By Todd Berkey
tberkey@tribdem.com
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. â American Legion Post 294 can sell about 900 hot dogs and 300 pounds of French fries, along with drinks, during the cityâs annual Thunder in the Valley motorcycle rally.
So when the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced the rallyâs cancellation last June, the post lost what Commander Chuck Arnone called its economic âlifebloodâ â used to meet the needs of veterans, maintain its property and support local nonprofits.
The money-making bar on Main Street in Johnstown was also either closed or limited in capacity and hours due to Pennsylvania mitigation guidelines meant to slow the spread of the virus. Arnone said the pandemic âreduced our net worth by 75%,â which he described as a âharrowingâ situation.
Johnstown Ethics Board Debate
The debate over dissolving Johnstown’s voter approved city ethics board had its day in court Tuesday.
The case was heard in a virtual court hearing presided over by Cambria County Senior Judge Timothy Creany.
Activist John DeBartola, acting as his own lawyer, is seeking an injunction to prevent its dissolution. He argued Tuesday that the board is independent of any council decision and would be, in his words, “voter suppression” if the council gets rid of the board overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2017.
The city’s solicitor, Elizabeth Benjamin, argued all city ordinances approved by voters can be changed or removed after a two-year moratorium, and that any outstanding complaints with the city’s board, including one the DeBartola has a court order for the ethics board to handle, can be referred to the state’s ethics board.