Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
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With inflation hitting the current cost of food and the end of federal dollars that had been shelled out for free lunches during the pandemic, the Hollidaysburg School District found a way to recommend that the “paid portion” of reduced-priced meals be waived for the school year 2022-23. Families who qualify for reduced priced meals will pay $0.30 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch. It was proposed that the district use a combination of grant funds received from Giant Food Stores and Food Service Department funds to cover the reduced-price mea...
During the last borough meeting, Mayor Joe Dodson stated as a result of retirement of a police officer and one joining the state police force, Hollidaysburg Police Deptartment, now down to six officers, needed to hire two officers as soon as possible. During a special Borough council meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 3, a potential hiring of one of those police officers was unanimously approved by council. The Civil Service Commission gave the council a list of names of candidates that had been certified. Of the top three names certified, Acting...
Aug. 8, 2022 The Spring Cove School District Board of Directors met in a combined committee of the whole and regular Meeting on Monday, Aug. 8, with much of the focus being on personnel and staffing issues. Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker reported, "Staffing continues to be a challenge. We are working on filling our final teacher vacancies, which will require a few emergency permits in order to cover every position. Filling support staff positions remains a challenge with our vacancies currently...
During the mayor’s report at the July monthly Hollidaysburg Borough Council meeting, Mayor Joseph Dodson said with the retirement of another police officer, the force is down to six officers and needs to hire two officers as soon as possible. There should be nine officers if the department is fully staffed. There are currently only four candidates for the three open positions. Council President Joseph Pompa said there used to be hundreds of candidates for police openings, but that is no longer the case. Getting qualified candidates is d...
The Hollidaysburg Borough Council agreed to have Empowering Lives Foundation (ELF) owner John Seely handle staffing at the historic Reiser House Museum weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., except holidays, starting July 18 through the end of October. The Reiser House is located at the Canal Basin Park and the house was historically where the lockmaster on the Canal and his family would live. His duties included maintaining the lock and collecting fees. Reiser, the builder, was a prominent butcher...
Following last week’s new state budget passage and the increase in funding to school districts, Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker announced Spring Cove School District would see a $247,204 increase in basic education funding, and a $84,342 increase in special education funding. This increase is what Dr. Baker expected the district would receive. The district did not qualify for level up funding. She also said that there was a difficulty in getting enough bus drivers, paraprofessionals, and all support staff for the upcoming year. During her s...
The Hollidaysburg Area Community Partnership (HACP) wants to keep sharing the Story Walk, which began May 28 and will continue until Sept. 6. The partnership will give information on the walk to boardmember and Hollidaysburg Area School District Superintendent Dr. Bob Gildea. Supt. Guildea will send the information to Hollidaysburg Area School District parents. A Story Walk map and worksheet can be picked up at Copy Rite, YMCA, Boro Coffee Co., or U.S, Hotel Tavern. Those interested can also find the map and worksheet on hol...
The June monthly meeting of the Hollidaysburg Borough Council resolved several issues that have been under discussion for several months. Borough Manager Jim Gehret suggested taking $50,000 from Capital Reserve funds to repair curbing and sidewalks in needed areas of the borough. A motion to do so was approved unanimously. Gehret said the sidewalk grant application does not specify the type of sidewalk residents could lay down. Dangerous and unsafe water discharge from residences onto the street where it would freeze and create a hazard was...
Following three hours of back and forth discussion and disagreement among board members and dozens of speakers from the audience providing input on the upcoming budget, the Hollidaysburg School District Board of Directors approved a 1.25 percent tax increase, putting the current millage at 9.5505 mills. This means $51,899,317 in this upcoming year’s revenue total and $55 million in expenditures. The projected deficit for the 2022-23 school year is still $3.2 million. To the homeowner with property valued at $100,000 it will mean about $11 p...
The Spring Cove School District Board of Directors voted unanimously by an 8-0 vote to adopt the final 2022-23 General Fund Budget in the amount of $30,105,921, reflecting a 2 percent increase in tax millage, setting the final tax millage at 11.25 mills. For a property with assessed value of $100,000, this would mean a jump in taxes of $22 annually. This will leave the district a budget deficit of $2,164,156. Board member Chuck Gojmerac left the meeting prior to the budget vote. This represents the first tax increase in the district in three...
At the May monthly meeting of the Hollidaysburg Borough Council, the council unanimously agreed to have the Cohen Group Law Firm handle the cable franchise work for the Borough in dealing with COMCAST Cable. Bids were opened on May 5 for the stone and blacktop work in the borough. It was recommended that the Borough Council award the contracts to low bidders Grannas Bros. for stone work and New Enterprise for blacktop material. Borough Manager Jim Gehret stated that the application for a grant for sidewalk and curb improvement in the borough...
The May monthly meeting of the Hollidaysburg Area Community Partnership (HACP) Board of Directors was highlighted by the activities planned by the Marketing/Program Committees. The Third in the Burg had downtown businesses open late for the first Friday of the event on May 20, with seven businesses participating. Asbury Lane played for two hours of the event. Boardmember Don Delozier, made a motion to sponsor the borough’s Downtown Live Summer Concert Series in the amount of $1,000. The motion was passed unanimously. The Concert Series will b...
The Hollidaysburg Area School District Board of Directors monthly committee of the whole voting meeting started half an hour late and lasted three hours with no final decision made about the upcoming 2022-23 budget. The board was presented with different budgetary models and deficit amounts for the 2022-23 school year. After lengthy discussion on all the possibilities, it was decided that the final decision would have to be made at the May 25 school board budget meeting. If the board refuses to raise real estate taxes at all, the district...
The 2022 Central Cove Future Farmers of America (FFA) Parent-Member banquet was held Friday, May 20, at Central High School. The banquet was held for all members in the Central High School cafeteria, followed by an awards ceremony in the auditorium. Almost all of the awards presented were sponsored by area businesses. The 250 attendees included members, parents and sponsors. A number of faculty, administrators, and board members were in attendance as well. Mark Wisecarver and Aaron Uplinger, Max...
The motion to adopt the proposed General Fund Budget for the school year ending June 30, 2023, in the amount of $29,948,421 was approved unanimously by the Spring Cove School District Board of Directors at its May monthly regular board meeting. The budget will be made available for inspection prior to the final adoption vote at the school board’s regular meeting scheduled for June 20. During that time all necessary advertisement concerning the budget’s adoption will be made. The proposed budget reflects a two-percent increase in tax mil...
Korb Freeman of Roaring Spring, with Empowering Lives Foundation (ELF), put on the Second Annual Honor and Remembrance Ceremony, marking the 2022 National Police Week salute on Saturday, May 14, at the Canal Basin Park in Hollidaysburg. The event thanks and honors local law enforcement officers who have given their lives while serving with a local police force during the past year. Freeman works with over a dozen local police forces on a year-round basis, as he volunteers his time and services...
At the May 9 committee of the whole working meeting of the Spring Cove School District Board of Directors, Business Manager Kathy Hazenstab recommended a two-percent increase in tax millage to the board for the 2022-23 school year. The increase would set the district tax millage at 11.2506 mills and would bring the district $205,362 in additional tax revenue. The median amount property taxes would be raised is $31.23 annually for a property valued at $141,600. The district is looking at a proposed total revenue of $26,359,986. The current...
The Hollidaysburg Area School District Board of Directors Committee of the Whole/Voting meeting was held Wednesday, April 13, at the Hollidaysburg Area Senior High Library at 7 p.m. Vice President Manny Nichols introduced his idea of a new board committee to discuss the formation of a committee for the purposes of exploring alternative funding and tax options to meet the funding needs of the district and lessen the burden on community members, particularly senior citizens. Nichols said he is seeking new funding streams to give those 65 years...
The April monthly meeting of the Hollidaysburg Area Community Community Partnership (HACP) was highlighted by the introduction of new board member Mandy Bowman and the Marketing/Program Committee’s announcements of planned upcoming events in the borough. The planned Third in the Burg with downtown merchants will be promoted very soon. It is scheduled to begin May 20. The Window Easter Egg Hunt, with over 50 businesses participating, ran through April 17. Two winners were chosen. Tiffany Stucky is meeting with Hollidaysburg Library Children and...
The April monthly meeting of the Hollidaysburg Borough Council was held at council chambers beginning with staff reports. Borough Manager James Gehret reported the audit from 2021 was completed and the borough did well. Planning, Zoning, and Code Enforcement Director Gerald Harbison reported that the zoning board will be holding a meeting for the first time in over a year. Community Relations and Events Director Melanie Ramsey announced upcoming summer events to happen in the borough. On Allegheny Street, there will be a Summer Concert Series...
At the April Spring Cove School District combined committee of the whole and regular board of directors meeting, Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker announced that the district has only had one COVID case reported in the last two months. She said, “Blair County and most of the nation are now in the low level of community transmission. We are very pleased with this trend and hope it continues in the future.” Supt. Baker said that Kindergarten enrollment for 2022-23 continues, with 93 students now registered. Baker recognized 1963 Central High Sch...
The highlight of the March monthly meeting of the Hollidaysburg Area Community Partnership (HACP) was the report of upcoming major events in which the HACP would be involved. A discussion held by the Marketing and Program Committee led to the idea of the HACP foregoing participation in Springfest and sponsoring Third in the Burg instead. Third in the Burg happens every third Friday in May through September. Third in the Burg encourages businesses to extend their hours and invites customers to come shop. Board member Don Delozier made a motion...
The March Hollidaysburg Borough Council meeting was highlighted by problems present in a number of borough sidewalks, which Lara Zeak addressed during the public comment period. Zeak stated that for wheelchair-bound or handicapped residents uptown sidewalks from Union Street to Front Street were inaccessible and not negotiable. Uneven roads and bad curb cuts made it nearly impossible for those who are handicapped to utilize them. Councilmember Brad Leahey later stated that lifting sidewalks or no sidewalks with just shale were definitely...
Hollidaysburg Area School District School Board Vice President Manny Nichols made a unique proposal to the board at the end of the March monthly school board Committee of the Whole/Voting meeting. Nichols proposed a focus group to look at residents in the district, 65 and over, be exempt from paying school taxes. He stated he has looked at alternative ways to bring in revenue in lieu of exempting senior citizens from paying their tax. According to Nichols, the countywide property reassessment along with growing inflation has made it difficult...
Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker started the Regular Monthly Meeting of the Board of Directors of Spring Cove School District by bringing positive news, saying, “With the total number of COVID cases in Blair County declining by 43.48 percent in the last seven days, Blair County has now dropped to Moderate Level of Community Transmission. Hopefully, this trend will continue, and we will soon achieve low transmission. In Spring Cove School District, no COVID cases have been reported in the last month.” She also stated that the outstanding con...
Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker announced at the March Spring Cove School District School Board committee of the whole meeting that the district, through the support of the Dragon Pride Foundation, will hold its fourth annual Personal Finance Festival to be held on Thursday, May 26, in the Central High School gymnasium. In preparation of this event, students will be identifying a potential career and the associated entry-level salary. Students will then estimate their monthly income after taxes and other withholdings and determine their monthly...
After Spring Cove School District Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker announced that COVID-19 cases continue to trend downward in the school district, with five straight days without a school COVID case, the district board of directors voted unanimously to amend the district’s current Health and Safety Plan. The plan will now allow school-based “close contacts” to remain in school with a mask for 10 days from the date of last exposure as long as the person is asymptomatic. The plan previously required close contacts to stay home for the first five...
At the February Hollidaysburg Borough Council meeting, the primary topic of interest was an ordinance the borough was looking to pass that would change some major traffic patterns and general parking regulation. Ordinance discussion One of the major changes – establishing Wall Street as a one-way street from Newry Street to Goods Lane – was met with opposition from businesses and the public. Both David Krentzman of Joe Krentzman & Son Inc. and Sean McClanahan said changing Wall Street to a one-way street would cause truck traffic in res...
In a four-hour marathon meeting, the Hollidaysburg Area School District Board of Directors decided to end all masking in the district and contact tracing, effective Wednesday, Feb. 23. The motion to eliminate masking and contact tracing was made by Boardmember Manny Nichols. The 5-4 resulting vote had Nichols, Jennifer Costanza, Ken Snyder, President Nicole Hartman, and Carmen Bilek voting in favor and Lonna Frye, Scott Brenneman, Ronald Sommer and Doug Stephens voting against the motion. After a lengthy meeting, the agenda came to the...
The highlight of the February Board of Directors meeting for the Hollidaysburg Area Community Partnership (HACP) came from the Program and Development Committee, which reviewed upcoming events planned to promote the Borough of Hollidaysburg. An Easter Egg Window Hunt is slated for April 1 through April 17. Businesses will be signed up by March 25. The Story Walk should be started by Memorial Day weekend. This way the district and the schools can be more involved with school still in session. Students who participate will receive a free book....
Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker made several major announcements regarding school policies at the Spring Cove School District Board of Directors February monthly committee of the whole meeting. Dr. Baker will be looking to amend the district’s current Health and Safety Plan in regard to COVID policy at next week’s Regular School Board Voting Meeting. Baker said, “Recent COVID cases seem to be milder with individuals recovering more quickly. As a result, we are proposing – pending approval by the Board next week – an adjustment to our Health an...
The January monthly meeting of the Hollidaysburg Area Community Partnership (HACP), under the direction of new President Jessica Sorge, found the marketing director they had been seeking over the past several months. Boardmember Pam Jones, made a motion to contract with Ashlyn Dugan as the marketing director of the HACP for $15/hour up to 15-20 hours per month. Don DeLozier seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously. DeLozier volunteered to create a contract for Dugan. Dugan presented an event/marketing campaign for the partnership....
The initial meeting of the Hollidaysburg Borough Council for 2022 was held in council chambers on Monday, Jan. 3, at the Hollidaysburg Municipal Building. Mayor Joe Dodson began the meeting by swearing in new councilmembers Brady Leahey and Jeff Ketner. Other new members Sean Burke and Walter Kalista II were not present. Joseph Pompa was reelected by the council as president and Brady Leahey was voted in as vice president. The council appointed First National Bank as their depository, Evey Black Attorneys LLC was named as the solicitor for the...
Last month’s Hollidaysburg Area School District Committee of the Whole/Voting meeting tabled the elimination of quarantining and contact tracing, but it surfaced very quickly during the January meeting’s public comment section. Tony Luther, a parent with two children at the Foot of Ten Elementary School, spoke up against contact tracing and quarantining of students, calling for their elimination. He was angry about the quarantining of his daughter and said, “Contact tracing makes no sense. Contact tracing is not needed for our stude...
At the January meeting of the Spring Cove School District Board of Directors, Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker gave a COVID update and expressed her appreciation to the Spring Cove School District Board and district employees for all of their efforts to provide students with as much normalcy as possible during the entire course of the pandemic. Baker said that cases in the community have been surging over the past two weeks, and the district is seeing a similar rise in cases in the schools. Baker cited 44 cases that have been reported, requiring...
Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker gave an update of the District Health and Safety Plan at the Monday, Jan. 10, Spring Cove School District Board of Directors Committee of the Whole meeting. Baker said that the COVID Pandemic Planning Team met last week and reviewed the current Health and Safety Plan, which is on the agenda for the six-month mandated review. She said, “The team ultimately decided that no changes were needed to the plan as it is working well and provides flexibility to adjust to the ever changing directives of the CDC, Pa. Dept. of...
At its Dec. 9 monthly meeting, the Hollidaysburg Borough Council unanimously approved the 2022 annual budget. Total property tax millage will remain the same at 3.55 total mills, which included 2.06 mills for the general fund, 0.16 mills for the street lighting, 0.63 mills for parks and recreation, and 0.16 mills for fire. Borough Manager Jim Gehret said the 2022 budget will have a deficit of $5,983 but that could be made up by an increase in revenue. Gehret went on to say that the budget is in good shape. Earned income tax, per capita tax, rea...
The December monthly meeting of the Hollidaysburg Area Community Partnership (HACP) was highlighted by the outlining of their 2022 goals. The HACP Goals were outlined as follows: 1) A Marketing Director needs to be hired as soon as possible 2) Must promote and increase HACP membership 3) Promote and identify key member events through the partnership as well as partner organizations 4) Finish the website and continue a social media presence in the borough 5) Improve relationships with the Hollidaysburg Area School District, the community and...
What was set to make a very simple meeting became an extended one with a great deal of controversy which split the Hollidaysburg School Board. The plea made by Michael Eardley during the public comment sector of the Wednesday, Dec. 8, Committee of the Whole/Voting Meeting set the stage. Eardley, who has a 10-year-old daughter and 13-year-old daughter in the Hollidaysburg School District, urged the new board to pass a motion or motions eliminating masking, contact tracing and quarantining of students due to COVID. He said, “Sometimes calls to q...
Magisterial District Judge Andrew Blattenberger administered the oath of office to the newly elected board members: Amy Acker-Knisely, John Biddle, Charles Gojmerac and Linda Smith at the Monday, Dec. 6, reorganization meeting and regular meeting of the Spring Cove School District Board of Directors. James Butler, Brian Gahagan, Troy Wright, and Floyd Detterline remained on the board with unexpired terms. Butler was unanimously reelected president and Amy Acker-Knisely unanimously remained vice...
Although the Monday, Nov. 15 Spring Cove School District Board of Directors Regular Meeting was just the voting meeting for matters discussed last week at the Committee of the Whole Meeting, it drew a crowd that overflowed the Administrative Board Room and out into the hall. Although there were only seven speakers for the public comment sector, there was a crowd of like-minded supporters who were shoulder to shoulder, unmasked in the rear of the room. All board members, administrators, and press were masked. Many applauded the speakers from...
The November monthly Spring Cove School District Board of Directors committee of the whole meeting began with Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker informing the board and public in her report that Gov. Tom Wolf announced that the mask order is expected to expire on Jan. 17. “At that time, the district will resume local control of the masking requirement, as outlined within our board approved Health and Safety Plan,” she said. She went on to thank the board for approving the recent resolution, which was sent to Gov. Wolf, Secretary of Education, Noe...
Brian Laratonda and his family have owned the Capitol Hotel since 1970. Laratonda has worked in the business for 40 years, but the devastating economic effects of COVID-19 have made Laratonda decide to close the coffee shop/restaurant for now. Laratonda is hopeful to re-open it in late March or early spring of next year. The three-story hotel includes 13 rooms and two apartments. The Pipe Room Bar/Lounge portion of the business will remain open. Laratonda says the Pipe Room and Hotel have actually been one entity since his father made it that...
The Monday, Oct. 18, Spring Cove School District Board of Directors regular meeting opened with school Board Member John Biddle and President James Butler receiving recognition from the Pa. School Board Association (PSBA) Representative Andrea Christoff. Biddle received recognition for 24 years of service on the board and was presented a plaque. Butler received recognition for 16 years of service. He was presented a certificate. Both were added to the PSBA Honor Roll of School Board Service. The public comment section of the meeting brought...
The administrative office board room of the Spring Cove School District was crowded with parents and public wanting to express their views on masking once again at the Monday, Oct. 11, committee of the whole meeting for the district. With about 20 members of the public in attendance, seven speakers echoed sentiments expressed over the past three committee of the whole and school board meetings. A number of the speakers expressed their views to the school board for the second or third time. Travis Ott, who told the board masking was nonsense at...
The regular voting meeting of the Spring Cove District Board of Directors was held Monday, Sept. 20, at the Spring Cove Elementary School with a packed gymnasium waiting to address the school board. Fourteen people addressed the school board during the recognition of visitors portion of the meeting, but almost every seat was filled in anticipation of the outcome of the board's vote on the motion to approve the resolution regarding the current mask order. The vote was a unanimous 9-0 count to...
The Monday, Sept. 13, Spring Cove School District Board of Directors Committee of the Whole Meeting was held in a packed gymnasium in the Spring Cove Elementary School. With all nine school board members present, the recognition of visitors portion of the meeting offered 20 speakers, primarily parents, speaking on the issue of masking in the school district. After the expression of opinions by all the speakers, district Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker, in her report to the board, stated, "Our...
A show of faith, patriotism, and civic pride marking the 20th anniversary remembrance of one of our nation’s greatest tragedies on Sept. 11, 2001, will be held Saturday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Jaffa Shrine Center in Altoona. The event will honor local fire, police, military, medical and religious personnel in Blair County and recall their importance in dealing with this national tragedy. The event will feature the Hollidaysburg Community Chorus, the Altoona Youth Orchestra, the Altoona Community Band, and others. A vast number of local f...
The regular meeting of the Spring Cove School Board of Directors was held Monday, Aug. 16, at the administration office board room. The status of the school’s Health and Safety Plan was the focus of Superintendent Betsy Baker’s report. Although Blair County recently moved to the substantial level of cases of transmission of the coronavirus, according to the CDC COVID Data Tracker, Baker stated that there was no need to make any changes in the district’s Health and Safety Plan. She emphasized that what is a substantial level this year was only...
The Spring Cove School District Board of Directors held a committee of the whole meeting combined with a regular board meeting on Monday, Aug. 9, at the administration office board room. The biggest topic of discussion was the district’s health and safety plan for the 2021-22 school year. During the public comments portion of the meeting, Jennifer Ripka, mother of three students in the Spring Cove School District expressed her deep concern about the district opening the school year without making all students wear masks. She said this would m...
