Community

Media's appeal denied- local boy's murder trial remains closed

The Pennsylvania Superior Court says the juvenile court trial for a Lawrence County boy who was just 11 when he allegedly killed his father's pregnant fiancee and unborn son will remain closed to the public, despite appeals by the New Castle News and two other publications.
Energy company fined for polluting in local county

State regulators have fined an energy company $185,000 for environmental violations that include contaminating water supplies in nearby Crawford County.
Still waiting for progress on Valley View Downs project
State officials warn reports on Tuesday were incorrect

It's been a few months since the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission issued a racing license for the Valley View Downs project. However, there is no decision yet on a casino gaming license application by American Harness Tracks. The developers of the proposed project for Mahoning Township area want a license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) before they advance plans to create a racetrack and casino resort complex.
Meet a super quilter
Westminstesr alumnus transforms passion for quilting into home-based business

Linda Bauman is a quilter and business owner. She knows her way around so many stitches and patterns when it comes to traditional hand-made techniques passed down from generations. She is now a super quilter-- able to create customized quality quilts faster than any quilting circle. Watch our video.
$fracking meeting$ The search for the fracking truth
VIDEO COVERAGE

The natural gas industry sees Pennsylvania in a new light after discovering large quantities of fuel statewide. Hidden deep in a layer of Marcellus Shale, the gas requires a process called "fracking" to extract it. A group of concerned citizens from Mercer and Lawrence county came together to share information on this controversial procedure. Known as "The Fracking Truth Alliance" recently sponsor a panel of experts for and against fracking to promote greater understanding of the situation. The County Line's Joe Ligo shows us what happens when experts present their sides to people in the Wilmington area where gas drillers are now looking to begin fracking.
$fracking$ People seek info before fracking begins in our communities
See more about "Fracking in Our Community: A Panel Discussion"

Hear from the experts in extended interviews from a gathering of citizens seeking more information about Macellus Shale drilling. Some 200 people came out to hear from five experts addressing the complexity and issues associated with the drilling technique referred to as fracking. Many wanted information about leasing property, local and state regulation, the impact on air and water and the rush by energy companies to put out big dollars for access and drilling rights.

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Go jump in the lake and raise money for Habitat
Slideshow- Pictures & video

Lawrence County's Habitat for Humanity staged its 2nd annual Douse for the House Polar Plunge on Saturday at Moraine State Park. Hundreds of people gathered on the South Shore of Lake Arthur to witness 90 brave volunteers rush into the frigid water.

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Marcellus Shale gas drillers recycling more waste

Last summer, Advanced Waste Services, a wastewater treatment firm with a plant in New Castle, Pa., noted that a senior DEP official confirmed that the moratorium "does not extend to wastewater from shallow well (aka non Marcellus wells) drilling and fracturing nor does it extend to spent drilling mud and other sludge disposal."
911 call for man in bear trap turns into a dog rescue

Police in one Lawrence County community say a frantic 911 call reporting a man caught in a bear trap didn't quite live up to its billing.
Mercer third-grader dies after choking at school

A third-grader who choked on a hotdog during lunch at her elementary school in Mercer has died at a Pittsburgh hospital.