Regional category, Page 293
Drivers urged to wait to fill up as gasoline prices continue to tumble
Gasoline prices in the Pittsburgh area and nationwide continue to fall on oil prices that are nearing their lowest level since October, an industry analyst said. “While the national average could fall into the $2.30s before all is said and done, the downward move likely won’t last much more than...
Cops: Fayette County man jailed for assaulting, threatening plumber
A 58-year-old Fayette County man is in jail after barricading himself inside his Mill Run home when a dispute with a plumber turned physical, police said. Frank H. Bowers was arraigned on charges of arson, harassment, making terroristic threats, simple assault and theft. The charges were filed by state police...
$2.39 million Match 6 ticket sold in Butler County
A Match 6 ticket worth $2.39 million was sold in Middlesex, Butler County. The ticket correctly matched all six winning numbers, 01-06-19-25-34-42. It was sold in Saturday’s drawing at the CoGo’s at 1370 Pittsburgh Road. The store will earn a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. The Lottery said...
Westmoreland County animal response team hosts training for regional firefighters, EMTsVideo
About two years after the Westmoreland County Animal Response Team formed, its members were called out to fire in Ligonier . CART Coordinator Lori Mozina thought it was odd, since the fire company was equipped with an oxygen mask suited to treat pets. “They had one at the station, but...
Week in review: Pitt mourns student’s death; Antonio Brown jailedVideo
It was a week of mourning and concern across the Pittsburgh area. The news included the tragic death of a promising University of Pittsburgh student, and several Mt. Pleasant students being hurt in a car crash. Crime news included Ex-Steeler Antonio Brown making headlines again, and a Latrobe man being...
Western Pa. pro-life activists excited for Trump appearance at March for Life
Pro-life activists say they feel energized about Friday’s 47th annual March for Life as they await the first-ever appearance by a sitting U.S. president. President Trump announced this week that he plans to make a personal appearance at the annual event, which marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade —...
National survey shows contradictory attitudes toward flu vaccine
Pennsylvania has nearly 40,000 confirmed flu cases so far this season, yet 43% of respondents to a nationwide survey said they won’t get a flu shot. In the survey of 1,226 Americans, conducted by Qualtrics, 74% of those who were not planning to receive a flu vaccination said it was...
House passes package boosting human trafficking penaltiesVideo
In the wake of human trafficking cases in Westmoreland and Butler counties, legislation strengthening existing state protections against the illegal practice recently passed in the state House. A bill from Rep. Marci Mustello, R-Butler, would increase penalties for anyone knowingly patronizing a victim and anyone connected to trafficking victims. “Whether...
Air pollution warning in effect for Clairton, Liberty areas of Allegheny County
An air pollution warning is in effect Thursday for the Clairton and Liberty areas of Allegheny County. The National Weather Service had said the “code orange” alert applied to five counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania and parts of two other counties, but corrected its alert around midday Thursday to apply to...
State police seek car involved in Burrell Township pursuit
State police are seeking information on the driver of black Volkswagen sedan with fresh passenger-side damage, who was involved in a pursuit and eventual crash in Burrell Township on Tuesday night. A state trooper attempting a traffic stop just after 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 21 on Pine Ridge Road was...
Rate of new flu cases slows in Western Pennsylvania
Confirmed cases of the flu in Western Pennsylvania increased at a slower rate last week than in either of the previous two weeks, according to state Department of Health data. “While it is far too early to say that flu season has peaked, we have seen fewer cases over the...
Powerball ticket worth $1M sold in Washington County
A Pennsylvania Powerball Lottery player in Washington County won $1 million in Saturday’s drawing, lottery officials said. The ticket matched all five white balls drawn, 20-24-38-56-68, but not the red Powerball 18, to win $1 million, less applicable withholding. The Sheetz store at 300 Racetrack Road in North Strabane, near...
Authorities: Man fatally shot in botched Erie drug deal robbery
ERIE — A reputed drug deal that turned into a botched robbery ended with a man fatally shot and charges filed against several people, authorities said. Three men and a woman had arranged to meet with the man on Sunday under the guise of buying marijuana from him, Erie police...
Greensburg Diocese 2019 Lenten Appeal generates almost $5 million for diocese, parishes
The latest Diocesan Lenten Appeal came in under the 2018 amount but still in keeping with recent trends, according to the Diocese of Greensburg. Totals for the 2019 appeal, one of three main sources of revenue for the diocese, were reported this monthin the diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Accent. Pledges...
National Park Service begins lake bed restoration in Cambria County
Following up on plans announced in December, the National Park Service states that the first phase of a lake bed restoration project at the Johnstown Flood National Memorial will begin this week. The project at St. Michael in Cambria County will begin with manual clearing to remove as many trees...
Gasoline prices fall on sagging oil prices, low demand
Sagging oil prices have opened the door for a notable drop in U.S. gasoline prices, industry analyst Patrick DeHaan of GasBuddy said. “The Midwest has been the largest beneficiary of seasonal effects thus far with prices in several areas there declining upwards of 10-to-15 cents per gallon,” he said. “The...
Why TV stations and cable providers keep viewers in the dark about their contracts
TV viewers in the Pittsburgh region have been recently warned about losing the ability to watch their local television stations: • DirecTV viewers lose WTAE after negotiations for a new deal fail • WPXI Channel 11 announces PCNC changes • Attention Dish customers: You could lose access to WPXI-TV They’re...
Canonsburg man pleads guilty to using cell phone to access child porn
A Canonsburg man pleaded guilty in federal court to accessing lewd images and videos of underage children on his cell phone, prosecutors said. Robert Fichter, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said. Fichter was caught as part of a Homeland Security...
Timeline of events important to ProhibitionVideo
Prohibition timeline Calls to ban the production and sale of alcohol in the U.S. started nearly a century before Prohibition, with the creation of temperance societies and growing support of the abstinence movement. Here are some key dates in the push for Prohibition and its eventual repeal: 1826: American Society...
Western Pa. colleges in line for grants to prevent sexual violence on campus
Four years after Pennsylvania officials signed on to a national initiative designed to prevent sexual violence on college campuses, three dozen colleges and universities across the state are getting a boost to help them implement programs to assist in the effort. Gov. Tom Wolf said the state will provide about...
Snow, ice caused delays during morning commute
Snow and icy conditions snarled traffic in some spots around Pittsburgh Friday, causing delays during the morning commute. Lee Hendricks, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, said initial reports showed the region received half an inch of snow overnight. A wind chill of 14 degrees was reported in...
9 facts and figures you might not know about Prohibition
One hundred years ago, America went dry. The long-fought temperance movement to rid the United States of bars and booze finally came to fruition. The 18th Amendment banned the “manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes.” The Volstead Act provided a way to enforce it — starting...
Highmark opens school grant program
Schools looking to support wellness programs, encourage professional development among school nurses or support the basic health needs of low-income students can apply for grants for the 2020-21 school year from the Highmark Foundation. Applications for the program, now in its eighth year, will be accepted from public, parochial and...
Western Pennsylvania sets record for organ, tissue transplants in 2019
Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia set a record for organ and tissue transplants in 2019, the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) announced. CORE, a nonprofit that coordinates organ, tissue and cornea donation, facilitated 661 transplants in Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia last year — an increase from 2018...
Farmington man killed in Fayette County crash
A Farmington man was killed Tuesday when the SUV he was driving crashed head-on with a tractor-trailer in Fayette County, according to state police. Arnold E. Savage, 66, was pronounced dead at the scene on Route 40 in Henry Clay Township, police said. The crash was reported at 7:22 a.m....
