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STATE

NEW CASTLE — Turnpike officials are warning motorists of an 80-mile detour they’ll encounter in Western Pennsylvania over the weekend.

The detour will run from 9 p.m. Friday and 4 a.m. Monday as crews close the toll road between the New Castle and Cranberry interchanges.

That’s being done so crews can demolish and replace a bridge in New Sewickley. New construction techniques are being used to replace the bridge quickly.

But the closure also means motorists who try to use that stretch of Turnpike will be detoured onto Interstates 376, 80 and 79 to get around it.

Motorists are urged to avoid that stretch of Turnpike this weekend, but especially during peak travel hours, because major delays are expected.

The New Castle interchange, Exit 10, and Cranberry, Exit 28, are about 18 miles apart.

[naviga:h3]Fraternity’s request for evidence denied[/naviga:h3]

BELLEFONTE — A judge has ruled against a Penn State University fraternity seeking to retrieve video recording equipment that was seized in the death investigation of a pledge.

Beta Theta Pi had requested the return of its in-house surveillance video from the night Timothy Piazza was critically injured. A judge has ruled that prosecutors are entitled to keep the equipment because it is evidence.

Prosecutors say some of the fraternity’s equipment has been sent to the FBI to recover more images.

Piazza died in February after drinking vodka and beer at a series of drinking stations at the now-closed Beta Theta Pi house and then falling head-first down the basement stairs.

Fourteen members of the fraternity are currently face misdemeanor charges in the case.

[naviga:h3]Fish kill probed at Pymatuning[/naviga:h3]

PYMATUNING CENTRAL — State officials continue to investigate a large fish kill.

Fish and Boat Commission biologists are probing a fish kill that has only affected the common carp in the Pymatuning Reservoir. Officials expect to receive test results sometime this week on dead carp that were sent to a Minnesota lab.

Pymatuning State Park manager Dan Bickel says the major kill hasn’t affected sanctuary waters. No dead fish have been discovered near the spillway where tourists often feed them.

Authorities believe a viral disease may be causing the deaths.

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