An Armstrong County man pleaded guilty Monday in Allegheny County court to sexually assaulting three children in North Braddock.
Dennis L. Patterson, 24, of Kittanning, was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison for the 2003 assaults on two boys -- ages 7 and 14 -- and a 9-year-old girl. County police reported at the time of his arrest that some of the assaults had occurred while Patterson played games of hide-and-seek with the children.
Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning also ordered that Patterson be evaluated by the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board to determine if he will be classified as a "sexually violent predator" under Megan's Law.
Pittsburgh
Grant to fund art project by women in recovery
Zoar NewDay, a program to help women with addictions, recently received a grant of $19,075 from the W. Clark Hagan Trust through the PNC Advisors Charitable Trust Committee.
The grant will be used to create an art project that will be done by women in the addiction treatment program at Zoar NewDay's centers on the North Side and in Wilkinsburg and women in the Allegheny County Jail. When completed, the project will be used to educate the public about the hopes and challenges of women in early recovery.
Sala Udin's name on petition challenged
A member of City Councilman Sala Udin's party has challenged Udin's petition to be on the May 17 primary ballot for re-election.
According to a petition filed Monday in Allegheny County court, Matthew Moore Jr., a Democratic committee secretary in the city's 5th Ward, has accused Udin, of the Hill District, of using a "fictitious and/or misleading" name on his petition to be on the May ballot. Moore's petition charges that Udin's given name, Samuel W. Howze, should have been used when Udin collected signatures for his re-election race. Moore could not be reached Monday.
A representative in Udin's office Monday said the councilman had "no comments" on the challenge.
Northview Heights
Police say suspect in fatal shooting was victim's friend
The investigation continued Monday into the death an 18-year-old East Pittsburgh man who was shot over the weekend in the Northview Heights housing development on the city's North Side.
Anthony Reed Jones, who was shot at 6:12 p.m. Sunday while walking outside Building 415 on Mount Pleasant Street, died of a gunshot wound to the chest, according to the Allegheny County Coroner's Office.
City homicide detectives think Jones knew his assailant. The suspect, whose name was not released and who was still at large last night, apparently was a friend of Jones before the two men had a falling out, detectives said.
North Side
Truck collision on I-279 ramp injures 2 drivers
Two people were injured in a collision between two trucks on an entrance ramp to the Parkway North that clogged rush hour traffic for about an hour Monday morning.
State police said a vehicle driven by William Engel, 36, of Oakdale, struck the rear of a truck driven by Russell Stoner, 30, of Carnegie. The accident occurred at 7:50 a.m. on the ramp from the Fort Duquesne Bridge to Interstate 279 North.
Engel, who had to be cut out of the wreckage by city firefighters and paramedics, was in fair condition last night in Allegheny General Hospital, North Side. Stoner was released after treatment at the same facility. Troopers said Engel will be cited for traffic violations.
Police catch man linked to shooting after chase
A North Side man was arrested Monday in connection with the shooting and wounding of another man earlier this year, city homicide detectives said.
Percy Travillion, 20, is charged with aggravated assault in the Jan. 25 shooting of Jeremiaha Claybourne, 21, who was shot in the abdomen in the 900 block of Spring Garden Avenue, detectives said. Claybourne is recovering from his injuries, police said.
City narcotics detectives were conducting an unrelated investigation on Adams Street when they saw Travillion running from the back of the home in his bare feet, police said. When officers caught Travillion after a brief foot chase, they realized he was wanted on an outstanding warrant issued after the shooting.
West
Bridgeville
PennDOT to close lanes on I-79 for construction work
A PennDOT contractor will close lanes on Interstate 79 starting tonight as it prepares for a major construction project.
Single lanes will be closed northbound and southbound between the Bridgeville and Pittsburgh exits. The lanes will be closed Monday through Thursday nights from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and Friday night from 8 p.m. to 9 a.m.
PennDOT hired Trumbull Corp., of West Mifflin, for $93 million to rebuild the six-mile stretch through 2006. The night work will last through March 26. Highway work, along with some daytime lane closings, is scheduled to begin in early April.
East
Plum
Council hires manager
Plum Council hired Bruce Jamison as the new borough manager on Monday.
Jamison, formerly manager in both Wilkins and White Oak, will be paid $65,000 annually and has agreed to move into Plum within a year.
The vote was 5-0, with councilmen Chuck McMeekin and Russell Oft absent. Jamison, 47, currently lives in Greensburg and is doing consultant work for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. He said he plans to give two weeks' notice and expects to start March 28.
Plum has been without a manager since September, when Ken Gabler left to take the manager's position in Indiana Borough. Gabler, who was hired in November 2002, was paid $66,950 a year.
North
Ross
Patrolman nominated to be police chief
Ross commissioners voted unanimously Monday to nominate Patrolman Ralph Freedman to be the new Ross police chief.
The nomination must be forwarded to Ross Civil Service Commission, which will test Freedman, then make a recommendation on whether he should be hired. Freedman would replace Chief Greg Tenos, who is retiring May 1. Tenos' base salary this year is $84,238. What Freedman would be paid if he is hired was not discussed.
Earlier in the meeting, commissioners amended the civil service regulations to permit a patrolman to become chief. Freedman was among three Ross officers who expressed interest in the job, commissioners President Chris Eyster said. The others removed themselves from consideration before being interviewed. Freedman was McCandless district justice for 12 years.
Region
Southwest Pennsylvania
Families sought to host Japanese 4-H members
Southwestern Pennsylvania families are being sought to house 12- to 16-year-old Japanese youths from July 24 through August 21 as part of the 4-H Japanese Exchange Program.
Families with children who are close in age to the Japanese youths are needed, but families without children in the desired age range can house adult chaperones from Japan. Hosts don't need to speak Japanese.
To request an application, call Ellen Linamen at (724) 287-4761, ext. 223.
State projects will help parks, jobless people
Projects in five Southwestern Pennsylvania communities are among those receiving state grants for improvement projects to be completed by the Pennsylvania Conservation Corps, state officials announced Monday.
The corps provides experience, job training, skills development and educational opportunities for unemployed young adults.
In Armstrong County, Ford City is receiving $80,000 for work at the municipal facilities and five local parks, and Sugarcreek will receive $80,000 for work at the municipal building and Sugarcreek Community Park. Butler County will receive $65,000 for work at five community parks. Also, Fairview, Butler County, will receive $80,000 for park improvements. In Westmoreland County, Lower Burrell will receive $80,000 for work at Fisher Hall, Veterans' Park and Burrell Lake Park.
Greene County
Family of man who died after being struck sues
The family of a man who died two years ago after an assault has filed a lawsuit against the man convicted in the attack.
David Myers struck his head on a sidewalk outside a Greene County barroom in 2002 after he was punched. A Marine who was on leave was convicted of aggravated assault and sentenced to as many as nine years in prison for the attack.
The suit seeks damages from Brandon Lee Teasdale, 28, for intentional infliction of emotional distress. The family is also suing the Jefferson Hotel in Waynesburg for lack of security. The fight took place outside the business.
Beaver County
Bar assault results in arrest of fourth suspect
A fourth suspect in the weekend beating of two brothers at a Beaver County bar was arrested Monday and charged with aggravated assault. Duane Smith, 31, of Hookstown, was released after posting $5,000 bond in connection with an attack at 12:36 a.m. Sunday at The Little Traverse Inn, along Route 30 in Independence.
The victims, Terry Zakrzewski, 34, of Clinton -- who suffered a broken neck in the attack -- was flown by emergency helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Oakland. Eric Zakrzewski, 31, of West Mifflin, was treated at the hospital and released.
Arrested earlier on aggravated assault charges were Luke McNamee, 28, of Cynthia Drive, Carnegie; and Michael Hughes, 26, and Shane Hughes, 22, both of Clinton.
Man, 21, stable after being shot in back
A 21-year-old Aliquippa man was hospitalized in stable condition Monday after being shot in the back yesterday afternoon in Beaver County, police said.
Darius Tyson, 21, was driving in the 300 block of Todd Street when at least 10 shots rang out at 4:42 p.m., Aliquippa police Detective Sgt. Don Couch said. Tyson was flown to UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Oakland after the shooting.
Tyson's passenger, who might have been the intended target of the gunmen, was not injured. Couch said he is in the process of obtaining warrants for two men he thinks were responsible for the shooting, which occurred on a street crowded with young children.
Southwest Pennsylvania
State semifinalists vie for 2006 teacher award
Several Southwestern Pennsylvania teachers are among the 35 semifinalists for the 2006 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Award, the state Department of Education announced Monday.
Twelve of the 35 semifinalists will move on to the final round next month. The winner will be announced in October at the annual Teacher of the Year celebration held in Harrisburg and will serve as Pennsylvania's nominee for the National Teacher of the Year Program.
The semifinalists include: Mary Chambon, South Fayette Township School District; Cindy Haigh and Valerie Westcott, Pittsburgh Public Schools; Lora O'Brien and Cynthia Kay Ollendyke, Peters Township School District; and Lynn P. Sopp and William J. Viccari, Quaker Valley School District.
