Regional category, Page 302
Mercury passing between sun and Earth
Mercury will pass between the sun and Earth today, but the rare event may be blocked by Southwestern Pennsylvania’s cloudy skies. Mingo Observatory live-streamed the event, according to the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh’s Facebook page. A planned event at Nicholas E. Wagman Observatory in Deer Lakes Regional Park was...
Gas prices edge downward in Pittsburgh, nationally
Gas prices dropped in Pittsburgh and across the nation over the past week, according to the price-tracking website GasBuddy.com. In the Pittsburgh region, gas prices were down 2.9 cents per gallon to an average of $2.80, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations. That’s 3.8 cents per gallon less than...
Police: Fayette couple found with psychedelic mushrooms, 54 marijuana plants
A Fayette County couple faces multiple felony charges after state police say they discovered marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms in their home during a child welfare check. Jason A. Nicholson, 37, and Melisa D. Nicholson, 40, both of Everson, were each charged with four counts of drug possession as well as...
Week in review: Election Day upsets, accused cop killer trial and Wilson’s Bar-B-Q fireVideo
The past week in Western Pennsylvania featured Election Day surprises, a death-penalty trial and a fire at a beloved Pittsburgh restaurant. Here’s a look back at some of the top stories you may have missed. Cashless tolling By late 2021, the 552 miles of the Pennsylvania Turnpike will be fully...
‘Mini grant’ program for local watershed groups accepting applications
The teachers and students that Wendy Kedzierski works with through Allegheny College’s Creek Connections program are now able to keep a much more accurate eye on water quality in local streams, thanks to a partnership between local conservationists and the energy industry. The water monitoring kits were purchased through a...
Coroner: Ohio man, 49, dies after falling into trench outside Washington County house
An Ohio man died Friday after the trench he was working in collapsed in the yard of a Washington County house, officials said. Richard St. John, 49, of Bellaire, Ohio, was pronounced dead shortly after 5 p.m. — nearly four hours after 911 dispatchers received a report about the incident...
Let it snow! Seven Springs making snow for season
Music to the ears of some: Seven Springs has snow. In a Facebook video, the Champion resort said it had fired up the snow-making equipment Thursday night and posted pictures of the powder. There is an inch of natural and 3 inches of machine snow, according to Seven Springs’ website....
Western Pennsylvania sees first snow flakes of the seasonVideo
Let it snow? Yep, it’s here. It might only be a week into November, but the first snowflakes of the season started to fall in Western Pennsylvania on Thursday night and into Friday morning. According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, light snow will continue with little or no...
Arizona man sentenced for selling fraudulent prescription drugs in Western Pa.
A Scottdale, Ariz., man was sentenced after fraudulently selling prescription drugs across the country, including Western Pennsylvania, officials said. Keith Komar, 62, was sentenced for illegally importing and misbranding pharmacy drugs and mail fraud after he advertised the sale of various drugs online, making the sale appear legitimate and safe,...
Ohio woman dead after being hit by truck, dragged for miles
WHEELING, W.Va. — Authorities in West Virginia say a woman has died after being hit by a truck then dragged under another vehicle for miles. Wheeling Police Department spokesman Philip Stahl says officers received a report on the initial crash around 6:30 a.m. Thursday. He says the first driver told...
Authorities continue investigating death of newborn in Indiana County
The Indiana County Coroner’s office and state police are continuing to investigate the death of a newborn infant Wednesday that died shortly after his birth Wednesday in Creekside. Trooper Cliff Greenfield said an autopsy was performed Thursday on the male infant by ForensicDX, a forensic pathology laboratory in Windber. However,...
United Way looking for volunteers to help low-income families with tax returns
The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania is looking for 500 volunteers to complete tax returns for low-income families during the 2020 tax season. Volunteers are needed at sites across Allegheny, Westmoreland, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties. Tax preparation experience isn’t required. “A tax refund can have a significant impact on...
Applications for heating help through LIHEAP open through April
Applications for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program for the 2019-20 winter season are being accepted by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. LIHEAP provides assistance to people who struggle to pay heating bills during the winter. Assistance is available to renters and homeowners, and benefits are paid directly to...
Police: Woman sprayed syringe in face of Butler cop
A Butler City police officer will be monitored after a woman sprayed him with the contents of a syringe Tuesday night. The officer was checking to see if she was OK, the city’s police chief said. Police Chief Bob O’Neill did not identify the officer. The officer was patrolling on...
Pennsylvania Turnpike plans full ‘cashless’ transition by late 2021
By late 2021, the 552 miles of the Pennsylvania Turnpike will be fully converted to a “cashless” tolling system, turnpike commission officials said this week. After a pair of pilot conversions — including on Turnpike 66 in Westmoreland County — the remaining sections of the east-west mainline, the Northeastern Extension...
2019 election results from across Western Pa.
Allegheny County voters on Tuesday retained Executive Rich Fitzgerald, District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. and Controller Chelsa Wagner, while in Westmoreland County, embattled Sheriff Jonathan Held was ousted by James Albert. The Trib covered numerous races. You can find results from Allegheny and Westmoreland counties here. ALLEGHENY COUNTY Allegheny...
Blood drive being hosted in honor of Ligonier community member
The American Red Cross is hosting a blood drive to honor a former Ligonier volunteer firefighter. Gene Stouffer, who was a firefighter for more than 30 years and who is currently an active member of the Ligonier YMCA, recently received six units of blood during a hospital stay, according to...
Missing Butler teen located, state police say
State police in Butler have located a teenager who had been missing since last week. Troopers said Aiden Joseph McKinley, 15, was found on Tuesday. State police said McKinley had been staying with friends and was safe when he was located. ***Update***Aiden Joseph MCKINLEY was located. Thank you for retweeting....
1 killed in wrong-way crash on I-79 in Washington County
One person is dead and another injured after a wrong-way crash on Interstate 79 southbound on Tuesday, according to the Washington County Coroner’s Office. The two-vehicle crash happened just before 2 a.m. between the Canonsburg and Houston exits. One of the vehicles was driving north on the southbound turnpike, hitting...
Low voter turnout expected across Western Pennsylvania on Election Day
Most counties in the area are predicting low voter turnout ahead of Tuesday’s election — typical for an election year with no presidential or congressional races. Only about a fourth of registered voters are expected to cast ballots in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties and a little more than a third...
Veterans Day deals for vets, active-duty military around Western Pa.
The region’s longstanding support of veterans and active-duty military personnel will be on display again this Veterans Day as businesses, restaurants and fraternal groups offer discounted meals and services. Veterans Day is Nov. 11, in recognition of the day the armistice was reached to end the fighting in World War...
Indiana County teenager accused of threatening classmates on social media
A 14-year-old Indiana County youth was charged with making terroristic threats and disorderly conduct Monday for allegedly posting a threatening message on social media that he planned to bring firearms to Marion Center Junior-Senior High School and target classmates, according to state police. Police said the student, who attends the...
Election HQ: Information on state, county, municipal races in Western Pa.
Election Day in Western Pennsylvania is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. To get information on the local races, candidates and issues that are on your ballot, see the list below. For more information on polling places, go to the official election pages for...
Brownsville building damaged in fire
Firefighters in Brownsville, Fayette County, spent hours early Monday morning extinguishing a blaze in a building under renovation. The fire started around 2 a.m., according to Fayette County 911. Firefighters told Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV that the fire started because of an electrical problem. The building was undergoing renovation, with...
Detroit man sentenced to 10 years for selling deadly tranquilizer carfentanil
A Michigan man was sentenced last week to 10 years in federal prison for selling an elephant-tranquilizer drug that killed one Beaver County resident and seriously injured another roughly three years ago. Reginald Davis, 32, of Detroit, was convicted of distributing carfentanil, a synthetic opioid that is used on elephants...
