Nov. 20--EVERETT -- The preliminary hearing for a man charged in the shooting death of his estranged wife in a McDonald's parking lot was continued Wednesday.

Police allege that John Lewis Gerholt Sr., 38, shot and killed Karen Marie Gerholt, 24, of Hopewell, outside the Snake Spring Township restaurant on Nov. 9.

Gerholt's hearing on murder and related charges has been rescheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 3 in Bedford County Central Court, Everett.

The continuance came at the request of the Bedford County public defender's office, which is representing Gerholt, a member of the court staff said.

Gerholt was living in Mount Union, Huntingdon County, at the time of the shooting.

Crash pushes car into Portage building

PORTAGE -- No one was injured when a vehicle slammed into a parked car, pushing it into Gary's Steals and Deals on Main Street and then into an adjacent building.

Portage Borough police said Wilfredo Ortiz was traveling north on Main Street when he blacked out due to a medical condition and his vehicle struck the parked car just after noon Wednesday.

Portage Volunteer Fire Company and Portage Area Ambulance Association also responded to the incident.

Man pleads guilty to federal charge

A Johnstown man has pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, federal authorities said Wednesday.

Tyrone D. Williams, 38, of the 200 block of Hickory Street, made the plea before U.S. District Judge Kim Gibson of Johnstown. The plea was entered Tuesday during the second day of Williams' trial.

Williams unlawfully possessed a .44 Special revolver on Aug. 14, 2005. He had been convicted of robbery in New York state in 1990 and of drug counts in Cambria County in 2000 and 2005, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Valkovci Jr. told the court.

Federal law bans gun possession by those who have been convicted of crimes punishable by more than a year in prison.

Police say shots fired into Moxham home

Someone fired shots into a home in Johnstown's Moxham neighborhood early Wednesday, but three people inside were not injured, police said.

No arrests have been made in the incident, which was reported just after 2 a.m. in the 300 block of Grove Avenue.

City police Chief Craig Foust said officers recovered several shell casings from a handgun.

The shooting may be related to a later report of shots fired in the vicinity of CoGo's convenience store on Central Avenue, police said.

REA power outage to affect 7 townships

INDIANA -- Seven townships in Cambria County will be affected by an electric outage planned Friday by REA Energy Cooperative Inc.

Electricity may be cut momentarily to about 950 consumers as routine maintenance is conducted between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Customers in the following townships will be affected: Allegheny, Blacklick, Cambria, East Carroll, Elder, Susquehanna and West Carroll.

REA Energy is an electric cooperative with 22,000 consumer members in Cambria, Indiana, Westmoreland, Armstrong, Blair, Clearfield and Jefferson counties.

UPJ plans lighting of Goodwill Arches

Pitt-Johnstown will usher in the holiday season with the second annual lighting of the Goodwill Arches.

The 10 arches, which line the sidewalk leading to the Mountain Cat statue, contain more than 4,000 blue and gold lights.

The community is invited to join the light-up night celebration from 5 to 5:30 p.m. Monday on the campus mall.

The Pitt-Johnstown Concert Choir will perform seasonal songs, and the Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat will lead the traditional procession through the lighted arches.

Hot chocolate will be served.

The festivities will be broadcast live via the Pitt-Johnstown web cam at www.upj.pitt.edu.

In keeping with the theme of goodwill, a clothing drive is being held by the Pitt-Johnstown Blue and Gold Society (student ambassadors) at the event. All new and gently used clothing and hygiene products collected will be donated to Mom's House.

For additional information on light-up night, visit www.upj.pitt.edu/goodwill.

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