Goat Rock Radio - WQRS | radioNOVO News for Altoona: April 28, 2026

RNN ALTOONA 04/28/26          13TH DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN JOHN JOYCE, WHOSE DISTRICT INCLUDES ALTOONA AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES............ IS CONTINUING TO LEAD A BIPARTISAN CHARGE TO CLEAN UP THE DAIRY AISLE........... WITH THE REINTRODUCTION OF THE DAIRY PRIDE ACT............... WHICH WOULD FORCE THE F-D-A TO CRACK DOWN ON PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES USING TERMS LIKE "MILK," "YOGURT," OR "CHEESE." JOYCE ARGUES THAT CURRENT LABELING "BLURS THE TRUTH" AND PUTS PUBLIC HEALTH AT RISK BY CONFUSING CONSUMERS ABOUT NUTRITIONAL CONTENT. THE BILL IS SET FOR A KEY SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING TOMORROW.  JOYCE IS PUSHING FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY FOR FAMILIES AND FAIRER COMPETITION FOR PENNSYLVANIA DAIRY FARMERS.          THE ALTOONA AREA SCHOOL BOARD IS WEIGHING TWO DIFFERENT TAX HIKES AS THEY LOOK TO BRIDGE A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET GAP FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.            MONDAY, THE BOARD NARROWED ITS OPTIONS TO A TWO OR THREE-PERCENT INCREASE FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. WHILE SOME MEMBERS ARGUED A HIKE IS HARD TO JUSTIFY GIVEN THE DISTRICT’S 40-MILLION DOLLAR FUND BALANCE, OTHERS WARNED THAT RISING WAGES AND UTILITY COSTS MAKE AN INCREASE A NECESSITY. A FINAL DECISION ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET IS EXPECTED MAY 11TH.   THOUGH OFFICIALS NOTE THAT ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING FROM HARRISBURG COULD STILL HELP CLOSE THE DEFICIT.