Regional category, Page 218
Johnstown-area Rotarian suspends Appalachian Trail fundraiser hikeVideo
Rotarian Owen Standley referred to his fundraising hike north along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail as “Owen’s Odyssey,” the latter of course meaning “a long or wandering voyage usually marked by many changes of fortune.” His goal was to raise $100,000 for the Rotary’s fight to eradicate polio worldwide. And...
Things to do in Western Pa.: April 14. 2021
Some high school musicals have adapted to the pandemic by going virtual. The iconic Pittsburgh cookie table is now a drive-thru. But don’t despair, live entertainment and activities also are on the horizon. The details are here, in this week’s Big List. Acting careers • Breaking in: Prime Stage Theatre’s...
Indiana County DA: Tip leads to one of biggest drug busts in county history
The Indiana County Drug Task Force turned a single tip from an informant this month into one of the largest heroin-fentanyl seizures in the county’s history, District Attorney Bob Manzi Jr. said Tuesday. Allan Burnheimer, 34, of Black Lick, was charged with possession of 50 bricks, or 2,500 stamp bags,...
Feds file suit over sexual harassment in housing against Oil City landlords
The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday filed a federal lawsuit against an Oil City couple who run a rental property company, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. Filed under the Fair Housing Act, the lawsuit accuses Allen Woodcock of sexually harassing a female tenant in April 2019 when he arrived...
Sheetz makes Fortune Magazine’s list of best companies to work for
Is Sheetz a good place to work? According to a new list, MTOh, yeah. Fortune Magazine released its 2021 list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For on Monday. “Prolonged shutdowns. Workforces that felt isolated and overwhelmed. You name it, covid brought it. Still, these companies managed not just...
State police shoot, kill Fayette County domestic suspect who earlier fired at troopersVideo
Two state police troopers narrowly avoided injury Tuesday after a man believed to be involved in a domestic incident inside his Fayette County home fired a shot through a door, according to Trooper Robert Broadwater. The man, however, later was shot and killed by police after coming outside his home...
Crawford County man charged in Capitol riots lectured by judge
A federal judge didn’t mince words Monday in telling a Crawford County man charged in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots that he must cooperate with authorities as part of the conditions of his release from jail. Jeremy J. Vorous of Venango is charged by the FBI with knowingly entering...
Fayette County woman accused of stealing, wrecking Monessen police cruiser
A Fayette County woman is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison after being charged with stealing a Monessen police cruiser and crashing it into a tree early Monday, according to court records. Jamya Dee Avona Leonard, 19, of Uniontown, was charged with receiving stolen property, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest...
West Virginia offers $12,000, more perks to entice outdoors enthusiasts to move to state
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is joining the growing list of places recruiting remote workers — with a thrill-seeking twist. A public-private program launched Monday will try to lure outdoor enthusiasts to live in the rural state with enticements of cash and free passes for recreational destinations. The goal is...
Clearfield County man accused of shooting at SUV on Route 22 at Indiana-Westmoreland border
State police arrested a Clearfield County man over the weekend and charged him with shooting at another vehicle along Route 22 near the border of Indiana and Westmoreland counties, state police said. Elijah N. Helmick, 23, of Osceola Mills, was arrested in connection with an incident at 5:39 p.m. Saturday...
4 girls, 12 and 14 years old, accused of setting house fire in Cambria County
FERNDALE, Pa. — Four teenage girls ranging in age from 12 to 14 have been arrested on juvenile court charges of setting a fire that destroyed an unoccupied western Pennsylvania house earlier this month, sending a police officer and a firefighter to the hospital, authorities said. Police in the suburban...
Student exchange program looks to rebound locally after pandemic challenges
Ethan Kelley found himself unexpectedly boarding an international flight a little over a year ago in Frankfurt, Germany. The arrival of the covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 prompted the Greensburg teen’s early departure from a student exchange program in Bavaria that was supposed to continue through the following June. “I...
Pandemic stress causing spike in emotional shopping sprees
With the stress of the covid-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions, it’s no surprise that people are looking for ways to cope. For many in Pennsylvania — and across the country — shopping has become one of those coping mechanisms. Nearly half of Pennsylvanians admitted to “emotional spending” during the pandemic,...
ATI calls on Steelworkers union to let employees vote on contract offer
As a strike by the United Steelworkers union nears two weeks, Allegheny Technologies Inc. is calling on the union to allow employees to vote on the company’s contract offer. ATI spokeswoman Natalie Gillespie said details of the company’s proposal have not changed since March 29, the day before about 1,300...
Only 10% of Allegheny National Forest fire in Tidioute contained; New Mexico firefighters arrive Saturday
A wildfire has scorched about 150 acres in the Allegheny National Forest in the Tidioute area, Warren County, since Thursday with only 10% of the fire contained Friday afternoon, said Wendy Andersen, spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service, Allegheny National Forest. No one has been injured and all forest service...
Recent snake, bear sightings just add to Pittsburgh’s animal lore
Animal encounters are nothing new to Pittsburgh and the stories of people hanging out with various critters in the city prove it. Much has been made of the black bear wandering Wednesday through Mt. Washington. More hype surrounded the gigantic black rat snake seen this week in a tree at...
Ohiopyle State Park returning to ‘normal’ after nearly 500-acre forest fires
Crews on Friday continued to mop up hot spots from two forest fires at opposite ends of Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County after they consumed nearly 500 acres of woodlands, according to authorities. Ed Callahan, district forester of Forbes State Forest, said it is among the worst forest fires...
UPMC: Covid vaccine may not be as effective for immune-compromised
UPMC experts on Friday shared new data related to the effectiveness of the covid-19 vaccines on patients with compromised immune systems – suggesting that, for some people, the vaccines are less effective at preventing infection. Researchers searched for antibodies via blood tests of 70 volunteer residents of UPMC Senior Communities,...
Local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter marks 110th anniversary
When Sharon Wallhausen of Irwin was growing up, her great aunt told stories about their family being part of the Revolutionary War Patriots, but Wallhausen was never able to uncover enough family history to prove the link. Wallhausen, who had a passion for genealogy, eventually traced her family’s ancestry back...
Bicycle industry still booming a year into the pandemic
Bicycles continue to spin out of stores in record numbers. Last March, people began purchasing bicycles at the beginning of the pandemic. A year later, the industry continues to see an increase in sales — to the point where manufacturers are struggling to supply product, experts said. “We used to...
Police: Incident at Indiana County bus stop wasn’t attempt to lure girl
A Friday morning incident at an Indiana County school bus stop that authorities initially deemed suspicious was not an attempted child luring, according to state police in Indiana. The incident occurred just after 7 a.m. in Clymer, where a girl reported she was approached by an unknown man while waiting...
Colleges prepare for a freshman class unlike any other after a pandemic year
As elementary and high schools plot strategies to combat lost learning over the pandemic year, colleges and universities across the region are preparing to support a freshman class unlike any they have ever welcomed. Thousands of high school students poised to attend college next fall likely will be stepping out...
2 fires near Ohiopyle State Park extinguished, nearly 500 acres of woodlands destroyed
Two fires at opposite ends of Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County consumed nearly 500 acres of woodlands before they were extinguished early Friday morning, according to authorities. A fire along Dunbar Road in a state game lands areas was reported shortly after 5 p.m. and consumed more than 250...
Allegheny Health Network expands eligibility for weekend vaccine clinics to include Phase 1C
Allegheny Health Network is expanding eligibility for their covid-19 vaccine clinics this weekend to include those in Phase 1C of the state’s vaccine distribution plan. During clinics in Monroeville on Friday and Saturday, AHN plans to administer 13,000 doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine to those Phase 1A,...
Pittsburgh native Angela Autumn heads to Nashville, will release new album in JuneVideo
“I woke up today, I was different. Something changed,” Angela Autumn sings on “Old Time Lovers,” the opening song of her forthcoming album, “Frontiers Woman.” Things, indeed, have changed for the 25-year-old Western Pennsylvania native, who grew up Angela Mignanelli in Zelienople before finding her songwriting voice and relocating to...
