Regional category, Page 260
Hot, dry weather hitting Western Pennsylvania for holiday weekend
At Harbison Nursery in Harrison, keeping plants alive is the main concern during these hot July days. Andrew Scarborough tends to the nursery’s plants. With the weather forecast calling for more scorchers, he said it’s important to care for plants correctly. High temperatures will peak in the low 90s from...
State police arrest 2 suspects wanted for Indiana County home invasion
State police arrested two men wanted for a home invasion in Indiana County last Tuesday. Spencer Maurice Hayes, 19, and Frank James Williams IV, both of Philadelphia, were charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy, making terroristic threats, theft and other related charges in connection with a June 22 home invasion robbery...
FEMA grant funds protective gear for firefighters, ambulance crews in Western Pa.
Eighteen fire departments and emergency medical service organizations in Westmoreland County will receive personal protective equipment through funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. All told, the FEMA grant of nearly $875,000, coordinated by the Nanty Glo Fire Department in Cambria County, will provide protective gear to 67 first-response agencies...
Hermitage police issue plea, announce DNA probe in 50-year mystery of newborn’s remains
Hermitage police believe they can identify the parents of a newborn girl whose remains were found 50 years ago near a dirt road in Mercer County. They’re also asking the person who left the baby off Lynnwood Drive all those years ago to come forward and explain what motivated that...
Philadelphia men arrested in connection with Indiana County home invasion
Two additional suspects were charged in connection with a June 23 home invasion in White Township, according to state police. Police said Spencer M. Hayes, 19, and Frank J. Williams IV, 20, both of Philadelphia, were charged Tuesday with robbery, criminal conspiracy, terroristic threats, theft and related charges following a...
New online tool helps crunch coronavirus numbers throughout Pennsylvania
As covid-19 cases continue to increase in Allegheny County, state officials Tuesday launched a new online dashboard that put the numbers into perspective by comparing them on a week-to-week basis. “This dashboard provides the entire community with early warning to changes in covid-19 infection so that we can take action...
Pennsylvania to provide $225M in grants to small businesses
Donna Eicher could be a poster child for the economically devastating impacts of the covid-19 restrictions on small businesses. “Even though we’re considered essential because we’re lodging, we haven’t had any business since mid-March. All our bookings for March, April, May and June canceled,” said Eicher, who operates Seams Like...
Pittsburgh Black Lives Matter activist Tanisha Long featured on ‘Today’ show
A Pittsburgh Black Lives Matter leader was interviewed on NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday. Tanisha Long, the founder of Black Lives Matter Pittsburgh and SW Pa., spoke briefly to hosts about her efforts to reach people in smaller communities across the region who might sympathize with the Black Lives Matter...
Man found dead in Washington County house fire
An 85-year-old man was found dead Tuesday morning in a fire at his home, according to Washington County Coroner Timothy Warco. Gary B. Bigler was pronounced dead at 7 a.m. The blaze was reported at 5:45 a.m. on McElree Road in North Franklin Township, according to Warco. A state police...
Pennsylvania extends jobless benefits for 13 weeks
Pennsylvania’s unemployed will become eligible for an extension of their jobless benefits by the end of this week, state officials said Monday. Those who exhausted their regular unemployment compensation benefits — a maximum of 26 weeks — and exhausted their 13-week federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation assistance will be eligible...
Pa. Health Department taking online complaints of covid-19 violations
People who have a complaint about a business that is violating restrictions put into place because of the coronavirus pandemic can report it to the Pennsylvania Department of Health using an online form. The form asks for basic contact information from the person making the complaint, information about the business...
Uniontown hospice worker inspires baby doll donations for dementia patients
There’s something about cradling a tiny little baby in your arms. It’s comforting. It’s soothing. It’s natural. The feeling of seeing those sparkling innocent eyes and cute round face looking back at you is priceless. Hospice worker Amanda DeGusipe of Uniontown set out to awaken that memory for women with...
‘I’m just so angry’: Residents welcome grand jury report slamming Pa. oversight of fracking industry
Breathing problems, unexplained illness, constant noise, light and smell of chemicals — all problems caused to residents by the oil and gas industry, a statewide grand jury found. None of it sounded new to those who have been living near well pads and pipelines for years. Since the Marcellus shale...
Washington Salvation Army’s Superhero Drive-Thru event to benefit local students
The Washington Salvation Army is hosting a Superhero Drive-Thru event to raise funds for back-to-school supplies for local students in need. The event is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. July 11 at Camp Agape in Hickory. During the event, children can meet their favorite superheroes and princesses, take...
Finleyville man dies in ATV crash with SUV
A Finleyville man died when the ATV he was driving crashed with an SUV early Saturday morning, according to Washington County officials. The victim was identified as 21-year-old Tyler James Gereshenski. According to the coroner’s report, Gereshenski was in the ATV in the southbound lanes of Route 43 (the Mon–Fayette...
State issues new guidance for reopening long-term care facilities
The state has laid out a three-phased plan to reopening long-term care facilities, some of the hardest hit areas during the coronavirus pandemic. Guidance issued Saturday by Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine states that in order for facilities to begin the process of reopening, they must first meet criteria...
200 more deer test positive for chronic wasting disease across Pa.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission reported 200 more cases of chronic wasting disease last year in white-tailed deer and is enlarging three disease management areas across the state that include Westmoreland and Armstrong counties. There is no cure or live-animal test for CWD, a brain disease that is deadly for deer,...
Grants offered to small businesses in Pennsylvania, including travel industry
Industry experts predict U.S. travel this summer will experience a 15% dip compared to last year. This news comes as support grows for additional federal stimulus assistance to help the travel industry, one of the economic sectors hardest hit during the covid-19 pandemic, according to a national survey. Regionally, officials...
Firework sales, complaints surge as 4th of July events are canceled across regionVideo
Fireworks wrapped in red, white and blue packaging piled up in Jeremiah Deshetler’s cart this week as he shopped at Phantom Fireworks in Hempfield with the help of his 11-year-old daughter, Caitlin. “Brentwood canceled their fireworks show very early during corona, so we’re trying to make up for that with...
Amber Alert issued for 1-year-old girl taken from Youngstown
Police are seeking help in locating a 1-year-old girl taken from her home Thursday in Youngstown, Ohio. An Amber Alert was issued for Nova Sheridan, who was taken just about 11:30 p.m. after her father broke into her mother’s home, according to missingkids.org. The baby is about 2 feet tall...
Comcast offering free Wi-Fi for rest of year as nation works to reopen amid coronavirus
Comcast will keep its public Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots open to everyone, including non-Xfinity customers, for the remainder of the year, the company said Thursday. The provider in March announced it would open access to its 1.5 million hotspots to anyone amid the coronavirus pandemic. “We saw a huge jump in...
Here’s where to see fireworks in Western Pa.
Although many public Fourth of July celebrations have been canceled because of crowd size restrictions, fireworks will light up the skies in various places around Western Pennsylvania. The area’s largest show, over Point State Park in Pittsburgh, is off for this year, but here are some alternatives: Beaver County Beaver...
Pitt to host virtual talk on coronavirus, future of public health
The University of Pittsburgh will host a virtual seminar Friday titled “Covid-19 and the Future of Public Health.” The talk will explore how covid-19 compares to other public health crises, like the polio outbreaks of the 1940s and ’50s. The seminar, hosted by Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health, will...
Pa. Game Commission’s turkey count starts July 1
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is asking residents to count and report the wild turkeys they spot from July 1 through August. Like the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, wildlife agencies and organizations rely on a cadre of volunteers to survey large geographic areas. The commission participates in a national population survey...
Indiana County man charged in robbery, shooting on same day
Police charged an Indiana man with involvement in a drive-by shooting in the borough and an armed robbery in neighboring White Township, both occurring on Tuesday. State police said Thomas Edward Lindsay, 20, was taken into custody without incident Wednesday at a residence in the township. He is charged with...
