Grove City Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a Pittsburgh man who failed to appear for a preliminary hearing in court. According to the department’s Facebook page a warrant has been issued for the arrest of 31-year-old Jason Koby III after he failed to appear in court for charges of Forgery, Fraud and Theft by Deception. Police say Koby was arrested in Grove City back in May of 2023 for his role in a bad check. Anyone with information on Koby’s whereabouts are asked to contact Grove City Police.
A New Castle woman was taken to the hospital following a motorcycle accident in North Beaver Township. State Police report 69 year old Lucinda McNary was traveling north on route 18 when she traveled off the roadway and struck a guardrail. McNary was taken to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Youngstown for treatment.
State nursing home owners want lawmakers to consider putting a provision in the state fiscal code to address changes in Medicaid reimbursement rates. Care advocates say the changes proposed by the state Department of Human services could affect whether some facilities stay open, so they want the rates frozen for a time. A spokesman for the Pennsylvania Health Care Association says there’s also a short time frame for lawmakers to address the reimbursement issue because a federal deadline is coming up for states to finalize their rates. The legislature is still working to complete the state budget package, including a bill to address fiscal codes.
Governor Josh Shapiro is furthering efforts to look into last weekend’s deadly house explosion in Plum. The governor has directed the state’s Department of Environmental Protection to investigate the incident. DEP officials are working to determine whether methane gas released by either natural gas drilling or mining could have had something to do with the incident. The State Fire Commissioner is also assisting the Allegheny County Fire Marshal in the investigation.
After two years of nonstop construction, the new wing of classrooms at Butler Senior High School is almost complete. Superintendent Brian White says the new wing has ten classrooms that will all be ready for the first day of school on August 29th. White says the only things left to do is to have concrete poured on the sidewalks and the bus loop, which should be completed by the first day of school as well.
Community members in Plum are working to support the families impacted by last weekend’s deadly house explosion. The Plum Mustangs Foundation, an organization that raises money to support the local school district, is now selling bracelets to help generate funds. Group president Danielle Bajus says nearly half of the initial run of the wristbands was sold through pre-orders. B3 Marketing has donated t-shirts that are being sold as part of the fundraiser as well.
GetGo stations are offering a discount of 50 cents per gallon on gasoline through this weekend. Company officials say the savings are meant to help lower the stress of returning to school for customers and families. The deal is good on all grades of fuel now through Sunday. Guests are required to use myPerks Pay Direct or AdvantagePay in order to get the discount.
Temporary lane restrictions are scheduled to take place along Interstate 80 this week in East Lackawannock Township, east of the Mercer exit, to allow for sweeping and line painting. PennDot announced starting today, work is scheduled to begin from mile marker 13 to mile marker 10 on I-80 westbound and from mile marker 10 to mile marker 15 on I-80 eastbound. PennDot urges motorists to slow down in work zones.
– Former Somerset County D.A. Jeffrey Thomas could spend the next seven years in prison after his conviction in a 2021 assault case. A Windber woman says that Thomas sexually assaulted her inside her home. Thomas was convicted in March on charges including indecent assault, strangulation and false imprisonment. He was sentenced yesterday to a term of 27 months to 84 months in prison.
Pennsylvania is getting a federal waiver to help ease a school bus driver shortage. Currently, the state Commercial Driver’s License test requires an “under the hood” component. It mandates that potential drivers be able to identify and describe 100 components of a vehicle. The waiver would let people have to identify only 90 parts and they’d also be allowed to have a checklist as a memory aid. Applicants would still need to do the other basic parts of the test, which include a pre-trip inspection and a basic control and road test. Officials say about 35-hundred school bus drivers are still needed for the upcoming school year. The waiver would be in effect through late November of next year.