PITTSBURGH — A Marine from the Pittsburgh area has been killed in Afghanistan.

The Defense Department reports that 24-year-old Sgt. Joseph D. Caskey died Saturday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province.

He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Caskey followed his grandfather, father, mother and two older brothers into the military after graduating from North Hills High School in 2004.

His family says he was killed when an improvised explosive device struck the vehicle he was riding in.

ERIE — The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado was responsible for strong winds that toppled trees and knocked down power lines over the weekend at Presque Isle State Park.The storm touched down at 7:36 p.m. Sunday with winds of 80 to 85 mph and traveled for no more than 250 yards.Officials said about 50 trees were knocked down, although some of them may have been toppled by straight-line winds from the thunderstorm.