Part of a newspaper's role goes beyond just reporting the news.
That includes representation in the community and involvement in various events.
Ask most local organizers - whether it's the arts, youth sports or other nonprofit causes - and you'll likely find out that the Mirror is one of the many pillar sponsors that Altoona and Blair County have been fortunate to count on for a long time.
In the past few years, the Mirror has also branched out to stage events we've organized. Among them are the Outdoor Times Hunting & Fishing Show (in February), the annual Taste of the Alleghenies extravaganza (May 8-9) and the Altoona Mirror Basketball Classic (April 3).
In today's sports section, on Page C14, the rosters of the Classic are released.
We take pride in bringing opponents together to form the Blair County and Central PA teams, and we'll add a touch of nostalgia by inviting back honorary coaches and captains who made their marks here.
But we especially take pride in playing the Classic in memory of Big John and Tom Riley.
Both were active community leaders: Big John as a TV personality at what was then WFBG TV and his son Tom as a radio personality who sustained the Riley Classic for 22 years after his father's passing.
In 2005, after Tom died suddenly, the Mirror changed the format and renamed the Classic, with the Riley family's blessing and the promise that we would continue to honor the Rileys by playing the games in memory of Big John and Tom.
We hope you will join us Saturday afternoon at St. Francis University to help us do just that.
Making 'Progress'
When you get to your newspaper box Tuesday, you won't be mistaken: It will only seem like a Sunday paper.
The annual "People & Progress" edition will accompany your Tuesday edition. It's 72 pages on heavier stock paper packed with success stories on people and their companies from around the region.
The Progress edition, according to Mirror lore (read: advertising guru Patty Shirock), began in the early 1980s.
It ran in February and "was supposed to be a one-time deal," she said.
It was 30 pages then, organized by the late Dave Rice, and has more than doubled in size over the years as a result of cooperation between the news and advertising departments.
It's a week's worth of reading so keep it close by ... and be patient Tuesday if your carrier seems a little taxed.
Weather report
I took a call the other day from a reader who was having trouble following how we report the weather on Page A2.
He was confused that we reported "low 40s" and "high 30s."
Here's a hint: They're color-coded with highs reported in red and lows in blue.
And some consolation: It took me a while to get it, too.
Mirror Managing Editor Neil Rudel can be reached at 946-7527 or nrudel@altoonamirror.com.
