Week-in-review: Covid-19 impacts, woman survives beating, talent showcased, bears sighted

Impacts of the covid-19 pandemic continued to be felt in various ways in the Pittsburgh area in the past week, with a major grocer facing lawsuits over requiring customers to wear face masks and a steel company saying it needs to lay off workers as it adjusts to meet slowing demand.

There was a shocking story out of Mt. Pleasant, where a man who believed he had beaten a woman to death and left her by a creek was charged with attempted homicide. The woman survived.

Residents in a Pittsburgh neighborhood and a Westmoreland County city were alarmed by sightings of black bears.

There was some good news — a Kennedy Township girl advanced with her musical ability on “America’s Got Talent.”

Woman left for dead survives

A 40-year-old woman left for dead along a Mt. Pleasant Township creek after a “gruesome beating” survived, according to state police.

According to police, Charles Paul Etling, 39, said he dragged the woman off the side of White Bridge Road near Jacoby Creek and left her there, believing he had killed her.

Police charged Etling with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, strangulation and reckless endangerment. He was being held without bail in the Westmoreland County Prison.

Giant Eagle sued

Giant Eagle is facing more than 30 lawsuits over its policy requiring customers to wear face masks because of the covid-19 pandemic in its grocery stores.

The plaintiffs, all represented by attorney Thomas Anderson, claim the requirement is discriminatory under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Kennedy girl advances on ‘America’s Got Talent’

Ashley Marina Yankello, 12, was seen advancing to the next round of the talent show “America’s Got Talent” in an episode aired Tuesday.

Yankello sang “You’ll Always Be My Hero,” an original song she wrote for her father.

ATI announces layoffs

Allegheny Technologies Inc. cited the covid-19 pandemic and declining customer demand in confirming layoffs of union and non-union employees.

The company did not say how many employees would be laid off between now and late September.

The layoffs, along with the elimination of shifts, affect the company’s Specialty Rolled Products and Standard Stainless Sheet Products businesses.

Bear sightings

Sightings of black bears were startling residents in the Pittsburgh area.

Bears were seen in Pittsburgh’s Highland Park neighborhood and in Arnold.

The large bear in Highland Park was trapped and relocated outside Allegheny County.

The bear seen along Alcoa Drive in Arnold was believed to have been a young one pushed out by its mother.