Regional category, Page 324
Fayette man killed in off-road vehicle crash in Middlecreek Township
A Fayette County man died of injuries sustained when he crashed his off-road vehicle Saturday night in Middlecreek Township. State police said Joseph A. Cole, 33, of Mill Run, was driving north on Scullton Road near Whipkey Dam Road shortly after 10:15 p.m., when his vehicle left the roadway, ran...
Rain returns briefly before string of mild days
After three days of sunny — and dry — weather, thunderstorms are expected to return Monday with potentially damaging winds and hail, according to the National Weather Service. Rain is expected late in the afternoon, just in time for rush hour, with stronger storms coming through after midnight. Temperatures will...
Police suspect speed a factor in fatal Butler County crash
A Grove City man was killed Saturday afternoon in a single-vehicle crash in Butler County. According to state police, Ian Campbell, 29, is suspected of driving at a high rate of speed on Route 108 when he lost control of his 2010 Jeep Wrangler and overturned near the intersection of...
Authorities try to ID parts of human legs found near Susquehanna River
WILLIAMSPORT — Authorities say portions of two sawn-off human legs were found on a central Pennsylvania riverbank last month. The Lycoming County coroner said last week that the legs were found by a fisherman May 11 along the Susquehanna River near the Hepburn Street Dam in Williamsport. Coroner Charles Kiessling...
Pa. jobless rate sets record low; nonfarm jobs at record high
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate remained at a record low level in May, while the number of nonfarm jobs rose to a record high, the state said Friday. The jobless rate remained at 3.8%, the same as in April and the lowest since records were kept dating back to 1976. The unemployment...
Police seek Tarentum man in Fayette County homicide
A Tarentum man is wanted by state police in connection with the Sept. 17 shooting death of a Fayette County man outside his home. Trooper Richard Sizer said police are seeking the whereabouts of Omari Parker Jr., 18, who is wanted in connection with the slaying of Tywain James Reid,...
State: Chronic wasting disease appears to be spreading
State game authorities have identified three more deer in Somerset County that have tested positive for chronic wasting disease, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The white-tailed deer, which had been killed after being struck by cars, were tested after being picked up by the state’s roadkill contractor, the Somerset...
Westmoreland, Allegheny companies to benefit from manufacturing grants
Several Westmoreland and Allegheny county manufacturers will benefit from state grants focusing on the Manufacturing PA initiative. Approved by Gov. Tom Wolf Friday, the grants embed graduate and undergraduate students with local manufacturers where they will start research projects aimed at developing new technologies and advancing innovation across the state....
Public asked to plant gardens for bees/pollinators at PennDOT rest stops, interchanges, traffic islands
It’s National Pollinator Week (June 17-23) and PennDOT is asking the public to plant pollinator gardens at approved PennDOT-owned properties including rest stops, interchanges and traffic islands in Armstrong and Clarion counties, as well as other areas covered by the district. Individuals or groups such as clubs, schools, churches, businesses...
One killed in Fayette County motorcycle crash
One person died Thursday morning in a two-vehicle crash in North Union Township, Fayette County, according to state police. Robert Earl Metz was driving a motorcycle which collided with another vehicle on Pittsburgh Road around 10:30 a.m., according to police. Metz was pronounced dead at the scene. His age and...
Sunset on hold: Longest day of the year arrives with the summer solstice
Today marks the first day of summer — and the forecast finally includes sunshine and highs in the 70s, as if on cue. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, as the Northern Hemisphere leans most toward the sun during Earth’s tilted axis of rotation. The equator...
Indiana County man arrested, accused of sexually assaulting teenage boy
A 51-year-old Indiana man was arrested Wednesday on accusations he sexually assaulted a teenage boy he met online. Stephen Joe Czerniec Jr. was taken into custody without incident on 10 counts of sexual abuse of children, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and corruption of minors. He was arraigned before...
Celebrate summer — Go Skateboard DayVideo
Started in 2004 by the International Association of Skateboard Companies, Go Skateboard Day — June 21 — celebrates the summer solstice by encouraging skaters to make their favorite sport a top priority. Started in the late 1940s as a way for surfers to enjoy days without waves, skateboarding has more...
Tornado confirmed in Indiana County, 4th in less than a month
Indiana County saw damage from its fourth tornado in less than a month on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Moon. A damage assessment team visited Green Township on Wednesday and determined that the EF1 tornado — capable of moderate damage — touched down at 7:55 p.m. The...
Safety program set for Conemaugh River Lake this weekend
A festival to promote outdoor safety and raise awareness about the Conemaugh River reservoir, bordering Indiana and Westmoreland counties, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Conemaugh River Lake, 1665 Auten Road, Conemaugh Township. Tours of the dam, children’s activities, safety demonstrations and a free lunch...
State to audit gun instant background check system
Pennsylvania’s auditor general is launching a review of the state’s instant background check system for firearm purchases. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale is conducting the review at the request of a bipartisan group of state lawmakers, but not as the result of problems or complaints about how the system is operated....
Dreary June weather sinks attendance at Pittsburgh area pools
Sylvan Pool manager Nancy Tarella said the Harrison pool typically attracts more than 200 people a day during the summer swim season. But this June has been anything but typical. Lately, Sylvan’s attendance hasn’t been breaking 30 people. “This is not a good pool season so far,” she said. “June...
MediaNews plans to cut 81 jobs at Reading Eagle
The new owners of the Reading Eagle plan to lay off more than a third of the staff after they assume control of the 150-year-old newspaper and the company’s other assets later this month. MediaNews Group stepped forward to buy the Reading Eagle Co. for $5 million after the family-owned...
Police: Dump truck may have crossed center line in Fayette crash that killed 3
State police are attempting to determine whether the driver of a tri-axle dump truck crossed into oncoming traffic Tuesday and hit a pickup head-on, killing three people who are members of the same family. Investigators identified the victims as Kayla Nicole Burwell, 21, of Smithfield; Ronald Burwell, 53, of Uniontown;...
Woman charged in death of infant found in paint can
A woman has been charged in the death of her newborn son, whose body was found in a paint can in her eastern Pennsylvania home. The Lehigh County district attorney said Wednesday that 30-year-old Ashley Caraballo of Allentown is charged with criminal homicide, concealing the death of a child and...
Landslide shuts down part of Route 168 in Beaver County
Route 168 in Midland, Beaver County, will stay closed for the next few days after a landslide early Wednesday. Mud, rock and debris slid down a hillside and covered the roadway, according to PennDOT. The road is closed in both directions between Woodlane and Summit and Columbus avenues. The slide...
Flash flood watch issued for Western Pa. through Thursday evening
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for the western Pennsylvania region. Repeated periods of heavy rainfall are possible through 8 p.m. Thursday, according to the weather service in Moon Township. The flood watch covers Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Beaver, Fayette, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties as well...
Beaver County man confessed to robbing 4 Western Pa. banks of more than $26K
A Beaver County man confessed to robbing four banks across Western Pennsylvania of more than $26,000, federal prosecutors said. Patrick Acierno, 34, of Freedom pleaded guilty to four counts of bank robbery. The banks were robbed between September 2018 and March of this year, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said....
3 killed in Fayette County crash
A man, a woman and a 4-year-old child were killed Tuesday afternoon when their pickup truck collided with a tri-axle truck along Route 21 in Fayette County, state police said. Officials weren’t able yet to identify the victims, but Fayette County Coroner Phillip Reilly indicated they were related, including an...
Allegheny National Forest ranks as No. 2 camping destination in U.S.
The Allegheny National Forest in Northwestern Pennsylvania was among the top camping destinations in the country during the past year, according to Hipcamp.com. The state’s only national forest ranked second on a top 10 list of camping destinations, being beat out for the top spot by Cape Cod, Mass. The...
