— Pharmacy worker charged in drug theft

A Johnstown woman faces drug charges after city police said she stole drugs from a pharmacy where she was employed.

Police picked up Daneille Stofko, 30, of Rambo Street, on Thursday at Martella’s Pharmacy on Franklin Street.

A security camera allegedly showed her taking drugs, police said. She was found in possession of a large amount of the painkiller oxycodone, police said.

She is being charged with possession of narcotics, possession with intent to deliver, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.

Stofko was expected to be arraigned late Thursday.

DA files notice of death penalty

BEDFORD – As anticipated, the Bedford County district attorney will seek the death penalty if a jury convicts a Cumberland, Md., man of first-degree murder in the March shooting death of a Bedford County man.

District Attorney William Higgins filed notice with the courts Thursday that the upcoming prosecution of Mark Allen Shirey, 44, will be a capital murder case.

Higgins told The Tribune-Democrat last week that he was leaning heavily toward the death penalty for Shirey because of the act of burglary at the time of the shooting.

Shirey is charged with the shooting death of Michael Simpson, 49, at Simpson’s Cumberland ValleyTownship home. Simpson allegedly was dating Shirey’s ex-wife.

Shirey was arraigned Thursday by Judge Thomas Ling.

He appeared without an attorney because none of the lawyers in the Bedford County Public Defender’s Office is certified to handle death-penalty cases.

Suspect charged in truck theft

MEYERSDALE – A Meyersdale man faces a rash of charges after police said they found him passed out in a stolen pickup on property where wind turbines are located.

Summit Township police said they were called to property on Sand Spring Road in Meyersdale on June 27 when they found Peter Charles Riggio, 66, slumped behind the wheel of a 2001 Toyota Tundra. The truck’s engine was still running.

Police said they found the vehicle about one-quarter mile down a maintenance road.

Witnesses said the truck was backing up when it became stuck in a grassy field.

Officers said they awoke Riggio, who had trouble standing, and fumbled through his wallet to find his driver’s license.

The truck was reported stolen from a borough residence.

Riggio was taken to Meyersdale Hospital, where it was determined his blood-alcohol content was 0.33 percent, police said.

District Judge Sandra Stevanus of Confluence arraigned Riggio on Thursday on charges of public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, trespass by motor vehicle and receiving stolen property.

He was released on unsecured bond.

Fire destroys shed in Paint Twp.

WINDBER – Fire destroyed a shed in Paint Township on Thursday.

Windber fire officials said the 20-by-15-foot shed in the 300 block of Verla Drive burned down at 2:51 p.m.

There were tools and an ATV inside.

The cause was ruled accidental, a firefighter said.

No damage estimate was available.

Firefighters from Windber, Richland, Central City and Scalp Level-Paint responded.

College: Legislators earn thanks for funds

SOMERSET – Allegany College of Maryland, which has branch campuses in Somerset and Bedford, is praising state Sen. Richard Kasunic and other local lawmakers for restoring $700,000 in state funding.

The money provides tuition subsidies to students attending the community college.

In a news release, the college said the funding was in jeopardy until Kasunic, D-Dunbar, and others restored it.

“Senator Kasunic is a great supporter of Somerset County and the ACM campus,” said Linda Fetterolf, who heads the school’s Somerset County Campus Foundation. “His leadership in obtaining this funding was critical.”

The money goes to the nonprofit Southern Tier Education Council. The council will distribute the $700,000 to reduce the per-credit tuition cost for Pennsylvanians attending the college.

Bridge removal set in Lincoln Township

SOMERSET – PennDOT’s Somerset County maintenance bridge crew will begin removing a bridge on Route 4001 in Lincoln Township on Monday.

A 6.5-mile detour will be in place that will use Route 4009 (Husband Road), Route 4015 (Casebeer Church Road) and Route 985 back to Route 4001.

Work on the $250,000 project is expected to be completed by Sept. 2.

Veterans job fair scheduled Thursday

Veterans Leadership Program/Veteran Community Initiatives will hold a job fair from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday at Hiram G. Andrews Center,

727 Goucher St.

Job seekers should be seated by 9 a.m.

The event is being held to assist veterans in their job-search efforts.