Regional News category, Page 358
Pa. man jailed for choking wife now charged with plotting her murder
HARRISBURG — A Pennsylvania man already serving time for assaulting and choking his wife faces new charges of plotting to kill her from prison. WHP-TV reports Dauphin County officials say Leroy Newton Vencak Jr. has been charged with solicitation to commit murder. A criminal complaint says Vencak solicited another person...
Networking event at Pitt opens Pa. contracting opportunities to small businesses
Small businesses looking to promote their work and contract with the state will have the opportunity to network at the annual Job Order Contracting program at the University of Pittsburgh. The event, hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, will connect small businesses with program contractors in general construction,...
Pa. Labor Relations Board rules for Pitt graduate researchers, teaching assistants
Some 2,000 University of Pittsburgh graduate student researchers, teaching assistants and teaching fellows are university employees and have the right to join a union, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board ruled. The group began organizing under the auspices of the Pittsburgh-based United Steelworkers in January 2016 and filed for a union...
Fayette County man drove 117 mph seconds before fatal crash, troopers say
A Fayette County man was driving 117 mph seconds before his car slammed into another vehicle, killing a Smock couple and injuring two others the night of Sept. 20 along Route 51 in Franklin Township, state police allege. Tristian M. Lukehart, 21, of Fairchance was arraigned Wednesday on a number...
Cash 5 jackpot for Thursday’s drawing is $2 million
The Thursday night jackpot for Pennsylvania Lottery’s Cash 5 drawing is up to $2 million, tied for the largest top prize offered in the 27 years the lottery has offered the game. The previous $2 million jackpot was split by three people in January 2017. No one has won the...
Man speaking on cellphone fatally shot in Philly restaurant; 1 bullet goes through phone
Authorities say a man talking on a cellphone inside a Philadelphia restaurant was killed when someone fired several shots, including one that went through the phone and struck him in the face. But it’s not yet known what sparked the shooting, which occurred around 9:30 p.m. Thursday. The 26-year-old man...
Ohio governor delays 3 more executions while drugs reviewed
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has delayed three additional executions to give the state prison system time to develop a new lethal injection method. The Republican governor’s order Thursday follows a federal judge’s scathing critique in January of the first drug used in the current process, the sedative...
Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank adds 2 new board members
The Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood has two new members on its board of directors. Jill Standley, a community volunteer in Pittsburgh, and Anna Joyner, early head start family and community partnership specialist at Westmoreland Community Action in Greensburg, joined the board Wednesday. Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank,...
Butler woman who worked at UPMC pleads guilty to disclosing health information
A Butler woman who worked at UPMC pleaded guilty Wednesday to wrongfully disclosing health information, according to the U.S. Attorney in Pittsburgh. Linda Sue Kalina, 61, worked as a patient information coordinator with UPMC and its affiliate, Tri Rivers Musculoskeletal Centers in Mars, from March 7, 2016 to June 23,...
Pennsylvania imposes $1.5M fine on gas pipeline builder
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The builder of a natural gas gathering pipeline system in southwestern Pennsylvania is agreeing to a $1.5 million fine for failing to prevent sedimentation and erosion into streams during construction. The consent agreement between the state Department of Environmental Protection and Rice Midstream Holdings was released this...
Human services group seeks scholarship applicants
High-achieving, community-minded high school seniors seeking college aid might want to consider applying for the $10,000 Jamie Ellenberger Memorial Annual Community Service Scholarship. Officials at the Passavant Memorial Homes Foundation said the organization will accept scholarship applications from students in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Cambria, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Fayette,...
Victim identified in fatal Indiana County crash
An Armstrong County man was killed in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday morning in Indiana County, according to investigators. Douglas Chris Craig, 55, of South Bend Township, was driving east on Route 422 in Armstrong Township just before 4 a.m. when a Ford box truck crossed the center line and hit...
3 Western Pa. state prison employees accused in drug smuggling cases
Three prison staff members, including a guard at SCI Somerset, are charged in unrelated drug smuggling cases, the state Department of Corrections said Wednesday. “When we closed off the mail as a major avenue for drugs getting into prisons, we knew there would be pressure on other avenues for contraband...
Men need to step up to thwart violence against women, coalition says
“It’s none of my business.” “But he seems like a nice guy.” “Well, what was she wearing?” Those statements — referencing all-too-common reactions to reports of sexual abuse — are splashed across posters distributed around Western Pennsylvania alongside two words in large, bold lettering: “NO MORE.” Beneath the words appear...
Trump names 2 nominees to federal court in Western Pennsylvania
Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Colville is getting a second shot at a seat on the federal bench for the Western District of Pennsylvania — which covers 25 counties, including Allegheny and Westmoreland. President Donald Trump said he will nominate Colville, 54, to a seat on the U.S....
Sheetz adds beer caves to 5 more stores in Western Pennsylvania
You now have more options where you can stop and buy a cold six pack after work. Sheetz announced Tuesday it opened five more “beer caves” at stores in Western Pennsylvania. The stores are part a larger 30-store beer cave expansion. The new beer caves opened at: • 3611 4th...
Fayette County man accused of stealing Valentine’s Day bouquet of flowers
A Farmington man allegedly stole a $46 bouquet of flowers on Valentine’s Day from a Fayette County grocery store, according to state police. The 46-year-old man grabbed the bouquet at noon and walked out of the Giant Eagle in North Union, troopers said in a news release issued this week....
Volunteer firefighter, 17, dies in Fayette County car crash
A Lauren Highlands High School senior and volunteer firefighter died Sunday in a Fayette County car crash, officials said. The sudden death of Shawn Coleman, 17, was mourned Monday by his school community as well as local fire departments across the region. If you guys did not hear about the...
Operator of natural gas gathering pipeline in Greene County fined
The operator of a natural gas gathering pipeline in Greene County has been fined $1.5 million for environmental violations related to erosion and sediment control. The state Department of Environmental Protection said Monday it had assessed the civil penalty against Rice Midstream Holdings LLC for violations that occurred on the...
Chief of staff to seek GOP nomination for former state Sen. Don White’s seat
Joe Pittman, chief of staff to former state Sen. Don White, announced he will be a candidate to complete the term of his former boss. White, a Republican from Indiana, served in the state Senate representing the 41st District since 2000 and retired at the end of February. His term...
Ford City man accused of raping, threatening to kill woman
A Ford City man is accused of raping a woman and threatening her life in his apartment early Sunday. Vincent Thomas Wallace, 43, allegedly put a pillow over the woman’s face and had sex with her after she said no, police said. Police allege the woman went with Wallace to...
Pitt snares $4.2 million during 24-hour Annual Day of Giving
The University of Pittsburgh posted record participation and $4.2 million in donations Thursday for Pitt’s annual Day of Giving fundraiser. Pitt officials said a record 6,346 faculty members, staffers, parents, alumni and friends from 50 states and 17 countries made donations. Participation increased by 89 percent over last year. The...
Gas prices continue to rise on summer gas, refinery maintenance, trade deal rumors
Gas prices are continuing to rise in Pittsburgh and across much of the country, with every area now starting the first step in the transition to summer gasoline at the same time refiners are continuing maintenance, an industry analyst said. Rumors of a trade deal between the U.S. and China...
Pedestrian killed when hit by 2 vehicles on Butler County road
A 37-year-old woman was killed when she was hit by two cars on a Butler County road Saturday night, state police said. State police said Jennifer R. Shoaf, of Chicora, died when she was hit in the area of Tipple Lane and Oneida Valley Road in Concord Township around 9...
Sunday’s snow gives way to frigid temperatures for much of the week
A winter storm that coated much of the region with between 1 and 3 inches of snow Sunday will give way to bitter cold temperatures lasting through mid-week. The overnight temperature dipped to a low around 17 degrees with scattered flurries, according to the National Weather Service. Monday’s temperature will...
