Wanted: Alexander Minnich
Grove City – At press time, authorities are still searching for Alex Minnich of New Castle, wanted for allegedly shooting his roommate on the front lawn of their shared home on Easter Sunday. The roommate told police that he and the 29-year-old were arguing when Minnich retrieved a rifle; the victim fled into the front yard and was shot there. New Castle PD’s CIRT team entered the home, but Minnich was nowhere to be found. He is a white male with brown hair and brown eyes; no height or weight information is available. Anyone with information should call 9-1-1 or the New Castle Police Department at (724)656-9300.

Kayaker’s Remains Found, Identified
Tidioute – The remains of a man who went missing while kayaking on the Allegheny River in January were recovered and identified last week. Jeremiah Smith of Lakeview, South Dakota, has been missing since he attempted to kayak on the river near Tidioute in Warren County on January 28th. His body was discovered five miles south of Tidioute Bridge by a homeowner clearing brush by the riverside. After being positively identified, his remains have been returned to his family for a funeral.

Decision Delayed on Penn State Campus Closings
State College – Penn State University has moved up its timeline for when decisions will be made about the closures of some satellite campuses around the state. In February, the University announced that due to declining enrollment, it would be closing some of its satellite campuses located around the state; on the proverbial chopping block are about a dozen campuses, including Shenango, Beaver, and Dubois. A decision was supposed to be announced before commencement, but has been delayed until mid-May.

Flags at Half Staff
Harrisburg – Flags on all Commonwealth of Pennsylvania buildings and offices are being flown at half staff to honor the memory of Pope Francis. The order signed by Governor Josh Shapiro says flags will remain at half staff until the Pope is interred. Shapiro made a statement on social media about the Pope, saying Pope Francis “… was the first of his position to finally acknowledge the suffering of survivors who have too long been ignored. He leaves a legacy of being a fighter for the defenseless,” and added it was a teaching we could all learn from. 

Superload Delayed Traffic Thursday
NWPA – A superload made its way across western Pennsylvania on Thursday, disrupting traffic and causing delays in our region, particularly in Butler, Clarion, and Mercer Counties. A 150-ton steel cone, 28 feet in diameter, carried by a 136-foot-long semi, departed from Braddock and traveled towards Ohio along Interstate 80 after making its way along state highways to Brookville in Jefferson County. It traveled with an escort using both highway lanes on I-80 west and moving at only about 25 miles per hour as it passed through.

Road Use Tax Changes
Harrisburg – Starting on May 1st, drivers of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles will begin paying a road use tax when they update their registrations. Road use taxes have previously been included in yearly tax filings, but are now due during registration. Road use taxes start at $200 and will be attached to the consumer price index – drivers of purely electric cars will be required to pay the full cost, while hybrid vehicles will pay 25% of the cost. Drivers of traditional combustion engines already pay road use taxes every time they fill up their gas tanks.

Easter Egg Drop
Grove City – Keystone Safari near Grove City held its annual Easter Egg Drop Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Easter Bunny flew over the safari park’s grounds and airdropped 3,000 easter eggs into the front lawn for guests and visitors to find. The event was free to attend, but anyone was welcome to also pay for admittance into the park for a variety of activities, including bottle feeding and talks by the animal handlers. Keystone Safari began its summer hours on Monday.

One Killed in Mobile Home Fire
Milcreek – Erie County authorities report that a 79-year-old woman was killed in an Easter Sunday fire. At press time, the identity of the victim has not been publicly released, but what we do know is that multiple fire departments responded to a mobile home fire in Millcreek Township at around 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon. The fire spread to a neighboring residence and caused significant damage to it as well. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. Two other residents of the same mobile home park were killed by a fire last month.

Voter Registration Deadline Looms
Harrisburg – Pennsylvania residents who have changed address since the last election, recently turned 18, just moved into the state, or are not registered to vote but wish to, have just two weeks from Monday to register ahead of the 2025 primary elections on March 20th. The registration deadline is Monday, May 5th. You can find more information and register at your county’s voter services office or online at PAVoterServices.PA.gov.