Goat Rock Radio - WQRS | radioNOVO News for Altoona: April 14, 2026

           IT WAS A PACKED HOUSE AT MONDAY NIGHT’S CITY COUNCIL MEETING AS RESIDENTS CLASHED WITH OFFICIALS OVER THREE CONTROVERSIAL ORDINANCES UP FOR A VOTE.            COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY REJECTED A PROPOSAL TO REDUCE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN RECOVERY HOUSES, SENDING IT BACK FOR FURTHER REFINEMENT. THEY ALSO ADOPTED A PUBLIC GATHERING ORDINANCE, BUT REJECTED A PROPOSED FEE SCHEDULE TO CHARGE FOR POLICE PROTECTION.            FINALLY, A NEW "URBAN CAMPING" BAN PASSED IN A SPLIT VOTE, COUNCILMAN DAVE ELLIS INSISTS THE CITY ISN'T CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS. INSTEAD, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PLANS TO EMBED SOCIAL WORKERS TO STEER INDIVIDUALS TOWARD SERVICES AND HOUSING RATHER THAN TO JAIL.            VIDEO OF A VIOLENT ATTACK ON A SIXTH GRADER OUTSIDE ALTOONA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL LAST MONTH LEFT SUPERINTENDENT BRAD HATCH "MORTIFIED” BY WHAT HE SAW.  AT LAST NIGHT'S SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, THE VICTIM’S MOTHER CALLED THE THIRTY-ONE-SECOND ASSAULT A “PREVENTABLE FAILURE” IN SCHOOL SUPERVISION. IN A RARE MOMENT, THE MOTHER OF ONE OF THE TWO FEMALE ATTACKERS OFFERED A TEARFUL PUBLIC APOLOGY, TAKING FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HER DAUGHTER'S ACTIONS.  HATCH IS NOW CALLING FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARENTS AND POLICE TO PREVENT FUTURE VIOLENCE.