Mercer County News Archives

NEW CASTLE, Lawrence County-- The New Castle News staff covers local stories the old fashion way as it has done so for 128 years. However, staff also covers the news the digital way these days. The newspaper (a sister publication to Mercer County's The Herald) is mapping out it's future with video and online coverage. While the News publishes a daily and even uses newsies to sell the paper on the streets in New Castle, the future threatens the old model of journalism. Competing online news sources threaten to fragment the audience and cast the future of the newspaper's circulation into question. Traditional revenue sources like classified ads are falling for almost all newspapers. However, for the past few years the NC News has worked to find its niche in the digital age stressing local coverage that combines video, images and text free to online readers. The change also means the staff must adapt. A newspaper photographer at the News does more than take pictures these days. Photographer Erika (Mihok) Galvin, who recently married, is a multimedia journalist. She takes digital photos, shoots video and conducts interviews and even writes a weblog. The County Line's Laurel Sprague heads out to Hickory Township to catch up with this multimedia journalist to show us what digital journalism is starting to look like in the field for the New Castle News. You can watch our story here on titanradio.net or click view it via our YouTube link.

A Mercer County woman has been charged with illegally selling feathers from protected birds on an Internet auction site.

WEST MIDDLESEX, Mercer County--

If you travel to Elaine Jones' miniature horse farm in Mercer County, don't make the mistake of calling her horses ponies.Jones is passionate about miniature horses and she wants to make sure you understand they are not ponies. She loves them so much she started her own company after raising and taking the horses to shows with her kids. Now she takes care of more than 50 mini-horses on her farm, but she also breeds them and helps to raise the colts. Her mini-horses have been sold all over the world. The County Line reporter Nicky Piszczor traveled to Jones' Mini-Whinnies farm to meet some of the mini-horses. You can watch here on titanradio.net or use our YouTube link.

WESTMINSTER COLLEGE-- NEW WILMINGTON, Lawrence County-- Westminster College awarded degrees to more than 340 graduates on Saturday at Memorial Field House. The threat of thunderstorms forced the festivities indoors as hundreds of family members, friends, faculty and staff gathered for the 154th annual commencement. Do you see anyone you know in Titan Radio's highlights or the raw video clips from the 2008 graduation ceremonies? Click here for access to the video.

Annual run raises safety awareness When the motorcycle advisory group ABATE says "motorcycles are everywhere," it's especially true in Pennsylvania.

Metropolitan Planning Organization has given five Shenango Valley communities more money to create a bikeway to Buhl Farm park in Hermitage, but the money might not be enough to complete the project. via Sharon Herald

“A lot of people think that's just hay. That's a source of income. That's my paycheck.”

The driver who did doughnuts over eight acres of knee-high alfalfa Monday night may not have even realized that he was riding in an expensive hay crop. via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“We've progressed a long way from that”

Mercer County Housing Authority is taking the last of the $9 million federal grant that built Centennial Place in Farrell and putting the money into an endowment to pay for services in the community. via The Herald

A Delaware Township man accused of beating up and robbing a friend last year was beat up himself at 12:50 a.m. Friday. via The Herald

Police say a drunk driver caused an accident in Mercer County on Saturday that left six people injured, including four small children. via Kdka.com

Two voters in the April 22 primary who weren't registered Democrat or Republican were allowed to vote in the election, said Jeff Greenburg, Mercer County elections director. via The Herald

“I plan to continue my life's work helping many patients with serious illnesses with the highest quality of advanced integrative medical care that I can offer”

A doctor said Wednesday he wants to resume his career now that prosecutors have dropped charges connected to the death of a 5-year-old boy during treatment for autism. via PittsburghLIVE.com

An Amish man whose horse-and-buggy were struck by a hit-run driver in Mercer County remains in critical condition. via The York Daily Record

Roberto Diaz escaped from prison and spent 20 years on the run. His luck ran out after he took a bicycle ride. via The Morning Call

A man is in the hospital and his horse is dead after a car struck the back of his buggy on a Mercer County road and fled. via Kdka.com

The speaker will be William G. McConnell, Jr., who is assisting in coordinating the McCain campaign in Mercer County. via The Herald

Mercer County's jobless rate eased in March due to a decrease in the work force and the number of unemployed. via The Herald