A man in a wheelchair accused of trying to rob a Pittsburgh bank – and then changing his mind – is now behind bars. On Aug. 14, Emanuel Luna – who is in his 60‘s, according to police – went into the First National Bank on East Carson Street on Pittsburgh’s South Side and handed the teller a note. The note said: “I have a bomb. If you don’t want to die you will give it to me. It is in my backpack and I will press the button and kill us all for no less than $50,000.Please try me”. Police said Luna then said, “Forget it” and left without any money. Police said they looked at cameras and noticed the man abandoned the wheelchair on East Carson Street and used a cane to get into a Port Authority bus. Police said they also found a fingerprint on the wheelchair that connected the crime to Luna. Luna is currently in the Allegheny County Jail.

A man from Greensburg was stopped by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Pittsburgh International Airport on Saturday for having a loaded handgun. The man was stopped at the security checkpoint with a .380-caliber handgun loaded with six bullets. TSA contacted Allegheny County police, which responded, confiscated the firearm and detained the main for questioning. A typical first offense for carrying a handgun into a checkpoint is $4,000. This is the 24th handgun stopped at one of the airport’s checkpoints so far this year. In 2018, TSA officers at PIT caught 34 firearms at the checkpoint.

ERIE, Pa. (AP) — Authorities have collected electrical cords and other items from the scene of a Pennsylvania day care center fire that killed five children. The Erie Times-News reports that an electrical engineer, city authorities and agents from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the scene Friday. Authorities say the fire on Aug. 11 killed five children ranging in age from 8 months to 7 years. The owner of the Erie day care was hospitalized but has since been released.

The former athletic director for Beaver Area School District is facing charges after being found with 22 pounds of marijuana and prescription pills during a traffic stop near the Poconos earlier this month. Patrick McDanel was pulled over August 11th on Interstate 80 in Tobyhanna Township. McDanel left his role with the school district about a month earlier to move to another state where his wife and in-laws live. The 33-year-old is free on ten-thousand-dollars bail ahead of his September 5th preliminary hearing.

MORE STUDENTS ARE HEADED BACK TO CLASS THIS WEEK IN BEAVER COUNTY…AND LOCAL OFFICIALS HAVE SCHOOL SAFETY ON THEIR MINDS.
BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO HAS MORE. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…

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PennDOT District 11 is announcing daylight closures of Route 4033 (Wildwood Road) in Brighton Township, Beaver County will occur Monday and Tuesday, August 26-27 weather permitting. Wildwood Road will close to through traffic between Constitution Boulevard (Route 51) and Dutch Ridge Road (Route 4018) from 8 a.m. to approximately 6 p.m. each day. Traffic will be detoured via Dutch Ridge Road, Bradys Run Road (Route 4012) and Route 51. Improvement work includes milling and paving, base repairs, drainage improvements, guide rail upgrades, pavement marking installation, shoulder repairs, widening and other miscellaneous construction activities. The prime contractor is A. Folino Construction, Inc. on this $2.89 million group project. Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 950 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 26TH, 2019

 

TODAY – SOME SUN THIS MORNING…WITH INCREASING
CLOUDS THIS AFTERNOON. HIGH – 78.

TONIGHT – CLOUDY WITH RAIN DEVELOPING AFTER
MIDNIGHT. LOW – 64.

TUESDAY – SHOWERS IN THE MORNING…THEN CLOUDY
IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH – 78.

Coroner: School bus driver electrocuted after crash
BEAVER FALLS, Pa. (AP) — A coroner says a school bus driver in western Pennsylvania was electrocuted trying to flee from his burning vehicle after it struck a utility pole and caught fire.
Authorities in Beaver County say the bus wasn’t carrying any students when it struck the pole at about 3 p.m. Friday in North Sewickley Township.
Officials said the crash brought down power lines, and the driver stepped on the downed wires as he was fleeing the burning vehicle.
Coroner David Gabauer said the driver, 60-year-old Timothy VanKirk of Ellwood City, died of accidental high-voltage electrocution.
Chris Kemper of the First Student bus company said VanKirk was practicing his route in preparation for the start of school. He called the death a tragedy and said officials’ “thoughts and prayers are with the family.”

Hospital dresses newborns as ‘Wizard of Oz’ characters
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh’s hospital’s obstetrics department became Ozstetrics as the staff dressed up four newborns as characters from “The Wizard of Oz.”
Allegheny Heath Network’s West Penn Hospital wanted to honor the 80th anniversary of the film. The hospital posted photos on social media.
Genevieve Dunkin, daughter of Taylor and Mark Dunkin of Hampton Township, was Dorothy.
Jack Minett, son of Brittany and Lewis Minett of Wexford, was the scarecrow.
Andrew Gianettino, son of Jennie and Anthony Gianettino of Peters Township, was the Cowardly Lion.
Wesley Lynch, son of Lindsey and Andrew Lynch of Hampton Township, was the Tin Man.
The hospital says the babies will soon learn there’s no place like home.