Man Dies while Cycling
Franklin – An investigation into a bicycle crash that may have killed a 37-year-old man is underway. At 1:15 AM Sunday morning a 9-1-1 call was placed about a man named Christopher Smith who was unresponsive and not breathing after crashing his bicycle on a private road in Venango County. EMTs arrived to render aid but were unable to revive him and he was declared dead at the scene by County Coroner Christina Rugh. The crash is under investigation, but authorities currently list the death as accidental. Christopher Smith was a resident of Worthington in Armstrong County.

Tree of Life Shooter Trial Enters Second Day
Pittsburgh – The trial of Robert Bowers, the alleged shooter at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue began yesterday. Attorneys for Bowers are attempting to provide a defense that Bowers is mentally ill and do not dispute that he committed the crime. Federal prosecutors are seeking the death sentence. Rabbi Jeffery Myers, who made the first 9-1-1 call on the day of the shooting testified for most of the first day, giving testimony about the shooting, the call, the synagogue, and some Jewish history. Bowers entered the building with three handguns and started a shooting spree that killed 11 members of the synagogue and injured six others in October of 2018.

Motorcycle Crash Kills Two
Newcastle – Both members of a Newcastle couple are dead after a tragic motorcycle accident over Memorial Day Weekend. According to crash scene investigators, emergency services arrived at the scene of a crashed Harley Davidson motorcycle on New Castle Mercer Road in Mercer County shortly after 6:30 in the evening on Saturday to find both riders unresponsive. Dennis (71), and Eliza (69) Kennedy had both been severely injured when they lost control of the bike on the gravel shoulder of the road while making a right turn and had fallen into the roadway. Dennis was medevaced by helicopter to St. Elizabeth Hospital, but Eliza was declared dead at the scene; her husband expired from his injuries on Sunday morning.

PennDOT Work Schedules
Oil City – Property owners that fill out an M-666 form may be able to receive leftover fill dirt from nearby PennDOT work sites at no cost. The work schedule for the week of May 30th to June 2nd can be found by visiting the Maintenance and Traffic Headlines tab at PennDOT.gov/District1.