Petersburg installs new welcome signs to celebrate anniversary of town's founding

 Posted on June 3, 2024  |  1 minutes  |  93 words  |  Merlyn Hunt

HUNTINGDON CO, Pa (WJAC) — There are new welcome signs in Petersburg, Huntingdon County, that were put up by volunteers over the weekend. One sign is located on the north side of town, just south of the Juniata Valley Center, while the other one can be found on the west end of town by the Shavers Creek Bridge. The signs are in memory of two Juniata Valley area educators, with roots in Petersburg Borough, Sara Kocher-LaPorte and James Davis. [Read More]

Ex-Boggs Township employee files whistleblower lawsuit over firing

 Posted on June 2, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  238 words  |  Merlyn Hunt

BOGGS TOWNSHIP - A former Boggs Township employee in Clearfield County has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the township and two of its supervisors, claiming she was fired for reporting misconduct by one of the supervisors. Denise Dobo and her attorney filed the suit Jan. 22, a couple weeks after supervisors Rickey Droll Jr. and Russell Jackson terminated her employment as the township secretary and treasurer. Dobo said in the suit that she was fired because she reported to fellow supervisor Bill Dickson, the township solicitor and the state ethics commission that she believed Droll misused township funds by using them to buy car parts at a Napa store. [Read More]

Grampian man killed, passenger injured following high-speed chase in Clearfield Co.

 Posted on June 2, 2024  |  1 minutes  |  119 words  |  Brenda Moya

Clearfield Co., PA (WJAC) — State police in Clearfield County say a Grampian man was killed over the weekend following a high-speed chase in Penn Township. Troopers say on Saturday, around 11:30 p.m., police attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a black SUV in the area of Windy Hill Road. Investigators say the driver, later identified as 38-year-old Matthew Chelgren, reportedly failed to stop and fled police at a high rate of speed. [Read More]

Local power lifting champion opens a female-only gym

 Posted on June 2, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  242 words  |  Merlyn Hunt

A local high-school grad is transforming the world of powerlifting into a safe-space for women. Jamie Augustine is only 18 years old but already a world powerlifting champion and more recently a gym-owner. She opened NaturalFit LLC just 7 weeks ago and is already seeing success due to her unique business model. Her mission is to create an environment that focuses on establishing a supportive community of women that help each other reach their fitness goals. [Read More]

Man acquitted of rape and other charges

 Posted on June 2, 2024  |  1 minutes  |  106 words  |  Brenda Moya

CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa — A Cambria County man was acquitted of all charges in a Jackson Township rape case. David Dernar, was accused of forcible rape, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault and sexual assault, according to online court documents. The District Attorney’s office confirmed Dernar was found not guilty on all charges on Tuesday. Police say in April of 2004, Dernar, who was 34 at the time, allegedly assaulted a 16-year-old girl at a home along Trout Street in Jackson Township. [Read More]

MI mother accused of murdering 8-year-old daughter; blames death on 'spirits'

 Posted on June 2, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  329 words  |  Merlyn Hunt

Wayne, Michigan — A woman in Wayne, Michigan has been arrested in the murder and assault of her 8-year-old daughter. Authorities say the woman allegedly blamed the girl's death on a bad spirit in her house. Authorities say the child was found unresponsive in a bedroom and her injuries made the child unrecognizable. "The sheer brutality that innocent Lyla suffered is really like nothing I’ve seen in my five years of handling child abuse cases,” said prosecutor Erin Wilmoth. [Read More]

2 more arrests announced in shooting that killed a Philadelphia police officer and wounded a second

 Posted on June 1, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  320 words  |  Christie Applegate

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Two additional suspects have been arrested in connection with an airport parking garage shooting that killed a Philadelphia police officer and wounded another, authorities announced Wednesday. Alexander Batista-Polanco, 21, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Hendrick Peña-Fernandez, 21, of Pennsauken, New Jersey, were arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, First Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said at a news conference. Police on Monday had said at least two other suspects were being sought as they announced the arrest of Yobranny Martinez Fernandez, 18, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. [Read More]

For 2nd straight night, Howard University parents left in tears over missing graduation

 Posted on June 1, 2024  |  5 minutes  |  874 words  |  Delta Gatti

WASHINGTON (WJLA) — Howard University in D.C. rescheduled the graduation ceremony for its nursing school after a chaotic scene erupted on Thursday. A large crowd drew to watch the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences students graduate, but the crowd grew upset and chanted “Let us in” when they were denied entrance to the building. Posts on social media show crying graduates and angry relatives and friends. Inside the ceremony, the Dean of the Nursing School at one point said, “Because of the size of the room and because our relatives sometimes do not know how to act, the fire department is now here to shut us down. [Read More]

Full-time charter flights coming for WNBA teams this season, commissioner says

 Posted on June 1, 2024  |  4 minutes  |  747 words  |  Barrett Giampaolo

The WNBA plans to commit $50 million over the next two years to provide full-time charter flight service for its teams during the season, the league's commissioner announced Tuesday in a move that addresses years of player safety concerns. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a meeting with sports editors that the league will launch a charter program “as soon as we can get planes in places.” She said it's projected to cost around $25 million per year for the next two seasons. [Read More]

JHA to stop accepting new section 8 housing applications

 Posted on June 1, 2024  |  1 minutes  |  210 words  |  Delta Gatti

JOHNSTOWN — The Johnstown Housing Authority has decided to stop accepting new applications to the Housing Choice Voucher Program after the average time spent on the waiting list soared to as long as 14 months. More than a thousand people currently on the waiting list will keep their spot, but no one new will be able to apply for an unspecified amount of time. The Section 8 program, different from public housing like Solomon or Oakhurst Homes, allows very low income families to apply for a voucher that they can apply to their rent with any landlord approved by the housing authority. [Read More]