State Police in Beaver County are investigating a burglary from early Friday morning. Police said the theft occurred at Georgetown Sand and Gravel where around one thousand dollars of cash was stolen along with two 500 gallon fuel tanks and heavy equipment. Anyone with information concerning the burglary is asked to contact PSP Beaver.
Police in Butler County have arrested a man on homicide charges. 23 year old Dakota Hughes has been charged with criminal homicide in the shooting death of 28 year old Seth Thomas Gooden Smith of Polk. The shooting occurred Thursday night in Eau Claire. Hughes is in the Butler County Jail being held without bond.
An Ohio man faces a number of charges following a one vehicle accident in Butler County. State Police report 37 year old Gregory Boone of Bedford Heights, lost control of his vehicle on West Sunbury Road casuing the vehicle to overturn and strike several trees. Boone was charged with driving under the influence along with a firearms violation. He was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital for treatment.
U.S. attorneys are asking the judge in the Tree of Life shooting case to grant them permission to conduct a psychiatric evaluation for suspect Robert Bowers. Federal prosecutors filed a motion last Friday requesting that a psychiatrist, neuropsychologist, and neurologist be granted access to Bowers ahead of the trial. Potential jurors are due to meet with court officials starting today to fill out questionnaires that will be used to help determine who ultimately sits on the panel. Official jury selection is slated to begin April 24th.
Josh Shapiro is set to present his first budget as governor to the state legislature Tuesday. One of the items he’s expected to focus on is a 25-hundred-dollar tax credit to attract new critical workers to the state including teachers, nurses and police officers. The governor also shared last week that other proposals will include a 50-percent increase in funding for the Manufacturing P-A Innovation Program and a 25-percent increase for computer science and STEM education.
Ellwood City Mayor Tony Court is urging folks to slow down going through the Boro. According to the Ellwood City Ledger Court said Friday he has made Ellwood City Police Department officers aware of the situation and the speeding will not be tolerated. He encouraged the public to follow the speed limits as speed traps will be conducted in the very near future.
Six state House Democrats say they plan to introduce a bill that would allow people with terminal illnesses to end their lives peacefully and on their own terms. However, it would forbid patients from requesting the service for non-terminal mental health, physical, or socio-economic issues. The lawmakers say ten states and Washington D.C. already have so-called “death with dignity” laws.
Officials at the University of Pennsylvania say tuition will see a four percent hike for the 2023-24 academic year. The increase, approved by Penn’s board of trustees last Thursday, will bring undergraduate tuition to just over 58-thousand-dollars or a total of almost 85-thousand with room, dining and fees included. Penn says the increase is due to inflation, especially for faculty and staff salaries.
One person was flown to a hospital following an accident in Muddy Creek Township. Authorities in Butler County report the accident took place on route 422. One person was flown to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment. The accident shut down a portion of the roadway for several hours.