Regional category, Page 270
Police: South Allegheny teacher forged stolen prescriptions for painkillers
A South Allegheny High School teacher was charged this week with six counts each of illegal acquisition of prescription pills and illegal possession of a controlled substances after his arrest in April for allegedly passing a forged prescription at a Ligonier pharmacy. Alex J. Stright, 39, of Jefferson Hills, was...
Western Pennsylvania veterans organization gets $1M for support program
The Veterans Administration has given a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit more than $1 million for its veterans programs. The Veterans Leadership Program has received about $1,030,000 from the VA for its Supportive Services for Veteran Families program. The funding is in addition to the $1.9 million the VA already provides to the...
Many business owners amped up for ‘going green’ FridayVideo
Marianne Anzovino knows she might have to separate some hugs Friday during the first day The Aerobic Center at Lynch Field in Greensburg is reopened, but hearing the whir of exercise machines and clang of free weights once again will be worth it. “I’m sure it’s going to be a...
Turnpike travelers can expect delays at Allegheny Tunnel in Somerset County
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission warned motorists to be prepared for delays at the Allegheny Tunnel in Somerset County beginning Monday through June 25 so turnpike crews can do annual maintenance work. Starting at 8 a.m. Monday for several hours each day through Thursday and again on June 11 and 16,...
Goat yoga, dinners in the field for easy social distancing in Butler
A lineup of outdoor events is planned in June at Freedom Farms in Butler County’s Middlesex Township, including goat yoga this Saturday and a barbecue dinner with beer on Sunday. With Butler County going to the green phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s reopening plan on Friday, Freedom Farms had events...
Doctors say covid-19 at UPMC is declining in virulence, infection levels
Covid-19 is declining in both virulence and infection levels among patients at the state’s largest health care system, UPMC officials said Thursday. Dr. Donald Yealy, who heads emergency medicine at the system that has hospitals across the state, said both the ratio of patients testing positive for the virus and...
$50 million in grant funding to be available for Pa. fire, EMS companies
Millions of dollars in grants are on the way for Pennsylvania’s fire departments and ambulance agencies struggling through the coronavirus pandemic. Social distancing guidelines meant to slow the virus’ spread have had a negative impact on the fundraisers fire departments rely on annually. Departments lost tens of thousands of dollars...
Counterfeit Roku remotes, Apple AirPods seized by customs officials
Pittsburgh Customs and Border Protection officers on Sunday confiscated more than 4,000 counterfeit items mimicking Roku remotes and Apple AirPods that, if authentic, would be worth almost $112,000, officials said. Officers seized over 4,700 streaming system remote controllers — 4,212 fake Roku remotes and 500 fake Hisense remotes — along...
AMC Theatres warns of ‘substantial doubt’ about its future
The AMC Theatres chain says it has “substantial doubt” it will be able to remain in business after closing all of its locations during the coronavirus pandemic. In the first quarter ending March 31, AMC reported revenue of $941.5 million, down from $1.2 billion in the same quarter last year....
Severe storms, high winds possible in Southwestern Pa. on Wednesday
A cold front moving through the Pittsburgh region Wednesday afternoon could bring with it a slight threat of severe thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service. Severe storms will be possible mid-afternoon into the evening. Damaging winds will be the primary threat with an organized line. Damaging winds, large hail,...
Business is boomin’ for bike sales — but will interest last?Video
June 3 marked World Bicycle Day and, to borrow a phrase from a former, lamented Pittsburgh Steeler, the bike business is boomin’. Bike sales soared when covid-19 restrictions shut down many other forms of exercise and entertainment, and people took to the outdoors for a little fun. “This is unprecedented,”...
Stalwart supporter of Western Pa. journalism dies of covid-19 complications
Ginny Frizzi was a stalwart pillar of the journalism community in Western Pennsylvania. A native of Pittsburgh, Ms. Frizzi began her career in journalism before launching a 25-year career in public relations at Point Park University. But she always kept her hand in the news business as a freelance writer,...
Fayette authorities seeking information in deadly road rage incident
A Fairchance man was gunned down late last month outside a Long John Silver’s restaurant in Fayette County, and state police are looking for anyone who might have seen what happened — or, better yet, might have video that could help with the deadly road rage investigation. Justin D. Rittaco,...
Pittsburgh area jobless rate jumps to 16.8% in April
The Pittsburgh region’s jobless rate jumped to 16.8% in April, with 200,400 people unemployed in the seven-country region as pandemic-related shutdowns gripped the economy. The combined unemployment rate for Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties was the highest since January 1983, the state’s Center for Workforce Information...
PennDOT resumes driver’s skills tests
Driver’s skills tests, including motorcycle skills tests, resumed Tuesday at PennDOT Driver License Centers. The tests had been suspended in March as stay-at-home orders went into effect during the early stages of the covid-19 emergency. PennDOT says the skills test has been modified to reduce potential exposure of PennDOT staff...
Shoving match at Pittsburgh polling place punctuates otherwise slow voting day so farVideo
A shoving match at the polling place at Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh Tuesday was in stark contrast to what otherwise has been a quiet primary day around Western Pennsylvania. Allegheny County Spokeswoman Amie Downs said an altercation broke out when voters were arguing with another voter to put on...
1 killed, 3 injured in fall from barn roof in Mars
One person died and three others were injured after falling off a roof of a barn in Mars, authorities said. Adams Township police said the men were working on the barn when they fell about 20 feet at about 7:50 a.m. Monday. Police said two people were flown by helicopter...
Indiana County man accused of fatally shooting dog
An Indiana County man was charged Monday after state police said he fatally shot a dog and buried it on his Burrell Township property. Robert McConnell, 71, is charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. Troopers were called Thursday by a 19-year-old woman who reported her dog missing....
Greensburg man charged after incendiary devices thrown at Indiana County home
A Greensburg man was arrested after incendiary devices were thrown at an Indiana County home Saturday, causing a small fire, state police said. Derrick John Weber, 20, was charged with arson, recklessly endangering another person and criminal mischief. He was released from the Indiana County Jail on $25,000 bond. Police...
Churches opting for virtual vacation Bible schools this summer
Like sports and art camps, vacation Bible schools are a big draw for children during the summer. “It’s a major program for us,” says Rachel King, youth coordinator at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Hempfield’s West Point section. “Most churches do a vacation Bible school, and a lot of kids...
State corrections officer charged with planning sex with 14-year-old girl in Fayette
A state corrections officer from Camp Hill is charged with contacting a 14-year-old-girl in Fayette County to set up a sexual encounter. Calvin Hynson, 26, is suspended without pay while awaiting a preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge Nathan Henning. He is free after posting $100,000 bond. The State Attorney...
Pace of gas price increases, tied to coronavirus recovery, slows
The average price of gasoline in the Pittsburgh area didn’t budge over the past week after several weeks of increases, according to the price-tracking service GasBuddy. The average price on Monday remained $2.33 a gallon, the same as it was a week ago, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations....
Necco Wafers returning to store shelves this summer
Good news for people who like their candy crunchy and slightly chalky — Neccos Wafers will soon be back on store shelves after a 2-year absence. Spangler Candy Co., which now owns the iconic brand, says the candy will return in all its multicolored glory beginning this month. “Major drugstores...
Police: Woman killed while walking along Route 259 in Indiana County
A 43-year-old woman from Blairsville was killed Saturday after being struck by a vehicle in Indiana County, state police said. The woman, identified as Careen Mae Jones, was walking along Route 259 — close to her home near Wagner Drive in Brush Valley Township — when she was struck by...
83% of Pennsylvania’s 2.4M unemployed have been paid; Greensburg cafeteria worker still waiting
Sharon Sachs lost her job in Seton Hill University’s cafeteria when the Greensburg campus closed in mid-March because of the covid-19 pandemic. Now, she could be the poster child for dysfunction in Pennsylvania’s jobless benefits program. “I have not received a penny since filing for unemployment the week of March...
