Regional category, Page 135
Violence in health care: Medical workers increasingly must contend with threats, assaults
When Mike Huss gets an alert from a panic button or call within Allegheny Health Network, he and his team are prepared to jump into action. “If you look at it, some of it is just verbal abuse. Some of it is physical abuse, where someone strikes, punches, kicks, bites...
4% price increase effective Sunday at Pennsylvania liquor stores
The prices of more than 3,500 of the most popular items at state liquor stores will increase by 4% Sunday, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced. In a statement, the LCB cited 40-year record-high inflation as the reason for price hikes. “These increases will allow the PLCB to generate revenues...
Orders being accepted for annual Daffodil Days fundraiser
The American Cancer Society has announced the start of its annual Daffodil Days fundraiser. The society will be sending flowers to show appreciation for those who donate. All proceeds will go to research, programs and services of the American Cancer Society. “Cancer touches all of us in one way or...
1 person taken to hospital following Aliquippa shooting
Police are investigating a shooting that took place early Friday morning in Aliquippa. A Beaver County 911 supervisor said police were called to the 2300 block of Mill Street around 5:15 a.m. for a report of a shooting. One person was transported to a local hospital. Additional information was not...
UPMC to raise its minimum wage to $18 an hour
Health care giant UPMC announced it is raising minimum wage for entry-level positions to $18 an hour by 2025 for workers in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Williamsport. Starting wages at UPMC’s other sites in Western Pennsylvania, western Maryland and southwest New York will reach $18 an hour by 2026. “This is...
Pa. Game Commission seeks reports of turkey sightings this winter
Have you seen a flock of turkeys lately? Inquiring minds want to know. The Pennsylvania Game Commission has requested that residents report sightings and locations of wild turkey flocks through March 15. The organization intends to trap the birds and band them as part of an ongoing study. Game Commission...
Scrap metal spill detours eastbound Pennsylvania Turnpike traffic at New Stanton
Eastbound traffic on the Pennsylvania Turnpike was detoured between New Stanton and Breezewood on Wednesday evening after a tractor-trailer spilled scrap metal on the toll road, according to state police. Police said the rig’s trailer broke in half at about 5:45 p.m., spilling thousands of pounds of scrap metal in...
Pittsburgh International Airport passengers dealing with flood of flight cancellations, delays
Shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday, Pittsburgh International Airport looked as though it was in a state of suspended animation. A computer glitch in a government system largely brought airlines to a halt, delaying or canceling thousands of flights across the U.S. earlier in the morning. The carousels in the normally...
Nonprofits host events for National Human Trafficking Awareness DayVideo
Awareness of human trafficking and its impact on communities can start with something as simple as red sand in the crack of a sidewalk. Staff and volunteers from Blackburn Center in Greensburg have been part of the Red Sand Project since 2017, bringing focus to the presence of human trafficking....
PennDOT gets $171M in grants to expand electric vehicle network
PennDOT is receiving $171.5 million in grants to expand its electric vehicle infrastructure. As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, PennDOT will receive the federal funds for electric vehicle charging infrastructure over the next five years. For the first round of funding, PennDOT has advanced appropriations of $25.4 million for...
Experts: Dog flu hasn’t hit Western Pennsylvania, but precautions are good idea
A highly contagious respiratory disease targeting dogs has shown up in at least nine states, including Pennsylvania, in recent months, and it’s raising concern among those who work with dogs in the Pittsburgh area. But, while Becky Morrow, a veterinarian and founder of Frankie’s Friends, a nonprofit animal rescue shelter...
Bigfoot sighting late last year in Pennsylvania?
Is Bigfoot out there somewhere roaming around? Well, the folks at The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization seem convinced the legendary creature exists, and if you check out their website there’s all sorts of interesting info. And, one of the most interesting features is the sightings section where you can filter...
New covid variant — dubbed ‘kraken’ — found in Western Pa.
A new strain of covid nicknamed the “kraken” for its dominance over previous strains of the virus has been found in the Western Pennsylvania region, health officials said. Officially known as XBB.1.5, the new covid variant has jumped from just 1% of cases to become the dominant strain in the...
Gasoline prices continue to rise, but increases could slow on weak demand
Average gasoline prices are on the rise in the Pittsburgh area and across the state and nation, but there is hope those increases could slow down, an analyst said. “Last week, the rise in gasoline prices continued, still due to previous refinery outages caused by the cold weather the week...
Western Pa. technical schools among recipients of $1.2M in state equipment grants
Parkway West Career & Technology Center Executive Director Darby Copeland was frank about educators’ ability to keep their students on the cutting edge of technology. “Like all schools, none of us has a big bucket of money laying around,” Copeland said. That made it all the more important for Copeland...
Farrell man charged in death of Sharon teenager
Sharon city officials announced an arrest in Saturday’s shooting death of a 17-year-old. Curtis R. Coleman III, 19, of Farrell, has been charged by Sharon police. Emergency officials were called to West Budd Street around 9 p.m. Saturday where they found Gavin Beighley, 17, of Sharon, who had been shot...
Man thrown from car, killed in 2-vehicle collision in Indiana County
A motorist was fatally injured when he was thrown from his car following a collision early Saturday in Indiana County. Hunter Lewis McCloskey, 25, of Buffington Township, was not wearing a seat belt and died at the scene in Pine Township, according to Indiana County Coroner Jerry L. Overman Jr....
Daycation: Palace of Gold in West Virginia on National Register of Historic PlacesVideo
There’s gold in the rural hills of West Virginia. Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold is a tourist attraction and part of the New Vrindaban Temple community, which houses more than 250 members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Listed on the National Register of Historical Places, the public are...
Local pundits call Washington dysfunction ‘a disaster’
The historic five-day effort to elect a new speaker of the House in Washington is likely to have a lasting impact on partisan politics and the ability of Republicans to govern, local pundits say. After five days of voting, including a session late Friday night that continued into early Saturday...
Joe Hardy, 84 Lumber founder, dead at 100
Joseph A. Hardy III, founder of 84 Lumber and Fayette County’s Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, died Saturday, officials with his company reported. Joe Hardy died on his 100th birthday. “The Hardy family lost their patriarch and all-around great man,” said Amy Smiley, vice president of marketing for 84 Lumber Co. “Many...
2 years later: An update on Western Pennsylvania Capitol riot cases
A South Fayette man who has been in custody for nearly two years is expected to plead guilty on Monday to his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Jorden Mink, 29, will join nearly 500 other defendants from across the country who have pleaded guilty...
Local state police report no fatal crashes, 65 DUIs during New Year’s weekend
State police in Southwestern Pennsylvania saw no fatal crashes, but put 65 DUIs and 63 nonfatal crashes on the books during New Year’s weekend 2022-23. There were two fatal crashes elsewhere in the commonwealth. DUI arrests and nonfatal crashes across the state increased over the 2021-22 holiday. The numbers reflect...
Highmark Health Plan names president
Tom Doran has been named Highmark Health Plan president, taking the reins of the country’s fourth-largest Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliate with about 6.8 million members. Doran is not new to the Pittsburgh-headquartered health insurer. Most recently, he served as the health plan’s chief operating officer when former health plan...
Pa. gas drilling report criticizes industry for failing to report abandoned gas wells
The Department of Environmental Protection rebuked the conventional oil and gas drilling industry for not complying with state regulations, saying that operators with 11 or more wells failing to report key data “seems to be an industry-wide rule rather than the exception.” “Over the past five years, DEP’s OOGM (Office...
Pa. Turnpike toll hike to take effect
It will cost a bit more to drive on the Pennsylvania Turnpike beginning next week. On Jan. 8, tolls will increase by 5% for both E-ZPass and Toll-By-Plate drivers. This is the 15th consecutive year that tolls have increased. The most common passenger car toll will increase from $1.70 to...
