Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
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Cove-area fire companies saw an increase in calls in 2021 from the previous year, and the rise, at least in Williamsburg, according to Chief Ted Hyle, can be attributed to the loss of the town's ambulance service. Of Williamsburg's 405 calls, 162 were for the Quick Response Service (QRS) for medical help. Williamsburg responded to 36 motor vehicle accidents and three structure fires. Two summer storms that flooded the borough produced 41 calls for downed trees and wires. The storm also kept the...
“Where the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe.”—Thomas Jefferson. For more than 300 years, countless words have been printed and delivered to communities across North America. Whether daily or weekly, the American newspaper not only keeps people informed about of their community and country, but also serves as a community watchdog of local and national governments. If not for a free press, governments at all levels could operate with no accountability to the public. Fortunately, the founding fathers recognized that for a dem...
A Claysburg man is facing felony burglary charges after police said he entered an apartment without permission and damaged several walls. According to charges filed by Greenfield Township police, on Dec. 19, the resident of the apartment reported that Warren C. Dutil, 29, entered her apartment at around 3 a.m. while she was at work and put several holes in the walls throughout the apartment. The victim told police that she and Dutil had an argument the previous day while she was at work and that he appeared intoxicated while at a bar earlier...
A Roaring Spring man facing child endangerment and alcohol related charges is headed to Blair County court after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing. Toby R. Wilson, 25, appeared before Hollidaysburg Magisterial District Judge Paula Aigner on Dec. 14, where he waived charges of felony endangering the welfare of children, misdemeanor charges of recklessly endangering another person and DUI related charges to the county court. According to charges filed by Hollidaysburg State Police, on the evening of Oct. 19, two vehicles were involved...
A Christmas Eve crash in McKee damaged a building and sent a stark reminder that roads can get slick without warning and to use caution when traveling over bridges because they freeze before road surfaces. Rescue crews from Roaring Spring were called out at around 2:30 a.m. when a pickup truck driven by Brandon E. Mowery, 34, of Claysburg, lost control while traveling over the bridge on Route 36, McKee, and crashed into a building at 8320 Woodbury Pike, causing severe damage to the building and...
The COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to many holiday traditions last year, but for an East Freedom couple, it was more than a missed family gathering. It meant a forced year off from providing Christmas to needy families and an eagerness to get back to it this year. For the past five years, John and Christy Lawler have tried to reduce holiday stress for some families by providing the ingredients for a full Christmas dinner as well as presents for children to open on Christmas morning. John, a...
The new policy regarding Plum Creek Mountain continues to draw protests from some people, prompting Roaring Spring Borough Council President Rodney Green to open the Dec. 13 council meeting addressing what he said is misinformation regarding the land. Green said some of the comments made at last month’s meeting regarding the mountain ground were not factual. “I do think we need to reply to some of those comments,” Green said. Green said he has heard comments that the Pennsylvania Game Commission is functioning as a private police force to manag...
An accident involving a large fuel spill closed a portion of I-99 on Monday, Dec. 20. According to Freedom Township Volunteer Fire Company officials, a tanker truck traveling south on I-99 overturned on exit 23 (Roaring Spring), spilling approximately 600 gallons of diesel fuel. The driver of the truck, who has not been identified, was able to free himself from the wreckage of the overturned rig. He was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The tanker was carrying...
The new policy regarding Plum Creek Mountain continues to draw protests from some people, prompting Roaring Spring Borough Council President Rodney Green to open the Dec. 13 council meeting addressing what he said is misinformation regarding the land. Green said some of the comments made at last month’s meeting regarding the mountain ground were not factual. “I do think we need to reply to some of those comments,” Green said. Green said he has heard comments that the Pennsylvania Game Commission is functioning as a private police force to manag...
Roaring Spring Borough Council met for the final time in 2021 on Monday evening, Dec. 13. It was not only the final meeting of the year, but it was also the last meeting for three long-time borough council members and the mayor. Council members Sue Ann Feather and Jeffery Steward are leaving council after opting not to seek reelection. Feather, who did not attend the final meeting, leaves after 24 years on council while Steward served 12 years. Council President Rodney Green presented the outgoing officials with certificates commemorating...
A Roaring Spring woman was killed in an early morning crash on Monday, Dec. 6, in Huntingdon County. According to Huntingdon State Police, Courtlin Marie Holland, 27, died when her 2014 Jeep Cherokee was struck head-on by a 2007 Jeep Cherokee driven by Mark E. Hoover, 50, of Saxton. According to police reports, Hoover was traveling north on Raystown Road at around 6 a.m. when he swerved into the opposite lane to avoid a vehicle that was stopped to make a left turn onto Hartslog Valley Road....
A Freedom Township traffic stop has landed a Duncansville woman in jail on drug and firearms charges. Samantha M. Michael, 35, is facing felony charges of possession with intent to deliver and possessing a firearm without a license along with misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. According to Freedom Township police, on Dec. 1, an officer spotted a vehicle on Dunnings Highway and Commerce Drive being driven by a woman with an active warrant out of Bedford County. Police pulled the...
Williamsburg may be losing another business as the town’s only bank announced last week that is will be closing, with March 4 targeted as the last day. Around three weeks ago Mid Penn Bank announced it was merging with Riverview Bank, followed a few days later by a letter informing customers of the impending closing of its CBT Bank in the borough. The letter dated Dec. 3 and signed by Mid Penn President and CEO Rory G. Ritrievi, stated that Mid Penn was going to transfer customer accounts to its Martinsburg branch. The announcement was met w...
C&S Family Markets has begun the liquidation of one of its stores in preparation for the permanent closure of its two local supermarkets. According to a post on the C&S Facebook page, the company has begun the closing process of its Claysburg location by holding a 30-percent off all inventory sale, excluding milk. The sale began on Sunday, Dec. 12. The post said the action being taken at the Claysburg store does not affect the Martinsburg location, which will be open for “business as usual,” according to the company. C&S gave no indication whe...
A Duncansville man is facing charges after police said he assaulted a Freedom Township man who hired him to do carpentry work in his home. According to Freedom Township police, on Nov. 21, Samuel J. Lloyd, 26, was doing work inside the home on Anderson Lane, Freedom Township, when he suddenly began to “flip out.” The victim told police that Lloyd began to punch holes and rip out drywall that he had just installed. Police said the victim and Lloyd began arguing over Lloyd’s actions when Lloyd assaulted the victim by punching him on the left side...
Claysburg-Kimmel School District Superintendent Darren McLaurin is retiring effective this summer. McLaurin informed the board of his decision last week, saying it was time he moves on. McLaurin was hired to take the reins at Claysburg-Kimmel in December 2017 following the retirement of Royce Ann Boyd. Prior to landing at Claysburg, McLaurin had been at the Westmont Hilltop School District for 19 years serving as a business education teacher, athletic director, assistant high school principal and principal at Westmont Hilltop Middle School. He...
A Woodbury man who was originally sentenced to life in prison for his part in a 2015 murder but was resentenced twice since then after the U.S. Supreme Court decided life without parole for juvenile offenders was unconstitutional, had his most recent sentence of 50 years to life upheld by the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Deauntay D. Moye, now 23, was 16 years old when he and an accomplice, Ryan Hardwick, then 15 of Martinsburg, shot and killed 21-year-old Stephanie Waters of Roaring Spring in a...
The Freedom Township Volunteer Fire Company will be holding a Christmas party on Sunday, Dec. 12, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the firehall. This year’s party is in memory of Daniel “Butch” Giarth. Giarth, a long-time member of the fire company as well as a Freedom Township Supervisor, passed away on Dec. 30, 2020. According to Freedom Township Volunteer Fire Company Chief Ron Henry, Giarth was the driving force behind the Christmas parties and continuing them is a way to honor his memory. “Butch had a big heart and he loved kids,” Henry said. “He...
An East Freedom woman is facing child endangerment charges after police said she crashed her car while drunk with two small children in the back seat. According to Greenfield Township police, on Nov. 15, officers responded to an accident along Bedford Street, Greenfield Township. When police arrived on scene, they observed a vehicle on the roadway and a vehicle on a porch of a residence with neighbors attending to two small children near the vehicle. Police identified the driver of the vehicle as Haven Nichol-Lyn Hoffer, 23. When police...
The Borough of Roaring Spring will be entering the new year with a new mayor after Ron Glunt chose not to run for reelection, bringing an end to a decades-long career as a public servant serving first on council before moving to the head of the table to take over the mayor’s seat. Newly elected Mayor Dennis Igou, himself a former councilman, said Glunt leaves big shoes to fill but that he is up to the challenge. “Ron has done a tremendous job for the borough,” Igou said. “He put in a lot of time here and it shows.” Igou, who spent 19 years on c...
The 2021 general election was unlike any in recent memory as disenchantment with the state mandate for mask wearing in schools gave rise to a hard-fought, grassroots effort by write-in candidates to win seats on the board of directors in two local school districts. In Spring Cove, write-in candidates Brenda Frederick, Travis Ott and Kevin Smith, running as a team under the banner of the Spring Cove Educational Integrity Alliance, each garnered more than 1,000 votes, with Frederick accumulating an unofficial tally of 1,279 write-in votes, just...
While no official word has come from its owners, it appears that C&S Family Markets is poised to close its stores in Martinsburg and Claysburg by the end of the year. Customers began posting news of its closing to local Facebook groups last week, prompting C&S to make its own post addressing the rumors. “To all of our valued customers,” the post read. “Recently there has been a lot of discussion on social media regarding our business. We appreciate the concern, comments and outpouring of support. While we deal with the business decisions know...
For years, the monthly all-you-can-eat fundraising dinner held by the Freedom Township Volunteer Fire Company has stayed at a steady $10 per meal. As price increases on supplies throughout the years cut into the fire company's profit, officials resisted raising the price of the meal because they were generating enough revenue to allow them to hold the line. However, the trickle-down effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has finally caught up with them, forcing fire company officials to raise the...
When Bill Brantner left his home in Williamsburg in 1967 bound for Vietnam, the then 17-year-old recent Williamsburg High School graduate had no idea he was taking the first steps toward serving his country in not one, not two, but three wars over the next three decades. The United States' involvement in the Vietnam War began in 1965, and with an active draft that was calling hundreds of men per day, Brantner knew when he entered the Army that Vietnam was his likely destination, although he...
The referendum to make Blair County a second amendment sanctuary overwhelmingly passed county-wide with an unofficial tally of 17,846 voting in favor to just 7,149 no votes. The referendum, which makes it illegal for the government to confiscate legally owned firearms, was voted on two levels as voters were asked to cast a yes or no vote on the county level as well as their respective municipality. None of the county’s 24 municipalities voted down the referendum, passing it individually by a wide margin in each area. Freedom Township led the w...
There were few surprises in the Nov. 4 general election as most incumbents held on to their seats, although voters sent a clear message to some that those seats are hot. Freedom Township voters showed they are happy with the status quo by sending Republican Ed Bender back to the board of supervisors for another six years with a landslide victory over Democrat Jeremy Flaugh. Republican Timothy James, running unopposed, secured a two-year term to join Bender and Maureen Hamor at the table. Roaring Spring voters overwhelmingly gave the nod to form...
A Roaring Spring man angry over borough council’s decision to limit access to Plum Creek Mountain is facing charges after police said he scattered dozens of nails and screws in front of the borough building and along the roadway. According to Roaring Spring Borough police, on the morning of Oct. 22, the borough secretary found the scattered nails and screws and notified police. Police reviewed the borough’s security video which showed a vehicle drive past the borough building at approximately 3:12 a.m. and cross the double yellow line. Police s...
A Newry man is behind bars after leading police on a chase in a car reported stolen. According to charges filed by Freedom Township police, on Oct. 23, an officer was on patrol along Dunnings Highway and Commerce Drive when he spotted a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of Hollidaysburg. When police pulled up beside the alleged stolen vehicle, the driver, later identified as Ray G. Barefoot Jr., 26, attempted to conceal his face with a mask. Police said when they ordered Barefoot out of...
An apartment building fire Sunday morning, Oct. 31, attracted eight area fire companies and displaced two Newry families. At approximately 8:19 a.m., Freedom Township Assistant Fire Chief and borough employee James Lang was driving past 904 Shamrock Lane when he spotted smoke coming from the eaves and attic of the complex. While calling in the alarm, Lang knocked on the doors of the apartments alerting the residents of the fire and guiding them to safety. Crews from Duncansville, Freedom...
Seven people gathered outside the borough building in Roaring Spring on Monday afternoon, Nov. 1, to protest against Roaring Spring Borough's new ordinance on the use of Plum Creek Mountain. Those on hand were carrying makeshift signs that expressed their displeasure with borough council for closing the ground to recreational use and limiting access to hunting for borough residents only. While the turnout was small in comparison to the 50-plus who showed up to speak to council during a meeting...
A New Enterprise woman already facing charges for allegedly firing a gun outside a Claysburg bar on Oct. 6 is facing new charges after police said she assaulted state police troopers who responded to a call for a domestic incident on Oct. 19. Maria Beth Miller, 54, was free on unsecured bail from the Oct. 6 incident when police said she slapped, spit and kicked state troopers during the domestic call investigation. According to Bedford State Police, troopers were called to a home on Lafayette Road, Roaring Spring, for a domestic in progress...
Freedom Township Supervisor Maureen Hamor says her fellow supervisor, Ed Bender, has one agenda when it comes to being on the board. “Ed’s only agenda is doing what he thinks is best for Freedom Township and its citizens,” Hamor said. Bender, 62, has served on the board of supervisors since 1998 and is seeking another six-year term. Bender will face off against Jeremy Flaugh, who Bender beat in the primary election for the Republican nomination. Flaugh garnered just enough write-in votes to appear on Tuesday’s ballot as a Democrat. Bender,...
A political newcomer is hoping his first try at public office nets him the mayor’s seat in Roaring Spring borough. Democrat Derek Brown, 26, said he is running for mayor because change is needed. “I feel like things have not been getting done around here,” he said. Brown will be facing off against Republican Dennis Igou to replace outgoing Mayor Ronald Glunt. Brown said borough streets and sidewalks are in need of repair as well as some of its parks. “They are not being properly maintained,” he said. Brown said he also wants to bring the town...
A familiar face is hoping to return to Roaring Spring’s council chambers, albeit in a slightly different capacity. Republican Dennis Igou, who served 19 years on council before bowing out in 2019, is hoping to return as mayor when he faces off against Democratic opponent Derek Brown in Tuesday’s general election. Igou, a member of the Friendship Volunteer Fire Company, currently serves as the borough’s Emergency Management Coordinator. Igou, who was born and raised in Roaring Spring, said he is running for mayor because serving the commu...
Candidates are not the only thing Blair County voters will see on their ballots Tuesday. Thanks to a concerted effort from Blair County’s Tea Party, two referendums to make Blair County and its 24 municipalities a second amendment sanctuary will be on the ballot, one that covers the entire county and one specific to each municipality. Rhonda Holland, president of the Blair County Tea Party, said the second amendment, which guarantees citizens the right to keep and bear arms, is under attack and that if people don’t act, government will tak...
Tuesday’s general election features a few contested races as well as write-in campaigns for local school board seats. In the race for five seats on the Spring Cove School Board, incumbents Amy Acker Knisely, Linda Kay Smith, John R. Biddle, and Chuck Gojmerac are facing a write-in challenge from Brenda Frederick, Kevin Smith, and Travis Ott. Four seats for a four-year term and one two-year term are up for grabs. Williamsburg Community School District voters will also have a choice between candidates on the ballot and four who are waging w...
A Saxton woman is behind bars after the car she was a passenger in led Freedom and Greenfield Township police on a chase, and when it was over, the discovery of drugs. Heather M. Miller, 29, is facing multiple drug-related charges after police discovered drugs and drug paraphernalia in her possession after the pursuit. According to the charges filed by Freedom Township police, on Oct. 11, an officer was in the area of Johnstown and Cream Hollow Road, Freedom Township, when he observed a silver Hyundai stopped at the intersection for an “unusual...
On Friday evening, Oct. 29, when the Central Dragons take the field against Somerset at the Roaring Spring Athletic Field, they will be greeted by a sea of pink. The Lisa Meyers Audet Foundation has teamed up with the Central Quarterback Club for a special “Pink Night” to help raise funds for the Lisa Meyers Audet Scholarship and to bring awareness to the ongoing fight against breast cancer. The Lisa Myers Audet Foundation was created in honor of Lisa Myers Audet, a 1990 Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School graduate who went on to teach Eng...
Roaring Spring Borough Council has made a final decision on the use of Plum Creek Mountain. A decision, it says, is in the best interest of the borough and its taxpayers. Council voted on, and approved, limiting use of the land to hunting only, and only for residents of Roaring Spring Borough, essentially getting back to the original intent of the land, according to Council President Rodney Green. “The original ordinance that was passed more than 20 years ago started out with Roaring Spring residents only using the land,” said Green. Green sai...
Sunday, Oct. 3, kicked off Fire Prevention Week, a week-long effort by fire companies across the country to educate the public on the importance of fire safety. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Fire Prevention Week traces its roots back to 1925 when President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed it a national observance, and with 2021 marking its 96th year, it is the longest running public health observance in America. With more than 27,000 fire departments listed with the...
An argument that started at one bar and ended in gunshots at another has led to the arrest of a New Enterprise woman. Maria B. Miller, 54, is facing felony and misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct after police said she fired a gun outside a Claysburg bar following an argument with another patron. According to police, on the evening of Oct. 6, Miller was at a bar in Newry when she got in a verbal altercation with a man over the reason for the requirement to dial the 814 area cod...
On Nov. 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln, and noted orator Edward Everett, spoke at a ceremony dedicating a portion of the Gettysburg battlefield as the final resting place for those who perished in the three days of fighting that previous summer. Lincoln's 272-word speech took around two minutes to deliver while Everett spoke for nearly two hours, and when both were done, they left behind a permanent memorial frozen in time, one that would be visited throughout the generations, ensuring...
One of Freedom Township Voluntary Fire Company’s most popular and lucrative fundraisers took a hit when the COVID-19 pandemic hit nearly two years ago. The fire company’s monthly dinner, an all you can eat buffet, was one of Freedom Township’s first casualties of COVID-19, bringing the fundraiser to an abrupt halt in April 2020. According to Freedom Township Fire Chief Ron Henry, the dinners bring in approximately $3,000 per month to the fire company, and when COVID-19 restrictions limited access to the fire hall, fire officials scram...
An attempted traffic stop led to a short pursuit and the discovery of drugs, landing a Roaring Spring man behind bars. According to the charges filed by Roaring Spring police, on Oct. 3 at approximately 8 p.m., an officer attempted to pull over a vehicle driven by Jacob A. Morgret, 25, near the intersection of Spang Street and Woodbury Pike due to an expired registration. According to police, Morgret failed to stop and led police on a short chase in which he illegally passed vehicles and ran a stop sign before finally pulling over on Weitzle...
If you drove past the former Appvion Paper mill in Roaring Spring last week, you may have noticed a sign indicating an auction was taking place, and if you were taken by surprise, you weren’t alone. According to Roaring Spring Borough Council President Rodney Green, local labor and borough officials were not notified by Roaring Spring Park, LLC, that an online only auction was planned and only found out through word of mouth. According to the websites of Roaring Spring Park investor Capital Recovery Group, the entire mill and equipment was b...
High school seniors residing in one of Blair County’s 15 townships that plan to attend a trade or vocational technical school after graduation are invited to apply for a chance to win a scholarship from the Blair County Association of Township Officials. To be eligible, you must be a resident of a Blair County township, be a graduating senior with an academic standing of average or above and have been accepted to a trade or vocational technical institute. Applicants must submit a completed application form, high school transcript, and a l...
A Roaring Spring man and an Altoona woman who police said were bringing a large amount of methamphetamine into Blair County were arrested after police stopped their vehicle in Taylor Township on Aug. 26. According to Altoona police, law enforcement had Erica Lynn Eckert, 43, along with Jayme Walter, 42, under surveillance and followed the couple from Allentown, PA where police said they had made a drug purchase. Police said that on Aug. 26, officers received information that Walter and Eckert...
A resident of Cove Forge has been charged with stealing a vehicle after walking away from the facility on Sept. 13. Adam M. Maahs, 26, was arraigned by Hollidaysburg Magisterial District Judge Paula Aigner on a felony count of theft by unlawful taking and a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and committed to the Blair County Prison on $20,000 cash bail. According to the charges filed by Hollidaysburg State Police, at approximately 9 a.m. on Sept. 13, police were...
School districts across Pennsylvania have found themselves in a tug of war between taxpayers and the state government over the mask mandate. While I can’t speak for the rest of the state, many people in the Cove oppose the mandate and have not been shy about expressing that opposition. School board meetings are held every month and are usually sparsely attended by the public, but since the mandate was announced, Cove-area schools that chose to follow the mandate started seeing packed houses at its meetings. That is not a bad thing. There is n...
When W. Gene Henry passed away last February, he left behind a deep imprint on the Martinsburg community through his many philanthropic endeavors. From the borough building to the ambulance building, Fairview Cemetery and wide-open corners that made traveling safer, just about anywhere you go in Martinsburg has been touched by Henry's generosity. To honor the man former Martinsburg Borough Manager Randy Stotlz called "Mr. Martinsburg," a committee made up of Mayor Richard Brantner, Councilman...
