$21.4M Project to Bring Republic Airlines, Maintenance Facility to Pittsburgh Airport

March 7, 2006
The Indianapolis-based airline, part of Republic Airways Holdings, will fly out of former US Airways gates.

Gov. Ed Rendell will announce today at Pittsburgh International Airport a $21.4 million project that will bring Republic Airlines to the airport along with an airplane maintenance facility that will eventually employ 140 people.

The Indianapolis-based airline, part of Republic Airways Holdings, will fly out of former US Airways gates, the governor said.

Included in the project is $530,000 in state grants, job training funds and tax credits. The remaining $20.9 is private money, the governor said.

Republic Airlines flies regional jets to 21 destinations, including Dallas, Key West, Fla., Raleigh/Durham, N.C., and Syracuse, N.Y.

Beaver County

Stolen card arrest

A convenience store owner was charged with racking up nearly $2,300 in purchases using a credit card a police officer reported as lost.

Saleem Butt, 46, who owns Deer Lane Express in Rochester, is charged with making 59 purchases at various stores using the card owned by Rochester police officer Michael Barbour.

Police said they linked Mr. Butt to the purchases by using surveillance videos at locations the card was used between Aug. 21 and Sept. 19. Mr. Butt acknowledged using the officer's card, police said.

Mr. Butt declined comment and referred questions to his attorney, Mario Melucci, who didn't immediately return a message.

EAST

Indiana County

Driver ejected, dies

An Indiana County man died early yesterday morning from injuries he suffered when he was ejected from his pickup truck after the vehicle flipped over on Route 286.

Ryan M. Foreman, 35, of Clymer, was pronounced dead from multiple head injuries at the scene of the 12:49 a.m. accident, according to the Indiana County coroner's office and state police.

Mr. Foreman was traveling east on Route 286 in Rayne Township when he apparently lost control of his vehicle and struck the right berm. The pickup then returned to the road and flipped over once before it came to rest on the passenger side.

Mr. Foreman was not wearing a seat belt.

No autopsy was planned, but police will conduct a toxicology test, according to the coroner's office.

SOUTH

McKeesport

Woman dies during fire

A McKeesport woman died yesterday morning from an apparent heart attack during a fire at her apartment.

Jacqueline O'Neil, 74, was pronounced dead at the scene at 1919 Grandview Ave., about 20 minutes after the fire was reported at 6:31 a.m., according to the Allegheny County medical examiner's office.

Firefighters from Mc-Keesport arrived on the scene within minutes after the fire was reported and worked for nearly an hour to extinguish the blaze, McKeesport Deputy Fire Chief Ed Harmon said. They were assisted by firefighters from Dravosburg, Glassport and Versailles.

The fire began and was contained in Ms. O'Neil's apartment, one of six in a renovated older brick home, and had fully engulfed the apartment by the time firefighters arrived, Deputy Chief Harmon said. One of the apartments was unoccupied.

Ms. O'Neil lived by herself.

No one else was injured, but five residents in the other apartments were displaced and received food and clothing with the help of the American Red Cross.

DONORA

Woman dies in blaze

A woman died early yesterday morning in a fire at her Donora home.

Firefighters found the body of Sherry Albright, 54, on the bathroom floor of her McKean Avenue home about 4 a.m.

The cause of the fire and of Ms. Albright's death are pending further investigation.

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