A Pittsburgh grandmother is accused of giving a marijuana cigarette to her 11 and 12-year-old grandsons on New Year’s Eve. Charges against 47-year-old Tonika Averytt were filed Monday. The criminal complaint said both boys were given the marijuana cigarette, which they both smoked and inhaled, while at a home on Memory Lane in Pittsburgh’s Bedford Dwellings neighborhood to celebrate New Year’s Eve with family. Police said a video found on social media showed the boy inhaling from the cigarette and in the background, a female, later identified as Averytt, allegedly tells them, “I mean it, don’t have no cameras or nothing. I’m not playing.” Police said Averytt later admitted to investigators that she gave the boys the marijuana cigarette and said she told them ‘no cameras’ because she knew if it was on camera she could possibly face charges. Averytt is charged with corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Authorities have charged two men in the strangulation homicide of a woman whose body was found in a McKeesport park last year. Allegheny County police say the pair, who are already incarcerated, are charged in the death of 43-year-old Tameka Dallas, whose body was found Sept. 12 in a wooded area of Renziehausen Park. The suspects are charged with homicide, robbery of a motor vehicle, evidence-tampering and abuse of a corpse.

An Amber Alert issued for a 16-year-old boy was canceled after police say the teenager was found halfway across the state. Police said the person the teenager was with is in custody after the two were found in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Police say the incident is tied to a deadly shooting in Connellsville where 52-year-old William Stewart was killed. Homicide charges have been filed in Stewart’s death. 37-year-old Marjorie Ann Jay and 31-year-old Keith Bradshaw, are both charged with homicide following the overnight shooting. Police said the 16-year-old is not considered a suspect in the case.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2020

 

 

TODAY – A STEADY RAIN THIS MORNING. SHOWERS
CONTINUING THIS AFTERNOON. HIGH – 52.

TONIGHT – PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW – 25.

WEDNESDAY – PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH – 35.

An overturned truck on the Pennsylvania Turnpike has led to restrictions in the westbound lanes this morning, Tuesday February 18, 2020. At this time it’s not known if there are any injuries.

The crash was reported a little before 4:30 a.m. near milepost 11 in Big Beaver. Stay tuned to Beaver County Radio for updates on this developing story.

Billionaire Mike Bloomberg’s presidential campaign on Saturday downplayed a report that he is considering 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton as his pick for vice president. The Drudge Report, citing a source close to Bloomberg’s campaign, reported that Clinton was under consideration after internal polling found that a Bloomberg-Clinton ticket would be a “formidable force.” The conservative news outlet, which came to prominence in the 90s for first reporting the Monica Lewinsky scandal, reported that Bloomberg would consider changing his residence to a home he owns in Colorado or Florida, “since the electoral college makes it hard for a POTUS and VPOTUS from the same state.” But the Bloomberg campaign quickly tamped down that report but fell short of denying it outright. “We are focused on the primary and the debate, not VP speculation,” Bloomberg communication director Jason Schechter said in a statement. A source familiar with Clinton’s thinking said the former Secretary of State hasn’t closed the door on politics and would seriously consider joining a VP ticket.

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — A Florida city has shut down a section of lake after receiving reports that numerous snakes had swarmed the area to have sex. The Lakeland Parks & Recreation department wrote on its Facebook page Thursday that a group of non-venomous water snakes congregated to mate near a traffic roundabout. City officials said the snakes aren’t aggressive as long as they aren’t disturbed, adding that once mating is finished, they should disperse. Water snakes are native to Florida.

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Billionaire Mike Bloomberg is taking lots of heat from his rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination. On Monday, he answered in kind. The former New York mayor tweeted a video mashup of aggressive and threatening comments made by people who appear to be Bernie Sanders supporters, juxtaposed with Sanders calling for “civil discourse.” Bloomberg said such aggression won’t give Democrats the unity they need to beat President Donald Trump. Bloomberg isn’t contesting the Nevada caucuses next weekend. But he may be on the cusp of qualifying for the debate Wednesday. Sanders, Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg have made it clear they’d like to get him on the stage.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s push to ban the sale of assault weapons has failed after members of his own party balked at the proposal. Moderate Democrats joined Republicans on a Senate committee Monday in rejecting legislation that would have prohibited the sale of certain semiautomatic firearms, including popular AR-15 style rifles, and banned the possession of magazines that hold more than 12 rounds. The bill was a top priority for Northam, a Democrat who has campaigned heavily for a broad package of gun-control measures.