The Tri-County Report for March 11th, 2010...


Triple A has released the results of its latest Weekly Fuel Gauge survey. Results show a nine cent increase in the price of gas at filling stations in western Pennsylvania. That puts the average price for the region at two-84 a gallon. Motorists in the New Castle area are paying an average of two-82. Stations in Sharon are charging an average of two-84. The lowest prices were in Brookville...where they were averaging two-77 a gallon.


The National Weather Service is warning people in low lying areas of western Pennsylvania that we could see flooding this weekend. The warmer weather is expected to bring at least some rainfall over the next few days. Adding to that is the fact that snow in the more mountainous areas will likely melt and, as weather experts say, all that water has to go somewhere. The U-S Army Corps of Engineers says it is making preparations as well.


A state lawmaker from Butler County says he will run for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. State Representative Darly Metcalfe says he is throwing his hat into the ring. He joins seven other Republican candidates seeking that post in the upcoming primary. Metcalfe has served in the state House of Representatives since 1999.


A Beaver Falls man has been ordered to serve nine to 23 months in jail after pleading no contest to corruption of minors charges. 51 year old Donnie Dreher of Tenth Street was accused of trying to lure a 15 year old girl into his vehicle. The teen was walking to school when the June 3rd incident took place. Police said Dreher admitted to trying to talk to the girl but denied accusations that he attempted to talk her into getting into his car.


Authorities in Beaver County have filed forgery and theft charges against a Koppel man accused of trying to cash that was mistakenly sent to his house from the county jail. Police were able to catch 41 year old Timothy Shablesky because he provided his driver's license and signed his own name to the back of the check when he took it to the bank. The check was cashed on December 11th at a Huntington Bank branch in Hermitage.


Seeing the success that other school districts in the area are having with stricter dress codes...a parent living in the Farrell School District is asking adminstrators to consider the possibility. Ernesto O'Kane raised the topic at Monday night's school board meeting. Interim Superintendent Lawrence Connelly suggested the creation of a committee to explore the idea. However the Herald says no one on the school board expressed their desire or protest to see such a change take place.


A member of the Sharon School Board says he was frustrated when adminstrators from several other districts failed to show up for a meeting to discuss a possible merger of the five districts in the Shenango Valley. Christopher Gavin had sent out letters to superintendents and adminstrators in Sharon, Farrell, West Middlesex, Sharpsville and Hermitage. When the February 23rd meeting actualy took place, the only people to show up were adminstrators from Sharon. Gavin says he will continue to discuss the idea.


State police in Mercer County say an accident in Springfield Township resulted in the arrest of five illegal aliens. The accident took place on Oregon Road. No injuries were reported however police discovered five men involved in the accident were in the country illegally. They ranged in age from 18 to 27 years old and all five were from Mexico. State police say the men were taken into custody by immigration agents.