District Attorney William Higgins said he will seek a death sentence for a man accused of shooting and killing his estranged wife in a McDonald’s parking lot in Everett.
John Lewis Gerholt, 38, of Mount Union, Huntingdon County, is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 24-year-old Karen Gerholt of Hopewell.
Authorities alleged that he fired two shots from a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun at his wife, who was taking a break in the parking lot from her job at the fast-food restaurant. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two aggravating circumstances in the case would support a death penalty if a jury convicts Gerholt of first-degree murder, Higgins said. They are:
• A killing done while a protection-from-abuse order was in effect. Court records show that a PFA had been imposed by a judge eight days prior to Karen Gerholt’s death.
• That John Gerholt created a “grave risk” of death to another person in addition to the victim. Higgins said that patrons and workers at the restaurant were placed in such danger.
Fire damages tavern near Portage
PORTAGE – Fire caused moderate damage to Johnny Angel’s Tavern, located on Route 53 a couple of miles north of Portage.The fire was discovered just before 7 p.m. Tuesday by a PennDOT driver who saw flames and heavy smoke at the tavern, which had closed for the day, said Portage fire Chief Ray Lee.
Firefighters had the blaze under control in about 11/4 hours.
There were no injuries, he said. The structure was insured.
A fire marshal was asked to determine the cause of the blaze.
Mama Sue’s Pizza in Portage donated pizzas for firefighters, and the fire company’s ladies auxiliary made sandwiches and coffee, Lee said.
Also responding to the blaze were volunteers from Cassandra, Lilly, Cresson, Wilmore and Ashville.
Flight 93 groups to hold public session
SOMERSET – The Flight 93 Memorial Task Force and Flight 93 Federal Advisory Commission will hold a joint meeting Saturday.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Courtroom No. 1 at the county courthouse.
Progress reports on the temporary memorial, land acquisition, memorial design, fundraising and National Park Service activities will be presented.
Congress authorized the formation of the advisory panel to assist the Department of the Interior and National Park Service in creating a national memorial to honor the passengers and crew of Flight 93.
The task force is a grass-roots group of family members, residents, first responders, educators and other local and national participants.
Eastern Star donates wigs to cancer society
Members of the 6th District, Order of Eastern Star, Deborah Grand Chapter, Prince Hall Affiliation, donated about 40 wigs and hairpieces to the American Cancer Society.
The 6th District includes chapters in Johnstown; Williamsport, Lycoming County; and Mount Union, Huntingdon County.
The wigs and hairpieces were donated by Terrance Ballard of UP Do’s Boutique, 547 Horner St., said Deborah Y. Agnello of Richland Township, 6th District deputy grand matron.
Forest Hills alliance sets series of meetings
The Forest Hills Regional Alliance has scheduled community meetings at each participating municipality to gather public input on development of a multi-municipal comprehensive plan.
Representatives from the EADS Group will facilitate the meetings. Residents of the municipalities are invited to attend.
Wilmore Borough has held its community meeting.
Other meetings, in order of date, are:
• Adams Township Municipal Building, 5:30 p.m. Monday.
• Summerhill Borough Building, 7 p.m. March 5.
• South Fork Borough Building, 7 p.m. March 10.
• Summerhill Township fire hall, 7 p.m. March 12.
• Ehrenfeld Borough Building, 6 p.m. April 1.
• Croyle Township Municipal Building, 7 p.m. April 7.
Local News
In brief: DA to seek death penalty in homicide
- Local News
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$27.1B budget proposed
Gov. Tom Corbett on Tuesday proposed a budget of $27.1 billion, with no tax increases, deep cuts to higher education assistance and a range of cost-cutting in services for the poor, elderly and disabled.
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Highlights of Gov. Corbett's state spending plan
Read on to see a bulleted list of Gov. Tom Corbett’s $27.1 billion state spending plan for the year that starts July 1.
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Universities face steep cuts
State universities still trying to recover from deep cuts last year would have their public funding slashed even further under a budget plan unveiled Tuesday, leading some institutions to warn of a choice between maintaining buildings and offering academic programs students need to graduate.
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Plan hurts middle class, local Democrats contend
While members of his own party praised Gov. Tom Corbett’s fiscal restraint, some local Democratic lawmakers said the Republican’s proposed budget panders to corporate interests while inflicting pain on the middle class.
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Senate approves proposed fee on shale drilling
The state Senate voted today to impose a fee on natural-gas drilling in Pennsylvania and expand regulations for the booming industry, a milestone in a debate that has raged in the Capitol for several years.
Senators voted 31-19 to approve the 174-page bill that would fund road work and environmental clean-ups and give local governments the power to decide if the fee would be imposed on their local wells.
“Could we have done better? Supposedly, but it has taken three years to get this far,” said supporter Sen. John Wozniak, D-Johnstown, among a handful who crossed party lines. “It is time to turn the page.” -
Blogging with heart
I've got so much stuff for this Sunday's American Heart Month package, that some of the stories will spill over onto Monday. But I don't know what to leave out, or hold for the next week, so it looks like a double hit this week.
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Pa. gas drilling fee bill debate ends without vote
Pennsylvania, the only major gas-producing state that does not tax the taking of natural gas from its soil, moved closer Tuesday to imposing a fee on the drilling in the vast Marcellus Shale reserves that have transformed the state in recent years.
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Detour hurting some Portage businesses
Craig Mazzarese’s business depends heavily on drive-by customers, but since last week fewer drive-bys have been stopping
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Local airport funding intact
Airport leaders here are breathing sighs of relief after Congress approved funding to support local commercial air service through 2015.
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With state revenue tight, Westmont seeks school budget input
The Westmont Hilltop school board on Tuesday night held a public forum at the middle school to explain why the district, already one of the most efficient in the state, must raise taxes each year.
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