Regional News category, Page 217
Carnegie Mellon alumna develops ‘Significant Otter’ app to help couples emote virtually
Communication is key to a romantic relationship — and an app developed by a Carnegie Mellon alumna is helping couples to communicate better by using their heart rate and animated otters. Fannie Liu is part of a team from Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Washington and Snap, which owns...
Former Somerset woman gets probation in faked pregnancy, death of newborn
A former Somerset County woman will spend two years on probation for faking a pregnancy and then the death of a newborn baby, prompting donations for funeral costs and baby shower gifts. Kaycee Lang, 25, of Johnstown, was ordered to pay restitution during a sentencing hearing June 2, according to...
Parents give public schools high grades for instruction during covid pandemic
Pennsylvania parents have shown strong support for public schools during the covid-19 pandemic, which is a statewide trend that has been borne out at many local districts. Of parents who responded to a Pennsylvania School Boards Association poll April 20-26, 69% gave the school their child attends a grade of...
GO Laurel Highlands seeks images for annual photo contest
Visitors to the Laurel Highlands expressed an increased interest in exploring the region’s outdoors this past year, amid the social distancing that was a priority during the height of the covid-19 pandemic. Wherever their interests have led them, visitors and residents alike who captured images of their surroundings will have...
Pa. advocates optimistic about new FDA-approved Alzheimer’s disease drug; doctors mixed on whether it will work
Advocates for nearly 300,000 Pennsylvanians living with Alzheimer’s disease celebrated the federal government’s approval Monday of a controversial new drug some say could prove “life-changing” for those showing early signs of the memory-destroying disorder. Though debate persists over just how well the novel treatment could work, the Food Drug and...
Community mosaic project draws contributions from Pittsburgh and beyond
Shawn Gold of Butler was vacationing in Puerto Vallarta on the western coast of Mexico when he began noticing some of the striking public art installations in the area. “I looked into them and met a woman, Natasha Moraga, who is creating just unbelievable works of art, including community mosaics,”...
Police: Pittsburgh man drowns at Somerset County swimming hole
A Pittsburgh man drowned at a Somerset County swimming hole Sunday, state police said. The drowning was reported at about 1 p.m. Sunday in the 1500 block of Cottage Lane in Paint Township, Somerset County. Jeremiah Thompson, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said....
Summer tourism proves lucrative for Seven Springs, other winter mountain resorts
While mountain resorts are primarily known for picturesque skiing and snowboarding during winter months, summer tourism can be just as lucrative for business. For more than 20 years, Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Somerset County has offered “Summer Adventures” to offseason guests, which include attractions such as the Alpine Slide,...
Johnstown native’s mob book chronicles ‘3 men from Greensburg’ in gambler’s death
What do “three men from Greensburg” have to do with a small-time Johnstown gambler whose body was found floating behind the Conemaugh River Dam in Derry Township some six decades ago? The three unidentified men were fingered by an aging Johnstown gangster — “Rip” Slowmason — as the possible murderers...
Here are some top vacation getaways for Pittsburgh area travelers this summer
After covid-19 forced many people to spend most of their time at home over the past year, eager travelers finally might be ready to get out and enjoy a vacation this summer. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, 63% of people plan to leave their homes...
Saltsburg Canal Days festival returns with parade, fireworks, cookie contest
The annual Saltsburg Canal Days festival is back this weekend after going on hiatus in 2020, during the covid-19 pandemic. The event, which features a parade, entertainment, vendor booths and fireworks, will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday and continue at noon Sunday. The largest annual happening in Saltsburg, it celebrates...
Ex-child actor Drake Bell accused of child endangerment in Cleveland
One of the stars of the popular Nickelodeon children’s show “Drake & Josh” faces criminal charges regarding a girl he had met online and who attended his 2017 concert in Ohio when she was 15. Jared “Drake” Bell, 34, pleaded not guilty on Thursday in a Cleveland courtroom to a...
Famed trial attorney F. Lee Bailey remembered for Greensburg trial
He came to town with a flourish. It was the late 1980s and word spread quickly through the Westmoreland County Courthouse that famed defense attorney F. Lee Bailey was in the building. He was due to appear before Judge Charles Loughran to defend his legal acumen. The dapper lawyer —...
Duquesne to require covid-19 vaccines for students this fall, but Western Pa. colleges’ requirements vary
Duquesne University on Thursday joined a group of Western Pennsylvania colleges that will require covid-19 vaccines for all students returning to campus this fall, but policies remain varied depending on the university. The American College Health Association, which represents health and wellness professionals at 550 U.S. colleges and universities, recommends...
Is it covid or Lyme Disease? If you’re vaccinated and have a rash, it’s easier to diagnose
It’s tick season, and with it comes an increased risk of contracting Lyme disease or another tick-borne illness. Diagnosing the disease can be trickier this year amid the covid-19 pandemic, as some of the symptoms of the diseases are similar. “There’s a lot of overlap,” Dr. Amesh Adalja said of...
State police in region investigate 106 crashes, write 1,500 speeding tickets over holidayVideo
State troopers in the region investigated 106 crashes during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, including two fatalities, according to statistics released this week. There were 32 people hurt and alcohol was involved in 12 of the crashes, according to data for Troops A and B which cover Westmoreland, Allegheny and...
Turnpike engineer: Next leg of Mon Fayette Expressway likely to start construction next year
The Pennsylvania Turnpike’s chief engineer said roughly $1 billion in funding is in place to continue the Mon-Fayette Expressway from Route 51 to Route 837. It’s a project whose first phase is set to begin next year and last until 2027. The turnpike commission is finishing up work on the...
Western Pa. barbers split over helping President Biden promote covid vaccines
If President Biden wants Greg Henderson to preach the gospel of getting a covid vaccine to his customers who come in for a haircut, he’s going to have to find another barber to deliver that sermon. “I really don’t want to promote it. It’s kind of personal,” said Henderson, who...
Convicted killer serving life in Florida confesses to 6 Pa. slayings, including 3 in native Beaver County
A convicted killer serving life sentences in Florida has confessed to six slayings in four separate incidents across Pennsylvania in the late 1970s, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Edward A. Surratt, 71, has been serving two life sentences for a series of Florida crimes, and he has also been convicted...
Pittsburgh region adds 15,200 jobs in April, but 80K short of pre-pandemic level
The seven-county Pittsburgh region added 15,200 jobs in April, raising the total to about 1.11 million — which is almost 142,000 more than the pandemic-restricted economy of a year ago, according to new state labor-force figures. The region saw nonfarm jobs rise to 1,111,700 as 6,500 more construction jobs were...
Fight over loud music ends with New Alexandria man jailed in Indiana County, troopers say
Police say an argument over loud music in Indiana County resulted in $5,000 damage to a woman’s car and a New Alexandria man facing multiple charges. Ryan Lee Reynolds, 30, was arraigned on charges of criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, harassment and simple assault after his arrest by state troopers in...
Survey seeks to determine level of home internet access for Pa. students
School districts across the state could benefit from a survey that collects broadband connectivity data to help determine whether families have sufficient internet access. The survey was created by the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units and Penn State Extension as a way to help districts across the state, including those...
Western Pa. restaurants struggle to open at full capacity as most covid restrictions end
Beginning on Memorial Day, restaurants and other businesses were permitted to open at full capacity, seemingly a positive sign after a year of covid-19 mitigation measures took their toll on the industry. But being allowed to open at full capacity is not the same as actually having the resources to...
Bantam Jeep festival includes off-roading fun opportunities in Butler County
If you are curious about what it takes to go off-road driving or want to know what you can do to make your Jeep unique, you need to plan a trip to Butler County on June 11-13. The 10th Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival is being planned with every level of...
Washington County man dies in motorcycle crash
A 43-year-old Avella man died Monday afternoon after his motorcycle was struck by an oncoming vehicle, according to the Washington County Coroner’s Office. Chester Lesjak was pronounced dead along Meadowcroft Road in Avella, where he had been driving westbound before being struck by a vehicle headed eastbound around 1:40 p.m....
