Regional category, Page 262
Pittsburgh area jobless rate jumps to 16.8% in April
The Pittsburgh region’s jobless rate jumped to 16.8% in April, with 200,400 people unemployed in the seven-country region as pandemic-related shutdowns gripped the economy. The combined unemployment rate for Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties was the highest since January 1983, the state’s Center for Workforce Information...
PennDOT resumes driver’s skills tests
Driver’s skills tests, including motorcycle skills tests, resumed Tuesday at PennDOT Driver License Centers. The tests had been suspended in March as stay-at-home orders went into effect during the early stages of the covid-19 emergency. PennDOT says the skills test has been modified to reduce potential exposure of PennDOT staff...
Shoving match at Pittsburgh polling place punctuates otherwise slow voting day so farVideo
A shoving match at the polling place at Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh Tuesday was in stark contrast to what otherwise has been a quiet primary day around Western Pennsylvania. Allegheny County Spokeswoman Amie Downs said an altercation broke out when voters were arguing with another voter to put on...
1 killed, 3 injured in fall from barn roof in Mars
One person died and three others were injured after falling off a roof of a barn in Mars, authorities said. Adams Township police said the men were working on the barn when they fell about 20 feet at about 7:50 a.m. Monday. Police said two people were flown by helicopter...
Indiana County man accused of fatally shooting dog
An Indiana County man was charged Monday after state police said he fatally shot a dog and buried it on his Burrell Township property. Robert McConnell, 71, is charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. Troopers were called Thursday by a 19-year-old woman who reported her dog missing....
Greensburg man charged after incendiary devices thrown at Indiana County home
A Greensburg man was arrested after incendiary devices were thrown at an Indiana County home Saturday, causing a small fire, state police said. Derrick John Weber, 20, was charged with arson, recklessly endangering another person and criminal mischief. He was released from the Indiana County Jail on $25,000 bond. Police...
Churches opting for virtual vacation Bible schools this summer
Like sports and art camps, vacation Bible schools are a big draw for children during the summer. “It’s a major program for us,” says Rachel King, youth coordinator at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Hempfield’s West Point section. “Most churches do a vacation Bible school, and a lot of kids...
State corrections officer charged with planning sex with 14-year-old girl in Fayette
A state corrections officer from Camp Hill is charged with contacting a 14-year-old-girl in Fayette County to set up a sexual encounter. Calvin Hynson, 26, is suspended without pay while awaiting a preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge Nathan Henning. He is free after posting $100,000 bond. The State Attorney...
Pace of gas price increases, tied to coronavirus recovery, slows
The average price of gasoline in the Pittsburgh area didn’t budge over the past week after several weeks of increases, according to the price-tracking service GasBuddy. The average price on Monday remained $2.33 a gallon, the same as it was a week ago, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations....
Necco Wafers returning to store shelves this summer
Good news for people who like their candy crunchy and slightly chalky — Neccos Wafers will soon be back on store shelves after a 2-year absence. Spangler Candy Co., which now owns the iconic brand, says the candy will return in all its multicolored glory beginning this month. “Major drugstores...
Police: Woman killed while walking along Route 259 in Indiana County
A 43-year-old woman from Blairsville was killed Saturday after being struck by a vehicle in Indiana County, state police said. The woman, identified as Careen Mae Jones, was walking along Route 259 — close to her home near Wagner Drive in Brush Valley Township — when she was struck by...
83% of Pennsylvania’s 2.4M unemployed have been paid; Greensburg cafeteria worker still waiting
Sharon Sachs lost her job in Seton Hill University’s cafeteria when the Greensburg campus closed in mid-March because of the covid-19 pandemic. Now, she could be the poster child for dysfunction in Pennsylvania’s jobless benefits program. “I have not received a penny since filing for unemployment the week of March...
Pennsylvania reports 680 new coronavirus cases, 73 deaths
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 73 new covid-19 deaths and 680 new cases Saturday. That brings the state’s total case count to 71,415, with 5,537 deaths. The state considers an additional 616 patients as probable cases, which have not confirmed. Nursing and personal care homes account for 15,376 cases...
Eat’n Park poised to resume in-person dining June 5Video
Eat’n Park Hospitality Group officials are excited to make and see more smiles next week as dine-in options resume at most restaurants. “Many of our guests have been quarantined,” President and CEO Jeff Broadhurst said Friday afternoon. “They’ve been sitting in their house ready to get out. They want to...
U.S. Health Secretary says feds investigating Brighton nursing home coronavirus outbreak
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar questioned Friday whether Pennsylvania officials have been “aggressive enough” in flagging and enforcing violations at Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center, where at least 76 residents have died of covid-19. Azar discussed the Trump administration’s concerns over the Beaver County nursing home’s coronavirus...
Pennsylvania school districts will reopen for fall 2020
There’s “no question” that Pennsylvania school districts will physically reopen this fall, Gov. Tom Wolf said Friday. “Schooling will look different,” Wolf said. “You’ll probably have more online learning and maybe less classroom learning, there might be fewer students in each classroom.” The Pennsylvania Department of Education is expected to...
Western Pa. library systems work through logistics of reopeningVideo
“What?!? It’s a real book?!?” Delmont librarian Denni Grassel’s humorous exclamation in a video posted to YouTube (watch the video below) was the official signal that the Delmont Public Library will reopen Monday, with some new procedures in place. Library systems throughout the region are holding meetings and working through...
Food Podcast: Trinity School District handing out 20,000 meals weekly
Trinity School District in Washington County is serving 20,000 meals each week to children as part of their Grab ‘n Go meal program in response to the coronavirus pandemic. “Hunger doesn’t have an end, so we’re not going to discontinue services,” said Nicolle Pleil, the district’s food service director. “We...
Gov. Wolf to move Allegheny, Westmoreland, other counties to green phase
Allegheny, Westmoreland and 14 other counties will move to the green phase of the state’s three-phase reopening plan June 5, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Friday. “The goal here is to make sure that every Pennsylvanian is confident that they’re going to be safe,” Wolf said. The counties are Allegheny and...
Teen pleads guilty, loses hunting license for 15 years in Jefferson County deer abuse case
An 18-year-old seen on video torturing a wounded white-tailed deer in November will serve two years of probation and have his hunting license revoked for 15 years as part of a plea deal, the state Game Commission announced Friday. Alexander Brock Smith of Brookville pleaded guilty May 6 in Jefferson County...
Swimming to open June 6 at Pennsylvania state park beaches
Pennsylvania will open 58 beaches in state parks for swimming June 6, with state park pools to begin opening a week later, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced. Pools at parks in counties under yellow or green pandemic phases will open June 13. Pennsylvania has 121 state parks....
Storms could bring large hail, high winds to Pittsburgh area
The Pittsburgh region will be returning to cooler and less muggy weather this weekend, but it’s going to have to get through the transition this afternoon that could come with some severe storms. There’s a slight chance for severe weather Friday afternoon, mainly east and north of the city, National...
Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics to hold virtual open houseVideo
Aircraft maintenance has been an essential service throughout the coronavirus pandemic, with planes delivering critical supplies across the world. Officials from the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics will host a virtual open house Saturday to encourage potential students to consider it as a career. “May 30 will be an all-new experience...
2 more Pennsylvania colleges announce plans to hold in-person classes this fall
Two small Pennsylvania liberal arts colleges have announced plans to hold in-person classes this fall, joining at least 20 others that have already made the decision to do so. Westminster College in New Wilmington, Lawrence County, and Allegheny College in Meadville, Crawford County, both announced Thursday that they would be...
Western Pa. restaurants prepare for expanded dining options, cope with losses
On Thursday morning, restaurateur Erin Connelly prepared for her most important staff meeting in months. After being limited to takeout options during the coronavirus shutdown, the Cornerstone Restaurant and Bar in Aspinwall soon can commence limited dining options. Connelly was hesitantly excited. “People are scrambling,” she said. “It’s hard to...
