I'm looking at moving to the area for school and was wondering what insight anyone can give on the city or surrounding area on where to live. I also was wondering how friendly the local Sheriff is towards concealed carry. I'll be living in the area for about a year or so and trying to figure if it is worth applying for a permit and going through all the required steps needed.
What a surprise to see my stomping grounds mentioned in a thread title on this forum! I'm from Indiana County (still my legal residence) but have been away serving in the military for a couple of decades. Are you planning to attend WyoTech?
PA is a shall issue state, requires no evidence of training to get a License to Carry Firearms (LTCF), and the cost is $20. PA is #2 in the nation for number of issued licenses, with over 1M licensees (about 10% of adult population over 21). In Indiana County, it's around 17%.
2014 LTCFs by County and Firearm Transfer Metrics
The sheriff (20 min north in the Indiana courthouse) is pro-2A and usually issues on-the-spot the same day you show up.
Here's some basic info:
Firearms
And the application is here:
http://www.countyofindiana.org/Depts/Sheriff/Documents/Gun Permit.pdf
If you have any questions on the application just call the courthouse and they'll help you out.
As a student, can I assume you intend to maintain your legal residence and driver's license outside of PA? If so you'll need to show your license/permit from your home state to get the PA LTCF. You will also need to provide two references who know you well. I don't think they ever actually contact them, but it is a requirement.
Blairsville is a small town located near the Conemaugh river. It's been around for a while, so many of the homes and buildings are older. A Walmart provides the primary local source of groceries. Cost of living is relatively inexpensive.
If you like the outdoors this is a great place to be--LOTS of trails to hike or bike, hunting (especially for deer) is superb, and mountains are nearby. The fall colors can't be beat. The towns of Indiana, Latrobe, and Greensburg are the best places to go for major shopping runs--15-40 minutes away from Blairsville. There are several restaurants in town that offer very good value and excellent food. If you make a decision to move there let me know and I'll give you more on those.
As for where to live, that depends on your budget and transportation options. I don't know too much about the rental market other than it does tend to focus on students, and the properties are average in quality. You'll need to search depending upon your preferences. If I were buying or building I would look up the mountain to the east, or west/south in Westmoreland County. Indiana has a lot more rental housing available due to its larger college presence (Indiana University of PA).
Best wishes to you!
