March 24, 2009 11:27 pm
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BEAVERDALE – Fire late Monday destroyed a trailer home in the 700 block of Stewart Street, leaving two brothers homeless.
Justin and Jason Reighard and Haley Sabo, who was staying there, escaped the flames without injury, said fire Chief George Fedore of Summerhill Township.
The fire was reported to Cambria 911 at 11:15 p.m. by another brother who lives next door.
The cause of the fire does not appear to be suspicious, but a state police fire marshal will be asked to investigate, Fedore said. The blaze apparently started near a wood burner inside the trailer, he said.
Damage to the trailer and its contents was estimated at $15,000. Fedore said he was unsure whether Deborah Rei-ghard, the mother of the brothers and owner of the property, has insurance to cover the loss.
Volunteer firefighters from Summerhill Township, St. Michael, South Fork and Dunlo companies responded.
Variety of complaints clogs Memorial ER
A “perfect storm” of medical needs inundated Memorial Medical Center’s emergency department Monday evening.
Patients with a variety of complaints happened to seek treatment in the emergency room during the same period.
There was no overriding condition or disease behind the surge, the hospital reported.
The situation prompted hospital leaders to issue a Condition Red, advising ambulances and emergency medical responders that waiting time would be increased, emergency department Chairman Dr. Daniel Wehner said.
Patients were given the option of diverting to emergency rooms at Windber Medical Center or Somerset Hospital, but no patients were turned away at Memorial.
“Traumas and other emergencies like chest pain are evaluated immediately,” the hospital said in a statement.
Stuck car caused brush fire, chief says
Firefighters battled a brush fire that was started when a vehicle traveling through woods in Lower Yoder Township caught fire Tuesday evening.
Firefighters confined the fire to one acre, said Lower Yoder fire Chief Russell Keen.
A sport utility vehicle was traveling on a dirt road about four miles off St. Clair Road when it became stuck on the side of the road and started to burn, Keen said. The vehicle was destroyed, he said.
Also responding were volunteers from West Hills, Westwood, Middle Taylor, West Taylor and Southmont.
Police investigating latest arson suspect
PHILADELPHIA – Investigators are trying to determine if a firefighter charged with two arsons in a fire-plagued Chester County town could be responsible for other blazes.
Thirty-seven-year-old Robert Tracey Jr. was charged Monday with lighting two small trash fires in Coatesville last week.
Authorities say he was a firefighter in the town of 11,000, which has had nearly two dozen arsons so far this year.
Investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives say they are still searching for a possible motive.
Special agent Tom Stankie-wicz says the agency is looking for any possible links between Tracey and other unsolved fires.
A message left for an attorney who has represented Tracey was not immediately returned.
Police have made about a half dozen arrests in connection with the fires.
County to appeal ruling on sex offender residency
PITTSBURGH – A federal court ruling that struck down restrictions on where registered sex offenders may live in the Pittsburgh area is being appealed.
Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato said Tuesday that the county will appeal U.S. District Judge Gary Lancaster’s ruling, which was issued Friday.
The judge says the ordinance conflicts with state laws meant to help rehabilitate sex offenders.
The ordinance aims to ban sex offenders from living within 2,500 feet of schools, licensed child-care facilities, community centers and public parks. The American Civil Liberties Union says that would mean offenders would have virtually no place to live in the county.
The county councilman who introduced the bill says it’s on solid legal ground.
Gas-well company says township targeting it
AVELLA – A natural gas drilling company says in a federal lawsuit that a southwestern Pennsylvania township is unfairly targeting it with ordinances and permit fees.
Range Resources-Appalachia LLC of Canonsburg says three ordinances passed last year illegally limit its rights to develop gas leases in Blaine Township, Washington County. The company wants an injunction and damages.
The township hasn’t responded to the lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Seminar will focus on child-death cases
Investigations into child deaths will be the focus of the annual spring law-enforcement seminar sponsored by Cambria County Coroner Dennis Kwiatkowski in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.
It will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday at the Central Park Complex in downtown Johnstown. Coroners from throughout the area as well as law-enforcement investigators, child-care professionals and others are expected to attend, Kwiatkowski said.
The main speaker will be Brian Killacky, an investigator with the cold-case murder unit in the states attorney office of Cook County, Ill., for 10 years.
His teams have successfully investigated complex cases including serial and mass murders, child homicides, gang-related killings and murders for hire.
Dinner, auction to aid youth organization
The Boys & Girls Club of Somerset County will host its first Steak and Burger Dinner and Fundraising Auction on Thursday at the Bakersville Volunteer Fire Department building.
The event will begin with a reception and silent action at 5:30 p.m.
The dinner is a signature event of Boys & Girls Clubs of America and is being held in communities nationwide to raise funds for local youth development programming.
The club will honor board member Mary Ann Bowman with the 2009 Friend of Youth Award for her lifelong commitment to children, particularly in the founding of the Boys & Girls Club of Somerset County in 2003.
The Somerset Lions Club will be inducted into the Boys & Girls Club Hall of Honor for its support of the program.
Karen Gibson, a local educator and a founding board member of the club, is the keynote speaker.
For more information, call 445-1802.
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