Authorities suspect alcohol use as a factor in a weekend fatal crash in Beaver County. Reports say that Michael Pucci of Sewickley was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-376 Friday night and struck two vehicles. No one in the first vehicle was hurt, but the driver of the second vehicle suffered serious injuries and a passenger was killed. Police took Pucci into custody at the scene of the accident.
After more than a month of gridlock, Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives is expected to get back to business today. The body was placed on recess in January after the two main political parties couldn’t agree on operating rules for the chamber due to a razor-thin majority. There’s been much finger-pointing ever since over who’s to blame for the standstill. The full state Senate won’t resume its session until next week.
State Police in Lawrence County are investigating a burglary in Washington Township. Police said the incident took place at Hillcrest Presbyterian Church on Perry Highway. Someone broke into an unattached shed and took several power equipment items. The investigation is ongoing.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan will be in East Palestine today. Joining Regan will be Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, along with several other local, state and federal leaders. Regan is expected to announce additional measures to aid in the community’s health and safety, and in holding Norfolk Southern accountable.
Some state lawmakers are expected to take part in a public hearing next week over the train derailment in Beaver County. They say they’re responding to area residents who have been sounding off about railroad company Norfolk Southern’s perceived apathy in the way it handled the train accident. Republican State Senator Doug Mastriano has scheduled a joint public hearing with the Senate Transportation Committee to scrutinize the derailment and the rail company’s response to it. The hearing is set for 10 a.m. Thursday at Community College of Beaver County.
Two Pennsylvania lawmakers say they want to introduce a bill as soon as possible to change the state driving age to 15-years-old. Currently, the legal age is 16. State representatives Stephen Kinsey from Philadelphia and Eric Nelson from Westmoreland County say no changes would be made to safety or training requirements that currently exist. Passenger limitations and night driving restrictions would still apply to new teenage drivers.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is continuing their efforts to repair Meridian Road in Butler County. A landslide has caused to road to need many repairs. PennDOT says they are looking into options to move the road completely to a new location into the hillside. They say there are many steps they still need to complete before construction can begin if they were to move the road.
Troy Rivetti, First Assistant to former United States Attorney to Cindy K. Chung, has been named Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. . Rivetti’s career in the Department of Justice has spanned more than 25 years. Most recently he served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney beginning in November 2021.
More than 300-thousand Starbucks vanilla Frappuccino drinks are being recalled. That’s according to the FDA, which says it’s because glass was found in some bottles. The agency says it’s a “Class Two” recall, which happens when a product causes temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences. The recall affects bottles with an expiration date of March 8th, May 29th, June 4th and June 10th of this year.
Three people were taken to the hospital following a two vehicle accident in Franklin Township. State Police in Butler County report 79 year old Terry Dambaugh of Slippery Rock was traveling north on County club Road when he failed to stop at the intersection of Unionville Road, and struck a vehicle operated by 26 year old Nathan Stiefel of Cranberry Township. Dambaugh along with a passenger in his vehicle and a passenger in the Stiefel vehicle were all taken to Butler Memorial Hospital for treatment.