O-R Weekend Recap: 5 things you need to know for Monday
We hope you had a great Super Bowl weekend! In case you might have missed out on reading the latest local news stories from the weekend while preparing for the big game, we have you covered. Check out the five most-read stories from the Observer-Reporter’s website this weekend.
The Gander Mountain store at Washington Crown Center is making preparations to go out of business. Passing motorists at the West Chestnut Street entrance to the North Franklin Township Mall Friday saw a person holding up a “going out of business” sign for the outdoors store.
Mall manager Civil Knox said Friday there were similar types of signs posted at the store, but that the St. Paul, Minn.-based chain had not notified the mall of its intention to close.
For more information, click here to read Michael Bradwell’s story.
A 64-year-old Washington man was killed early Saturday in a two-vehicle accident on Interstate 79 at the 43.5 mile marker. Stephen Michael Weber was traveling southbound on I-79 around 1 a.m. when his vehicle struck the rear-end of a tractor-trailer. Weber was the operator of the vehicle and was unrestrained.
The crash is under investigation by state police. Canonsburg EMS and North Strabane Township Fire Department assisted at the scene.
A Burgettstown funeral director was arraigned Thursday on multiple charges filed by the state attorney general’s office accusing her of collecting money for prepaid funerals and commingling it in a personal account.
Lynn Sue Taucher, 56, of 23 Erie Mine Road, is the owner of Taucher Funeral Home, also at 23 Erie Mine. She was arraigned on 49 counts of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds as well as one count each of forgery and insurance fraud before District Judge Gary Havelka. Taucher waived the charges to court Thursday and was released on $20,000 unsecured bond.
According to court documents filed at Havelka’s office, the investigation started in May after the attorney general’s office received a complaint from the Washington County district attorney’s office. In addition to the allegations of the comingling of money, it was also alleged Taucher was spending the money to support a gambling habit and failed to place the prepaid funeral funds into individual trust accounts, as funeral directors are required to do by state law.
For the full details on the case, click here to read Kathie Warco’s report.
An Avella Area High School student faces drug charges after he allegedly tried to sell narcotics on a school bus going from Western Area Career and Technology Center to the high school last month
Devin Plymire, 18, of 53 W. Main St., West Middletown, was charged Tuesday by school district police with possession and possession with intent to deliver narcotics, possession of paraphernalia and corruption of minors.
A student told a teacher who in turn notified Superintendent Cyril Walther on Jan. 10. The officer and Walther escorted Plymire to the superintendent’s office. Walther then seized three different types of controlled substances from the 18-year-old.
For more information, click here to read Kathie Warco’s story.
Just like most 10-week-old puppies, this little guy loves to give out kisses to his caregivers. The difference between him and others pups, he has a metal rod that impaled his small head.
University Veterinary Specialists in Peters Township, which offers 24-hour emergency and trauma care, received a call Friday afternoon after the puppy was found in Bentleyville. Two veterinary technicians were sent in the UVS Express Pet Transport and the terrier mix returned to the Washington road facility, said AJ Owen, UVS marketing manager.
For more information, click here to read Kathie Warco’s story.