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EBENSBURG — Cambria will compile a feasibility study on a project to make the county a wireless hub. County officials say it would upgrade 911 communications, allow the county to network wirelessly from building to building and allow businesses to videoconference across the country without leaving their offices. And while the idea is only entering a feasibility and design phase, it also could eliminate in-county long-distance calls, solicitor Robert Shahade said, adding that projects like this only recently have become an option for counties through state legislation. It is believed that Cambria is among the first in the state to pursue the idea, following a similar project in Allegany County, Md. “This is the beginning of what we hope will be an exciting project in Cambria County,” President Commissioner P.J. Stevens said Friday after the board approved a $98,000 agreement with Utah-based CONXX to study bringing “cell technology” to the county. “This would give the county a [Synchronous Optical Network], providing wireless teleconferencing, data, voice and video communication.” The study, paid for by cell phone surcharge dollars, will look at ways and costs involved to improve 911 communications. But commissioners believe the project would lower the county’s communications costs, provide new revenue and serve as an economic development tool by making the county a more high-tech, attractive place to do business. It also would enhance Internet access options in residential areas, Commissioner Milan Gjurich added. “Businesses today are looking at regions with instantaneous communication networks,” said Ron Budash, the former county industrial development chief who currently serves as an economic development consultant. Companies want “cutting-edge communications” — whether its to videoconference thousands of miles apart or share information at the click of a button, Budash said. Bob Dixon, another consultant for the county, said “cell technology” would replace conventional Internet communication lines with a network using communications towers throughout the county. The feasibility study is expected to take three to six months and is only phase one of a multi-step plan, commissioners said, noting they will look for funding to cover future costs. Shahade stressed the study does not obligate the county to move forward. Mirror Staff Writer David Hurst is at 946-7457. EBENSBURG — The wind, or supposed lack of it, has delivered a blow to Central Cambria School District’s plans to build a wind turbine. Superintendent Susan Makosy said the district did not qualify for a free wind energy study because preliminary tests showed the winds atop the high school’s property weren’t strong enough to support the effort. “We just found out,” she told school board members Monday. “It’s disappointing and very surprising.” Board members envisioned the plan as a teaching tool and possibly a cost-saver if winds would support a turbine on district property. Earlier this spring, they voted unanimously to apply for help from St. Francis University’s Center for Collaborative Conservation, which is helping other landowners do the same. If the group accepted Central Cambria’s application, at least one wind anemometer would have been set up on the high school property and the center would measure wind speed and presence free of charge for a year. Board members hoped students would be able to help with that. Makosy said the district hasn’t given up on the idea but said it likely would have to foot the bill for its own tests. Mirror Staff Writer David Hurst is at
946-7457. PORTAGE — The Portage Area School District had clergy pray at its high school graduation last week, a practice banned by the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court outlawed the practice in 1991. “Including clergy who offer prayers as part of an official public school graduation ceremony is forbidden by the Establishment Clause,” the court ruled. The ceremony Tuesday at the school auditorium included an invocation by Pastor Garry Bates of Hammer Street Church of God in Portage and a benediction by Father Ronald Osinski of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Portage. Both mentioned Jesus, with Osinksi beginning benediction with “Let us pray” and continuing with “Holy Father, keep these graduates ... under your loving watch.” “It’s unconstitutional, as simple as that,” said Richard Katskee, assistant legal director for the Americans United for Separation of Church and State in Washington, D.C. But it’s a violation the courts won't stop unless someone with legal standing complains, like someone present at the ceremony, Katskee said. Principal Tom Kakabar said clergy praying at commencement is a Portage tradition since long before his arrival eight years ago. He never heard complaints but said if a student or parent voices concern, “we probably would have to stop.” The district rotates the invitations among clergy in town “so it's not like we're pushing one religion,” Kakabar said. Katskee said he’s sure there are people in Portage troubled by it but unwilling to speak for fear of community consternation. “You have to be prepared to have some people think you’re trying to mess up graduation,” he said. The U.S. Supreme Court outlawed the practice in 1991 in the case Lee v. Weisman. The high court ruled that clergy prayers set up by public schools create the impression among students that the government endorses religion: “The undeniable fact is that the school district’s supervision and control ... places public pressure, as well as peer pressure, on attending students to stand as a group or, at least, to maintain respectful silence during the invocation and benediction,” the court stated. Although technically voluntary, graduation ceremonies are hardly that, given their great significance in students’ lives, the court said. Nor are such ceremonial prayers of minimal significance, either to the clergy saying them or to those whom they might offend, the court said. Prayers at graduation are a concern in a way that prayers at Congressional and state legislative events are not because the latter are meant for adults free to come and go, the court said. In its “Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools,” the U.S. Department of Education states: “School officials may not mandate or organize prayer at graduation.” But there’s an out, born of the Supreme Court’s attempt to balance the First Amendment’s requirement that government be neutral on religion with the amendment’s requirement to protect residents’ freedom to practice religion. Thus, “where students or other private graduation speakers are selected on the basis of genuinely neutral, evenhanded criteria and retain primary control over the content of their expression” they can make religious or nonreligious statements, according to the guidelines. They can do so because “that expression is not attributable to the school and, therefore, may not be restricted,” the guidelines state. Districts can set up a format in which the senior class can select individual members to deliver graduation messages, which can be prayerful, provided the school doesn’t influence their content, review or edit them, Staver said. Private organizations also canhold graduations, inviting school officials, students and the public, where prayer can take place without a violation, he said. The state Department of Education said it didn’t have a comment on Portage’s use of clergy to pray at graduation. “If there’s any issue and someone files a complain, it would all be handled locally by the district solicitor,” said Brian McDonald of the Education Department. Mirror Staff Writer Bill Kibler is at
949-7038. Group wants Highland authority
to open reservoirs for recreation When a conservation group asked Highland Sewer and Water Authority seven years ago to open its main reservoir to fishing and boating, Manager Ed Englehart looked for evidence to justify denial. To his surprise, he found on the Internet mostly evidence going the other way. And the low-impact recreation that began shortly afterward at the authority’s Beaverdam Reservoir in Cambria County has worked out, without hassle, litter, liability worries or harm to the quality of drinking water. The same Southern Alleghenies Resource, Conservation and Development Council that helped persuade Highland wants the Altoona City Authority to permit recreation on its reservoirs and watersheds. “It’s something that could be a winning proposition,” said Ron Donlan, former coordinator for the council, a nonprofit community partnership in Bedford serving six counties under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources and Conservation Service. If the authority “opens these jewels of the mountain” to fishing and hiking and boating without gas engines, it would improve the quality of life for residents and help attract visitors, he said. Not only would it do no harm, but the required partnerships and the people it would bring could help police the watersheds, he said. For 20 years, Highlands resisted the repeated demands of local sportsmen’s groups to open up the reservoirs, as if that “was their God-given right,” Englehart said. Then Donlan and a couple others approached more softly. Their pitch included plans for youth fishing derbies to get kids off the street and away from video games, Englehart said That appealed to the authority’s sense of itself a community cooperative trust and helped loosen reflexive opposition, he said. The advocates organized an association to monitor reservoir activities and partnered with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for enforcement. They got grants to help build a public-access boat launch and a handicap-access dock and to place a portable toilet. At first, people swarmed, but it’s settled down, and now the launch may handle six or eight cars at a time, with some visitors just sitting and watching the herons, he said. The authority allows no swimming or wading. Donlan asked the City Authority to open its reservoirs about 12 years ago, and the question came up again about six years ago. “I think there still would be concerns,” said City Authority General Manager Mark Perry. “It would take some research and real thought.” The Southern Alleghenies council hasn’t reiterated the old request yet, said Donlan, who brought up the issue in conversation at the Water Festival downtown May 12. But current council coordinator Dave Steele thinks the time may be ripe again. About the same time it persuaded Highlands, the council helped talk the City of Cumberland, Md., into opening Koon and Gordon lakes in Bedford County and the Cambria Somerset Authority into opening Quemahoning, Wilmore and Hinckston Run reservoirs. It’s worked out “fairly well so far,” said Cumberland City Administrator Jeff Repp. The Evitts Creek Steering Committee and the Fish and Boat Commission oversee the program, which requires boaters to carry their craft to launch to minimize the chance of zebra mussel transfer from other water bodies. Light rec has also been “rewarding, quite frankly,” for Cambria Somerset, said Operations Manager Tom Kakabar. He sees picnickers and fathers fishing with sons and moms looking on. One in 10 individuals might drop some litter, but there’ve been “no major pollution experiences,” he said. Except for selling water from Quemahoning to Johnstown for two or three months a year, the water goes only for non-potable industrial use, Kakabar said. Even so, in addition to boating without gasoline engines, the authority allows swimming in Quemahoning, which is big, at 12 billion gallons. The Altoona City Authority has 12 reservoirs, the biggest of which is Lake Altoona, which holds less than a billion gallons. Mirror Staff Writer Bill Kibler, 949-7038. SCI corrections officer injured
at munitions course in Cresson A corrections officer attending a chemical munitions course at the State Correctional Institution at Cresson was injured Tuesday during a training exercise. “When some munitions were set off, some shrapnel was kicked off, and an officer received a laceration behind his ear,” said Sheila Moore, a Department of Corrections spokeswoman. The incident occurred about 3:15 p.m. and the officer was transported to a local hospital by ambulance, Moore said. The officer also may have received some kind of chemical exposure, but the injuries did not appear to be life threatening, Moore said. Many of the munitions used during the training could be bothersome to the respiratory system, she said. The course, hosted by SCI Cresson, was a training exercise that
state correctional officers attend regularly, Moore said. Police on watch for missing woman EBENSBURG — Cambria Township police are looking for a missing elderly woman. The woman’s 2005 Ford Focus, a four-door coupe, also is missing, Officer Boyd Sherry said. The vehicle is grayish-green in color and has a registration number of ERX-7309. Police said they are concerned for the safety of the woman, Velda Malloy, 74. “A 74-year-old does not just up and drive off and not come back,” Sherry said. Cambria police issued an all-points bulletin for the woman Thursday night. That bulletin named an Altoona man as someone of interest, but police Thursday would not say for whom they possibly may be looking. Altoona police said they are keeping an eye out for the woman’s automobile. Sherry said the woman’s son went to her house about 4 p.m. Wednesday and found she wasn’t there. The woman was reported missing at 10 p.m. Wednesday. Sherry said he searched the woman’s house and found no signs of a struggle. Sherry met with the Cambria County district attorney Thursday night to discuss the case. Mirror Staff Writer Phil Ray is at 946-7468. Gallitzin in talks with Gamesa GALLITZIN — Borough officials are mulling a land lease agreement with energy group Gamesa that would let the company test a locally owned property for wind potential — and have the first shot at developing a wind farm there. Gallitzin solicitor Dave Consiglio said Gamesa has suggested a five-year option on the property, which would give the group ample time to study the land. If all goes well, Gamesa could exercise the rights to develop the property over a longer period — perhaps 15 or 20 years — and pay the borough annually in lieu of taxes. “Gamesa has sent a letter, and we’re going over the terms right now,” Consiglio said, noting that several items need cleared up before the borough would sign it. “Initially, this would allow them to do whatever testing is needed to determine if the site is feasible for [wind farm] operations.” Consiglio said payment still is being discussed — particularly what Gallitzin would receive if development would occur. The State College attorney said he still is trying to pin down the exact area of interest and work with Gamesa to determine how many years the long-term lease would cover. Nancy Knee, a municipal authority member and the community’s former mayor, said Gamesa is interested in at least a portion of the property the borough owns in Gallitzin Township. That 500-acre property, located near the northern end of town between Route 53 and Coupon Road, has been used for little more than tree harvesting, she said. The company would set up and put anemometers on the property and see if the wind is strong enough. Gamesa, which has built a windmill turbine facility in Cambria Township, has been looking for places to plant its windmills. Land has already been cleared to begin work on a major, sprawling farm on the Blair-Cambria county line. According to plans, turbines would be erected in Portage, Cresson and Washington townships in Cambria County, as well as Greenfield and Juniata in Blair. Those townships have ironed out agreements with Gamesa that would pay them $3,000 per turbine — or $1,500 per megawatt — annually for the nearly 300-foot-high crops. Gallitzin’s lease option will pass contingent upon an OK from Consiglio, who is still reviewing the proposal. Consiglio said a conference call is planned with Gamesa but a date has not been finalized. Mirror Staff Writer David Hurst is at
946-7457. Firefighter will serve jail time
in fatal drunken driving crash In addition to paying more than $2,500 in fines and serving two years probation, John P. Smoter, a 29-year-old East Taylor volunteer firefighter, also has been ordered to speak with young firefighters about his mistake. Paul Bongiovanni, 83, who was killed in the head-on collision, was the second person to die in alcohol-related incidents during the regional firefighters’ convention that weekend — the other being former Neptune Fire Chief Ray Stringer of Tyrone, who died from injuries in a fight. Smoter’s sentence was handed down Tuesday by Cambria County Judge Timothy Creany. Bongiovanni’s niece Teresa Buterbaugh remembered her uncle as a kind man, World War II hero and chef. A teary-eyed Smoter asked the family for forgiveness. “John made a very foolish and terribly selfish decision by drinking and driving on that fateful day,” said his attorney, Kevin Persio. “He will live with this for the rest of his life ... and he knows he’s done wrong.” The Bongiovanni family’s attorney, Caram Abood, indicated that the family understood that, saying Smoter deserved a just sentence — and “New Testament” forgiveness. Smoter was sentenced on charges of involuntary manslaughter, homicide by vehicle and aggravated assault, as well as driving under the influence, multiple counts of recklessly endangering another person and giving false reports. On the night of the crash, Smoter was heading south on Route 271, swerved into the other lane of travel and hit Bongiovanni’s vehicle head-on. Smoter had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19 percent, more than twice the legal limit, court documents show. Bongiovanni died in a Pittsburgh hospital as a result of the injuries, and his wife was seriously injured. “Uncle Paul was ripped out of our lives,” Buterbaugh said, calling Aug. 19 “a nightmare.” “Firefighters are supposed to respond to tragic accidents like this — help people, not harm them.” Something must be said about the firefighter conventions, Abood said, where firefighters seem to “make booze the center of their celebration ... and lose track of all the good they’ve done.” “There’s nothing either of us can do to change what happened. But what you maybe can change is the life of someone else,” Creany told Smoter, stipulating that he must come up with a program to address youth — preferably junior firefighters — about the crash and its consequences. “If you can convey to others how easily a tragedy can be caused, maybe that’s the best we can do,” Creany said. Mirror Staff Writer David Hurst is at
946-7457. While work crews put the finishing touches on the 7,500-square-foot building, the authority is lining up possible tenants, including a medical supplies company and a Tennessee-based dialysis clinic. “Right now it looks like we have at least three or four tenants. ... it’s just a matter of closing the deal,” said Joseph Bem, association board member. “The building itself is coming along, too. The outer shell is completely done, and they are putting up the walls inside.” Association member Joe Mangerella said his group, which is spearheading the project, is in final negotiations with several health care-related parties. A restaurant no longer is in the plans for the first phase, he said, but if all goes well, most of the first building will be filled this summer. Rezk Medical Supply of Carrolltown “will definitely be a tenant,” company owner John Rezk said Monday. He said it was too soon to provide further details. The dialysis clinic, Nashville-based Diversified Specialty Institutes, might operate in more than one-third of the space, Magerella said. DSI officials could not be reached for comment. William Crowe, chief executive officer and president of Miners Medical Center, said the group has worked with Miners, but the clinic will be privately owned. Crowe said Miners also may have a presence in the business complex. “There is a good chance,” he said, mentioning physicians offices as a possibility. “We’re still in negotiations, but I think in all likelihood [the business complex] is the right space.” A Pittsburgh-area doctor also may open a clinic in the building that focuses on sleeping disorders such as apnea, Mangerella said. The association has been planning the business complex project for several years and is paying for the first building on its own. If all goes well, one or two more identical buildings would be added. The multiunit complex is being built in the Hastings Area Business Park, which is in parts of Elder Township and Hastings Borough. The association is footing the bill — about $500,000 — for site development and the first building complex, although funding sources may be used for the next phase, members said. “This is a really exciting project for the Hastings area,” Crowe said. “I really feel HAIDA stepped up, pushing a project like this forward. This is going to jumpstart new services and businesses in the area, and they deserve credit.” Mirror Staff Writer David Hurst is at
946-7457. The swine is the brainchild of Gene Stilp, political activist and Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, who said the pig will visit other state legislative leaders to make sure the pay raise’s unvouchered expense money is returned to the state treasury and doesn’t enhance legislative pensions. Stilp, who is calling for legislation stating such, said none of the returned money has made it back to the treasury. “Voters will say to Senator Jubelirer, ‘you better pass this deal or voters are going to make you squeal,’” Stilp said to about 20 residents holding anti-Jubelirer signs. “The pay raise issue will not go away.” Jubelirer Republican opponent John H. Eichelberger Jr. and Democratic opponent Greg Morris joined Stilp and the pig. “This is a wonderful example of America at its greatest,” Eichelberger said. “People are protesting about what’s important to them. “This is about courage — this campaign is about people standing up and doing what’s right when they vote.” Morris said Jubelirer has become a “money-making machine for the super rich” and that the district needs new Senate representation. “I hope people don’t have short memories,” he said, referring to the pay raise. Jubelirer’s campaign office had no comment on the event Monday. Sporting anti-Jubelirer buttons, Diane Focht of Williamsburg and her mother, Betty Focht of Frankstown, had not seen the pink pig before and came out because they don’t want future pay raises. “These pay raises have got to stop,” Diane Focht said. Later, she snapped photos of the pig with a Polaroid camera. “They’re not pigs, they’re hogs to do it while we’re sleeping,” Betty Focht said. Dave Hoover of Logan Township, wearing a blue cap with pig ears, snout and tail and a “Remember the pay raise” pink T-shirt, added state Rep. Rick Geist, R-Altoona, to the argument, noting that he also accepted the pay raise. Geist is unopposed in the May 16 primary, but Hoover said a write-in candidate should come forward. “I’m a taxpayer,” he said. “I don’t answer to politicians. I’ll be at the polls in Logan Township dressed this way.” Geist said he made his comments on the raise the day after he voted for it. “I gave it back, and I voted to give it back,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, Gene Stilp is going to try to ride this pig to the lieutenant governor’s office.” The pig’s next stop is Senate Majority Leader David Brightbill’s office in Hamburg Thursday. Mirror Staff Writer
Jessica VanderKolk is at 946-7465. When political activist and Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Gene Stilp brought the big, pink, pay raise pig to Altoona Monday, he also brought a copy of his complaint letter to the attorney general concerning the mailings. He made the complaint late last week to the office’s Public Corruption Unit. Stilp added his voice to the argument made earlier this month by all three of Jubelirer’s opponents — Republicans John H. Eichelberger Jr. and C. Arnold McClure and Democrat Greg Morris — on the issue of using taxpayer dollars to mail the fliers. “It’s a violation of the 60-day rule,” Stilp said. “I hope they take this seriously and don’t just give Senator Jubelirer a wink and a nod.” Kevin Harley, spokesman for the AG’s Office, said the office reviewed Stilp’s complaint. “There are no violations of the election code or the crimes code,” he said. “The mailings are covered by internal policies of the state Senate, and we’re going to refer him [Stilp] to the secretary of the Senate, which oversees mailings put out by senators.” Stilp pointed out in his letter that the AG’s Office is co-hosting the identity theft workshop in Altoona next week. He said if the complaint is a conflict of interest, the state should forward it to the U.S. Attorney General’s Office. “Community outreach is something we do very aggressively, with senior citizens, home improvement fraud and other types of crime against seniors,” Harley said. “This month alone we have 66 presentations across the state, 19 with state representatives or state senators. “It’s something we do on a regular basis. We have experts in this and feel it’s very important to educate the public.” Mirror Staff Writer
Jessica VanderKolk is at 946-7465. Analysts predict that gas prices may fall in 2007. The price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline surpassed the $2 per gallon mark March 17 at $2.05, when crude oil hit a then-record price of $57 per barrel. The price surged to $3.19 per gallon Sept. 1 after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Analysts say there were several reasons why motorists had to reach deeper into their pockets to pay for a gallon of gas. “People who study the energy industry said it was the change in the amount of users of petroleum,” said Brian Black, associate professor of environmental studies at Penn State Altoona. “Countries like India and China were becoming major competitors for petroleum.” “We have seen a steady rise in global crude oil prices,” said Michael Burdette, senior analyst at the Energy Information Administration. “It is simply a question of supply and demand globally and is being driven by unexpected rapid growth in Asia and especially China.” That repaid growth was a surprise. “That caught analysts and forecasters by surprise including OPEC. When growth came, orderly producers including OPEC were prepared for those increases and adjusted accordingly, and prices remained fairly stable,” Burdette said. “Some of the growth occurred faster than expected.” Hurricane Katrina and other storms that hit the gulf region last summer also played a key role in the price increases. “There were interruptions of the crude oil supply and there were many refineries that were shut down because of the hurricanes, said Ted Leonard, executive director of the Pennsylvania AAA Federation. “We started out last summer with reasonable inventories but rapidly drew them down. Even before Katrina we fell behind in inventories. When Katrina wiped out about 11/2 million barrels a day the world literally was short of oil,” Burdette said. “Before there were always areas that could step up the production to make up for the shortfall, this time there was no extra production to make up the shortfall.” Oil companies may have overreacted to the hurricane damage. “Prices spiked because of the expectations of damage, it wasn’t as large a scale as they thought it was,” Black said. “The pipeline damage wasn’t as bad as expected.” Prices for crude oil and petroleum products are projected to remain high through 2006 before starting to weaken in 2007, according to the Energy Information Administration’s latest monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook. Retail regular gasoline prices which averaged $2.27 per gallon in 2005, are projected to average $2.45 in 2006 and $2.34 in 2007. Burdette said he doesn’t expect this year’s prices to reach last year’s level. “We expect to see a peak price of about $2.60 per gallon in May,” Burdette said. “The bottom line is we should see a more moderate run up over the summer.” However, Burdette said his prediction is based on several factors. “Iran is the wild card, we don’t import directly from Iran but there are a lot that do. They provide four million barrels a day and if you pull that off the world market it could have a big impact,” Burdette said. “They have been known to do that to make their point.” Leonard also said he doesn’t expect the price of gasoline to fall below $2 a gallon. “Not in my lifetime,” the 50-year-old Leonard said. Mirror Staff Writer
Walt Frank is at 946-7467. By David Hurst EBENSBURG - A corrections officer and nine others were charged Tuesday for their alleged involvement in separate drug and forged check rings inside the State Correctional Institution at Cresson. State Attorney General Tom Corbett says prison guard Clarence
Johnson Jr. was bringing drugs into the prison and selling them
for cash and smuggling cocaine to an inmate dealing to the prison
population. For details, please see Page A1 in the
February 22 edition of the Altoona Mirror. By Jessica VanderKolk Honesty is the best policy for a gubernatorial candidate, according to some local voters, and it doesn't matter if that candidate has a familiar name, like California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger or state Republican candidate and Pittsburgh Steelers star Lynn Swann. "Honesty's the big one," Stephanie Nagle of Northern
Cambria said of good qualities in a governor. "And what they
do about health care." For more details, see Page A1 of the Feb. 21 Altoona Mirror. Legislators want to halt seaport deal By David Hurst and Jessica VanderKolk Two area congressmen and Gov. Ed Rendell have joined legislators across the nation urging the Bush administration to stop a state-owned United Arab Emirates company from taking over six U.S. seaports. To close the deal this quickly could pose serious national security
implications, U.S. Reps. Bill Shuster and John P. Murtha said. For more details, see Page A1 of the Feb.
23 Altoona Mirror. Dangerous bridges By Jessica VanderKolk Area bridges aren't falling down, but 23 percent in PennDOT's District 9 - Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties - are structurally deficient and in need of repair or replacement. "It's important to know that, in our district and statewide,
if a bridge is open, it's safe," said Kevin Stacey, District
9's safety community relations coordinator. For more details, see Page A1 of the January 9 Altoona Mirror. Increase in postage costs to take bite out of wallets, budgets By Allison Bourg For Cambria County's Adult Probation Office, postage represents "a significant chunk of change" in its budget. "And we go through it quickly," said Chief Probation
Officer Pam Scoran, who budgeted about $3,000 last year for mailing
expenses. For details, please see Page A1 in the January 8 edition of the Altoona Mirror. Swann undeterred by lack of experience By Jessica VanderKolk ROARING SPRING - Lynn Swann and his supporters aren't worried that a lack of political experience will hurt his chances of being elected governor. In fact, several say it's an asset. For details, please see Page A1 in the January 6 edition of the Altoona Mirror. I-99 won't open until 2008 By Greg Bock STATE COLLEGE - A PennDOT spokeswoman said Thursday that the state will offer insight this month into its strategy to address the acid rock problem along Interstate 99, and the department won't open I-99 between Bald Eagle and Port Matilda before the rest of the sections. Legislators suggested the early opening last month. Ex-art teacher pleads guilty to teenage sex By David Hurst EBENSBURG - A former Central Cambria teacher admitted to having sex with young teens, including a former student, and he likely will spend four to 10 years in state prison. Barrett Owens, 31, of Ashville pleaded guilty Thursday to four
counts of sexual assault and attempted unlawful contact and two
counts each of statutory sexual assault and corruption of minors. For details, please see Page A1 in the December 30 edition of the Altoona Mirror. Police say wife, stepson plotted to kill Portage-area man By David Hurst PORTAGE - A Portage Township man gunned down over Christmas weekend was killed by his family, investigators say. Charles B. Cummings was shot to death by his stepson, Shawn
Patrick Sweeney, 36, of Cassandra, who conspired with his mother
- and Cummings' wife - Deborah, police said. Police have charged Sweeney with criminal homicide, first-degree murder and other charges, saying he waited for Cummings to stop by the Portage Revolver & Pistol Club before dawn Friday and then shot him four times in the parking lot. For details, please see Page A1 in the December 29 edition of the Altoona Mirror. Singer surprises servicewoman By Allison Bourg CRESSON - Sgt. Mandy Greaser thought she was at PJ's Tavern Friday night to sing karaoke with her family and friends. She was shocked to learn that a local country music singer was
there to sing a tribute to her. For details, please see Page A1 in the December 17 edition of the Altoona Mirror. Windmills proposed for mountains By William Kibler Gamesa Corp. wants to lease watershed land from the City Authority on Brush Mountain and Chestnut Flats near the Horseshoe Curve for windmills to generate electricity. The authority is interested but cautious because of concerns
about wildlife and aesthetics. The proposal is "very preliminary," and the company will need to conduct tests at the sites. For more details, see Page A1 of the November 19 Altoona Mirror. Cambria thriving with new housing By David Hurst EBENSBURG - Surrounded by fall's color, the dozen or so sand and rose-colored brick homes inside Emerald Estates are a sign of things to come. Newly built homes are springing up in a development with room
for hundreds. For more details, see Page A1 of the Oct. 17 Altoona Mirror.
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