Erie and Crawford County Emergency Tests
Erie, Meadville – Residents of Erie County will hear sirens all across the county today as the Department of Public Safety runs its first quarterly disaster/storm test of 2025. The siren tests will start at noon in the Corry area and take place in 15-minute intervals across the county. Crawford County will run its annual Severe Weather exercise tomorrow; test alerts will be sent across the NOAA alert system, and all fire sirens across the county will sound at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning. Schools, healthcare facilities, and other organizations will test their emergency plans.
Easter Story Time at Franklin Library
Franklin – Join the Franklin Public Library at 3:30 on Thursday afternoon for Easter Story Time. Children of all ages are invited to participate in reading Easter themed stories, a sing-along, and birdhouse painting at the library. No registration is required, and all children of any age are welcome to join the fun. The Franklin Public Library is located at 421 12th Street in Franklin, 16323.
Work Continues on Interstates in Mercer County
Mercer – Drivers should be prepared for delays while traveling on Interstates 79 and 80 through Mercer County all throughout the spring and summer. PennDOT announced yesterday that contractors began maintenance work on all 26 miles of I-79 that will include both the north and southbound lanes from Crawford County to Lawrence County. Work also began on eastbound and westbound lanes on a nine-mile stretch of I-80 from the Venango County Line to the Butler County Line. The projects will end in August.
Man Charged for AI Child Sex Abuse Materials
Harrisburg – For the first time in the history of Pennsylvania, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced criminal charges against a man for the possession of AI-generated child pornography. 22-year-old Luke Teipel of Dallastown, York County, was charged with 33 counts of possession of child sexual abuse materials, including images created using AI. The charges are made possible by Pennsylvania’s Act 125 of 2024, which updated PA law, making it illegal to use AI renderings of intimate images of adults without that person’s consent, or of children at all.