Bigfoot Country | radioNOVO News for Altoona: May 8, 2026

RNN ALTOONA 05/08/26          A PIECE OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER........... ON A TEN-THOUSAND-MILE JOURNEY ACROSS AMERICA........... MADE A STOP IN SHANKSVILLE YESTERDAY.  THE TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION BROUGHT THE 17-THOUSAND POUND STEEL BEAM TO THE FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL, TO HONOR THE HEROES WHO DIVERTED THE HIJACKED PLANE 25 YEARS AGO. THE "STEEL ACROSS AMERICA" TOUR WILL VISIT 35 CITIES BEFORE RETURNING TO NEW YORK CITY THIS SEPTEMBER 11TH.          AN ALTOONA MAN ALREADY ACCUSED OF A GRUESOME 2023 MURDER IS NOW FACING A STACK OF NEW CONVICTIONS.          YESTERDAY, A JURY TOOK JUST THIRTY MINUTES TO FIND RAYMOND OECHSLE JR. GUILTY ON THIRTEEN COUNTS—INCLUDING ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE—FOR STABBING TWO FELLOW INMATES AT THE BLAIR COUNTY PRISON LAST OCTOBER. OECHSLE REFUSED TO ATTEND HIS OWN TRIAL, STAYING IN HIS CELL AS THE VERDICT WAS READ.  HE REMAINS BEHIND BARS AWAITING TRIAL FOR THE APRIL 2023 STABBING DEATH OF CHRISTOPHER HELSEL, WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND IN AN APARTMENT WHERE OECHSLE HAD BEEN SQUATTING.          LOGAN TOWNSHIP IS REMEMBERING LONGTIME SUPERVISOR JOE METZGAR, WHO PASSED AWAY MONDAY AT THE AGE OF 82.          A STAPLE OF THE BOARD FOR NEARLY TWENTY YEARS, METZGAR WAS A CHAMPION FOR LOCAL TAXPAYERS, FAMOUSLY LEADING A STATEWIDE CHARGE AGAINST UNFUNDED GOVERNMENT MANDATES. COLLEAGUES SAY HE BALANCED HIS LOGICAL, COMMON-SENSE LEADERSHIP WITH A LEGENDARY SENSE OF HUMOR.