Rocky 99 Johnstown | radioNOVO News for Altoona: April 30, 2026

RNN ALTOONA 04/30/26          ON-STREET PARKING ENFORCEMENT IS RETURNING TO DOWNTOWN ALTOONA BEGINNING MAY 11TH. THE PARKING AUTHORITY HASN'T ISSUED STREET TICKETS SINCE AUGUST WHILE WAITING FOR A NEW CITY ORDINANCE TO SOLIDIFY THEIR LEGAL AUTHORITY.           WHEN THE ENFORCEMENT RESUMES, DRIVERS WILL FACE A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FINE; THE PENALTY FOR A VIOLATION HAS JUMPED FROM FIVE DOLLARS TO FIFTEEN, TOTALING $21.50 AFTER FEES. WHILE OFFICIALS ARE STILL DEBATING WHETHER TO REPLACE AGING METERS WITH MODERN KIOSKS OR MOBILE APPS, THE CURRENT RULES—INCLUDING TWO-HOUR FREE PARKING IN MOST ZONES—WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED STARTING A WEEK FROM THIS MONDAY.          IT IS A DREAM COME TRUE FOR LOCAL RAIL FANS: UNION PACIFIC’S FAMED "BIG BOY" NUMBER 40-14 IS STEAMING INTO ALTOONA THIS SUMMER. THE WORLD’S LARGEST OPERATING STEAM LOCOMOTIVE WILL ARRIVE JULY 8TH FOR A FOUR-DAY STAY AS PART OF THE AMERICA-250 CELEBRATIONS. TICKETS FOR THE ENGINE’S APPEARANCE AT THE HORSESHOE CURVE SOLD OUT JUST HOURS AFTER THE ITINERARY WAS RELEASED TUESDAY. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOSEPH DEFRANCESCO SAYS SEEING THE MASSIVE ENGINE TACKLE THE CURVE IS A "ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME" EVENT, AS A LOCOMOTIVE OF THIS SCALE HAS NEVER TRAVELED THE HISTORIC LANDMARK BEFORE, PROBABLY NEVER WILL, AGAIN.