Latest news with #Ace's
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cambria County LGBTQ community asks commissioners to recognize Pride Month
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ) — Members of Cambria County's LGBTQ+ community asked the Cambria County Commissioners to create a proclamation to celebrate June as Pride Month at the biweekly commissioner board meeting Thursday. The meeting saw a group of residents and local business owners protest the inaction, voicing their concerns during the public comment section. Members of the LGBTQ+ community see the proclamation as more than a reading of words on a piece of paper. 'The proclamation from the county commissioners is important to anyone in this community who is of the LGBTQ community for the sake of safety in our community of knowing that it's safe to be who you are and to come out as who you are and to be yourself,' local business owner Dustin Greene of Ace's said. 'This is not who we are:' State College church reacts after Pride flag burned Commissioners sat through multiple segments of three-minute comments from protesters, citing how other businesses and local governments have provided them with that proclamation of pride. 'We have received proclamations from many other entities in this community, including the local government here in the city level,' Greene added. 'But the county has not given us the proclamation. don't know why they haven't given us the proclamation. All they have to do is decide to do it.' No motion was made to start a proclamation. Commissioner Scott Hunt is in favor of it, but Commissioner Keith Rager mentioned his religious beliefs to be a component of not signing his name for the proclamation. 'I do not participate in Pride Month because it's not because I'm angry or mad at people at that. I have a deep-seated faith. The main reason I'm a commissioner because I felt God called me in 2023. I don't need this to fulfill anything. I'm doing it out of almost a labor of love to fill our county. So, as a U.S. Marine, I fought for our freedoms. I should have the freedom to practice my religion however I see fit.' The proclamation needs one signature to make it official. The protesters do not feel that one will be signed on the dotted line for it to pass, the second straight year this has happened. 'I don't think they heard us,' Greene said. 'I hope that they can hear our message, but I don't think that they are going to give us the proclamation that others in this community have.' 'I'm scared, and I want the community to say, 'No, we will protect you. That won't happen here,' resident Catherine-Anne McCloskey said. The group requested that the proclamation be finished by June 21, the same day as the Johnstown Pride event in Central Park. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nine 'held up and recognized' for contributions at YWCA's Tribute to Women event
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Women's achievements and contributions to the community were celebrated at an awards ceremony Thursday. With more than 275 people in attendance, the YWCA Greater Johnstown held its 38th annual Tribute to Women at Ace's in the Cambria City section of Johnstown. 'There are things getting done in our communities by women every day and they go unnoticed, so this is to recognize them and show them the appreciation their communities have for them,' said Diane Lopez, YWCA Greater Johnstown board president. 'This year's group of women are from all over the county, which is different than it's been in the past. 'We have multiple honorees from the northern part of the county, so the word is getting out and we're very excited about that.' The nine honorees were Debbie Baxter, employee of Ray Oil & Gas in Portage and recipient of the Arts & Letters Award; Becky DeYulis, owner of WorkLink Staffing in Ebensburg and recipient of the Business Award; Stacey Lewis, founder of South Fork Heritage Days and South Fork Winterfest and recipient of the Community Service Volunteer Award; Angela Seidel, professor of accounting and the chair of the business administration department at St. Francis University in Loretto and recipient of the Education Award; Jessie Mullen, a Marine Corps veteran and teacher at Ferndale Area High School and recipient of the Lady Liberty Award; Ashley Flynn, executive director the Cambria County Library and recipient of the Nonprofit Award; Louann Hoffman, broker/owner of Lang Real Estate and Tax Services in Cresson and recipient of the Professions Award; Jacqueline Hockenberry, a licensed professional geologist with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Cambria District Mining Office and recipient of the STEM Award; and Andi Palmar, executive director of Operation BeYoutiful and recipient of the Yellow Rose Award. 'This is very humbling because there are so many women in business and sometimes you don't feel like you're worthy, but then when someone sees what you do it becomes quite an honor,' DeYulis said. 'It's so nice to see women recognized for all their contributions to the roles that they have.' She said it's exciting to see women from all over Cambria County being recognized for their achievements. 'The YWCA is located in Johnstown, but their reach for this award is amazing,' DeYulis said. 'I love what they are doing, and I hope this continues to get more notoriety on what they do and it can enhance their programs.' Lewis said women do so much in their communities and deserve to be celebrated. 'We work so hard and you sometimes think people don't see everything, not that you need the recognition, but it's just nice to be acknowledged,' she said. 'Women can put a lot on their plate sometimes and we try to juggle everything, so it's phenomenal that the YWCA does this for our community and spotlights women.' Lewis said it's a thrill be included with the other honorees. 'To be acknowledged is an accomplishment and something very special,' she said. 'I'm already thinking about who I can nominate next year.' Flynn said the award is overwhelming, and she's glad she can help draw attention to the public library system. 'I work with some really great people and to know what we're doing is being noticed at the level of all these other honorees is very impactful,' she said. 'So many of the women that are doing these incredible things are also juggling many responsibilities at home and fulfilling a lot of different roles in their lives, so to be recognized at this professional level is very important.' Flynn said the event can inspire other women. 'It's good to know that we women are working together to make things better,' she said. 'It's fun to be a part of that.' Seidel said she appreciates the award. 'It's a heartfelt nomination, and it's very humbling,' she said. 'So many people go unrecognized for the work that they do. They give so much time and effort and give so much of their hearts to what they do, so it's a great thing to be recognized.' Seidel said she does what she does because she loves it. 'I'm just grateful that I have an opportunity to get up every morning and go do something that I love to do,' she said. Mullen said receiving the award is an honor. 'Women need to be held up and recognized so that we can inspire each other to continue to do good work and can inspire the younger generation to do even better work,' she said. 'So often the people you see in the news or history books are men, so holding up women as examples in your community gives younger women an example to follow.' She said to be the company of current and past honorees is gratifying. 'I didn't know some of the great work these women were doing, so I hope we can find ways to work together to make our community even better,' Mullen said.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Johnstown officials update downtown makeover plans during address
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ) — The annual State of the City Address, delivered by the Johnstown Mayor and the City Manager, touched on several projects, such as the Main Street and Central Park redesigns, as well as other plans, such as a new municipal website. Frank Janakovic, the Mayor, and Art Martynuska, the City Manager, discussed many subjects during their hour-long presentation Thursday at Ace's in the Cambria City section of Johnstown, according to our media partners at The Tribune-Democrat. Martynuska focused on providing updates on the Main Street and Central Park projects. The remakes are part of a larger initiative that will also include work on the Johnstown Train Station, the Johnstown Inclined Plane and the Downtown Intermodal Transportation Center. The U.S. Department of Transportation's 'Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity' discretionary grant money supplied more than $24 million for the projects. The renovation of Central Park is expected to start later this year and be completed in 2026. An original design was done by a New York City-based architect with assistance from a local firm, with the local firm taking the lead on the project now. Johnstown has also made changes to its code enforcement, with Laurel Municipal Services set to join in enforcement with city code officers and firefighters. There are also plans to either repair the Public Safety Building or construct a new building entirely, with renovations expected to cost $10 million and a new building priced around $20 million. Janakovic, in his third and last term as mayor, touched on developments made over the past years that have contributed to the city's improving economic condition. Specifically, he pointed to the city selling its sewer system to the Greater Johnstown Water Authority, with the money then used to shore up the police, fire and municipal workers' pension funds. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
