Tim Durkin

Altoona, Pennsylvania, State College

Multimedia Journalist at WTAJ-TV (Altoona, PA)

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Articles

Somerset teacher shortage, leaders warn of worsening child care crisis

1 week ago | wtaj.com | trevor miller |Tim Durkin

SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A growing shortage of child care teachers is shutting down classrooms and straining working families across Pennsylvania, prompting Somerset County leaders to call for urgent state investment. At a press conference Thursday hosted at The Learning Lamp Center for Children, lawmakers, business advocates and child care experts detailed the economic fallout of the staffing crises, pointing to recent state and local surveys.
Former Penn State fraternity turned into new space for local nonprofit

1 week ago | wtaj.com | Tim Durkin

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WTAJ) — A local crisis management organization, Centre Helps, is officially operational in its new home of a former fraternity building in State College. Alpha Chi Sigma at 406 S. Pugh St. was abandoned for several years before State College’s Redevelopment Authority partnered with Centre Helps to give them the building. The roughly $1.5 million in renovations started in late 2024 and lasted through May 2025.
Former Penn State fraternity turned into new space for local nonprofit

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Tim Durkin

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WTAJ) — A local crisis management organization, Centre Helps, is officially operational in its new home of a former fraternity building in State College. Alpha Chi Sigma at 406 S. Pugh St. was abandoned for several years before State College’s Redevelopment Authority partnered with Centre Helps to give them the building. The roughly $1.5 million in renovations started in late 2024 and lasted through May 2025.
Clearfield animal clinic to host joint fundraiser this weekend

1 week ago | wtaj.com | Tim Durkin

WOODLAND, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Allegheny Spay & Neuter Clinic is partnering with two other organizations to help fundraise for a new surgery room. The fundraiser is Saturday, May 31, at 2740 Goshen Rd., Clearfield, starting at 1 p.m. It will include a raffle with several prizes, food vendors, bingo and a cash bar. It is a joint effort with the clinic, Animal Welfare Council and the Clearfield County SPCA. Anyone is welcome to attend for free, but a raffle ticket is $15.
Centre County officials give more funding to local nursing home

1 week ago | wtaj.com | Tim Durkin

BELLEFONTE, Pa. (WTAJ) — Centre County officials are donating $600,000 to a local nursing home, despite the facility not operating at a deficit. This is not the first time the commissioners donated to Centre Care. Earlier in 2025, the board gave a $900,000 grant to the facility. This new funding for the nursing home is from officials buying a 13,483 acre parcel of land from Centre Care. Centre Care says they are not operating at a deficit, but keeping over 150 Medicaid beds in use comes with a cost.
Competitive cycling coming to Happy Valley with inaugural event

1 week ago | wtaj.com | Tim Durkin

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WTAJ) — Fast-paced, competitive cycling is coming to Happy Valley this summer. The inaugural Happy Valley Cycling State College Criterium is coming Saturday, July 26. According to a press release from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, the closed-loop course will run from E. Beaver Ave. to S. Pugh St. to E. Forester Ave. to S. Garner St. It will be open to the public as well.
Broad Top honors veterans with its Memorial Day ceremony

1 week ago | wtaj.com | Tim Durkin

BROAD TOP CITY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Broad Top City in Huntingdon County joined in on Memorial Day with its own ceremony. For this year’s ceremony, Broad Top invited U.S. Navy Veteran Elmer Weimert as the guest speaker. He served for four years in active duty, with another two in a reserve unit. He is still active to this day, being the commander of Broad Top’s American Legion. “It’s an honor for me to still serve veterans and the community,” Weimert said. “I mean, we do so much for the community.
Boy Scout honors family legacy and serves community with Eagle Scout project

1 week ago | wtaj.com | Tim Durkin

SINKING VALLEY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Boy Scout is honoring his family’s legacy and serving his community through his Eagle Scout project. Blake Riddle is a Boy Scout with Troop 3015 in Blair County. He had high hopes for his project to earn the rank of Eagle Scout: Create a park in honor of his great aunt Helen Riddle. “I figured what better way to honor her and to also achieve my Eagle Scout by doing this project,” Riddle said. It was a huge undertaking, and one he was not sure about taking on at first.
Bellefonte resident takes issue with cutting CATA services, wants full bus route

2 weeks ago | wtaj.com | Tim Durkin

BELLEFONTE, Pa. (WTAJ) – Bellefonte is making a transition away from CATA services, but one local thinks it is a flawed choice – and he let the borough council know. Bellefonte officially opted out of CATA’s services earlier in May, citing rising costs and low ridership as the main reasons. “Due to a ten time increase in costs from CATA, they created this B-Line service that was basically ineffective for our citizens,” Bellefonte Borough Council Member Joanne Tosti-Vasey said.
Bellefonte resident takes issue with cutting CATA services, wants full bus route

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Tim Durkin

BELLEFONTE, Pa. (WTAJ) – Bellefonte is making a transition away from CATA services, but one local thinks it is a flawed choice – and he let the borough council know. Bellefonte officially opted out of CATA’s services earlier in May, citing rising costs and low ridership as the main reasons. “Due to a ten time increase in costs from CATA, they created this B-Line service that was basically ineffective for our citizens,” Bellefonte Borough Council Member Joanne Tosti-Vasey said.