Regional category, Page 258
PennDOT now booking appointments for driver license exams
Drivers — including motorcyclists — can begin scheduling exams online to obtain their license, PennDOT announced. The skills test portion of the exam also has been modified to reduce the chances that coronavirus spreads between people taking the exam and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation staff. The agency announced these safety...
Saturday marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the year
Fifteen hours, 3 minutes and 49 seconds. That’s how much daylight the Pittsburgh region will see today during the summer solstice — the official start of summer and longest day of the year, when the sun takes the northernmost path through the sky. The result is short nights, early dawns...
Week-in-review: Covid-19 impacts, woman survives beating, talent showcased, bears sightedVideo
Impacts of the covid-19 pandemic continued to be felt in various ways in the Pittsburgh area in the past week, with a major grocer facing lawsuits over requiring customers to wear face masks and a steel company saying it needs to lay off workers as it adjusts to meet slowing...
Brighton nursing home put majority of residents in ‘immediate jeopardy’ amid covid-19 outbreak, state survey says
Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center put a majority of its hundreds of residents in “immediate jeopardy” and potentially exposed healthy residents to covid-19 as recently as early May, records show. State health inspectors cited the already-embattled Beaver County nursing home for more than four dozen violations related to improper infection...
34 million criminal cases now removed from public view under Pa.’s Clean Slate law
More than 34 million criminal cases have been removed from public records under the Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate law, state court officials say. The law, the first of its kind in the United States, was implemented last June and provides for the automatic expungement of public records pertaining to low-level crimes...
Police: Indiana County woman cited after mask incident at Giant Eagle
An Indiana County woman was cited this week after state police said she yelled profanities at employees and pushed a shopping cart into a produce display after refusing to wear a mask inside a Giant Eagle. Troopers said they were called Sunday to the grocery store on Ben Franklin Road...
PNC commits $1 billion to programs, efforts to stem systemic racism
PNC Financial Services officials on Thursday announced a $1 billion commitment to programs and efforts that would “end systemic racism and support economic empowerment of African Americans and low- and moderate-income communities.” The commitment includes $50 million in charitable support for local and national work promoting social justice, expanding financial...
Consumer Advocate: Columbia Gas 18% rate hike request seeks ‘large profit margin’
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania’s 436,000 customers counties could be hit with a nearly 18% rate hike next year if the state agency overseeing utilities approves the requested increase. Columbia Gas said it is seeking to generate $100.4 million annually to pay for replacing and upgrading aging underground pipelines. The gas...
They stopped to smell (and pick) the flowers Thursday at a farm in Peters Township
A number of people took advantage of a perfect day Thursday as summer approaches to pick their own flowers and fruits at Simmons Farm in Peters Township. The family-owned, 150-acre farm has been in operation for 75 years. It offers pick-your-own flowers, sweet corn, strawberries, apples, peaches and pumpkins....
Waterworks Cinemas to reopen Friday, bringing silver screen back to Western Pa.
Buckets of buttered popcorn and silver screen flicks are back. MovieScoop Waterworks Cinemas near Aspinwall plans to reopen Friday, offering $5 tickets for a lineup of some classic and superhero movies. “It will be nice to have everyone together again,” said Liz Noullet, assistant manager at the MovieScoop Waterworks Cinemas,...
Fundraiser established for Somerset County man killed while protecting grandmother
Friends and family of a 30-year-old Somerset County man who was shot and killed while attempting to break up a weekend domestic altercation between his grandparents set up a GoFundMe account to benefit his family. Joshua Cale Hillegas was shot and killed about 10:30 p.m. June 14, shortly after arriving...
State police investigating 2 shootings in Aliquippa
A 21-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl were shot in separate, unrelated incidents in Aliquippa, according to state police. The man was shot multiple times in an incident reported around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the area of 300 Superior Avenue. Aliquippa police arrested the suspect, Vershaw Cortaze Bell Jr., 21,...
Back on the trail: Group hikes restart in Western Pa.
It’s safe to go hiking in groups again, at least for some groups. State restrictions for the prevention of covid-19 on group activities have prohibited group hikes since mid-March. However, with Allegheny and surrounding counties moving into the green phase allowing a number of public activities, local groups are offering...
Dispatch: 1 airlifted to hospital after falling from Buttermilk Falls
One person was flown to the hospital by medical helicopter after they fell 35 feet at a Beaver County park, according to a 911 dispatcher. The call came in around 8 p.m. from Buttermilk Falls Park in Homewood Borough. The person’s condition was not immediately known. WPXI-TV reported the victim...
State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe’s push to impeach Gov. Wolf likely to fail, experts say
State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe’s push to impeach Gov. Tom Wolf for imposing coronavirus-related restrictions that wreaked havoc on Pennsylvania’s economy is historically unprecedented, political experts said Wednesday. It’s also unlikely to get the support needed for a gubernatorial impeachment to move forward, the experts said. “These are outlandish claims, accusations,”...
Beaver County man sentenced to 10 years in prison after sexual exploitation of a minor
A man from Rochester, Beaver County, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possessing videos depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. According to information presented in court, Elijah Winchester, 23, had 14 videos of himself engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl. Prosecutors said the...
32 lawsuits filed against Giant Eagle over pandemic mask policy
More than 30 lawsuits have been filed against Giant Eagle over the grocery chain’s mask policy, with plaintiffs claiming it is discriminatory under the Americans with Disabilities Act. A wave of lawsuits against Giant Eagle began in late May with seven cases filed in federal court. Plaintiffs included residents of...
Cinemark set to reopen Pittsburgh-area theaters
Cinemark plans to reopen four theaters in the Pittsburgh area in early July. Cinemark’s website said the North Hills and Robinson locations will be among the first Cinemark theaters to open in Pennsylvania, on July 3. The move is part of the company’s phased reopening from the covid-19 shutdown. Theaters...
Visits to state parks grew by an average of 36% in region during pandemic
Visitation to state parks and forests skyrocketed in May compared to last year by an average of 36%, with the highest jump in the region at Laurel Summit State Park in Somerset County at 122%. “At the outset, outdoor activities were among the few things people could do,” said Terry...
McDonald’s franchises look to hire 1,700 in Western Pennsylvania
McDonald’s restaurants across Western Pennsylvania are looking for workers to fill at least 1,700 new full- and part-time jobs, the fast-food giant said in a statement. Franchisees who operate 112 restaurants in Western Pennsylvania began what McDonald’s called a quick-hire initiative to provide immediate crew and manager positions. “We are...
Gas well impact fees drop in 2019; Westmoreland County gets $1.16 million, Allegheny County $1.8 million
Derry Township is sitting on a gold mine of natural gas trapped in the Marcellus shale, which drillers have tapped to the great benefit of the municipality — to the tune of $2.4 million in gas well impact fees since 2012. The township will get almost $232,000 from the 2019...
Pennsylvania to spread $157 million to help schools clean, get ready for classesVideo
Schools in the state — public and private — will get at least $120,000 to help pay for cleaning and sanitizing classrooms, cafeterias, gyms and offices in time for students to return for the resumption of in-person classes in August for the first time since mid-March. Gov. Tom Wolf announced...
Western Pa. police chiefs support some reforms in Trump executive order, question others
Police departments in parts of Southwestern Pennsylvania applauded some elements of President Trump’s executive order on police reform and expressed skepticism toward others, particularly those aimed at bringing social services into some police situations. Trump announced the executive order Tuesday in a Rose Garden press briefing after weeks of protests...
Pennsylvania offers $1,500 to help cover dairy farmers’ losses
Dairy farmers can get at least $1,500 from the state to recover some of their losses if they dumped milk or could not sell products after markets dried up when covid-19 shutdowns closed schools and limited restaurants. Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday announced a $40 million aid package for Pennsylvania...
Western Pa. high schools honored for voter registration efforts
Eight local schools are among 42 statewide honored with the Governor’s Civic Engagement Award for their efforts to register students to vote during the 2019-20 school year. Brentwood, City Charter School, Deer Lakes, Elizabeth Forward, Franklin Regional, Kiski Area, Leechburg Area and Mt. Pleasant Area were among nearly 160 Pennsylvania...
