📰 WEEKLY PREVIEW |
* Top Stories: New blood pressure medication recall * Pet of the Week: Meet Norman Bates - Adopt me! |
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Trivia Question❓Which Caribbean island, now shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, was divided between French and Spanish colonial rule under the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick? Answer at the bottom of the newsletter |
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The Cambria Buzz newsletter is sponsored by |
Just Love Coffee Cafe |
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For Cambria County households that heat with oil, a winter delivery can bring a substantial bill all at once.
Families in Johnstown, Ebensburg and nearby communities may feel the strain when a tank needs filling more than once.
A national projection suggests oil-heated households could spend nearly $900 more over a winter than they did the year before, though individual bills will vary. Read More... |
Cambria County residents taking chlorthalidone should check their prescription bottles after a recall of a specific lot of the blood pressure medication.
Inventia Healthcare Limited recalled more than 13,000 bottles of 25-milligram tablets packaged in quantities of 100.
The affected lot is RISA24002, with an April 2027 expiration date and product code 64980-599-01. Read More... |
Cambria Heights and Central Cambria both fell in regional girls soccer action despite second-half efforts to close the gap.
In Roaring Spring, Central scored three times before halftime on its way to a 4-1 senior-night win over Cambria Heights.
Rylie Oldham, Camryn Parilla, Addison Long and Sophia Flamish scored for Central, while Mele Lavelua answered for Heights, which fell to 7-3. Read More... |
Children in Johnstown’s Old Conemaugh neighborhood have a more welcoming place to play after a long-neglected basketball court received new life.
Brent and Derek Labarko, whose family has lived in the area for four generations, helped clear overgrowth, replace rusty hoops and paint fresh court lines with support from a $10,000 grant from Johnstown’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund.
The brothers remember having outdoor places to gather when they were young and want local children to have the same opportunity. Read More... |
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Family-Friendly Events in Cambria, Sept. 30 – Oct. 6, 2026 |
Harvest Fest |
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Celebrate the season at Harvest Fest, a free afternoon of fall fun for everyone at Greater Johnstown Christian Fellowship. Bring family and friends to enjoy food, refreshments, live music, and artwork together. There’s plenty to keep everyone smiling, from a petting zoo and inflatables to prizes and more. Stop by between 4:00 and 7:00 pm for a welcoming community gathering and a chance to make some cheerful autumn memories. Come join the fun! |
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SEADS Fall Festival |
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Welcome fall at the SEADS Fall Festival on October 3! Browse pumpkins, mums, and cornstalks at SEADS Garden Center, and explore offerings from local and craft vendors. It’s a cheerful way to spend an autumn day in Johnstown. Enjoy live music, grab something to eat from the food trucks, and take a chance on the basket raffle. The festival runs from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and admission is free. |
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Vale Wood Farms Pumpkin Patch |
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Come out to Vale Wood Farms Pumpkin Patch for a day of fall family fun! Admission includes games, a corn maze, a giant corn box, farm animals, and plenty of fall photo opportunities. Bring the family to explore, play, and capture a few seasonal memories together. The event takes place October 3 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Vale Wood Farms in Loretto. Admission is $7. |
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Weakland Farms Corn Maze |
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Welcome fall with a stroll through the corn at Weakland Farms. This six-acre maze winds for a mile and a half through eight-foot-tall stalks, with plenty of fresh air and a new turn to discover around every corner. Along the way, look for hidden stations with general-knowledge questions that kids can enjoy answering, too. Plan on at least an hour to solve the clues, find your way through, and savor a relaxed outdoor outing with family or friends. |
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📚 Cambria County Library System — All Branch Events The Cambria County Library System (CCLSYS) operates 14 independent member libraries, each with its own programs and events. The system-wide calendar (covering all branches) can be filtered by library, age group, and event type at: https://cambriacounty.librarycalendar.com/branches/select |
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The Carrolltown Hi-Way Drive-In |
425 Theatre Rd, Carrolltown, PA 15722 |
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Fresh Brews at James Leigh Coffee Company
After building a loyal local following with their mobile coffee trailer over the past year, the team behind James Leigh Coffee Company has officially opened their first brick-and-mortar storefront right on Scalp Avenue in Geistown! The cozy shop specializes in handcrafted espresso drinks—like their fan-favorite Salted Caramel Macchiato—organic specialty coffees, seasonal specials, and locally sourced baked pastries.
What makes this spot so special is its commitment to collaborating with fellow regional vendors, frequently featuring baked goods from local bakeries alongside their handcrafted drinks. You can swing by their new walk-in shop to grab your morning fuel, and keep an eye out for their upcoming drive-thru lane opening later this fall! You can connect with them on Facebook at James Leigh Coffee Company.
Revitalized Living at Dibert Lofts
Downtown Johnstown reached a major revitalization milestone late this summer with the official grand opening of Dibert Lofts at the corner of Main Street! This seven-year redevelopment project breathed new life into a historic downtown structure, transforming it into modern, loft-style apartments and multi-use ground-floor commercial space while preserving the building's iconic original architectural details.
The development fills a crucial need for high-quality, modern living in the city's commercial core, as evidenced by all residential units filling up within just two weeks of launch! Neighbors and visitors can support this downtown boost by visiting the newly renovated ground-floor retail spaces and exploring neighboring local shops along Main Street.
New Local Healthcare Access at Gallaher Dentistry
Bringing expanded healthcare access to central Cambria County, Dr. Luke W. Gallaher and his clinical team recently launched an expanded patient care initiative and updated practice facility inside the Lovell Park Professional Building in Ebensburg. The practice offers comprehensive, patient-centered oral health services ranging from preventative cleanings and whitening to gentle family dentistry for patients of all ages.
As a locally owned practice, Gallaher Dentistry stands out for its deep community ties and focus on personalized, one-on-one relationships rather than corporate assembly-line care. Local residents looking for a friendly new dental home can book appointments by calling (814) 472-4644 or visiting gallaherdentistry.com. Their office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Fridays from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
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Cambria County is entering October with a welcome burst of family-friendly fall activity, from trail adventures and farm fun to arts, sports and community celebrations. Here are five positive trends to watch. Cambria Buzz: Five fall trends1. Outdoor recreation is becoming an all-ages attraction. On October 3, the Chernisky Ghost Town Trail-a-thon offers unusually flexible ways to participate—marathon, 15-miler, 5K, casual bike ride and even a 0.0K—connecting Ebensburg, Duman Lake and the Ghost Town Trail system. The next day, Ebensburg’s free Fall Foliage Bike Ride/Walk welcomes riders and walkers to enjoy peak-color scenery together.[visitjohnstownpa][visitjohnstownpa] 2. Harvest experiences are drawing families outdoors. Weakland Farms’ six-acre, 1.5-mile corn maze continues on October weekends, while Vale Wood Farms’ Pumpkin Patch opens October 3 with games, a corn maze, farm animals and photo opportunities.[visitjohnstownpa] 3. Johnstown’s cultural calendar is lively. The “Consumed” and Allied Artists of Johnstown Fall Show opens October 1, and author Patricia Grace King’s free book presentation follows that evening—strong signs of a thriving, accessible arts scene.[visitjohnstownpa] 4. Family sports energy is building downtown. The Johnstown Tomahawks begin October home games October 2 and 3 at 1ST SUMMIT ARENA, giving visitors another reason to make a weekend of dining, sightseeing and hockey.[visitjohnstownpa] 5. Northern Cambria is leaning into community-centered fall fun. The borough is preparing its October 31 Halloween Night in the Park at Spangler Fireman’s Park, inviting local organizations and businesses to help create a family-friendly community give-back event.[northerncambriaborough] |
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Local Shout-outs, Heroes, Causes, Fundraisers, Volunteer Opportunities
Cambria County Community Roundup
🎉 Local ShoutoutsA big hand for Ebensburg’s PotatoFest community Key details: Held Saturday, September 26, in downtown Ebensburg. This year’s event has ended. 💛 Local HeroesKevin “the camera guy” Stiffler gets some love back Key details: The benefit took place September 27 at Peoples Natural Gas Park, 90 Johns Street, Johnstown; it is now over. 🤝 Local CausesHelp keep weekend meals within reach for local kids Key details: Residents can donate or explore ways to volunteer through the project’s website. This is an ongoing cause, rather than a newly announced initiative this week. 🎨 FundraisersHelp the Community Arts Center recover after the storm Key details: The GoFundMe campaign names the arts center as its beneficiary and accepts donations online. It began September 11; the displayed total may change. 🙋 Volunteer OpportunitiesGive Cambria County’s trails a hand Key details: The event is Saturday, October 3, in Ebensburg. For trail work or event volunteering, use the contact details on the authority’s volunteer page, or call 814-472-2110. Spend some time with shelter animals Key details: Apply through the shelter’s volunteer page, or ask about current needs at 814-535-6116. Volunteers must be at least 10; additional rules apply to minors. |
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If you apply to adopt, please let the Humane Society know that you saw the listing in The Cambria Buzz Newsletter! |
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💡 Answer to Trivia Question: Hispaniola |
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Warmly, Charles Sisk Editor |