Storm causes accidents around Mercer County

Storm causes accidentsaround Mercer County
SHARON, Pa. -- State police and the county's 911 center reported numerous traffic accidents during a surprise Thursday snowstorm that hit Mercer County, mostly vehicles just sliding off slippery roads.
Jodi L. Potter of Summit Street, Jamestown, was in satisfactory condition today in UPMC Horizon with injuries suffered when her minivan went out of control on Pa. Route 58 in Greene Township and into an embankment shortly after 5 p.m. Two passengers in her vehicle weren't injured, police said.
Lawrence and Rhonda Sillman of Old Perry Highway, Hadley, were treated at UPMC Horizon after their pickup truck ran off the Greenville-Sheakleyville Road in Sandy Creek Township around 2:30 p.m. Lawrence Sillman was driving when he lost control on the snow-covered road and the pickup ran into a large tree, police said.
Carla Broughton and Tyler Miller, both of Creek Road, Andover, had minor injuries when the SUV Broughton was driving went out of control on Pa. Route 58 in Greene Township around 3:45 p.m. and went over an embankment, rolling onto its roof. Both Broughton and Miller declined medical treatment at the scene.
Hearing in Net probe
EAST PALESTINE -- A preliminary hearing for a Thornville man charged in a police chief's Internet investigation is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday in Columbiana County Municipal Court.
Rickey Turner, 53, appeared in court Thursday but did not have an attorney. Judge Mark Frost appointed Atty. Jennifer Gorby to represent Turner and kept bond at $500,000.
Turner is in the Columbiana County Jail on felony charges of attempted sexual conduct with a minor, importuning and disseminating material harmful to juveniles.
Turner is the fifth man since Jan. 30 to be arrested after an Internet investigation by New Waterford Police Chief Dan Haueter. Turner was arrested March 23. Haueter said Turner drove to New Waterford expecting to meet a 14-year-old girl in the village park and then have sex with her.
Fixing overhead tunnel
SHARON, Pa. -- Clark Street between Shenango Street and Sharpsville Avenue will be closed all next week so the Wheatland Tube Co. can make repairs to an overhead tunnel that connects its tube plant to its water treatment plant.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation issued the closure permit, noting the street will close at 7 a.m. Monday and reopen at 5 p.m. Friday. A posted traffic detour will be in place.
Closed by mudslides
EAST LIVERPOOL -- A portion of state Route 11 is closed today because of mudslides in the Dresden Avenue area.
City police said mudslides began about 7:30 p.m. Thursday, sending mud, rocks and uprooted trees down the hillside. No injuries were reported.
Route 11 is closed at the Calcutta exit and traffic is detoured onto Dresden Avenue to the Eighth Street entrance to Route 11.
Paving pact awarded
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Sharon Paving & amp; Construction Co. Inc. of Sharpsville has been awarded a $423,348 state contract to resurface Pa. Route 208 between the borough and the Venango County line.
Work will begin early this month and be completed by July. Traffic will be maintained.
Open house on campus
SHARON, Pa. -- Penn State Shenango will hold an adult open house from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday in Sharon Hall Room 105.
Prospective students are invited to join staff, faculty and students for a "Day of Discovery" in which they will be able to complete an admission application, obtain financial aid information and tour the campus.
To register, call the admissions office at (724) 983-2803.
Repairs to close roads
WEST MIDDLESEX, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will close both Wheatland and Buckwalter roads in Shenango Township next week for drainage pipe replacement work.
Buckwalter will be closed from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday between Pa. Route 18 and Mitchell Road. A red arrow detour will be posted to direct traffic around the work area.
Wheatland Road will be closed from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday between Pa. Route 318 and Pa. Route 718. A detour route also will be posted there.
Recycling grant given
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The city has been awarded a state $20,501 Recycling Performance Grant.
The grant is based on the total tons recycled by the city as well as its overall recycling rate for 2002.
The financial aid program is designed to provide incentives to communities to increase their recycling rates and exceed the statewide goal of recycling 35 percent of all municipal waste.