Students react to Pitt-Johnstown's vaccine mandate, what it means for the unvaccinated

 Posted on June 1, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  373 words  |  Merlyn Hunt

CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. (WJAC) — The pandemic adds an extra layer of pressure to an already overwhelmed college student. That’s what Austin Cole, a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, told 6 News. “It’s stressful right now, because you don’t know what’s going to be happening a week from now, especially with new variants happening," he says. That’s why he’s glad the University of Pittsburgh is imposing a vaccine mandate -- for all students, faculty, and staff -- across all campuses. [Read More]

Teen asked girl if she thought gun was 'loaded or unloaded' before pulling trigger

 Posted on June 1, 2024  |  3 minutes  |  616 words  |  Barrett Giampaolo

2nd UPDATE |CLEARFIELD COUNTY, Pa (WJAC) — State police are providing new details about Sunday's shooting in Brady Township, Clearfield County, that involved two juveniles. According to the affidavit, police say the teenager charged in the shooting, 14-year-old Aaron Klingensmith, reportedly asked the victim if she wanted to see his dad's gun. Investigators say Klingensmith then admitted to pickup up the Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm handgun and pointing it at the victim. [Read More]

Video game therapy shows promising results for veterans with anxiety disorders

 Posted on June 1, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  384 words  |  Merlyn Hunt

New technology is helping veterans cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other anxiety disorders. Psychologists at the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center are using video games that utilize neuro-feedback in order to re-train the brain to be less reactive to triggers. The treatment gives the patient feedback on what's happening in their brain in real-time. It works by attaching sensors to a person’s head, over specific regions of the brain. [Read More]

'Think Pink:' SFU coaches discuss university's support for breast cancer awareness

 Posted on May 31, 2024  |  3 minutes  |  527 words  |  Merlyn Hunt

Cambria Co., PA (WJAC) — The Saint Francis University women's basketball team is set to host St. Francis Brooklyn Thursday night at 7 p.m. Fans, along with university students and staff, will trade in their red for pink in support of breast cancer awareness. It's just one of the many causes championed by the university, but this year's tip off has even greater meaning. Degol Arena is practically a second home to head coach Keila Whittington, and those who fill it are considered family. [Read More]

Former employee arrested in McDonald's armed robbery

 Posted on May 31, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  348 words  |  Brenda Moya

WESTMONT, Pa. (WJAC) -- a man is now in prison, facing several charges after police say he robbed a McDonald’s in Johnstown Saturday night. It happened at the McDonald’s on Plaza Drive in Lower Yoder Township. Police say former employee, 31-year-old Christopher Braswell Jr., robbed the restaurant right before closing, about 20 minutes before 11. According to the criminal complaint, the general manager told police Braswell was fired from that McDonald’s on Saturday after being suspect in two other theft-related incidents at the restaurant. [Read More]

Man who took selfie after fatally shooting friend convicted

 Posted on May 31, 2024  |  1 minutes  |  135 words  |  Merlyn Hunt

GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) -- A Pennsylvania man who authorities say shot a friend and then posed for a selfie with the dying teen has been convicted of a less serious charge. Maxwell Morton was convicted Thursday of third-degree murder in the shooting of 16-year-old Ryan Mangan in February 2015. The jury rejected prosecutors' arguments that Morton intentionally killed Mangan. Morton testified Thursday that the teens were playing with a handgun and he thought it was unloaded when he pointed at him and pulled the trigger. [Read More]

Ohio man killed, woman injured in head-on crash in Indiana County

 Posted on May 31, 2024  |  1 minutes  |  133 words  |  Delta Gatti

INDIANA COUNTY, Pa (WJAC) — State police in Indiana County say an Ohio man was killed late Wednesday night in a two-vehicle, head-on crash along Route 422 in Armstrong Township. Authorities say troopers were dispatched to the crash scene around 11:45 p.m. Police say the driver of a Toyota Matrix, identified as 56-year-old John Kieger, of Shaker Heights, Ohio, was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators say Kieger was killed when the driver of a Jeep Wrangler, a 17-year-old Shelocta woman, crossed into the opposite lane of travel and struck his vehicle head-on. [Read More]

Police investigating three sexual assault cases at Hiram G. Andrews Center

 Posted on May 31, 2024  |  3 minutes  |  486 words  |  Merlyn Hunt

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WJAC) — 6 News has learned that Upper Yoder Police are investigating three sexual assault cases reported to the department in the last two months involving students at Hiram G. Andrews Center in suburban Johnstown. Call Summary Reports, obtained through a right-to-know request, show that the calls regarding sexual assaults were dated February 9, March 10, and March 20. Upper Yoder Police Chief Donald Hess said all the cases were reported by female students. [Read More]

Zillow to layoff 25% of workforce as it halts home-flipping service

 Posted on May 31, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  372 words  |  Barrett Giampaolo

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Zillow Group said Tuesday that it will stop buying and selling homes, citing the "unpredictability" of forecasting housing prices. The Seattle-based real estate information company said winding down its Zillow Offers homebuying and selling unit will take several quarters and will result in about a 25% reduction in the company's workforce, which is now at about 5,300. The announcement comes about two weeks after Zillow said it would pause buying homes through the end of 2021, citing a backlog in renovations and other operations due to labor and supply constraints. [Read More]

1 charged in Hornerstown shots-fired incident

 Posted on May 30, 2024  |  2 minutes  |  312 words  |  Brenda Moya

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WJAC) — UPDATE (Jan. 21, 2021) Authorities say they've withdrawn the charges filed against Bryce Gibson related to the shots fired incident in Hornerstown. Investigators say they determined there is currently not enough evidence to proceed with the charges, but charges could be re-filed if new evidence were to surface. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ORIGINAL Police say one person has been charged so far following a shots fired incident in the Hornerstown section of Johnstown. [Read More]