'Sorry to the people and family I hurt,' man says ahead of execution for murder of 6-year-old girl

 Posted on April 16, 2024  |  4 minutes  |  764 words  |  Delta Gatti

BONNE TERRE, Mo. (AP) — A man who abducted a 6-year-old Missouri girl and beat her to death at an abandoned factory decades ago was put to death Tuesday evening, shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request to block the lethal injection over arguments he was mentally incompetent. Johnny Johnson, 45, received a a lethal dose of pentobarbital at a state prison in Bonne Terre and was pronounced dead at 6:33 p. [Read More]

Inmate at SCI Smithfield charged in murder-for-hire plot of mother's husband

 Posted on April 16, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  337 words  |  Delta Gatti

Huntingdon Co., PA (WJAC) — Authorities say an inmate at SCI Smithfield is facing new charges after being accused of attempting to orchestrate the murder of his mother's new husband. Investigators say in May, troopers learned of an alleged murder-for-hire plot after reviewing letters that had been sent by 36-year-old Sean (Ceyon) Cuffy Jr. According to the affidavit, Cuffy had allegedly sent the letters to a woman, and had asked her to contact a man who goes by the name " [Read More]

Johnstown ranks at 49th for population decline in the country

 Posted on April 16, 2024  |  1 minutes  |  90 words  |  Delta Gatti

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - According to a report in USA Today, Johnstown is the 49th most common city where people are leaving. The report by 24/7 Wall Street was based on population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program. According to the figures, between 2010 and 2017 the city lost 7,070 people due to migration, a 7.4% decrease. The numbers also show there have been more deaths (13,203) than births (9,624) in that time period. [Read More]

Local constable accused of 'impersonating public servant,' illegally removing farm animal

 Posted on April 16, 2024  |  1 minutes  |  154 words  |  Brenda Moya

SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa (WJAC) — State police in Somerset County say a Meyersdale man is facing charges, accused of "impersonating a public servant" and "illegally removing an animal" from a local farm. Investigators say on April 6th, troopers were dispatched to a farm along Greenville Road, in Greenville Township, for reports of a dispute over a farm animal. Police say 60-year-old George Porter allegedly stole a Mouflon Ram from the victim's farm. [Read More]

Rockhill Trolley Museum hosts Johnstown Car Weekend

 Posted on April 16, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  409 words  |  Barrett Giampaolo

ROCKHILL FURNANCE -- Street rail car enthusiasts, especially those from Johnstown, are in for a treat this weekend. The Rockhill Trolley Museum in Huntingdon County will hold Johnstown Car Weekend Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. featuring Johnstown Traction Co. cars 311 and 355. "We didn't worry too much about transportation from cars because street cars were the way of life in Johnstown in that time period, said Bud Blair, a Johnstown native and Penelec retiree. [Read More]

Somerset County man dies after accident at local business

 Posted on April 16, 2024  |  1 minutes  |  73 words  |  Delta Gatti

STOYSTOWN – A Somerset County man was fatally injured Saturday while trying to dismantle a car trailer at a local business, authorities said. Somerset County Coroner Wallace Miller said 55-year-old George Swauger was trying to dismantle a trailer at Stoystown Auto Wreckers just after 10 a.m. Miller said Swauger was cutting away one of the support beams when a ramp came down and hit him. Swauger was pronounced dead at 11:45 a. [Read More]

Democrat Timika Lane wins court seat, as Pennsylvania Democrats sweep 4 statewide judicial races

 Posted on April 15, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  250 words  |  Brenda Moya

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrat Timika Lane won a seat on a statewide appellate court in Pennsylvania, giving Democrats a sweep of four statewide judicial races in Tuesday's election, including an open seat on the state's highest court. Vote-counting continued into Wednesday and put Lane, a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge, over the top in her race for a seat on the state Superior Court. Democrat Dan McCaffery was victorious in the race for state Supreme Court, preserving a strong Democratic majority on a panel that has produced several critical election-related rulings in the presidential battleground state. [Read More]

Judge sentences former Woodward gymnastics coach to max of 5 years in prison

 Posted on April 15, 2024  |  1 minutes  |  162 words  |  Merlyn Hunt

Centre Co., PA (WJAC) — Authorities with the Centre County District Attorney's office confirmed to 6 News that a former Woodward sports camp coach, who was convicted of inappropriately touching a teenage gymnast, has been sentenced. On Tuesday, a judge sentenced Nathaniel Singer to serve 2-and-a-half to five years in state prison, followed by three years of probation. Officials say he must also register as a lifetime sex offender. Earlier this year, Singer was convicted on multiple charges after being accused of groping a 13-year-old girl, in 2019, while serving as a gymnastics coach for the camp. [Read More]

Last lunar eclipse until 2025 happening Tuesday

 Posted on April 15, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  269 words  |  Barrett Giampaolo

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WWMT) — Stargazers can catch the moon red-handed dark and early Tuesday, Nov. 8. That's when Earth gets in the middle of the Sun and the moon, casting a shadow that earthlings see as a total lunar eclipse, or "blood moon." Election Day on Tuesday will be one for the record books. According to data scientist Tony Rice, this is the first total lunar eclipse to occur on Election Day as we know it; something that won't happen again until 2394, WJLA reported. [Read More]

Local VA hospital restricts access,

 Posted on April 15, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  418 words  |  Brenda Moya

ALTOONA, Pa. (WJAC) -- Representatives from the James E. Van Zandt Medical Center say they are screening for COVID-19 before visitors and patients even leave their cars. They say it’s especially important, considering the population they serve. But the new practice leaves some hospital employees out in the cold. “About 50 - 55% of our total patients are above the age of 55,” said Shaun Shenk, chief of stakeholder relations at the Veterans Affairs hospital. [Read More]