Today is primary election day in Pennsylvania. Polls will open at 7am and remain open until 8pm. In Lawrence County voters will be selecting candidates for county commissioner, treasurer and row offices. All voters in today’s primary can vote for candidates for their respective school boards.
The New Castle News is report a woman was taken to the hospital following a shooting Saturday night at an after-hours club. Police said a 27-year-old South Side woman suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Police received a call she was at UPMC Jameson Hospital. She was then transported to a Pittsburgh Hospital. The investigation is ongoing.
State police are investigating after a woman stabbed a man in his neck while he was allegedly holding her against her will in a Butler motel room. Police were called to a Motel in Franklin Township early Saturday morning where they found 50-year-old Robert Miller sitting on a bench bleeding from the right side of his neck. After an initial investigation, police believe the woman stabbed Miller to preserve her life while she was being held against her will. Miller was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries and is facing multiple charges including false imprisonment, terroristic threats and simple assault. The woman has not had any charges filed against her.
Authorities in Sharon say a driver on Saturday intentionally hit a woman who was in a motorized wheelchair. The victim was on a Quinby Street sidewalk when she was struck by the motorist who police describe as having been under the influence and driving without a valid license. There has been no word on the victim’s condition. The driver was taken into custody following the crash.
A measure has been sent to the full state Senate for a vote would expand ready-to-drink cocktail sales in Pennsylvania. It’s sponsored by Republican lawmaker Senator Mike Regan of York. It would let the ready-to-drink products, commonly known as canned cocktails, be sold at places outside of state stores such as grocery and convenience stores and local bars. People who worry that such sales would cut into state revenue are opposed to the proposed changes as is the union that represents workers at Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board stores.
Fire broke out at a home in Wilmington Township Monday morning. WFMJ-TV reports flames broke out at a home on the 4300 block of Route 208 in Wilmington Township shortly before 5:30 a.m. Firefighters from other surrounding communities were dispatched to the property about 1 mile east of the borough. Flames were through the roof of the home. No injuries were reported and a cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Gas prices are four cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.73 per gallon, according to Triple-A East Central’s Gas Price Report. In New Castle the average price is 3.61 and in Sharon the price is 3.62 a gallon. The national average for a gallon of gas remained steady over this past week at $3.53. Even though demand for gasoline is higher, the lower cost of crude oil is limiting gas price increases. The national average is 13 cents less than a month ago and 97 cents less than a year ago.
Pennsylvania school districts can now apply for federal funding to get new buses that run on cleaner fuel sources. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program has some 400-million-dollars available in grant money to speed up the replacement of current buses with clean and Zero Emissions ones. The money can be used for with electric, propane, or compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses, as well as to install or equip supporting systems for electric vehicles. More than 100 electric buses are already being used in the state by 11 school districts.
A Saegertown woman was taken to the hospital following a one vehicle accident in Jackson Township. State Police report 55 year old Brenda Lewis was southbound on Interstate 79 when she traveled off the roadway and struck a guard rail. Lewis was taken to the Allegheny Health Network in Grove City for treatment.
A new report shows that tourism in Pennsylvania is bouncing back from the COVID epidemic in 2021 but has not yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels. The state Department of Community and Economic Development’s annual tourism report shows that Pennsylvania had nearly 180-million visitors in 2021 who spent 38-billion-dollars. The number of tourists was up more than 28-million compared to 2020. State officials say tourism is a significant economic driver in Pennsylvania and helps to fund transportation, infrastructure, education and public safety programs.