Regional category, Page 284
Point Park University postpones spring graduation ceremonies
Point Park University postponed graduate hooding and commencement ceremonies scheduled for April 25. School President Paul Hennigan announced the decision Thursday morning. “I understand this news will disappoint many people, and I wish circumstances were different, but we must make the responsible decision to postpone the ceremonies,” Hennigan said in...
Police investigating shooting near Fayette County YMCA
One person was injured Wednesday in a shooting near a Fayette County YMCA, Tribune-Review news partner WPXI reported. The victim was transported by medical helicopter to a local hospital after being shot at about 7 p.m. Witnesses said there were multiple shots fired. The incident happened in the parking lot...
Army Corps announces closure of public facilities in Western Pennsylvania
The Army Corps of Engineers had closed select public facilities at recreational sites throughout Western Pennsylvania. Facilities affected include resource managers’ offices, visitor centers, ranger offices, maintenance offices, campground, picnic, shelter, pavilion and disc golf facilities, playgrounds, fishing areas and piers, and restrooms. “We have been actively monitoring the effect...
Western Pa. school districts rally to feed students during school stoppage over coronavirus
School districts across Western Pennsylvania scrambled this week to find ways to feed students after classes were canceled for at least two weeks as officials grappled with ways to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Volunteers and district employees handed out more than 800 bags of food for breakfast and...
Pennsylvania’s porta-potties, highway restrictions rankle truckers; state to reopen some rest stopsVideo
Ohio truck driver Paul Greene said the closure of restroom facilities at 17 Pennsylvania Turnpike service centers and PennDOT’s closure of welcome centers and rest areas was very much on his mind as he carried a duffel bag Wednesday into the Flying J truck stop in South Huntingdon. “They’ve closed...
Western Pa. animal shelters limit services as coronavirus continues to spread
Animal shelters in the region have limited their services as the coronavirus continues to spread, with most reducing their adoption hours to appointment-only. Animal Friends and Humane Animal Rescue have cut programming and fundraising events, leading some officials to worry about what the big picture might look like after virus...
Nonprofits join to combat impact of covid-19 in Laurel Highlands
Four nonprofit foundations that serve the Laurel Highlands and Somerset and Cambria counties will collaborate to provide rapid response to the impact of the covid-19 virus among the region’s most vulnerable residents, officials said Wednesday. The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies (CFA), United Way of the Laurel Highlands, Lee Initiatives,...
Shell suspends work on multibillion-dollar cracker plant in Beaver CountyVideo
Shell Chemicals said Wednesday it will temporarily halt its multibillion-dollar project to build an ethane cracker plant in Beaver County because of coronavirus concerns. The company then plans to gradually ramp work back up at the sprawling site where about 8,000 people have been working. “The decision to pause was...
WVU Medicine offers drive-up virus test sites, including Morgantown
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia University Medicine on Wednesday opened drive-up coronavirus testing sites for pre-screened patients. The sites will be in Morgantown, Parkersburg, Bridgeport, Wheeling and Martinsburg, according to a WVU Medicine news release. They will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. Patients...
Mad Mex runs out of Gobbleritos brought back as coronavirus comfort foodVideo
Mad Mex brought back its renowned Gobblerito on Wednesday to add a bit of comfort to these tumultuous times, but at least one location ran out before the dinner rush. “We’re working on stocking up for tomorrow,” read a post on the Shadyside location’s Facebook page. “Thank you so much....
Allegheny, Westmoreland groups offer help to region’s small businesses during tough time
For small businesses concerned about the economic impact of the coronavirus, help is on the way. Several organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania said they plan to offer resources for small and medium-sized business affected by the coronavirus fallout, including those impacted by Gov. Tom Wolf’s order to close “nonessential” businesses. The...
National Park Service closes Western Pennsylvania visitor centers
The National Park Service on Tuesday closed visitor centers at its Western Pennsylvania sites until further notice to promote social distancing as part of coronavirus-related precautions. Restrooms and trails remain open to the public at all locations, including Friendship Hill National Historic Site. The following features also are open: •...
Influenza deaths increase in history-setting season, state reports
Ten more people died from influenza in Pennsylvania in the last week, increasing the total number of flu deaths this season to 93, the state Department of Health reported Tuesday. As of the week ending March 14, most of the people who died — 64 — were 65 or older....
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...
