September 13, 2022 3:05 am
PETERS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Residential development has been a heated topic of discussion recently in Peters Township. Several local residents have been critical of neighborhoods being developed in the township’s conservation residential overlay and mixed residential overlay districts. They are unhappy that homes are allowed to be built on lots that are less than one half acre in size. In its last meeting the Planning Commission recommended that council review the ordinance governing those developments with respect to lot size, location in the township and the exact properties that are allowed to be developed by this ordinance. The ordinance was created to allow for smaller lot sizes in exchange for undeveloped land in a development to be left as green space for public use. Township Manager Paul Lauer stated that staff will be reviewing lot dimension requirements and the appropriateness of the 20 plus possible land tracts that remain in those districts for their continued inclusion in the districts. Planning Director Ed Zuk cautioned council and residents letting them know that any current developments underway under the current ordinance would not be subject to any changes made to the ordinance in the future. Once the study is completed by the staff, the findings will be presented to both the Planning Commission and Council in a joint workshop.
September 12, 2022 4:14 pm
The Pennsylvania State Education Association visited Trinity High School to campaign against a proposed education plan put forth by candidate for governor State Senator Doug Mastriano. In a radio interview in March of this year Mastriano indicated that instead of funding students at $19,000 per student on average, his proposal would be to fund them at approximately $10,000 and eliminate all local property taxes. Aaron Chapin, Vice President of the PSEA says the group has been calling on Mastriano’s campaign to provide details of his plan but none have been sent. He calls the move disastrous for education because no matter what avenue parents would choose, public schools, private schools or cyber education, all programs would be hit with staff and support reductions of roughly 50% and education programs would be equally affected. According to a PSEA study, Mastriano’s proposal would cut state funding by $12.75 billion resulting in over 118,000 public school jobs lost. It would cause a 109% increase in the student teacher ratio. In the Trinity Area School District, approximately 35% of school funding would be lost amounting to $21.5 million dollars, 262 jobs and an increase in the student teacher ratio of 131%.
September 12, 2022 12:48 pm
Few details are being released by State Police regarding an arrest in connection with the theft of more than eleven-thousand-dollars worth of lottery tickets earlier this year. In a release, State Police say they have arrested a thirty-one-year-old Washington woman. The theft occurred in April at the Circle-K on Henderson Avenue in Canton Township. Troopers say the value of the stolen lottery tickets was more than eleven-thousand-dollars.
September 12, 2022 4:32 am
BOSTON (AP) – President Joe Biden is urging Americans to come together for a new “national purpose” – his administration’s effort to end cancer “as we know it.” At the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Biden on Monday channeled JFK’s famed moonshot speech 60 years ago, likening the space race to his own effort. Biden hopes to move the U.S. closer to the goal he set in February of cutting U.S. cancer fatalities by 50% over the next 25 years and to dramatically improve the lives of caregivers and those suffering from cancer. Experts say the objective is attainable – but with adequate investments.
September 12, 2022 4:30 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – A majority of adults in the U.S. say health care is not handled well in the country. That’s according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll reveals public satisfaction with the U.S. health care system is remarkably low, with fewer than half of Americans saying it’s handled well in general. Only 12% say it’s handled extremely or very well. Americans have similar views about health care for older adults. Overall, the public gives even lower marks for handling of prescription drug costs, the quality of care at nursing homes and mental health care.
September 12, 2022 4:28 am
EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) – King Charles III and his three siblings marched behind their mother’s coffin in a solemn procession along the Royal Mile in the historic heart of the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. A military bagpiper played the national anthem as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the royal standard, was carried from the Palace of Holyroodhouse and placed in a hearse. The king, dressed in an army uniform, and Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walked behind as the hearse rolled to St. Giles’ Cathedral. The hearse was flanked by a bearer party of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and a detachment of The King’s Body Guard in Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers.
September 12, 2022 4:26 am
KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP) – Ukraine has kept the counteroffensive momentum in its war against Russia going. It says it liberated one village after another amid a claim that in one region it had pushed the invaders back right up to the borders they came from. Kyiv authorities said that electric power and water supplies have been restored to some 80 percent in the embattled Kharkiv region after Sunday’s attacks by Russia on power stations and other infrastructure that knocked out electricity in many place across Ukraine. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that its troops had liberated more than 20 settlements within the last day.
September 12, 2022 4:25 am
DONEGAL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — (WPXI) – Crews battled a fire early Sunday morning at an historic restaurant in Donegal. According to Ligonier Volunteer Hose Company #1 on Facebook, 14 fire companies were called out to the Tall Cedars Restaurant at 108 Main Street around 4 a.m. for a working structure fire. Darlington Volunteer Fire Company – Station 42 on Facebook also said companies from Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties responded to the fire. The scene was cleared around 9 a.m., according to Darlington Volunteer Fire Company – Station 42.
September 12, 2022 4:21 am
SLIPPERY ROCK TOWNSHIP, Pa. — (WPXI) – Two people are dead after a vehicle versus motorcycle crash in Butler County, state police say. Troopers responded to Branchton Road and Route 8 in Slippery Rock Township at around 4 p.m. Friday for reports of a motorcycle and vehicle crash. 68-year-old Gary Redmond from Franklin and 51-year-old Jeannie Summers were both on the motorcycle during the crash and later died from their injuries. Authorities believe the driver of the vehicle did not yield as they were making a left turn onto Route 8 and collided with the motorcycle.
September 12, 2022 1:30 am
Governor Tom Wolf announced his $21.5 million plan to provide universal free school breakfast for 1.7 million students across Pennsylvania this year. The Universal Free Breakfast Program will go into effect on October 1, 2022 and run through the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Students enrolled in public schools, intermediate units, charter schools, career and technology schools and child care institutions that participate in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs will benefit from the state funded program.
