Rising costs, mental health among top challenges in Pa. schools, report finds
South Connellsville Volunteer Fire Company will remain the designated fire department for South Connellsville Borough after Mayor Chris Wiltrout vetoed a motion to transfer the designation to Connellsville Township Volunteer Fire Company. Borough council members had voted on Monday to switch the official first responder designation to the township department after a breakdown of communication and allegations of financial impropriety at the borough fire department. Wiltrout vetoed the request on Tuesday. According to a release posted to the borough鈥檚 Facebook page on Monday, 鈥渂asic requests for information on training, background checks, financial solvency and ISO ratings went ...
The former director of a local youth football league will head to trial on charges that alleged he embezzled about $235,000 from the organization. Charges against 57-year-old William Spencer were held for the Washington County Court of Common Pleas on Wednesday. He had been scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing that morning. Spencer, of Canton Township, resigned from his role leading the Western Pennsylvania Youth Football League last March after the league鈥檚 members became concerned about the organization鈥檚 finances and lack of a payment to its insurance provider. According to charging documents, investigators from the state attorney general鈥檚 office found 187 ...
A state Department of Corrections employee is accused of coercing a Fayette County prison inmate into sexual acts. Court paperwork stated Elise Fahringer, 37, admitted she had a physical relationship with the inmate in July and August of 2025 while counseling him as a psychological service specialist at the State Correctional Institution at Fayette in Luzerne Township. The inmate, now at SCI-Smithfield in Huntingdon County, said he felt pressured into participating in the sexual acts out of fear that Fahringer would accuse him of sexual assault, according to the criminal complaint. Fahringer also told the inmate she could have his upcoming parole release denied by telling the parole ...
Franklin Elementary School will not close at the end of the year. Uniontown Area School District Board President Don Rugola said at Monday鈥檚 work session the board would need to deliberate more about consolidating district facilities before making a final decision. A final vote on closing the school had been set for March 23. 鈥淲e understand what this means to the community and to the students, staff and everyone else that's part of it, and we believe that there is more that needs to be done and taken into consideration before any actions are taken,鈥� he said. The board has been evaluating potential school closures and consolidation in response to maintenance costs and dwindling ...
Fayette County鈥檚 prosecutor is taking the death penalty off the table for a Springhill Township woman accused of killing her toddler son nearly two years ago. District Attorney Michael Aubele filed paperwork March 4 removing the aggravating factors against Brianna Bloyer in the Aug. 19, 2024 ...
McMURRAY 鈥� One of Jefferson-Morgan鈥檚 finest boys basketball seasons came to a close in the second round of the PIAA Class 2A tournament Wednesday night. The Rockets were trying to become the first team in program history to win two state playoff games but WPIAL runner-up Jeannette made ...
Belle Vernon coach Cornelious Nesbit scouted Blackhawk's girls basketball team and came up with a game plan for their PIAA Class 4A second-round playoff game on Wednesday night. What he didn't foresee was Lady Cougars' senior Grace Huston shooting the lights out. Huston poured in 21 ...
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- It was another short stay in the Big 12 tournament for West Virginia. For WVU head coach Ross Hodge, his first game inside the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. will be one he may never discuss again. Ugly play, ugly offense, poor free-throw shooting and a ...
Cheers: We鈥檙e in the home stretch of the TikTok成人版鈥檚 annual Give-A-Christmas campaign to support the Salvation Army service centers in Fayette County. It鈥檚 not too late to contribute to help us meet our $10,000 goal. All donations remain in the local area to help fund the ...
After our winter of 2025-26, spring pursuits are on the minds of most western Pennsylvanians. For some that means gardening; it鈥檚 hiking for others, or even the simple pleasure of mowing the lawn. But when many in this region think toward spring, they fantasize about fishing for trout. To ...
