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VIDEO: Route 18 Reopens After Train Derailment In New Castle

Pittsburgh – PennDOT District 11 has announced a portion of Route 18 has reopened after a closure to traffic due to an overnight train derailment in the City of New Castle on Thursday, May 11th. Nine Norfolk Southern train cars derailed near its intersection with Route 18 between Mt. Jackson Road (Route 108) and Blanchard Street.  PennDOT personnel were on scene to assess the condition of the roadway once the rail cars are removed. The New Castle Fire Chief said no hazardous materials were in the cars — one was carrying soybeans and another had paraffin wax. Some of the…


Route 422 Daylight Single-lane Restrictions Begin Next Week in Lawrence County

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing improvement work on the Route 65 bridge over Route 422 (US 422/Benjamin Franklin Highway) in Shenango Township, Lawrence County will begin Monday, March 27 weather permitting. Single-lane and shoulder restrictions will occur on Route 422 under the Route 65 bridge weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through late May. Crews will conduct bridge rehabilitation work. The work is part of the $7.61 betterment project and includes work along East Washington Street (Route 65) between the Old Princeton Road intersection in Shenango Township to the South Croton Avenue intersection in the City…


10,000 Friends to Kick off South Side Revitalization Program in New Castle

NEW CASTLE – 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania will kick off its 5th year of a 6-year plan and $1.35 million investment to revitalize the South Side neighborhood of New Castle on Wednesday, April 27 at 10 a.m. The kick-off event will be held at the South Side Community Garden, 313 East Home Street, New Castle. Staff from 10,000 Friends as well as partners, donors and local community members will be present. The event is open to the public. Through its Healthy Communities Initiative, 10,000 Friends continues to lead the collaborative revitalization efforts to improve the South Side neighborhood of New…


New Castle Man Admits Role in Multi-State Cocaine Conspiracy

PITTSBURGH – A resident of New Castle pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today. Darnell Latham, 52, of New Castle, Pennsylvania pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine from March of 2019 through September of 2020, before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Latham is one of thirteen defendants charged in the Indictment returned in this case. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration began…


Former New Castle Anesthesiologist Sentenced for Illegal Prescriptions and Distributing

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court for unlawfully prescribing and distributing controlled substances, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today. United States District Judge David S. Cercone, sentenced Thomas Ranieri, 68, to two years of supervised release, with the first year served as home detention. During his plea hearing on August 21, 2019, the defendant admitted that he previously was a physician who practiced as an anesthesiologist and pain-management specialist in clinics located in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and multiple locations in Ohio. From January 2, 2013, to June 26, 2013,…


Operation On My Way Out Nets Drug Arrest

According to a Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office social media post, Operation On My Way Out netted an arrest in New Castle last week. On Thursday, August 19, 2021, Detectives from the District Attorney’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU), New Castle City Police Narcotics, and the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General executed a search warrant at 726 Hazen Street in the City of New Castle. Detectives had an active felony arrest warrant for the resident of the house, David Querriera, and waited until he was exiting his residence before they took him into custody. The search incident to his arrest…


$201,600 Green Light-Go Grant Awarded to New Castle

New Castle will receive a $201,600 state grant to improve traffic safety under Pennsylvania’s “Green Light-Go” program, according to Senator Elder Vogel. The city was awarded the grant to modernize the Butler/Taylor traffic signal. New Castle was among 50 municipalities statewide sharing more than $15.6 million in the current round of Green Light-Go funding. The program provides funding to install light-emitting diode (LED) technology, perform regional operations such as retiming, develop special event plans and monitor traffic signals, as well as upgrade traffic signals to the latest technologies.


Ellwood City Locals To Play In Summer Concert

The Summer Concert Live season will be one of the first larger events to be held in downtown New Castle after the lifting of many COVID restrictions. With the concert series kicking off Friday, June 25th with New Castle’s ‘The Dorals’, a six-piece band performing music from the Baby Boomer generation, showcasing their talents. Their performance will be accompanied by a Classic Car Show, hosted by the Rapid Tappets Car Club. One group that will be performing later in July has some talent from Ellwood City.  Liz Agey and Noah Rectenwald are two members of “Totally 80’s” group set to…


Rockin’ Back Into Normalcy: Summer Concerts To Be Held In New Castle

The 2021 Summer Concert Live season is one of the first larger events to be held in downtown New Castle after the lifting of many COVID restrictions. The series will offer an outdoor venue, ample space to be socially distanced at the viewer’s comfort level, and a return to normalcy through live music, good food, and a great chance to reconnect with the community in Riverwalk Park. The concert series schedule kicks off on Friday, June 25th with New Castle’s ‘The Dorals’, a six-piece band performing music from the Baby Boomer generation from the 50’s and beyond. Their performance will…


POLICE: Union Township Man Leads Police On Chase

According to reports, Ellwood City Police have charged Gary Joseph Rakoci Jr., 26, of Union Township, after he allegedly fled from police in his vehicle and on foot, around 3:00am Saturday while he allegedly was driving drunk. According to a criminal complaint filed by Ellwood City police, an officer driving an unmarked patrol car was southbound on Seventh Street when he saw a gray Jeep go through an intersection at Crescent Avenue at high speed, and it turned north, failing to stop at a stop sign. After observing a gray Jeep go through an intersection at Crescent Avenue at high speed,…