Woman dies of injuries in two-car accident

Woman dies of injuriesin two-car accident
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- A 76-year-old New Castle woman died of injuries suffered in a two-vehicle accident at state routes 18 and 208 Thursday night.
Norma Church was pronounced dead at Jameson Memorial Hospital after the accident at 9:15 p.m. , Pennsylvania State Police said.
She was the front-seat passenger in a vehicle driven by William Church, 79.
Police said she was not wearing a seat belt.
Church and his back-seat passenger, Audrey Bovard, 68, were treated at Jameson Memorial Hospital. All three were listed as residents of Beatrice Street in New Castle.
Church was northbound on Route 18, when a southbound vehicle driven by Michael Meade, 17, of New Wilmington, attempted a left turn onto Route 208 and pulled into the path of the vehicle Church was driving, state police said. Meade also was treated at Jameson.
Police said they are still investigating the accident.
Lawrence Co. preparesfor 911 dispatching
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The details of dispatching 911 calls to Ellwood City police and firefighters are being worked out, said Frank Janetti, Lawrence County 911 director.
Ellwood City council agreed earlier this week to give up its own dispatchers and go with county 911.
The county was in danger of losing about $800,000 in state funding if the borough didn't comply.
State 911 officials said they would stop collecting a $1.25 telephone surcharge from all telephone lines -- the money used to fund the operation -- if all communities were not part of county 911.
State officials said they were concerned that Ellwood's dispatchers did not have the same training as county dispatchers.
anetti said he is meeting with Ellwood City's fire and police chiefs to work out how and when the county's dispatching will begin.
He said it will likely start sometime this summer.
Fire investigation
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Pennsylvania State Police are looking for help finding the person who set fire to a North Walnut Street house.
Robert Ryhal, state police fire marshal, said anyone with information should call (724) 598-2211.
The blaze was started about 1:30 a.m. Thursday in a debris pile from a condemned house that had collapsed Sunday, he said.
The fire spread to 123 N. Walnut St., owned by Charles and Debbie Miller.
Firefighters were unable to save the house, and parts of it eventually crumbled and went down a 20-foot slope.
There were no injuries.
House burglary
SHARON, Pa. -- Police said electronic games and equipment were stolen from a house in the 900 block of Alcoma Street between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday.
Burglars entered the home through an unlocked side door, police said.
A DVD player, a camcorder, a Sony PlayStation 2, an Intel MP3 player, PlayStation games, a Sony Disc Man, CDs, assorted jewelry, fishing equipment and a small amount of change were taken, police said.
Dirt-cheap material
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- City school officials say they saved about $200,000 on the new high school construction project thanks to some good dirt.
Soil samples showed that the dirt near the new school is good enough to use as fill for the new high school building that should get under way this summer.
They had anticipated buying fill dirt for about $200,000, said Nick DeRosa, assistant schools superintendent.
The district is building a $30 million campus-style school.
A new education wing will be built adjacent to the school on East Lincoln Avenue.
The old school will then be demolished, and an arts and science wing will be built on that space.
Both wings will eventually be joined.