Altoona Mirror from Altoona, Pennsylvania • Page 1

Altoona DuBois Bishop Guilfoyle Central Hollidaysburg Lewistown 20 0 34 6 42 0 Tyrone Bellefonte Williamsburg Bellwood-Antis Bishop Carroll Penn Cambria 32 13 8 19 14 16 Claysburg-Kimmel West Branch Curwensville Cambria Heights Northern Bedford Glendale 0 17 7 22 26 14 Juniata Valley 0 Southern Huntingdon 20 IH Jjf SATURDATS A.M. Hltoona SIRirror VOL. 88 of our 108th year PHONE 94h-74II Ahoona, Saturday, Sept. 25, 1982 Final Edition 25' a COI'V Hundreds in Blair Face Aid Cutoff By MARSHA HEIM sraff Writer About 700 Blair County residents are going to have a blue Christmas this year when their general assistance is cut off indefinitely. The cutoff is the result of a new law which alters the benefits to be paid through the General Assistance program, Bernadine Riley, assistant executive director of the Blair County Board of Assistance, explained.

Speaking at a meeting of the Blair County Health and Welfare Council Friday, Ms. Riley said that Act 75, signed into law by Gov. Dick Thornburgh April 8, divides those seeking aid into two groups: the chronically needy and the transitionally needy. Those classified as transitionaliy needy will only receive aid for 90 days each year, she explained. With the new program beginning Sept.

1, many of the transitionally needy will be cut off from any benefits in late November to mid- December, Ms. Riley said. Perry Bruaw, supervisor of services at the Blair County Board of Assistance, translated her statement into cold facts: "About 700 people will be closed out in the very end of November or December of this year. When they can go back on (assistance), we don't know." But Mr. Bruaw said that is only the beginning.

An estimated 1,700 to 1,900 people will all be closed out by March, he explained. "We have a lot of working poor. After he (the worker) gets that reduced, grant, he gets a grant no more ever, Mr. Bruaw said. Recent figures say there are 4,022 cases consisting of 8,631 people in Blair County receiving cash grant assistance, Ms.

Riley explained. There are 2,482 receiving general assistance. Ms. Riley couldn't predict what would happen to these people once they are cut off. "We'll just have to wait and see," added William Wallen, representing the Altoona Hospital Community Mental Health Center on the council.

Agencies that traditionally provide financial assistance, along with residents trying to meet the costs of rising utilities, will face a hard winter. Jacqueline Sutton, director of the (See WELFARE, Page 3) PSU vs. Nebraska; Uh Oh: Joe Wants High Score! TODD BLACKLEDGE Penn State Quarterback Love Ya Lions! By JOE JULIANO UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (UP1) By land and by air, Saturday's Penn State-Nebraska showdown should be a game that everyone but the Beaver Stadium Scoreboard operator will love. The second-ranked Corn- huskers, 2-0, lead the nation in scoring offense (55 points per gamp), total offense and rushing offense.

The fifth-rated Nittany Lions, 3-0, have moved at will through the air and are averaging nearly 40 points per game. The stage is set for a high- scoring duel in the nationally televised (CBS) contest and Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who normally plays it close to the vest, wouldn't mind seeing such a game. (See the Sports section, Page 17, for more on The Big Game.) "This may be one I hope is high- scoring," he said. "If it's a low- scoring game from our end, we probably won't be in it. I hope we can move the football on them." Nebraska set NCAA records for lota! offense (883 yards), most yards rushing without a loss (677) and most first downs (43) in last week's 68-0 rout of New Mexico State.

The Cornhuskers have I-back Mike Rozier, who already has rushed for 276 yards and boasts an 8.6-yard average. They have sophomore Jeff Smith, who has ripped off touchdown dashes of 68 and 80 yards and is averaging an obscene 23.7 yards. The team is averaging 7.6 yards per carry and has scored 10 touchdowns on the ground. "They have a great balanced attack," Paterno said. "They do everything well on offense.

They throw, they have power, they have finesse, they have speed, they can option you. They can do almost anything witih a football once they have it." With the graduation of three key members of their offensive line, the Nittany Lions have abandoned their traditional punishing ground game in favor of an air attack, and with success. (See PENN STATE, Page 3) State Planned to Nix Strip Mine By JEFF MUJLHOLLEM Staff Writer The withdrawal oftoonejrBros. Coal application to strip mine 930 acres above the Horseshoe Curve reportedly came just a day before the state intended to deny the proposal. The mining site is within the watershed of three Altoona City Authority drinking water impoundments Kittanning Point, Impoun- City Acts to Quell Fight Over Fire Hydrant Rates By JEFF MULHOLLEM Staff Writer The Altoona City Authority Friday afternoon acted to equalize fire hydrant service rates paid throughout the joint water system, apparently eliminating a controversy.

No announcement was made about changes in minimum residential water rates. Authority Chairman Frank S. Smith, however, said a decision will be disclosed before the end of the year. Township supervisors from three municipalities adjacent to the city recently protested fire hydrant service costs. Two townships threatened legal action to lower hydrant rates that are about 14 times higher than those charged to Altoona.

Prior to today's action. Logan Township was paying $152 per hydrant per year; the city was paying JI4.48. "The 1983 charge for fire hydrants will be $18.22 per hydrant," Mr. Smith explained. "For the first time, all of our hydrant charges are equalized.

It won't make much of a difference in our overall hydrant revenues." "The rate passed at the meeting Friday will be effective Jan. 1, 1983," Ronald E. Shimmel, authority controller, said. "We're going to go back and adjust the rates from January 1982 as well, so that all of the municipalities will be paying the same rate for this year, too." The expected announcement of changes in residential minimum water rates will be delayed, perhaps until the end of the year, authority members agreed. Mr.

Smith emphasized the gravity of the pending decision and maintained more time is needed to contemplate any rate alterations. A computer evaluation of water rate possibilities, on which any authority decision would presumably be based, was reportedly completed last month. (See AUTHORITY, Page 3) ding Dam and Lake Altoona reservoirs. John Moore, state Department of Environmental Resources (PER) Ebensburg District mining manager, told the Mirror Thursday that the mining company had decided to withdraw its permit application. The action came after nearly two years of public debate.

Coal company officials have refused comment this week. Another DER spokesman explained that Cooney Bros, was informed by the state that "the permit cannot be issued in its present form." "We gave them the choice of revising it or withdrawing it," he said. DER officials had decided to reject the Cooney Bros, application before il was withdrawn on the strength of an analysis of geological data from test drillings and field review of site conditions. The withdrawal was announced one day before DER intended to post a letter informing the Cresson- based mining company of permit denial. Mailing of the letter was delayed, according to the DER spokesman, following a meeting between DER and Cooney Bros, officials at the agency's Ebensburg office.

"We recommend denial of the mine-drainage permit based upon the failure to demonstrate through the overburden analysis and associated hydrological data con- tained within the application, thai pollution of surface waters and groundwater will not occur," read an eight-page internal DER memo. "This is magnified," the Aug. 8 document continued, "when considering the significance of potential pollution of public water supply reservoirs of the City of Altoona." At a City Authority meeting Friday afternoon, authority members had little to say about the application withdrawal, except to point out that the proposed mining area was not on authority-owned ground, as has been incorrectly reported. Chairman Frank S. Smith said Friday evening he did not feel any particular sense of relief upon hearing that the mining application had been withdrawn.

"No, I'm not really relieved," he said. "It's Coonpy's Bros. land. Cooney Bros, application and Cooney Bros, problem. "We (City Authority) (See COAL, Page 3) have 'One Down and One to Go Mine Opponents Still Cautious Mirror fMM DavM slouly unfolds ground tht littlt'Sten HomtnGap Reservoir above Juniata By KAY STEPHENS Staff Writer Learning that Cooney Brothers Coal Co.

has withdrawn its application for a permit to strip mine a portion of the city's watershed put smiles on the faces of those who led the opposition. "That's one down and one to go," said Oscar E. Heinz of 708 Ruskin Drive, who during several public meetings attacked the Cresson- based company's proposal. Mr. Heinz helped several groups to compile data showing problems that could be created if the ridgetop tract above the Horseshoe Curve was mined.

He said Friday that he hopes E. P. Bender Co. withdraws its application lor mining 134 acres above the Mill Run Reservoir, or that the state Department of Environmental Resources (DER) rejects the Bender application for a permit. Cooney Bros, management has refused to comment on the withdrawal of their application.

It filed for a mine permit and mine drainage application In January 1981, asking DER to allow the stripping of an estimated 2.3 million tons of coal from the site that lies between two streams which flow directly into the city's reservoirs. "I first got involved as an Individual," Mr. Heinz said, "but I learned that an Individual doesn't get too far." He said he was very pleased to work with Juniata Audubon So- ciety, Trout Unlimited and the League of Women Voters, who played a part in opposing to the proposal. "We weren't just people giving opinions," he said. "We organized facts." "I think the people of Altoona are the gainers," Mr.

Heinz said. John Orr, president of the Audubon Society, said he too was pleased that Cooney Bros, withdrew the application. "I sec it as an achievement," he said. He and Mr. Heinz both credited former Altoona Mirror reporter Don Hopey for publicizing the situation.

Mr. Orr also credited the groups which got involved in the fight. "I think it showed some environmental groups could do their homework and wade through the process I think we've been caught asleep on some things," he said. In the Mirror Cards Flyin' Begin Bows The St. Louis Cardinals are closing in on the National League East championship.

Their magic number is 5 Page II. NCAA Strikes The NCAA has decided to permit college games to be played on Sundays during the NFL players' strike and the networks are scrambling Page 21. Ouster Urged A Cambria County district justice Is urging the "removal" of David R. Metzger as Dean Township police chief Page 23. Today's Press Run: 38.7N Israeli Prime Minister Begin has given in to pressure and requested a probe of the massacres in Beirut Page 25.

INDEX Kids 22 Area 23 Births 7 Movies 7 Obituaries 4 Crime 9 Opinion 8 Farm Features 31 Sports 17-21 WEATHER TODAY: Cloudy, showers. TOMORROW: Variable cloudiness. Details Page 11..