Regional category, Page 356
2 men ordered to trial in deaths of men discovered in Somerset County woods
SOMERSET, Pa. — Two men have been ordered to stand trial in the slayings of two western Pennsylvania men reported missing almost two years ago. A Somerset County district judge on Friday held 24-year-old Devon Wyrick of Columbus, Ohio, and 26-year-old Samson Washington, of Johnstown, for trial in county court...
Thousands without power, trees block roads as high winds strike Pittsburgh region
Thousands of people are without power across the Pittsburgh region Sunday night as high winds continue to bring down trees and power lines — and the numbers worsened as the day turned to night. West Penn Power reported about nearly 80,000 customers without power at about 8 p.m. That was...
‘Festival’ category added for 2019 Laurel Highlands photo contest
Camera or smartphone owners who are inspired by the area’s scenery, citizens, flora or fauna have until July 31 to enter such images in the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau 15th annual photo contest. In addition to those longstanding photo categories — people; plants and animals (nature); places (attractions and landscapes),...
Man takes stand to deny flipping woman to her death in a Pennsylvania river
SCRANTON, Pa. — A man accused of hurling a woman to her death in a northeastern Pennsylvania river two years ago took the stand to deny that he was responsible and accuse police of lying about an alleged confession. Ryan Taylor, 26, said Friday he blacked out after smoking synthetic...
Westmoreland, Butler, Washington flagged for accepting gifts from voting machine vendors
Elections officials in Western Pennsylvania say they’re rethinking accepting even small gifts like coffee and doughnuts from potential vendors after state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale flagged counties around the state for behavior that “smacks of impropriety.” Westmoreland, Butler and Washington counties were among those cited for accepting gifts from voting...
High wind watch issued for Sunday; gusts up to 55 mph forecast
Strong winds forecast for Sunday could bring down trees, limbs and power lines, leading to scattered power outages. A high wind watch will start Sunday morning and run until Monday morning, National Weather Service meteorologist Rich Redmond said Friday. Sustained winds of 15-to-30 mph are expected, with gusts up to...
Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District claims it prevented $1 billion-plus in flood damage
With record-breaking rain in 2018, the Army Corps of Engineers claimed its dams, reservoirs and other projects prevented $1.1 billion in flood damage in Upper Ohio River Basin. The $1.1 billion in damage prevented substantially exceeded the Pittsburgh District’s 10-year average of $310.3 million a year, according to data released...
New Brighton woman charged after child tests positive for fentanyl
A Beaver County woman was charged this week after her 11-month-old son was rushed to the hospital and tested positive for fentanyl and three other drugs, Aliquippa police said. Michelle Bradley, 30, of New Brighton called 911 on Feb. 6 because her boy was unresponsive and barely breathing, according to...
Black lung screening slated in Armstrong County
Area miners who may be affected by black lung disease, a respiratory disease caused by inhaling coal mine dust, are invited to sign up for an April 4 screening and outreach session in East Franklin Township, Armstrong County. The session is set for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at American...
Bradys Bend man dies in Armstrong County wreck
An Armstrong County man was killed when his SUV struck a tree Wednesday night in Bradys Bend Township. Kevin James Bowser, 27, of Bradys Bend was killed in the wreck just before midnight, Armstrong County Coroner Brian K. Myers said. Bowser was driving north along Seybertown Road when his SUV...
Uniontown woman charged with stealing, injuring 9-week-old Chihuahua
A Chihuahua returned home with a broken leg after it was allegedly stolen from a North Union Township home, state police said. Kizzy Smith, 18, of Uniontown, was arrested in connection to the incident. Police said Smith took the 9-week-old puppy from a Johnston Avenue house, went to work, and...
Michigan man faces 10 years to life in prison for heroin ring targeting Western Pa.
A Michigan man caught with nearly three pounds of heroin pleaded guilty for scheming to sell the illegal street drug to addicts in Western Pennsylvania, federal prosecutors said Wednesday. Victor Burnett Jr., 38, of Oak Park, Mich. faces a sentence of at least 10 years in prison, U.S. Attorney Scott...
Storm brings Pittsburgh region closer to average for seasonal snowfall totals
From snow to rain and back again, it’s been an unusually wet winter in Western Pennsylvania. Wednesday morning’s snowstorm brought 4 inches of snow to the region, according to the National Weather Service in Moon. That brought total snowfall for the season to 28.7 inches, just below average for this...
Fayette County woman indicted for illegally cashing $40K in Social Security checks
A Fayette County woman was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh this week on a charge of theft of government property for allegedly cashing more than $40,500 in Social Security survivor’s disability benefit checks she was not entitled to receive. The one-count indictment alleges Mika Lint, 40, also...
State awards $1.2M for regional stream, storm water projects
The state Department of Environmental Protection has awarded $1.2 million in Growing Greener grants to help with storm water management and stream improvement projects across Westmoreland, Armstrong and Allegheny counties. Westmoreland County • Saint Vincent College, $213,295 — To fund repairs to the college’s acid mine drainage treatment ponds and...
13 Pittsburgh-area Payless stores among those closing nationwide
About a dozen Payless ShoeSource stores in the Pittsburgh region are among the 2,300 closing nationwide. Payless officials announced the closures last week and locations — including Westmoreland, Ross Park, Robinson and Monroeville malls — have started liquidation sales, according to a notice on the company’s website. Merchandise is between...
Duquesne man wanted in Uniontown shooting, cops say
Uniontown police obtained an arrest warrant this week for a 20-year-old Allegheny County man wanted for attempted homicide for allegedly firing a 9mm handgun at a carload of people outside a gas station Feb. 5. Police also are seeking Xavier “Buckets” Cash of Duquesne on five counts each of aggravated...
Red Cross Chestnut Ridge Chapter gets new executive director
A woman with 16 years’ experience with the American Red Cross and a background in education has been named the new executive director of the Chestnut Ridge Chapter. Tessie Dunmire-Amaranto, of Apollo, succeeds Dana Bauer, who resigned in October 2018 after four years as executive director. The Chestnut Ridge Chapter,...
Morning snow turns to rain across Pittsburgh region, prompting flood watchVideo
Snow has turned to rain across much of the region, leading the National Weather Service to change its morning winter weather advisory to a flood watch until midnight. Rain will continue through the night and is expected to taper off by Thursday morning, with temperatures staying above freezing, said meteorologist...
Irish genealogy workshop slated in Pittsburgh
With St. Patrick’s Day less than a month away, Irish genealogy experts will discuss genealogical research at the annual Irish Genealogy Workshop on March 18 at the Heinz History Center, Smallman Street, Pittsburgh. Irish genealogy experts Fintan Mullan and Gillian Hunt from the Ulster Historical Foundation in Belfast will participate...
Trying to tie the knot for cheap? Ollie’s Bargain Outlet has you covered
“Good stuff cheap” and … weddings? Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is getting into the marriage business, selling wedding dresses and bridesmaid gowns over the course of five days. The discount store is taking regularly priced wedding gowns and slashing prices, dropping the regular price of thousands of dollars to the lower...
Somerset County’s Laurel Hill wins ‘park of the year’ award
The 4,062-acre Laurel Hill State Park Complex near Trent in Somerset County has been named the recipient of the 2019 Park of the Year Award. The non-profit Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation announced the award on Tuesday. Laurel Hill is surrounded by thousands of acres of state park and state...
Butler woman suspected in Florida murder allegedly asked cellmate about hiding bodies
A Butler County woman missing for more than a decade who turned up in Florida as a homicide suspect last year might have been stalking a childhood friend in Pennsylvania via Facebook, according to a report from First Coast News. The details of Kimberly Kessler’s life include nearly 20 aliases...
South Connellsville sex offender accused of sexual interaction with boys, 14 and 17
A registered sex offender from South Connellsville is accused of having sex with a 17-year-old boy and sending a 14-year-old boy nude photographs, according to police. Crystal Shannon Shroyer, 36, is being held in the Fayette County Prison on $25,000 bail. She was arrested Friday on charges of statutory sexual...
Philadelphia man ID’ed in fatal fall near Vegas High Roller
LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas police have identified a man who fell to his death after entering an unauthorized area near an observation wheel on the Strip. The Clark County Coroner’s office confirmed Tuesday that 23-year-old Stefan Quinton Jones-Green, of Philadelphia, suffered fatal injuries when he fell Friday. The cause...
