Regional News category, Page 299
Enjoying great outdoors tougher at some Western Pa. parks
Enjoying the great outdoors is getting more difficult at some public parks as organizations are closing some park facilities, canceling events and making some parks off-limits altogether because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has closed facilities including restrooms and buildings at all 121...
Coronavirus challenges affecting all religious denominations
Fears about the spread of the coronavirus are testing the faith of religious bodies and congregations throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. Some, including the Diocese of Greensburg and the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, canceled worship services. Others are issuing guidance on everything from responsible behavior in church to alternatives to church attendance....
Amtrak to suspend Pennsylvania passenger trains
Amtrak will suspend its passenger rail service between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia beginning Wednesday and all of its passenger service in Pennsylvania will be shut down as of Thursday because of a reduction in demand for the service, the railroad said. Amtrak runs a morning train daily between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia,...
Portable toilets replace public restroom facilities along Pa. Turnpike
Travelers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike on Tuesday discovered no public toilets or fast food at any of the 17 service plazas along the 360-mile toll road. As of midnight, the commission locked the restrooms at all service plazas in response to the coronavirus pandemic, in an effort to safeguard employees...
Superintendent believes 1st Beaver County coronavirus case is part of Aliquippa School District
Beaver County officials confirmed Monday night that a resident has been diagnosed with covid-19, and the person is believed to be a member of the Aliquippa School District community, Superintendent Peter Carbone said. In an alert posted on the school district website, Carbone said he has “reliable information” that the...
Pittsburgh region’s foundation community responds to coronavirus pandemic
Pennsylvania’s largest foundations and a group of philanthropic institutions Monday announced the creation of a $4 million Emergency Action Fund and additional pledges of up to $6 million in aligned coordinated efforts to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus. The region’s four largest foundations—the Heinz Endowments, the Richard King Mellon...
Pennsylvania State System universities suspend off-site internships
College students working on off-site internships are among the latest group facing an interruption in their semester due to coronavirus precautions. On Monday, officials at the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education ordered all graduate and undergraduate students from the 14 state-owned universities working at off campus placements including professional...
Gas drops below $2 per gallon at nearly 40,000 stations across the country
Gasoline prices are continuing to fall in the Pittsburgh area and even more sharply across the nation, an industry analyst says. “The root cause continues to be coronavirus related,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for the price-tracking firm GasBuddy. “Such a large decline at this time of year...
Pa. Turnpike suspends cash toll collection for now
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced Monday afternoon that it will temporarily stop accepting cash at tollbooths in an effort to safeguard employees and travelers in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The change takes effect at 8 p.m. Monday. Drivers are instructed not to stop at tollbooths. Tolls will be assessed...
IUP, Robert Morris go online for rest of spring semester
More area universities have extended online instruction for the rest of the school year, as hopes of returning to normal operation all but fade away during the covid-19 pandemic. Indiana University of Pennsylvania has suspended all face-to-face instruction for the remainder of the spring semester and has asked students living...
Here’s how Western Pa. schools plan to feed students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches
School districts started announcing how they would get food to students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunches amid a statewide public school shutdown over the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday ordered all Pennsylvania K-12 schools to close for two weeks in an effort to stem the spread...
Western Pa. restaurants offer free lunches to schoolkids during hiatus over coronavirus fearsVideo
School lunches are getting an upgrade from restaurants around the area that are offering free mid-day meals to children in light of a two-week shutdown of schools amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Many owners said they felt the need to help after Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday ordered all...
ICYMI: Non-coronavirus news you may have missed
There’s no doubt the vast majority of the news cycle these past few days has been focused around the coronavirus. Because of that, stories not having to do with the virus may have escaped your view. Here’s a roundup of non-coronavirus news worth noting. PennDOT warns of month-long restrictions on...
Washington man killed in crash
A Washington man was killed early Sunday in a one-vehicle crash, according to Washington County Coroner Tim Warco. Michael D. Slider Sr., 56, of Washington, was driving on Woodland Avenue in Canton Township at 12:30 a.m. when authorities said he lost control and the vehicle rolled onto its side. Slider...
A message to Trib readers from the CEO: We are prepared to serve you
To all of our readers: Trib Total Media is prepared to serve you through the challenging days and weeks ahead. We will provide the news you need to understand the coronavirus pandemic, keep you informed about local actions taken for public safety and report the story of our community pulling...
West Virginia schools out for at least 2 weeks
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia schools will remain closed through at least March 27, Gov. Jim Justice announced Saturday. Justice announced the school closings on Friday in response to the coronavirus pandemic, even though the state doesn’t have a confirmed case. A release from the governor’s office Saturday said no...
Trib offering free eTrib access to help keep readers better informed during pandemic
Trib Total Media is offering free access to its electronic editions in effort to help those in the community be better informed about the health crisis involving the coronavirus pandemic. “We understand as more of our readers practice social distancing or self-quarantine, they many not be able to purchase our...
West Va. gets FEMA grant for 2016 flooding
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has received an additional $1 million in federal grants for debris removal in Greenbrier County after flooding in 2016. The flooding killed nearly two dozen people. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said the grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will help with property improvements...
Giant Eagle changes shopping hours over coronavirus pandemic
Giant Eagle temporarily is changing its store hours because of the coronavirus pandemic. Beginning Sunday, all Giant Eagle and Market District supermarkets will open at 7 a.m. and close at 10 p.m., seven days a week, the company announced Saturday. GetGo stores adjacent to supermarkets will operate on the same...
Travelers can now take up to 12 ounces of hand sanitizer through airport security
Transportation Security Administration officials announced travelers can bring larger amounts of liquid hand sanitizer on board with them in response to coronavirus concerns. Passengers can now pass security with 12-ounce containers of hand sanitizer in carry-on bags until further notice. The adjusted policy only applies to hand sanitizer. Limits on...
Washington County hit with 1st Western Pa. coronavirus case
Washington County is the first in Western Pennsylvania to have a presumed positive case of the novel coronavirus, according to state officials. The case was added to the growing list of Pennsylvania cases during a 5 p.m. update by the state Department of Health. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine...
Western Pa. fish fries serve up precaution as coronavirus concern deepens
From fire halls to churches, organizers of the region’s extremely popular Lenten fish fries are employing a variety of precautions as concern over the spread of the coronavirus continues. “We are certainly stepping up our regular cleaning measures, which we take pretty seriously to begin with,” said Heather Dolhi, administrator...
Army Corps holds virtual meeting on Lordstown project because of coronavirus concerns
The Army Corps of Engineers scrapped plans to hold a public meeting in Lordstown, Ohio, to discuss a proposed multibillion development project there because of coronavirus concerns. Instead, the corps held a virtual meeting Thursday using a webinar application. People were able to submit public comments electronically. “With everything going...
Indiana County father jailed on multiple charges for accidentally shooting infant son
A 21-year-old Indiana County man was arraigned Friday on multiple criminal charges after police say he accidentally fired a round from a 9 mm handgun which struck and seriously injured his 4-month-0ld son. James M. Williamson Sr., 21, of White Township was charged with aggravated assault, discharge of a firearm...
Food banks continue distributions, prepare to reach vulnerable populations in light of coronavirus
The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s Empty Bowls dinner is the latest casualty in the fight to stop the spread of coronavirus. The food bank and Just Harvest, the other sponsor of the event, announced the cancellation Thursday. The event was to be held Sunday at Rodef Shalom, but organizers...
