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Assault at State Hospital lands man jail time

A Warren man will spend the next two to four years in prison after an assault at the Warren State Hospital in 2025. Matthew D. Johnson, 36, of Warren pleaded guilty to simple assault while second-degree felony aggravated assault, third-degree aggravated harassment by a prisoner and disorderly conduct charges were not prosecuted. Johnson was charged May 11, 2025, after an incident at the Warren State Hospital. On a second docket, Johnson pleaded guilty to a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault – attempts to cause bodily injury to designated individuals while a charge of ...

Warren kindergartners grateful for Free Books

During the last week of school at Warren Area Elementary Center, Pam Taylor's kindergarten class thanked Free Books for Kids Town Founder Ruby Wiles for the books they received this past year at Christmastime and the end of the school year. “We love books in my kindergarten,” Taylor ...

House passes open meetings clarification

The state House of Representatives has passed legislation that would clarify exceptions to the 24-hour rule for meeting agendas under the Sunshine Act. Rep. Robert Freeman, D-Northampton, introduced House Bill 2146 in response to a November decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The state Supreme Court ruled in Coleman v. Parkland School District that the Parkland School District had appropriately used an exception when it added a union contract that had been agreed upon by the school district and union to the agenda that night by majority vote and then approved the contract later ...

Impasse ‘ stressful’ on those waiting for state funds

It's been a week since the deadline for a state budget passed, and public libraries, schools, and rape crisis centers are bracing for the possibility of tighter times even while the memory of last year’s 135-day budget debacle remains fresh. A repeat is a real fear for many whose funding may be interrupted if it takes too long for Democrats and Republicans in Harrisburg to make a compromise. “I don't want to have to go through that again. I don't want our team to have to go through that again,” said the CEO of Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Christine Zaccarelli, who ...

County woman named to state advisory commission

A Warren County woman is one of 28 appointments announced to the newly established Governor’s Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities. Erin Willman was named to the commission, which aims to recommend policy changes across the disabilities spectrum, engage with federal/state/local agencies, communicate Administration initiatives to the public, and compile information on programs, funding, and additional supports to create an inclusive resource for individuals with disabilities and their family members across Pennsylvania. Willman lost her sight at the age of 15 and ...

State helps veterans locate lost paperwork needed for benefits

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) encourages veterans in need of assistance with locating their lost DD Form 214 (DD-214), or other military documents, to contact DMVA. By doing so, they can get credit for time served and receive veteran benefits they have earned. The DD-214 is a Department of Defense document issued upon a servicemember's retirement, separation, or discharge from active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. It contains information needed to verify military service for benefits, retirement, employment, and membership in veterans' ...