Pittsburgh based health store GNC is set to close as many as 900 stores, mostly in shopping malls. Company officials announced this week it’s part of a “store optimization effort.” So far this year, the chain has shuttered 192 locations of about 41-hundred nationwide.
A ROCHESTER WOMAN FACES A PRELIMINARY HEARING ON AUGUST 2ND FOR WHAT’S BEING CALLED A BIZARRE CASE OF RETAIL THEFT. 51-YEAR-OLD DIANNE DORAN IS ACCUSED OF OF TAKING A SHIRT FROM A NEW BRIGHTON STORE WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT. ACCORDING TO POLICE, DORAN ENTERED THE RITE AID STORE ON THIRD AVENUE… UNHOOKED HER BRA, PUT A DISPLAY SHIRT ON HER BODY…AND THEN BEGAN DANCING PROVOCATIVELY IN THE AILES OF THE STORE…AND CONTINUED TO DO SO FOR THE NEXT HALF HOUR. THE STORE MANAGER EVENTUALLY CALLED POLICE. WHEN THE COPS APPROACHED THE WOMAN, WHO WAS STILL DANCING WHILE WEARING THE SHIRT WITH THE TAGS STILL ON IT, SHE WAS ASKED TO FINISH HER SHOPPING AND CHECK OUT. HOWEVER, THE WOMAN REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE SHIRT…AND THE MANAGER SAID HE WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE SHIRT BACK BECAUSE IT WAS COVERED IN SWEAT. THE WOMAN WAS ESCORTED FROM THE STORE AND IS BARRED FROM RETURNING.
A FALLSTON MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH LYING TO THE SAME BRIDGEWATER POLICE OFFICER ABOUT HIS IDENTITY THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. 52-YEAR-OLD KEITH HICKS IS CHARGED WITH GIVING A FALSE IDENTIFICATION TO POLICE AND DRIVING ON A SUSPENDED OR REVOKED LICENSE IN THREE SEPARATE CASES STEMMING FROM NOVEMBER, DECEMBER AND JANUARY. ON EACH TIME THAT HE WAS PULLED OVER, HICKS TOLD THE OFFICER THAT HIS NAME WAS WILLIAM HICKS FROM ALABAMA, AND EACH TIME, THE OFFICER ISSUED CITATIONS TO WILLIAM HICKS. WHEN POLICE FINALLY DISCOVERED THAT HICKS WAS GIVING OUT A FALSE NAME, THEY ARRESTED HIM…AND CHARGES AGAINST THE REAL WILLIAM HICKS IN ALABAMA WERE WITHDRAWN.
A 53-year-old Washington man is accused of trying to lure an eleven-year-old into his truck. Marvin Murin reportedly whistled to the girl and her mother on Franklin Street and told the young girl to come over. The mother provided a detailed description of Murin and the truck before police identified him.
A MIDLAND MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED AFTER POLICE SAY HE OFFERED AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY 10 DOLLARS TO PERFORM A SEXUAL ACT. 26-YEAR-OLD DONALD BERDINE OF MIDLAND HEIGHTS IS CHARGED WITH CORRUPTION OF MINORS, PROMOTING THE PROSTITUTION OF A MINOR AND INDECENT EXPOSURE. BERDINE IS FREE AFTER POSTING A 10-THOUSAND-DOLLAR BOND. HE HAS A PRELIMINARY HEARING SCHEDULED AUGUST 12TH IN BEAVER COUNTY COURT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT A MIDLAND MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH SOLICITING CHILDREN.
The Beaver County Chamber of Commerce is down two-thirds of its staff after the sudden resignation of two of its employees. Emily Konecheck, who was the chamber’s event and programming director, resigned Monday and its office manager, Tawnya Roman, made her resignation effective this week. The two reportedly cited issues of personal integrity. The chamber’s marketing and membership director remains on staff while its executive director is not a full-time staff member.
(Photos taken by Sandy Giordano)
SOME COMPLAINTS ARE BEING AIRED ABOUT THE SHOOTING RANGE AT THE HOPEWELL V-F-W. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO HAS MORE. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…
A Hempfield man is awaiting a trial date, accused of killing his father over a missing cellphone. Douglas Novak was ordered to stand trial yesterday on homicide, arson and other charges. State police say Novak beat his 92-year-old father to death in December before trying to set their home on fire to cover up the crime.
A New Castle man faces a number of charges after breaking into a home in Union Township. According to authorities, 31 year old Alonzo Cortez Whittler III of Park Avenue was charged with strangulation, burglary, simple assault and harassment. Police alleged Whittler broke through as window at a home on Road Street early Saturday morning and began to assault the victim. Whittler was arraigned and placed in the Lawrence County Jail on 10 thousand dollars bond. He has a preliminary hearing July 30th.
OKLAHOMA, Pa. (AP) — Fire has destroyed an unoccupied historic hotel in western Pennsylvania. The Belvedere Hotel collapsed early Wednesday as flames consumed the structure that was built in 1905 on Route 66 across from a railroad stop in Westmoreland County. The 28-room hotel was declared unsafe in 2017. Officials are saying the fire is suspicious because no one was living in the building and utilities were turned off.