Regional News category, Page 264
Some community yard sales proceed, others are scrapped, amid pandemic concerns
Treasure-seekers can expect plenty of room to maneuver on Friday when they check out the used household items Barbara Phillips will be offering for sale at her Derry Borough home. Given the importance of social distancing during the covid-19 pandemic, Phillips said, “I’m trying to make sure my walkways are...
Woman trying to save pets rescued from burning home in New Castle
Firefighters in New Castle, Lawrence County, rescued a woman from a burning house after she went back inside to retrieve her pets. The fire broke out in the kitchen of the home along East Lutton Street shortly after midnight, according to Tribune-Review news partners WPXI-TV. Authorities told the television station...
Allegheny, Westmoreland school districts reveal plans for upcoming classes
In March, school districts across the state were ordered closed by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf to help curb the spread of coronavirus. Now, they are now developing new health and safety protocols in an effort to restart instruction in the coming weeks. Some will begin with online instruction, some will...
Census Bureau announces date change for in-person counts
Local communities could be left scrambling after the Census Bureau confirmed there will be one less month to collect population counts vital for determining how federal funds are dispersed and the number of representatives each state has in Congress. The final date for collecting the once-a-decade survey is Sept. 30...
U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb: Investigate state health department over coronavirus oversight at Brighton Rehab
U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb on Tuesday renewed his criticism of the Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Beaver County, calling for an additional investigation into how the Pennsylvania Department of Health oversaw the facility during the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter dated Monday to the federal Centers for Medicare &...
National Guard captain from Washington County targets Pittsburgh Half Marathon after leukemia battle
What happened there? What was that about? In October 2019, those questions scrambled through Jason Mounts’ mind. A quick, three-mile run wiped him out. It was supposed to be just a warm-up for an extended workout. But he was whipped. That was odd for Mounts. A former soccer player at...
2 men die in head-on Mercer County motorcycle crash
Two men in their 20s died Sunday in a head-on crash involving two motorcycles in Mercer County, according to state police. State police identified the deceased as Garrett J. Arnold, 22, of Greenville, and Cage C. Shook, 22, of Hadley. The crash happened around 1:45 a.m. on County Line Road...
IUP limits campus access for fall classes
Thousands of students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania who thought they would head back to campus this fall learned Monday that will not be the case. IUP will be offering both in-person and online learning when classes resume Aug. 24. But only incoming freshmen, international students, graduate students and those...
Pennsylvania Lottery racks up record year, despite covid-19Video
Pennsylvania Lottery on Monday reported that it hit the jackpot, with a whopping 92% increase in online play last fiscal year. Just don’t count Allan Lydic, owner of the Greensburg Newsstand, among those thrilled about the accomplishment. “I’m not a big fan of those, obviously,” said Lydic, whose store was...
School officials: Beaver, Central Catholic athletes test positive for coronavirus
Two high school athletes in the region tested positive Sunday for the coronavirus and officials at both schools have taken steps to protect other students. A Central Catholic High School football player tested positive Sunday. School officials say the recent case is not indicative of a cluster of cases across...
Onions sold at Giant Eagle included in nationwide recall
Onions sold at Pittsburgh-area Giant Eagle and Market District locations are included in a nationwide recall related to potential salmonella contamination. Giant Eagle posted the alert about Thomson International and Onions52 brand products on its website Sunday. Giant Eagle shoppers who have purchased onions included in the recall between now...
Teen turns himself in to Uniontown police on homicide charges
The homeless teenager charged with the shooting death of a 16-year-old Uniontown boy turned himself in Friday night, according to Uniontown Police. Jaden Christopher Shaw, 17, is being held without bail in the Fayette County Prison. Shaw allegedly shot Gary Wayne Jordan III in the face and arm on Lenox...
Volunteers clean graffiti from Beam Rocks in Forbes State ForestVideo
The volunteers came to the woods with scrubbers, buckets, gloves, a banjo and five gallons of Elephant Snot. The “snot” is a graffiti remover that’s powerful yet safe for the environment — perfect for scrubbing spray paint off the Beam Rocks overlook in Forbes State Forest in Somerset County, which...
To buy or not to buy, that is the question with this year’s back-to-school shopping
With questions remaining about how schools will operate in the fall, back-to-school shopping feels a little different this year. “It’s hard to even get excited about it,” said Wynter Hisker of Greensburg during a July 24 trip to Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield. The 12-year-old is a student at Greensburg Salem...
Texas developer buys Chestnut Ridge resort
A Houston developer who bought the Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort and Conference Center in southern Indiana County in a July 25 auction wants to maintain the site as a golf course and conference center, the developer’s attorney said Friday. RRH Development also wants to market it more and possibly use...
Pandemic prompts shortened Sept. 11 program at Flight 93 National Memorial
The annual Sept. 11 observance at Somerset County’s Flight 93 National Memorial will be abbreviated this year as park officials look to limit in-person attendance at the event because of covid-19 guidelines. The event will be shown virtually, as will other programs sponsored by the memorial Friends group. In past...
Bridge work will close Pa. Turnpike between Allegheny Valley, Pittsburgh exits early Sunday
The placement of beams for the Unity-Trestle Road bridge in Plum will require a five-hour closure of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s eastbound lanes beginning late Saturday night. The Turnpike will be closed between the Allegheny Valley (Exit 48) in Harmar and Pittsburgh (Exit 57) exit in Monroeville, from 11:49 p.m. on...
Earlier census deadline could cause W.Pa. officials to accelerate counts
In an unprecedented move, leaders with the Census Bureau are cutting short in-person counting efforts for the 2020 census, efforts that largely impact hard-to-count populations. The decision, reported by NPR, moves the deadline for in-person census surveys from Oct. 31 to Sept. 30, potentially leaving some communities with uncounted residents...
Trump’s handling of coronavirus, economy to sway Pennsylvania voters most, pollster says
President Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has not appeared to change registered voters’ overall perception of him much in Pennsylvania, a new poll shows. A Franklin & Marshall College Poll released Thursday said 29% of registered voters think the Trump administration is doing an excellent or very good job...
Cal U to go remote for fall semester
California University of Pennsylvania has joined a growing list of universities that will offer only remote learning for their students this fall because of concerns over the possible spread of covid-19. “Throughout the summer, my leadership team and many others planned for our return to on-campus operations … in the...
IUP cancels in-person commencement for May, August grads, moves to virtual platform
Indiana University of Pennsylvania announced Friday that an in-person commencement for the class of 2020 has been canceled and replaced with a virtual ceremony. The school had planned an in-person ceremony on Sept. 12 to honor May and August graduates. Citing more restrictive guidelines for indoor gatherings and increased concern...
Pa. to hire more coronavirus contact tracers, starting at $18 an hour
The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced Friday it will hire 1,000 additional contact tracing staff in an effort to curb the spread of covid-19. A nearly $23 million, federally funded contract with Insight Global, an Atlanta-based staffing agency, will help pay to recruit, hire, train and support the contact tracers,...
Suspect, 17, sought in the slaying of another teen in Uniontown
A homeless teenager accused in the shooting death of a 16-year-old Uniontown boy Wednesday night went to particular house in order to fight the victim, according to Uniontown police. An arrest warrant has been issued for Jaden Christopher Shaw, 17, who is listed as homeless in court papers but also...
Worst economic quarter impacts Western Pa. professionals
No one has seen numbers as bad as these. Shoulders slumped in America on Thursday as news broke that the U.S. economy shrank at a disastrous 33% annual rate during the April-June quarter, the worst quarterly drop in history. The previous worst quarterly plunge was a 10% drop in 1958....
Mutual Aid Ambulance Service expands coverage area for 2nd time this year
For the second time this year, Mutual Aid Ambulance Service is expanding into new territory. The Greensburg-based company is now the exclusive provider of emergency medical services for the 44 square miles of Bullskin in Fayette County. Bullskin supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to implement the changes to the area that...
