A local college student who fell more than 80 feet from a cliff at a state park in Lawrence County and survived…is expected to be released from the hospital as early as today. 21-year-old Jocie Van Kirk – a student at Slippery Rock University – fell off the cliff at McConnells Mill State Park Sunday around 3 p.m. Van Kirk was hiking with friends when she slipped on a rock and leaves. She slid down the embankment, off the cliff and tumbled down – eventually coming to a stop in the creek. She had to be pulled up in a rescue basket and was flown to a hospital. She has fractures in her neck, back and pelvis. Doctors said Van Kirk’s injuries are minor.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26TH, 2020

 

 

TODAY – AREAS OF PATCHY FOG THIS MORNING. RAIN
LIKELY. HIGH NEAR 50.

TONIGHT – RAIN AND SNOW THIS EVENING TRANSITIONING
TO SNOW SHOWERS OVERNIGHT.
ACCUMULATION LESS THAN ONE INCH.
LOW – 26.

THURSDAY – CLOUDY AND BECOMING WINDY. HIGH
NEAR 30.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Supporters of former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg are escalating their attacks on Bernie Sanders over his record on gun control ahead of Tuesday night’s high-stakes Democratic debate in South Carolina. Five Bloomberg backers, all of them current or former black officials, are homing in on Sanders’ record on guns and criminal justice as particular areas of concern. As the Vermont senator becomes the front-runner in the Democratic presidential primary, the Bloomberg backers say, more scrutiny should be paid to his past votes against the landmark gun control law known as the Brady Bill and his opposition to legislation that would allow gun manufacturers to be sued.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a lawsuit filed by Catholic Social Services against Philadelphia, to be allowed to decline prospective foster families headed by same-sex couples. Andrea Sears reports…

Could the coronavirus outbreak have an effect on gas prices here in Western Pennsylvania? Matt Drzik has the story…

Duquesne Light has announced a power outage update for Beaver County. Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano has details. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…

The Hopewell High School Assistant Principal is leaving. Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano has more. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A top Pennsylvania lawmaker says the Legislature may change Pennsylvania’s sweeping 4-month-old election law in an effort to avoid a logjam of mail-in ballots that could extend vote-counting in the presidential race for days afterward. Republican House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler says the law may be changed to let county election officials open envelopes that contain mail-in ballots before the polls close at 8 p.m. The new voting law lets any voter mail in a ballot for any reason, where the state had previously restricted mail-in ballots to “absentee” voters who met a narrow set of reasons.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The owner of four Pittsburgh area grocery stores has admitted pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars by claiming customers used coupons he had employees take out of unsold newspapers. Michael Mihelic pleaded guilty Monday to theft by deception and was sentenced to four years of probation. Authorities said the 60-year-old Franklin Park man made roughly $300,000 through the scam but has already paid $275,895 in restitution. Mihelic directed staff at his four Shop ‘n Save supermarkets to cut out the coupons, which were then submitted for credit. A former employee told investigators the practice began under Mihelic’s late father and continued after Mihelic took over.

First responders were called to a playground in Indiana County when a teenager became stuck in a toddler swing. The Indiana Fire Association posted about the incident on Facebook but did not say where in the county the playground was located. The teenager tried to sit in the swing and it became too tight. The boy tried to free himself and later called 911. The Indiana Fire Association said crews had the teen stand on a garbage can to ease pressure on his thighs and then they cut the swing off with chains. They used weed trimmer string to cut through the swing’s hard plastic and free the teenager. The teen was not hurt.