adam Free said the department handled 80 incidents of downed trees and power lines in a four-hour period from 6 to 10 p.m the department responded to a motor vehicle accident with entrapment in the area of 13th Street and Pleasant Valley Boulevard in which a driver reportedly hit debris went airborne with his car and landed in a tree “I don’t know what the cause of it was But we were able to extricate the patient pretty quickly from the vehicle,” Free said Free said the department was still getting reports of trees and wires down Wednesday morning but the bulk of incidents occurred between that four-hour period Tuesday night Taylor said there were still some closed roads and traffic signals out of service Wednesday things are getting back to normal,” he said over 23,000 people experienced power outages Tuesday The company’s power outage map showed that number was brought down to about 12,000 affected customers by Wednesday afternoon According to Cambria County Emergency Management Agency Director Tom Davis the bulk of the damage included a collapsed barn in Portage Township and a cellphone tower that blew over along Sunset Road in East Carroll Township just up the road from the Dollar General store in Carrolltown Borough physically moving the barn 10 feet off its foundation before it collapsed within seconds “The wind and rain was just something I’ve never seen before,” Beyer said “The barn was there one second and in less than 10 seconds first responders were there for an “extended amount of time” and were able to free some of the animals But Beyer said her family lost at least four cows one pig and some farming equipment — tractors balers and a grinder/mixer — that were in the barn when it collapsed were looking for some water for the cows that the family was able to save Emma heard “just a small noise,” which turned out to be the dog Jordan Beyer was able to call out to the dog crawl underneath the debris and pull it out of the rubble unscathed by the incident from the night before Davis said Cambria County’s 911 center received 1,400 calls within a two-hour span between 6 and 8 p.m The county brought in additional staff to manage the volume of calls which the staff did a “remarkable job” of handling Davis said there were trees that fell against homes throughout the county but there weren’t other reports of structural damages to homes “or anything too severe.” the Conemaugh Health System urged oxygen-dependent patients affected by power outages to take immediate action to ensure they have access to needed oxygen supplies Patients have been encouraged to contact their oxygen provider to arrange for additional oxygen tanks or liquid oxygen if necessary People who are experiencing shortness of breath or other respiratory systems are encouraged to visit an emergency room immediately for evaluation and care Clearfield County Emergency Management Coordinator Scott Mignot said there were still about 10,000 people left without power Wednesday morning Mignot said the eastern parts of the county — the Karthaus Frenchville area — down to Madera were the most affected by power outages Officials were still working to establish shelters and charging station locations in these areas for residents with life-sustaining equipment adding information will be posted to the Clearfield County Emergency Management 911 Facebook page when it’s available Most of the damage in Clearfield County consisted of multiple trees telephone poles ripped down from the wind and wires ripped apart Huntingdon County Emergency Management Agency Director Katie Unger said there were no reports of structural damage in the county “but that’s basically all that we’ve heard,” she said the lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service in State College there were up to 80 mph winds in areas that experienced damage throughout the region “(The storm) was long lived and people are going to be recovering for several days A lot of people are still without power,” DeVoir said adding there were no credible reports of a tornado in the area “There may be some areas that get looked at to see if the damage is convergent but nothing was showing up on radar that suggested tornadic involvement,” DeVoir said DeVoir said there’s a chance of rain again today and Friday but current outlooks don’t show much likelihood of anything severe in the area over the next three days Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520 The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Blair County Court of Common Pleas to hold a hearing within .. A Blair County couple face drug trafficking charges after a traffic stop led police to discover about $5,000 worth .. A Bedford woman is behind bars after allegedly instructing her juvenile daughters to falsely accuse their father of .. Charles Thomas “Tom” Andros Sr. passed away Saturday at his residence after an extended illness the son of the late Harry and Helen (Basaites) Andros who immigrated to the United States from Greece Tom was preceded in death by his parents and 13 siblings including five brothers who served with distinction in World War II: James Also preceding him was a special brother-in-law Cody Emes; and brothers-in-law: John and Larry Dorazio and John Myers Tom married Concetta “Connie” Dorazio at St He is survived by his loving wife of nearly 60 years; his three sons: Christian Andros (Judy McNellis) of Pittsburgh (Renee Cassarly) and Craig Andros (LuAnn Miller) both of Altoona; and four grandchildren: Anthony with whom he shared a special bond; a sister-in-law Esther Myers; as well as numerous nieces and nephews He was a 1954 graduate of Altoona High School and was an avid basketball player after high school Tom played in numerous area leagues in the 1960s and ’70s and frequently played against notable players from Saint Francis at the Jaffa Mosque when freshmen were ineligible such as Norm Van Lier and Calvin “Cal” Fowler Army and served honorably as a linotype operator Tom began a lengthy career as a printer for the Altoona Mirror He was a member of the International Typographic Union (ITU) Tom also worked at Lumax Industries until his retirement He was a former member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and a member of the Catholic War Veterans Club Tom was incredibly active in his local community with youth sports He helped build the current Altoona Little League field on Ninth Street in 1983 and coached there for over 15 years with his good friend He also volunteered as a youth football coach for McNelis Catholic with another close friend and finally as football equipment manager at Bishop Guilfoyle High School in the late ’80s watching the Steelers and driving his familiar red Ford pickup He and Connie had numerous close friends with whom they socialized Perhaps his favorite place in town was Mike’s Court in Fairview Funeral services will be held at the convenience of the family Committal will be held at Calvary Cemetery Online condolences may be made at www.stevensfamilyfuneralhomes.com or Stevens Family Funeral Homes Facebook AltoonaAltoona English professor’s forthcoming book receives advance praiseA forthcoming book of poems by Erin Murphy professor of English at Penn State Altoona — A forthcoming book of poems by Erin Murphy "Human Resources," Murphy’s 10th full-length collection of poetry features documentary poems about labor and employment co-director of "Our Daily Work/Our Daily Lives," a cooperative project of the Michigan Traditional Arts Program and the Labor Education Program at Michigan State University published his review of the collection in the organization’s newsletter Beck is an emeritus professor in Michigan State’s School of Human Resources and Labor Relations "If you only read one book of poetry again in your life (or for the first time) you need to read 'Human Resources,'" Beck writes "Murphy has crafted a collection of poems that is a powerful glimpse into the lives of workers across the nation and the globe The people and their stories are so compelling that you will read the book in a torrent and then read it again slowly to savor the wonderful use of language and the tender and respectful portraits of her subjects." Beck goes on to details the book’s subjects a Hurricane Katrina search and rescue team He notes that the erasure poems that punctuate the book "take pages from human resource manuals and transform them into poignant truths of workplace practice and hypocrisy." He concludes "'Human Resources' is a powerful book that captures the human moments that make up the daily struggle to make a living and does so with the best that well-crafted poetry can deliver." "Human Resources" is to be published by Grayson Books on June 2. A book launch and reading will be held on Zoom on Wednesday, June 18, at 7 p.m. Registration for the book launch is available online Murphy is the Poet Laureate of Blair County, poetry editor of "The Summerset Review," and Penn State’s inaugural Mellon Academic Leadership Fellow for the Big Ten Academic Alliance. More information about her work is available on Murphy’s website AltoonaPenn State Altoona professor selected as Philosophy in Media FellowBrian Onishi associate professor of philosophy at Penn State Altoona was selected as a 2025 Marc Sanders Foundation Philosophy in Media Fellow ALTOONA, Pa. — Brian Onishi, associate professor of philosophy at Penn State Altoona, was selected as a 2025 Marc Sanders Foundation Philosophy in Media Fellow he will spend three days in New York City this summer at a workshop dedicated to promoting public academia through podcasting The workshop will be run by Robert Krulwich of RadioLab and Mia Lobel Fellows are chosen from all areas of philosophy who write speak to and produce media for the general public in the form of op-eds and short essays AltoonaPenn State Altoona hosts spring 2025 Student Awards ceremonyArch Ackley a senior nursing student at Penn State Altoona — Penn State Altoona held its annual Student Awards Ceremony on Monday in the Wolf Kuhn Theatre of the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts The awards recognize students who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in the areas of academics and student organizations for excellence in and outside the classroom The ceremony concluded with the presentation of the Eric A presented this year to senior nursing student Arch Ackley Ackley serves as president of the Altoona chapter of Student Nurses’ Association of Pa (SNAP) and executive director of the Campus Activities Board (CAB) The Walker Award recognizes students from throughout the entire University whose outstanding qualities of character and citizenship have been directed into student programs and services A full list of awards and recipients is available on the Student Awards page Explore Altoona, which has been Blair County’s official marketing organization for more than 60 years, will soon be dissolved. Blair County commissioners voted Thursday to decertify the non-profit while Laura Burke abstained from the vote because of a conflict of interest said Explore Altoona was unwilling to align with the commissioners’ goals one of which is to create more trails and outdoor recreation but it's about a bigger vision of this county and where that money can be used and leveraged to help this county," Kessling said Mark Ickes, the executive director of Explore Altoona, defended the agency in a public hearing last week in advance of the decertification vote He said using hotel tax to build trails is not best-practice for using marketing funds those funds are to be used to put ‘heads in beds,’ to promote the destination…not to build it," Ickes said Ickes also said his agency was willing to work with commissioners to find other funding sources and to promote Blair County’s vision for outdoor recreation commissioners also approved an ordinance to create the Blair County Trail When asked if bed taxes could be redirected to that authority but state law is specific on what bed taxes can be used for Kessling said they will soon start the process to certify a new marketing organization revenue from the county’s bed tax will go into a bank account set up by Blair County Commissioners The vote to decertify comes after a long process to gather support from Blair County's municipalities. Eighteen out of 25 municipalities opted out of voting, but the remaining municipalities, which make up the majority of the county's population, did vote to decertify Explore Altoona Have a tip for the WPSU newsroom? Email radionews@psu.edu — Penn State Altoona men’s tennis student-athlete Casey Hess was voted the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference’s Player of the Year in the sport headlining an all-conference team announced on Tuesday In addition to being the AMCC Player of the Year Hess also was a first-team all-conference selection at No Joining him on the first team of the All-AMCC squad were Andrew Chronister 1 singles: Hess played all of his singles matches in the No 1 position for Penn State Altoona this season compiling a 10-5 overall record that included a 5-1 mark within the AMCC He recorded the most overall wins at the No 1 position of any player in the conference and tied for first in AMCC No Hess was a two-time AMCC Player of the Week this past season 2 singles: Chronister made all of his singles appearances in the Lions’ lineup at the No where he compiled a 10-3 overall record and went 5-0 in the AMCC 2 singles players in both overall wins and conference wins at that position 3 singles: Beard posted an 11-2 overall record in the No he finished the season with a 13-3 singles record and went 6-0 within the AMCC ranking first in the conference in both overall and conference wins in singles play Beard also received one AMCC Player of the Week award this season 6 singles: Grot made the majority of his singles appearances at the No The sophomore led the AMCC in overall wins at No Grot finished the year with an 8-4 overall record that included going 4-0 in the AMCC 3 doubles: Newell and Beard teamed up for a 4-0 overall record at No 3 doubles wins tied for the most of any duo in the conference and their three AMCC wins there also tied for the highest total Penn State Altoona men’s tennis finished its 2024-25 season with an 11-6 overall record The Lions went 5-1 within the AMCC and clinched the No 1 seed in the conference postseason tournament where the team eventually finished as runners-up following a loss in the championship match