Published: July 23, 2008 09:54 pm            

In brief: Teen hurt at Laurel Hill park dies

TRENT — A 15-year-old Monroeville area boy died Wednesday from injuries he received in an accident Monday afternoon at Laurel Hill State Park.

Brandon Kuster was pronounced dead at 1:38 a.m. in the intensive-care unit of Memorial Medical Center, said Cambria County Chief Deputy Coroner Jeffrey Lees. The cause of death was a neck injury, he said.

The boy was running in the lake in 3 feet of water during a relay race organized by his church group when he lost his footing and fell head first into the water, Lees said. The youth, who was unresponsive, was pulled out of the water by bystanders.

Lees said bystanders, lifeguards and responding medical personnel worked to resuscitate him.

He was flown from the scene by medical helicopter to Memorial.

Ebensburg holding community yard sale

EBENSBURG – A community yard sale will be held Saturday during the annual Ebensburg Homecoming. A map of 43 yard sales is available at ebensburgmainstreet.com and at downtown businesses.

Other homecoming events include a farmers market from 9 a.m. to noon, a 5K run, book sale, a fishing derby and other events.

Commissioners pay up on ‘bet’

SOMERSET – To keep their end of a “friendly wager,” Somerset County commissioners presented some bags of Snyder of Berlin chips and a few Gilmore Manufacturing Co. products to a Columbia County commissioner on Tuesday.

Somerset County commissioners had bet the local products on the Somerset Area High School baseball team’s winning ways, as the team aimed for the state title against Columbia County’s Berwick team.

Though the Somerset team lost, 6-2, county commissioners praised the Golden Eagles effort.

They then handed over the chips and tools to Columbia County Commissioner Bill Soberick.

Columbia County commissioners had promised Wise Foods Inc. potato chips and a box of bows and ribbons from the county’s Berwick Offray, the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of the decorative items.

Pair charged in copper theft attempt

Two Walnut Grove men will face Cambria County Court action on charges they tried to break into a Kernville double house around 10 a.m. July 14 to steal copper.

Brian Matthew Gaydos, 19, of the 1000 block of Bedford Street, and Patrick McCallops Fisher, 19, of the 900 block of Jacoby Street, each waived the right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge Leonard Grecek of Roxbury. Both are free on bail.

Johnstown police said they were called to the duplex on Somerset Street when two men were spotted looking into the structure’s windows.

Police said the pair had a duffel bag containing a hacksaw, pipe cutter and two flashlights. Both admitted they were attempting to break in to remove copper, police said.

Woman accused of Dollar General theft

A Johnstown woman was caught running from a downtown store with stolen goods, city police said.

Police said a clerk at the Dollar General was on the telephone Tuesday when a customer identified as Heidi Renee Duncan, 27, of Messenger Street, ran from the store with a nail file, manicure kit and shaving cream valued at $8.

Police Sgt. Jeannine Gaydos was in the store at the time and ran after Duncan, apprehending her a short distance away. She was arraigned by on-call District Judge Mary Ann Zanghi of Vinco on charges of retail theft and receiving stolen property.

Duncan, who has previous arrests for retail theft, was sent to the Cambria County Prison on $5,000 bond.

Community group seeks representation

Community Action Partnership of Cambria County is searching for two people to represent the low-income population of Cambria County on its board of directors.

Candidates must reside within Cambria County but outside the city of Johnstown limits, Executive Director Debra Zimmerman said.

The all-volunteer board meets between seven and eight times a year, usually at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month at the Landmark Building at 516 Main St., downtown Johnstown.

Those interested should call 536-9031 or e-mail djzimmerman@capcc.us.

GOP state House hopeful to open office

EBENSBURG – Chris Voccio, Republican candidate for state representative in the 72nd district, is opening a campaign office in Ebensburg from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The office, at 119 S. Center St., will have staff on a regular basis, and a Somerset County location is planned for later in the campaign, Voccio said.

Man burned in crash identified

NEW DERRY – The victim of a fiery crash around 3:30 a.m. Sunday on Route 982 north of this Westmoreland County town has been identified.

State police said John Ryan Hall, 20, of Latrobe, was positively identified by the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office through dental records. The coroner’s office said the cause of death was blunt-force injures to his head, chest and abdomen.

Hall was driving southbound when his car went off the road, struck a tree and caught fire, the coroner’s office said. Hall was trapped inside.

Council OKs paving bid

NANTY GLO – Borough Council recently approved a road paving bid from Quaker Sales Corp. for $217,320.

New Enterprise Stone and Lime Inc. bid $232,817 and HRI Inc. bid $247,324.

Streets that will be paved this year as a result of the bid are Caroline Street from Rogers to Johnston; Fourth from Lynn to Poplar; Burns; Birch from Cardiff to Poplar; Taylor; Poplar from Penn to Birch; Fifth from Taylor to Fourth; and School Street from Chestnut to Cardiff.

        

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