One person died following a crash in Ellwood City on Sunday. According to the Ellwood City Ledger, 76 year old David Haswell of Ellport, crashed his pickup into the underpass of the train bridge at the intersection of Fifth Street and Beaver Avenue. An investigation following the incident has led investigators to believe he may have suffered a heart attack before losing control of the vehicle. Authorities continue to investigate the crash.
A Butler man faces 8 years in prison following his convictions on drug and gun crimes. 38 year old Joshua McKenzie was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after serving his sentence. Acting U.S. Attorney Tony Rivetti said McKenzie was convicted on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges stem from an investigation in March of 2020.
Attorneys for accused Tree of Life mass shooter Robert Bowers were rebuffed Tuesday in their efforts to have the death penalty removed from consideration if their client is eventually convicted. Bowers is accused of killing eleven people in an attack on the Squirrel Hill synagogue in October of 2018 and jury selection in the case is now in its second week. Bowers’ lawyers say that the death penalty is applied arbitrarily and is sought in some cases but not in others. U.S. District Judge Robert Colville says that Bowers’ attorneys failed to prove their point.
A Butler County couple escaped injury Monday afternoon when an unoccupied municipal truck crashed through the front wall of their home. Cranberry Township officials have not yet provided an explanation for the accident. Repairs are already underway with the victims being advised that the project could take many months to complete.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) has begun building the final phase of its all-electronic tolling implementation on Tuesday. Work is currently underway to relocate tolling points in eastern PA from their current interchange locations. New highway-speed collection points are being built along the roadways between interchanges using a technique called Open Road Tolling (ORT). PA Turnpike CEO, Mike Compton describes ORT as a safer, more convenient way for customers to travel.
State Police in Butler County report a two vehicle accident in Prospect. According to police 33 year old Kyra Dillingham of Renfrew failed to stop at the intersection of routes 488 and 528 and struck a SUV operated by 45 year old Heather Manning of Union City Ohio. Both drivers and a passenger in the Dillingham vehicle all suffered minor injuries.
A state lawmaker says he’ll introduce legislation to eliminate the state’s personal income tax. State Senator Greg Rothman says that the particular tax has caused college graduates and businesses to move out of Pennsylvania to go to states with a lower cost of living. In a memo to lawmakers, Rothman stated that eliminating the state’s three-point-oh-seven percent personal income tax would send a message that Pennsylvania is serious about job creation, growth, and keeping money in the pockets of working people. U.S. Census Bureau data reflects that Pennsylvania’s population has declined in recent years.
A new study on train derailments brings a different perspective to the issue in Western Pennsylvania. The report from the study reveals where these incidents happen and what they threaten. The researchers gathered data from the Federal Railroad Administration and plotted all rail accidents in the region. Their results showed 211 of the 270 accidents occurred within 300 yards of a major river. While not all accidents were hazardous, 22 percent of all accidents in the region between 2011-2021 involved trains with some HAZMAT cargo.
Giant Eagle is setting prices on hundreds of items, eliminating any possible increases over the summer months. The grocery retailer is implementing their “price lock” plan on Thursday, keeping costs the same on eight-hundred specific products through August. Corporate leaders, including interim CEO Bill Artman, are hoping the effort will help keep customers from “shopping around” to find deals. A company spokesperson says the approach could be extended to different products during the fall season depending on results.