Kettle bell ringers in short supply as Salvation Army struggles to meet area donation goals
Salvation Army leaders in Latrobe, Greensburg and the Allegheny Valley are looking to make up ground in their annual Red Kettle Campaigns, as donations to date are far short of the amounts they’re hoping to raise by Christmas. As of Dec. 17, the Salvation Army service center in Latrobe had...
Salem teen bullish on rodeo riding competition, claims national title
Jack Brentzel has suffered bruised legs, a broken wrist and has been thrown too many times to count. But that hasn’t stopped the Greensburg Salem High School sophomore from pursuing his passion for competitive bull riding. Brentzel, 16, has been at it for 10 years, perfecting his skill at hanging...
Former worker armed with knife charged with harassment, trespass at Trafford business
An Allegheny County man is behind bars after, police say, he entered his former workplace in Trafford with a knife and made threatening comments to workers. Roneil Rashaud Wright, 28, of Pitcairn is charged with simple assault, disorderly conduct, harassment and trespass in the Thursday evening incident at Chelsea Building...
Ligonier Township supervisors approve 25% tax hike
Increases in Ligonier Township’s contribution to the Ligonier Valley Police Department budget, investment in planned bridge projects and inflationary cost increases are among factors prompting a 25% increase in the municipality’s property tax next year. The increase, from 6 mills to 7.5 mills, will generate an additional $150,000 in revenue...
Reported online threats prompt increased police presence at Rostraver Elementary
There will be an increased police presence Monday at Rostraver Elementary School after officials at Belle Vernon Area School District reported apparent threats made against the school on social media. In a Saturday letter addressed to the school community and posted on the district website, Superintendent Timothy Glasspool said the...
1 killed in Saturday night house fire in Tarentum
Allegheny County officials have confirmed one person was killed in a fire that severely damaged a duplex home late Saturday in Tarentum. Kasey Reigner, spokesperson for the county’s Department of Emergency Services, said the fire is being investigated by the Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office. She was unable to provide...
Area townships on front line as Pennsylvania eyes regulations for solar farms
Brandi Umbaugh planned to build a home on her 70-acre farm that would have a commanding view of surrounding fields and woods hugging the eastern side of Westmoreland County’s Chestnut Ridge. A massive solar panel array changed those plans. The panels were installed on a former Cook Township farm across...
Volunteers place wreaths to honor generations of Jeannette veterans
David Holtz and his 7-year-old daughter, Nyla, saluted Saturday as they laid a wreath before the headstone of World War II Army veteran Richard H. Irwin at Jeannette Memorial Park. It was the Jeannette girl’s first year as a Cub Scout and her first time taking part in an annual...
State trooper shoots suspect in Pittsburgh following pursuit of stolen car
State police said one of their troopers shot a man Saturday morning in Pittsburgh after he fled from them in a stolen car. According to the state police, troopers on patrol spotted the stolen Infiniti shortly before 9:40 a.m. heading east on Interstate 376. Police said the driver failed to...
Frigid temperatures below 20 degrees to trigger opening of Pittsburgh warming centers
Pittsburgh’s CitiParks is set to open five warming centers on Sunday, with the expected arrival of bitter cold temperatures well below freezing. Warming stations will be open to all from noon to 6 p.m. at the following five Pittsburgh Healthy Active Living Community Centers: • Beechview, 1555 Broadway Ave. •...
Shooting in Pittsburgh’s Middle Hill neighborhood sends man to hospital
A man was in critical condition following a shooting early Saturday in Pittsburgh’s Middle Hill neighborhood. City police responded to the 600 block of Chauncey Street to investigate three ShotSpotter alerts shortly before 1:45 a.m. totaling 17 rounds of gunfire. Officers found a vehicle with bullet damage and multiple shell...
Latrobe to add accessible curb ramps at sites north of Depot Street
Latrobe plans to improve handicapped accessibility on city sidewalks at seven locations north of Depot Street, with the help of federal funding. Public works Director Scott Wajdic said there are several locations that lack curb ramps for those with mobility challenges. He said sites along Alexandria Street are targeted for...
Greater Latrobe School Board hires new solicitor after Sunshine Act argument, chooses Rossi as president
Greater Latrobe School Board has a new president and a new solicitor. The choices follow an extended argument among board members over the former solicitor’s billing and whether the public was given proper notice of the agenda item in accordance with the state Sunshine Act. Yelayna Rossi, one of two...
Borings at Donohoe Road intersection to restrict traffic in Hempfield
Single-lane restrictions will be in place beginning Monday on Donohoe Road and Georges Station Road in Hempfield, as preparatory work begins for PennDOT’s plan to reconstruct those roads’ four-way-stop intersection as a roundabout. The restrictions are expected to continue throughout December, with flaggers controlling traffic. Traffic will be affected on...
Owner wrestles for control of box truck stolen in Downtown Pittsburgh; suspect in custody
Police took a suspect into custody Thursday, stemming from the theft of a box truck in Downtown Pittsburgh. City police responded shortly before 1 p.m. to a reported fight at Liberty Avenue and 11th Street. They discovered two men restraining a third for allegedly stealing the truck. The truck’s owner...
Seton Hill’s $30 million indoor athletic facility moves forward with bond approval
Seton Hill University on Thursday completed the first step in its plan for financing a new indoor athletic facility as the Latrobe Industrial Development Authority approved a bond issue of up to $37.5 million for the project. On Monday, the bond financing will come before Latrobe City Council for approval,...
Blairsville police seek public’s help in finding porch pirate
Blairsville police are searching for a “porch pirate” who stole a package of pet food and toys on Monday from a home in the Indiana County borough. The theft occurred at about 1:45 p.m. at South Brady and East Brown streets, according to police Chief Lou Sacco. Police have posted...
French countryside inspired latest mural installation in downtown Latrobe
An echo of the French countryside soon will greet visitors to downtown Latrobe, with the debut of a new mural on the historic Danceland building. The enlarged image of “Le Lutin pres du Loing,” a 1940 work by French painter Pierre Eugène Montézin, is set to be unveiled about 6:50...
Greensburg bloodhound team mourns loss of 12-year veteran, Lucy
A solemn procession of law enforcement officers, first responders and public safety officials on Wednesday marked the final journey of Lucy, a beloved veteran bloodhound with the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Bloodhound Team. Having dedicated more than a decade to searches for missing persons and fleeing suspects, Lucy retired from...
Seton Hill unveils plans for indoor athletic center on Greensburg campus
Seton Hill University is looking to develop a new indoor athletic facility on its Greensburg campus and is planning to partner with the Latrobe Industrial Development Authority to help finance the project. The authority has scheduled a special meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday at Latrobe City Hall to review the project...
Kenneth Pollard speaks of initial shock, lasting regret over wife’s death in sinkhole fall
Lifelong Marguerite resident Kenneth Pollard has had a year to learn how to live without his wife, Elizabeth, who fell to her death in a sinkhole on the outskirts of the Unity village. Though one of his children, Axel, moved in with the 75-year-old and good neighbors have pitched in...
Westmoreland and Allegheny men among 1,000-plus killed in WWII ‘Little Pearl Harbor’
Five Western Pennsylvania men were among the more than 1,000 killed in a surprise World War II German attack on an Allied port in Italy that has become known as “The Little Pearl Harbor.” The Dec. 2, 1943, air raid on the Adriatic Sea port of Bari, Italy, came nearly...
Mt. Pleasant OKs upgrades for gazebo, Frick Park overlook, eyes work on borough building
Mt. Pleasant’s gazebo is getting a makeover as the holiday season gets underway. Borough council also is moving forward with a project benefiting sports spectators at Frick Park and is seeking funding for improvements at the borough building. Doug Davis of Jeannette-based The Glass City has been at work preparing...
Swung vases see upswing in value among fans of mid-century modern collectiblesVideo
If someone admires your nubby butt, don’t take it personally — but do take it as a compliment. Chances are, they’re among enthusiasts who are paying as much as four figures for swung vases. Available in a variety of colors, this elongated style of handmade glassware first gained popularity in...
Ligonier Township expects to hold line on property tax by dipping into healthy reserve
The Ligonier Township supervisors are considering a proposed $2.7 million budget for 2026 that could have a funding shortfall of about $282,000. That’s the equivalent of revenue generated by 2.87 mills worth of real estate tax in the township. But a tentative budget, posted on the township website, calls for...
