Officer John David Dryer Memorial Interchange Dedicated

The interchange was dedicated on the one-year anniversary of his line-of-duty death.

The Officer John David Dryer Memorial Interchange was dedicated Wednesday during a ceremony on the one-year anniversary of when the East Washington Borough police officer was killed in the line of duty. The ramps connecting Interstate 70 and Route 136 in Washington County are near where Dryer was shot during a routine traffic stop. “Officer Dryer gave his life in service to his community. His commitment to our area will be missed, but always remembered,” said state Rep. Brandon Neuman. Neuman, D-North Strabane, secured unanimous legislative passage of H.B. 2215, which was signed into law as Act 115, to name the interchange in honor of Dryer. Dryer’s family, friends and colleagues joined Neuman at the ceremony in the J. Barry Stout Park and…

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Officer John David Dryer Memorial Interchange Dedication Wednesday

The interchange will be named in honor of the slain police officer on the one-year anniversary of his death.

The intersection of state Route 136 and Interstate 70 in Washington County will be dedicated as the Officer John David Dryer Memorial Interchange on Wednesday. A special ceremony will be held on the one-year anniversary of when the East Washington Borough police officer was killed in the line of duty, state Rep. Brandon Neuman, D-North Strabane, said. The dedication ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19 at the J. Barry Stout Park and Ride lot at the interchange of Interstate 70 and Route 136. Neuman authored H.B. 2215, which was signed into law this summer, to name the interchange in Washington County for Dryer. Dryer was killed and another officer wounded during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 on Dec. 19, 2011. The public is…

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On Point with Sen. Tim Solobay

Gasoline Legislation Watered Down in the House

Sen. Tim Solobay talks gas tax, tax credits and the Fourth of July Parade.

The final version of a bill intended to free Pittsburgh-area drivers from the cost of outdated gasoline regulations was a step backward, leaving the region’s commuters and vacationers saddled with millions of dollars in hidden taxes. Hours before the Senate adjourned for the summer, it concurred in House amendments to Senate Bill 1386, leaving a watered-down version that all Democratic Senators voted against. I can only assume that everybody from the Pittsburgh area who went along with the changes stopped to fill up on their way back home to their districts, because gasoline in the Harrisburg area is 20 to 40 cents cheaper than it is here at home. READ MORE HERE. Area Man is Continent’s Top Harness Racer Waynesburg native Dave Palone set a…

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Legislation Honoring Fallen Police Officer John David Dryer Introduced

State Rep. Brandon Neuman, D-North Strabane, introduced the bill this week.

State Rep. Brandon Neuman this week introduced two bills honoring the life of East Washington Borough police Officer John David Dryer, who was killed in the line of duty last December. House Bill 2215 designates the interchange at the intersection of state Route 136 and Interstate 70 in Washington County as the Officer John David Dryer Memorial Interchange, and House Resolution 578 recognizes the sacrifices and accomplishments of Dryer throughout his career as a police officer. "Officer Dryer's courage, professionalism and service are remembered by our community with gratitude," Neuman, D-North Strabane, said. "There are no words to make sense of this awful tragedy, but I would like to show my support and appreciation for officer Dryer and…

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On Point with Sen. Tim Solobay

Action Needed to Avoid Gas Shortages, Price Hikes

The state senator also talks about honoring a fallen hero.

If the Legislature doesn’t do something about outdated regulations, drivers in our region could be facing higher gasoline prices and shorter supplies next summer. Since the 1990s, service stations and convenience stores in southwestern Pennsylvania have been forced during summer months to sell a special blend of gasoline that resists evaporation.  But automobile technology has changed quite a bit since then and it’s time to end the special rules that make our drivers pay more. New vapor recovery systems in cars have sharply reduced the amount of gasoline evaporating into the atmosphere, making the special rule for our region redundant and costly. Quick action is needed because Sunoco and ConocoEnergy have announced they are shutting down …

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Solobay Resolution Honors Fallen Officer

A resolution honoring fallen police officer John David Dryer was introduced by state Sen. Tim Solobay this week.

A state Senate this week honored the lifetime community service of slain East Washington Police Officer John David Dryer, who was killed in the line of duty Dec. 19, during a traffic stop. State Sen. Tim Solobay, who introduced a condolence resolution, noted that Dryer’s law enforcement career was a calling rather than a job. “He didn't have to be a police officer to put food on the table. It wasn't just a convenient, casual career choice. He did it out of his desire to serve,” Solobay told his colleagues on the Senate floor. “This is as honorable a calling as an individual can have.” Dryer, 46, was also a veterinarian, a dog trainer, a wildlife conservation officer, a volunteer firefighter and an emergency medical technician. “The courage…

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T-Shirt Sales to Benefit Fallen Officer's Family

A Bridgeville company is producing shirts to help the family of a slain East Washington police officer.

In what is becoming an all-too-familiar ritual, workers at a Bridgeville company are once again rolling off thousands of T-shirts memorializing a fallen police officer. X-Deco, a screen printing and embroidery company on Union Street, is producing thousands of shirts to honor East Washington police Officer John “David” Dryer after he was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Dec. 18. The black T-shirts have Dryer’s full name on the back beneath an East Washington patrolman’s badge, where he worked part-time, and a Pennsylvania Game Commission badge. At the very bottom, the shirt reads: “Remembered with pride for his commitment to his family and his community.” Most recently, X-Deco produced more than 10,000 T-shirts to help the family …

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Thousands Arrive for Police Officer's Funeral

Police warn of traffic restrictions near the City of Washington as the services proceed.

Police and fire officials from northern Washington County were among thousands who attended the funeral this afternoon for John David Dryer—the East Washington police officer shot and killed in the line of duty last week. WTAE-TV is reporting several traffic restrictions near the City of Washington through 6 p.m. in the wake of those services. The television station reported a police alert to the following:   For more information on the restrictions and Dryer's funeral click here. The Observer-Reporter in Washington has also been following the services for Dryer held at 2 p.m.—and its preliminary reports and photos can be viewed here. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also covered the funeral. Its report can be found here. A Facebook page in …

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