The Butler County Democratic Committee will host a picnic Saturday to let locals meet candidates ahead of the coming election.

The picnic is from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Butler City Farmers' Market building at 205 S. Chestnut Street.

Various Democratic candidates for local offices will be present, including Kevin Boozel, who is running for re-election as county commissioner; Paula Painter, running for protonotary against Republican Kelly Ferrari; Bob Dandoy, running for Butler City Council against Republicans Michael Walter and Travis Uhl. Some candidates for Butler City Council also will be present.

The event will feature food, music and activities for children.

Free flu shots are available Friday at a health fair/senior exposition hosted by state Rep. Marci Mustello, R-11th, and the Butler County Area Agency on Aging.The event will feature 60 vendors.The event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Vagabond Hall, 138 Whitestown Road.

Starting Monday and continuing through the end of October, drivers should expect lane closures on Interstate 79 on three bridges between exits 88 and 105.The two exits are by Little Creek Road and Slippery Rock, respectively.The closures are occurring for PennDOT fiber optic cables to be routed across the bridges. Adam Marshall, an assistant traffic engineer for PennDOT, said the cables are meant to provide a more reliable infrastructure for cameras and interstate messaging signs.Work is scheduled to be conducted between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The 820 block of Whitestown Road in Connoquenessing Township will be closed to both directions of traffic on Saturday.A culvert is being replaced at the specified location, according to a news release from the township, rain or shine. The exact portion of the road being affected is between Eagle Mill Road and Holt Lane.No vehicles will be allowed passage between the two points.