James Engel stories, Page 2
Weeklong march for immigrant rights ends with relief, calls for closure of Moshannon centerVideo
As he labored his way through the final stretch of a trek to the largest immigration detention center in the Northeast, Jaime Martinez said he felt “sobered” by his destination. “We’re walking to a place where people can’t walk free,” he told TribLive on the side of a country road...
Still no hearing months after man was charged in Plum homicide
It’s been nearly five months since police charged Shawn Higgins with beating a woman to death in Plum, but he still hasn’t had a preliminary hearing. A preliminary hearing, during which a judge determines if there is enough evidence a crime has been committed to continue, is one of the...
As prices continue to rise, Western Pa. food banks see climbing demandVideo
Financial pressure on families from inflation, government shutdowns and the Iran war is apparent at area food banks, where some say demand is outstripping even what they saw during the covid-19 pandemic. From July 2024 to July 2025, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank distributed 5 million more meals than...
Harmar fight leaves 1 elderly man hospitalized, another facing felony charges
Harmar police say a fight between two senior citizens ended with one in a hospital intensive care unit and the other facing felony charges. Robert Schmidt, 76, of Springdale Township is accused of repeatedly punching a man and then stomping on his head because the victim allegedly made inappropriate comments...
Man accused of blowing up Plum home with family inside headed for court
Witnesses told a district judge that Jacob Rabb admitted multiple times to blowing up his Plum home in 2022 with his partner and his four children inside. Charges against Rabb, 41, including four counts of attempted homicide, were held for court Wednesday after a preliminary hearing before District Judge Mike...
Some questions remain unanswered after ICE arrests 13 in Armstrong County
Details remain hazy after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation ended with 13 people arrested on Good Friday at a driver’s license center near Kittanning. Jason Koontz, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman, said ICE was called by East Franklin police after “concerned citizens reported an abnormally large amount of...
Scrap fire briefly sends smoke plume above Tarentum
A scrap fire in Tarentum briefly billowed plumes of black smoke above the Allegheny River on Tuesday afternoon near the Tarentum Bridge. The blaze, reported just before 3 p.m., appeared to be in a metal scrap yard owned by PJ Greco Sons Inc. Fire crews extinguished most of it within...
Immigrant rights marchers continue through Westmoreland County on journey to ICE facility
A small caravan of backpack-clad immigrant rights advocates pushed through Westmoreland County Monday on their way to an ICE detention facility in Clearfield County. Jaime Martinez, executive director of Pittsburgh-based Frontline Dignity, is making the 8-day, roughly 130-mile journey to Moshannon Valley Processing Center in an effort to draw attention...
Organizers search for host families for Freeport International Baseball Invitational
Youth baseball players from around the world will gather for a tournament in Freeport in July, but organizers say the visitors need a place to stay. The organizers of the annual Freeport International Baseball Invitational are searching for local families to host traveling players. The families will be responsible for...
Former Freeport Council president accused of assaulting man after traffic collision
Former Freeport Council President — and current tax collector — Richard Fennell is facing an assault charge after, police say, he punched a man during a traffic incident. Fennell, 57, had served on council since 2024 before resigning in January to take up the borough’s vacant tax collector position. On...
Plum High School prepares for spring musical ‘Seussical’
More than 100 Plum High School students are preparing for a spring musical that’s a remix of classic Dr. Seuss tales. Plum’s production of “Seussical” is set to hit the stage for three shows April 16 to 18. The show weaves together several familiar tales into a new story as...
State police accuse Massachusetts man of sexually assaulting 2 girls in Manor Township
A Massachusetts man is facing a dozen felony charges after being accused of repeatedly forcing two girls to perform sex acts in Manor Township. Kole Anthony Glaister, 23, of Blackstone, Mass., is charged by state police with indecent deviate sexual intercourse of a person less than 16 years old, sexual...
Immigrant rights group plans 8-day walk from Pittsburgh to ICE facility in Clearfield County
Jaime Martinez plans to walk from ICE’s field office in Pittsburgh’s South Side to the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Clearfield County — an eight-day journey — to draw attention to the recent detention of immigrants in the region. The odyssey begins Easter Sunday morning. Martinez, founder of Pittsburgh-based immigrant...
Donut Connection in New Kensington to close
Donut Connection along Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington will close its doors Tuesday, according to the owner of the franchise. Rakesh Patel said he is looking for a location in the Alle-Kiski Valley to open a new franchise. He said he’s eyeing New Kensington or Lower Burrell. Patel purchased...
Pivik Elementary students — with help from donation — raise more than $27K for heart association
Plum’s Pivik Elementary School sat high on a leaderboard of state schools after students helped to raise more than $27,000 for an annual drive benefiting the American Heart Association. The school ranked fifth in Pennsylvania and the highest in the region by far for the association’s Kids Heart Challenge Fundraiser....
Fire in Bloomfield rowhouse spreads to 4 other buildings on block; no injuries reportedVideo
A three-alarm fire engulfed a Bloomfield row house Sunday afternoon and spread to four nearby homes, blanketing the densely populated neighborhood with smoke. Pittsburgh Assistant Fire Chief Brian Kokkila said no occupants or firefighters were injured in the blaze. Kokkila said firefighters were dispatched just before 3:30 p.m. to the...
With data center boom heading to Western Pa., Virginia offers roadmap — and warnings
This is the first in an ongoing series on data center development in Western Pennsylvania and the impact it has on surrounding businesses and residents. Western Pennsylvania appears poised for what could be its biggest infrastructure boom since the end of the steel era. A new industry, one forged in...
Digital gold rush: With data center boom heading to Western Pa., Virginia offers roadmap — and warnings
This is the first in an ongoing series on data center development in Western Pennsylvania and the impact it has on surrounding businesses and residents. Western Pennsylvania appears poised for what could be its biggest infrastructure boom since the end of the steel era. A new industry, one forged in...
Allegheny Valley superintendent proposes administration realignments, more student programs
Allegheny Valley Superintendent Patrick Graczyk is proposing the district add two new administrative roles and expand programs in an effort to bolster support for students. Graczyk presented the plan to the Allegheny Valley School Board this month, though any official changes are likely months away, board President Paula Moretti said....
Pittsburgh region saw slight decline in population last year, new census data shows
Newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the Pittsburgh region’s population shrank slightly recently. The data includes population estimates for American counties from July 2024 to 2025. All but three counties in the eight-county Pittsburgh metropolitan statistical area saw a decline in population, according to a dataset compiled...
Owner of Plum’s Lelulo’s Pizza wins $25K grant for contributions to community
For many Plum residents, Lelulo’s Pizzeria is known for its community engagement and active social media presence. During the covid-19 pandemic, owner Patyn McCune provided free lunches for several local children. Since then, she has also helped with clothing and Easter basket drives, opened a food pantry during last year’s...
Man’s body discovered near Mon a month after he went missing
A month after Shelby Rhodes went missing, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed his body had been recovered near the Monongahela River. The body of Rhodes, 26, was discovered Saturday near the 200 block of Bunola River Road in Forward Township. According to TribLive news partner WTAE, he was...
Indiana Police say Clairton man fired gunshots in air during ‘IUPatty’s’ weekend
Police in Indiana, Pa., say a Clairton man fired five shots from a stolen handgun into the air before leaving the borough Saturday evening. In a release, Indiana Borough police say Tymere Johnson, 22, let the bullets fly near the intersection of School Street and West Avenue in the borough’s...
2 years after Jeannette fire claimed 5, family works to give back with nonprofit
The 5 Angels Memorial Fund serves several purposes. At its core, the nonprofit is a vehicle to remember the five lives lost March 20, 2024, in a Jeannette house fire. Tyler J. King, 27, and four of his children — Kyson, 7; Kinzleigh, 6; Keagan, 3; and Korbyn, 1 month...
4 dead after fiery crash in Sewickley Township; coroner says victims’ identities being determined
The Westmoreland County Coroner on Sunday released the names of four teens killed in a fiery car crash in Sewickley Township early Saturday morning. The coroner identified them as Brady D. Hunker, 15, of Herminie; Rocco A. Zugai, 18, of West Newton; Felicity M. Martini, 15, of Yukon; and Kylee...
