School Closures and Delays Due to Cold
NWPA – The National Weather Service has issued a Cold Weather Advisory for all of Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, Southwest New York, and beyond.  The temperature at press time is 0 degrees Fahrenheit with a windchill value of 15 degrees below zero. At these temperatures, hypothermia is possible, and frostbite can happen on exposed skin in minutes. Many local schools have issued two-hour delays, others have decided to use flexible or online classes, and a few others have decided to close. Find a complete list of closings and delays at your favorite 7MM station’s website, or at Operation Weather Alert, and find details on weather and highway conditions at Operation Weather Alert on Facebook.

Gas Leak Closes Mall
Meadville – The Downtown Mall in Meadville was evacuated Monday morning after customers and businesses reported a strong gas smell. The Meadville Fire Department evacuated the building shortly before 9 a.m. and explored for leaks along with inspectors from National Fuel. The leak was traced to a food stand by the main entrance and quickly secured. The mall was reopened by the afternoon.

Stabbing Death in Venango County
Polk – A woman is dead after a stabbing in Venango County. 60-year-old Mary Gruphofer died after being attacked by another resident at Sugar Valley Lodge in Polk on Saturday. A 48-year-old woman named Dyan Diven has been arrested for stabbing her. Diven has been charged with criminal homicide and other crimes and is being held without bond in Venango County Jail. According to police, Mary was dead by the time they arrived on the scene. The investigation is still active.

Train Hits Pickup Truck
New Castle – Near New Castle, two people who were hit by a train while in a truck avoided serious injuries but suffered minor and moderate traumas. According to firefighters who responded to the scene, a pickup stalled on the railroad crossing around 3:15 p.m. Saturday afternoon and was struck by an incoming train on Covert Road in Lawrence County’s North Beaver Township. Both victims apparently only suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash. The names of the people involved were not revealed.