Regional category, Page 192
Western Pa. chapter of FSHD Society to host fundraiser to fight rare form of muscular dystrophy
After being diagnosed with a rare disease that ultimately left him using a wheelchair, Mark Christman called himself lucky. He was lucky to have gotten a proper diagnosis for his disease, which often is misdiagnosed. He was lucky that, as an attorney, he could enjoy a successful career when some...
‘This is the worst I’ve seen’: Longer waits reported at Western Pa. hospitals
Wait times at Western Pennsylvania’s emergency rooms are getting longer, following a national trend spurred by covid-19, staffing shortages and an overall increase in demand for health care. “Wait times — they always vary by time of day, even hour by hour — but this is the worst I’ve seen...
Passavant Memorial Homes boosts pay during special week
Passavant Memorial Homes Family of Services, which serves those with intellectual disabilities, autism and behavioral health needs, boosted the pay of about 1,100 frontline employees by $5 per hour for this week in recognition of those employees who have maintained services during the covid pandemic, a company official said. “People...
State trooper in Mercer County suspended after arrest on forgery, tampering charges
Pennsylvania State Police announced a state trooper in Mercer County was arrested Wednesday on charges of falsifying his orders for military service with the Ohio Air National Guard. State Trooper Jamhal Simon, 35, of West Middlesex, is charged with forgery and tampering with records, both first-degree misdemeanors. Simon has been...
Utility offering free virtual training for first responders on dealing with natural gas incidents
Firefighters, police officers, paramedics and other first responders can learn how to properly respond to incidents involving natural gas through a free virtual training program being offered by Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania. The utility also is offering a $1,000 grant or in-kind donation to a local fire department that logs...
Feds seize 2 shipments of fake covid vaccination cards in Pittsburgh
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have seized two shipments of fake covid-19 vaccination cards in Pittsburgh. Officers intercepted the first parcel of 20 fake vaccine cards on Aug. 24 after determining the cards “presented a low-quality appearance and that they were being important by a consignee who is not...
Laurel Highlands ranks 8th in USA Today’s top-10 fall foliage spots
Once again, USA Today readers have confirmed what Western Pennsylvanians have always known — the Laurel Highlands is one of the country’s best places for viewing fall foliage. For the second year in a row, the Laurel Highlands is a Readers’ Choice Winner in the Best Destination for Fall Foliage...
Va. couple wanted for questioning in disappearance of 3-year-old girl arrested in South Greensburg
A couple wanted by Virginia authorities for questioning in connection with the disappearance of a 3-year-old girl was arrested in a South Greensburg motel Sunday for having “two large rocks of methamphetamine” and multiple checks investigators say were stolen in Virginia, according to court documents. However, when state troopers and...
No fall yet: Warm temperatures persist in Western Pa.
It may be September, but it’s not sweater weather yet. Unseasonably high temperatures have persisted so far this month. “It’s a little warmer, a little above average,” Bill Modzelewski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon, said Monday. Temperatures on Monday were in the lower 80s, and Tuesday’s...
Blairsville-area woman held in boyfriend’s shooting death
A Blairsville-area woman was jailed without bail Saturday in the Indiana County Jail on charges of stemming from the Friday evening shooting death of her boyfriend. State Police from Indiana County say Matraca Lynn Vrana, 28, was arraigned Saturday afternoon before District Magisterial Judge Christopher Welch on charges of voluntary...
Senators call for transparency in nursing home staff vaccination reports
A pair of U.S. senators say the Biden administration must do more to provide families with easily accessible information on covid-19 vaccination rates among nursing home staff and residents. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Senate Finance chair, and Pennsylvania’s Bob Casey, D-Scranton, who chairs the Senate Committee on Aging, want the...
Photos: Ceremony at Flight 93 National Memorial marks 20th anniversary of 9/11
“We can never move on, but we must continue to move forward,” said Gordon Felt, president of Families of Flight 93. Felt, who lost his brother, Edward, in the crash addressed about 650 fellow family members and invited guests at a ceremony marking the 20th anniversay of the terrorist attacks...
The heroes of Flight 93 live on as visitors flock to National Memorial
At first, they worried their story would be lost. The families of the passengers and crew members of United Flight 93 knew they held a precious piece of American history. The efforts of 40 people who lost their lives on a rural Pennsylvania mountaintop thwarting a terrorist plot to crash...
Tim Benz: Dawna, the 3 horses and Flight 93’s ‘ambassadors’ of heroism
There is a language at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Stonycreek Township. A way of talking. No one actually whispers, but no one uses their full voice either. Every conversation is in hushed tones. Emotions seem to be communicated in the silence in between thoughts. And that’s just the...
Ceremony marks 20th anniversary at Flight 93 National Memorial
Remember. That was the common theme at Flight 93 National Memorial on Saturday: Americans should emulate who they and the nation were the day after Sept. 11, 2001. “We remember the vast majority of Americans were unified in purpose … that time reminded us of the significance of our unity...
Agriculture officials urge businesses, residents to be aware of spotted lanternflies
As he was walking in a park near his home on Pittsburgh’s North Side late last month, Joe Dep saw a bug fly past him that immediately caught his attention. “I was in Allegheny Commons Park, and as soon as I saw it, I knew it was something I didn’t...
A lasting effect: How 9/11 impacted the lives of Western Pennsylvanians at World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Shanksville
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How 9/11 impacted the lives of Western Pennsylvanians at World Trade Center, Pentagon, ShanksvilleVideo
Frank Monaco was too busy to get emotional on 9/11. Capt. Monaco had been a Pennsylvania State Trooper for over 25 years when United Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Somerset County, killing 40 passengers and crew members on Sept. 11, 2001. If Monaco felt anything when he arrived at the...
Greene County man to serve probation, house arrest for assault, drugging of 2-year-old
The lawyer for a Greene County man who pleaded guilty to a brutal assault of a 2-year-old Derry boy in 2016 told a judge on Friday his client was the most “damaged” person he’s ever represented. Defense attorney Gary Gerson said Cory Andrew Kuntz, 28, was a victim of sexual...
Western Pa. companies scramble to process Biden’s covid vaccine mandate
A day after it was announced, some of Western Pennsylvania’s largest employers were still working out plans to comply with President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for companies with more than 100 employees. Most regional companies contacted on Friday said they were still going through the comprehensive plan announced Thursday evening....
Amtrak chief promotes 2nd Pittsburgh-Harrisburg service
Amtrak remains committed to adding a second daily train between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, with stops in Greensburg, Latrobe and Johnstown, the president of the passenger rail service said. Making that expanded service a reality, however, depends on negotiations with Norfolk Southern and securing state and federal money. Stephen Gardner, president...
What families should know as pediatric covid cases climb in Pennsylvania
As covid-19 cases among kids continue to climb, one Pittsburgh doctor said that, while it’s good to keep precautions in mind, it’s also important to keep kids in school, even if they’re too young to be vaccinated. Covid-19 cases have been once again rising, fueled by the highly contagious delta...
Eighty Four resident, firearms expert a part of ‘American Rust’ crew
Award-winning actors Tom Cruise and Jeff Daniels have learned a thing or two from Eighty Four resident Dale McCue. McCue is a police technical adviser for movies and television shows. He’s hired to teach actors everything from the basics of firing a gun to the importance of how to safely...
Baby African elephant in ‘guarded condition’ with serious medical issues, Pittsburgh Zoo says
An African elephant born in July at the Pittsburgh Zoo’s International Conservation Center in Somerset County is in “guarded condition,” the zoo announced Wednesday. The female elephant, born July 18, has developed several serious medical conditions, including not gaining enough weight, the zoo said in a statement. Overall, the ailments...
Teachers rely on Flight 93 Memorial, personal experiences to teach about 9/11
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