Regional category, Page 250
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...
Laurel Highlands in running for best fall foliage destination
Western Pennsylvanians can let the rest of the country know how beautiful fall is in the Laurel Highlands, by voting for the region in USA Today’s poll of top 20 Best Destinations for Fall Foliage. The nominees, chosen by editors of the USA Today 10Best website, also include the Pocono...
Enrollment booming for cyber schools, online academies
With families concerned about the safety of students returning to schools amid the covid-19 pandemic, cyber charter schools and the online academies run by school districts are seeing an increase in demand, officials of the schools said. “Pennsylvania’s public cyber charter schools have been inundated with inquiries about their schools...
Officials: Shooting claims boy in Uniontown
Uniontown police are searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting Wednesday night on the city’s Lenox Street. One person was confirmed dead, according to police. The victim was a male juvenile, according to a Fayette County 911 dispatch supervisor. The shooting was reported at about 9:30 p.m. Additional details...
Reschenthaler self-quarantines after House colleague tests positive for covid-19
U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters, Washington County, announced Wednesday he’s self-quarantining for 14 days after coming into close contact with a colleague who tested positive for covid-19. The possible exposure occurred Tuesday at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, when Reschenthaler was in close proximity to Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas....
Post-Gazette newsroom union to vote whether to strike; objects to ‘unfair’ changes
Unionized newsroom employees of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will vote whether to go on strike in response to what the union deems unfair working conditions and other controversial changes imposed by management. The vote will be decided by secret ballots that will go out in the mail to members in coming...
Point Park University, IUP partner on human resources programs
Two of the region’s universities have partnered to form a path for students to receive a master’s degree in human resources — a business specialization that focuses on the administrative duties and policies in an organization. Point Park University students who receive a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management can...
Struggling restaurant owners tell Pa. lawmakers: ‘We’re limping along here’Video
With a $20,000 monthly mortgage payment, the owner of a Hempfield brewpub told state legislators his business is barely breaking even under a state-mandated 25% customer capacity order. “We’re limping along here, and we need help,” said Greg Cammerata, owner of IronRock Tap House. Cammerata and IronRock executive chef Arnold...
Census Bureau to send out emails to spark response rates
The Census Bureau is making one last effort to contact people who have not yet responded to the once-a-decade survey by sending out emails. Households in low-responding census tracts will receive an email from 2020census@subscriptions.census.gov encouraging people to fill out the form online, as well as informing them why the...
Fayette County closes courthouse in response to growing number of coronavirus cases
Fayette County government and court officials halted general operations at the courthouse and surrounding facilities in Uniontown in response to growing numbers of staffers who have tested positive for coronavirus. Commissioners Wednesday instituted a two-week closure and required most county employees to work from home while limiting court operations. Commissioner...
Cicadas abuzz around Western Pennsylvania as summer progresses
The annual cicadas are buzzing in Western Pennsylvania, as the large insects emerge from underground for the hottest months of summer. Cicadas are best known for their noises — mating calls coming from the males — that can be heard from dawn till dusk. Joe Stavish, manager of community education...
CORE launches social media campaign to promote organ donation
The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) launched a social media campaign to spread awareness and recruit new organ donors. The campaign, dubbed #JustOne, aims to demonstrate how many lives just one new organ donor could save. “The very fact that one donor can save eight lives showcases the...
Local lawmaker calling for end to sportsbook tax
A Pennsylvania lawmaker is calling for the elimination of “unnecessary” taxes on legal sportsbook operators. Regulated sports betting operators are required by the Internal Revenue Code to pay a 0.25% federal excise tax on all wagers as well as a $50 annual tax for every employee engaged in receiving bets,...
