Regional News category, Page 194
Cyberattack on Butler college part of growing trend; experts urge vigilance to thwart hackers
Organizations that keep sensitive information in their computer systems can’t do much to avoid being targeted by cyberattackers. But experts say they can do things to reduce the damage wreaked by an attack. A cyberattack on Butler County Community College’s computer system forced the campus to shut down Monday and...
Week in pictures: Nov. 22-28, 2021
A selection of the best photos from Tribune-Review photographers from around the region from the week of Nov. 22-28. Previous weeks Week in pictures: Nov. 8-14 Week in pictures: Nov. 1-7, 2021 Week in pictures: Oct. 25-31, 2021 Week in pictures: Oct. 18-24, 2021 Week in pictures: Oct. 11-17, 2021...
Nonprofits hope to see funds flow on Giving Tuesday
Hot on the heels of the nation’s three biggest shopping days of the year — Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday — there is yet another reason to keep that wallet open. Charities, arts organizations, libraries and other nonprofits are hoping to top off a tough year on...
Unlocked vehicles targets of theft in Shaler and Aspinwall area
Police in several communities are imploring residents to lock up after a rash of thefts from unlocked vehicles. “We had 18 reports this week — that’s a high number,” said Shaler police chief Sean Frank. “I want to stress these were not vehicle break-ins, that means a car is locked....
Deadline nears to enroll in Medicare Advantage health insurance for 2022 coverage
The deadline is approaching for seniors and people with disabilities to sign up for a Medicare-eligible health insurance plan for 2022. Enrollment closes Dec. 7 for coverage that begins Jan. 1. Medicare Advantage plans are privately offered alternatives to traditional Medicare and supplemental government-provided plans. They’ve long been popular in...
4 on the floor: Vehicle owners prepare for tire sticker shock
Eric Colamarino knows he’s running out of time to find winter tires for his Ford pickup truck. The 30-year-old Unity resident said he has been searching for tires since July, only to be met by factory back orders and prices that are 20% to 25% higher per tire. Colamarino said...
Cyberattack forces closure of Butler County Community College on Monday and Tuesday
Butler County Community College will be closed Monday and Tuesday in response to a ransomware attack on its computer systems, the college announced Sunday night. The main campus in Butler Township and additional locations in Cranberry, Lawrence, Jefferson and Mercer Counties and remote and online classes will be closed as...
Teenage gunshot victim found dead in vacant lot in Washington, Pa.
Officials found a body of a teenager Sunday morning in a vacant lot in Washington, Pa. The Washington County Coroner’s Office identified the victim Sunday evening as Connor Brock, 18, of Washington, Pa. According to the coroner’s report, Brock had an apparent gunshot wound. The coroner and city police are...
‘We have a litter problem’: Gov. Wolf unveils statewide litter action plan
Pennsylvanians pride themselves on the beauty the state offers, by way of millions of acres of forest, rolling hills and, this time of year, gorgeous fall scenery. But anyone who has driven the state’s roads to reach those destinations will have a tough time arguing with Gov. Tom Wolf. “We...
Winter heating costs rising, PUC advises customers to shop for rates
Western Pennsylvanians could be in for sticker shock this winter when they pay their heating bill, state and federal agencies warn. “There is a big swing in electric prices (this winter). The surge in natural gas usage is driving up wholesale natural gas prices” at a time when more natural...
Most hunters welcome Saturday start of Pennsylvania’s firearms deer season
Business was brisk at Westmoreland County deer processing facilities Saturday as hunters rolled up with the fruits of their labor during the first day of Pennsylvania’s firearms deer season. Most of those who spoke with the Tribune-Review were glad this year’s season started on a Saturday and Sunday, instead of...
Choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms are all ‘about creating memories’
It’s open season for Christmas trees. Most Western Pennsylvania tree farms opened for business last week — the day after Thanksgiving being the unofficial kickoff to tree season. This year, demand is expected to continue to climb, but supply could be an issue. A combination of millennials starting families and...
Pittsburgh area domestic violence counseling center among 5 Justice Dept. grant recipients
Since 1978, the staff at Crisis Center North, a nonprofit counseling and resource center for domestic violence victims, has worked to empower its clients and help them feel safe. Through its Paws for Empowerment program, the center began to provide therapy dogs during counseling sessions with victims and during visits...
Pickup smashes into Five Below in Cranberry, driver taken to hospital
A pickup truck crashed into a Five Below discount retail store Friday afternoon in Cranberry, smashing through the storefront’s glass facade, flying past the entryway cart corrals and crushing gift boxes and wrapping paper rolls beneath its wheels as it came to a rest against a shopping aisle. An ambulance...
Wildlife advocacy groups in Middlesex, Youngwood to benefit from calendar sales
The Pennsylvania Wildlife Samaritans calendar featuring photos of wildlife throughout the state will benefit a Butler County wildlife rehabber and other nonprofits. The Wildlife Samaritans calendar is on sale for $26.99 ; 100% of the profits go to the featured wildlife rehabilitation nonprofits. One of the beneficiaries is Wildbird Recovery,...
Light dusting leads the way for weekend of spotty snow flurries
Western Pennsylvania residents waking up from a tryptophan-induced turkey coma likely saw a light dusting of snow on the lawn Friday. That was the first of several small patches of snow expected to move through the region over the weekend. “Across northwest Pennsylvania, more toward Erie and Crawford counties, they’re...
Not your father’s opening of deer season: Full weekend of buck and doe statewide starts Saturday
For the first time, the Pennsylvania Game Commission will offer buck and doe hunting concurrently statewide for two weeks starting Saturday. It’s not even called the opening of buck season anymore, but the opening of firearms deer season. The regular firearms deer season begins Saturday and includes Sunday , one...
Operation Santa Claus has new partner to help needy families
In the early 1980s, the Tribune- Review’s Operation Santa Claus started as an idea in the newspaper’s editorial department. “At the time, George Beidler was the Greensburg editor, and he kind of spearheaded the whole thing to get it off the ground,” said retired Tribune-Review General Manager Art McMullen, who has...
Officials: 1 killed after small aircraft crashes near Grove City
Police, firefighters and federal officials are investigating a plane crash that killed one person Wednesday evening near Grove City, officials said. A single-engine Cessna 210 with two people aboard crashed around 5:45 p.m. in a wooded area near a landfill on TCI Park Drive, according to Federal Aviation Administration spokesman...
What is the best time to serve Thanksgiving dinner?
What time will you gather around the table for Thanksgiving dinner? According to a 2018 survey of U.S. consumers, early afternoon is the preferred time to dig in to the turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. More specifically, 42% of respondents said they’d be sitting down between 1 and 3 p.m....
Travelers ditch covid fears, frustrations for Thanksgiving family time
Recent retiree Rick Garlow, 66, of North Huntingdon and his wife, Chrissy, 65, sat out Thanksgiving and Christmas travel last year as covid-19 infections surged. They dared to venture out to visit their son and his family in Baltimore for New Year’s only after they tested negative for covid-19. This...
Ellwood Police Department purchases new K9 vehicle, gives timetable for new dog
The Ellwood City Police Department recently purchased a new 2021 Dodge Charger, which will be the new K9 vehicle for the department. The vehicle was purchased with donations made by Reed Services, donors and past fundraisers. Reed Services, Sgt. Michael McBride and K9 Officer Richard Kruger will be going to...
2 Western Pa. coal-fired power plants to close after new wastewater rule
Climate change isn’t what’s driving some U.S. coal-fired power plants to shut down. It’s the expense of stricter pollution controls on their wastewater. Dozens of plants nationwide plan to stop burning coal this decade to comply with more stringent federal wastewater guidelines, according to state regulatory filings, as the industry...
Black Friday loses luster with retailers’ earlier push to maximize holiday sales
Black Friday isn’t what it used to be. That, of course, won’t stop sisters Jenna and Jamie Fratangelo of Scottdale. They’ll have Thanksgiving dinner with their family, get their five children ready for bed, plot their game plan and then head out before sunrise to spend the day shopping for...
Coroner called after man reportedly fell from barge in Beaver County
The coroner was called after a man reportedly fell from a barge in Beaver County, according to a 911 dispatcher. It was reported about 7:30 p.m. near the Montgomery Lock and Dam on the Ohio River between Monaca and Shippingport, the dispatcher said. The U.S. Coast Guard and multiple other...
