Michael DiVittorio stories
Divine Redeemer Parish may sue Sewickley if not permitted to demolish Herbst House
Sewickley council may face a federal lawsuit if it does not approve the demolition of a former convent known as the Herbst House. The building is owned by Divine Redeemer Parish and is located along Walnut Street in one of the borough’s historic districts. Parish attorney Robert Ridge brought up...
Aleppo firefighters working to adjust station siren, respond to residents’ complaints
The Aleppo Township Volunteer Fire Company is working to balance traditional emergency notifications with residents’ concerns. Since August, company officials have received several complaints about the fire station’s siren and have requested that it be silenced. One of the complaints was about it going off at 2 a.m. and 5...
Aspinwall Council approves plans for 4 townhomes at former church siteVideo
The construction of new townhouses soon will take place at the former Community United Methodist Church site in Aspinwall. Council recently approved land development and subdivision plans for the Amena Properties project. The unanimous vote April 8 helped clear the way for company founder and Aspinwall businessman Tony Pompeo Jr....
Leetsdale to host community meeting Sunday for boat launch master site plan
Leetsdale official want to hear from residents and visitors about what they would like to see at the borough boat launch and riverfront. The borough partnered with the consulting firm Pashek+MTR last year to create a master site plan for the area. Data collection began in September. The public launch...
Sharpsburg fills council vacancy with nonprofit leader
Sharpsburg officials recently added a local nonprofit leader to council bringing the seven-member panel back to full strength. Council voted 4-0 on April 23 to appoint Amber Lapp. Council members Sarah Ishman and Roman Mason were absent. Lapp takes over for Corey Ochai, who resigned in March. Family commitments were...
The party’s over: NFL Draft cleanup underway
NFL Draft cleanup efforts are underway after three full days of action in Pittsburgh’s North Shore and Downtown. The NFL said this year’s draft set a total attendance record of 805,000, a figure that combines visitors each day between Thursday and Saturday. City officials took to Facebook to announce public...
Runners give Dorseyville Middle School a boost as part of its annual 5K fundraiser
Runners of 5Ks, marathons and the like understand how a boost coming down the stretch can really make a difference. It may come from seeing the finish line get closer, the rain letting up after a muggy start or someone in the crowd holding a fun sign and cheering people...
Bell Acres police chief recognized for life-saving effort
Bell Acres officials recognized Police Chief Kristoffer Korol for his life-saving efforts at a crash scene earlier this year. Korol was first on scene for a single-vehicle crash along Ambridge Avenue in Bell Acres on Feb. 24 at 8:37 a.m. A woman had crashed her SUV into a trailer in...
Fox Chapel Area School District’s 5th annual safety and wellness event draws a crowd in Aspinwall
Many Fox Chapel area families are a little safer and more prepared for emergencies thanks to the efforts of the school district and local first responders. The fifth annual free Community Safety, Health & Wellness event took place April 18 in Aspinwall. It’s presented by the district and its school...
Sewickley Public Library improvement plan bolstered by state funds
Plans to revamp the Sewickley Public Library’s first floor and make it more expansive, accessible and modernized are moving forward with the help of state funds. Library officials recently partnered with Pittsburgh-based consulting firm Bridging Generosity to do a feasibility study. That study is expected to analyze fundraising data and...
State trooper talks about use of force, other policies at community event in Fox Chapel
Pennsylvania State Trooper Joseph Dunsmore said deescalation always is the goal when it comes to law enforcement encounters. Whether it’s at a traffic stop, sporting event, protest, any incident, the plan is to remain calm and professional. “At the end of the day, we shall endeavor and try our best...
Proposed 2026-27 Quaker Valley School District budget includes 3.5% tax hike
Quaker Valley School District officials plan to raise real estate taxes by 3.5% in next school year’s budget. No cuts to programs or services are included in the proposed 2026-27 spending plan, which was approved by school directors via 8-0 vote on April 21. Geoff Barnes, school board vice president...
Leetsdale mayor’s husband hired as borough code enforcement officer
Leetsdale Council recently hired Mayor Sandra Ford’s husband, Bob Ford, as its new part-time code enforcement officer. The vote was 6-0 on April 9. Councilman Scott Zahner was absent. The employment is for up to four hours a week at $30 per hour. Council President Maria Napolitano said the borough...
Sewickley officials approve resolution limiting interactions with ICE
Sewickley officials have approved a police policy limiting interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Council unanimously passed its resolution on April 14. The resolution was meant to reaffirm the borough’s “commitment to community trust, public safety and the proper scope of local law enforcement authority with respect to federal...
Man’s body recovered from Ohio River in Sewickley
Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office is working to identify a body pulled from the Ohio River in Sewickley. A man’s body was discovered in the river by a rowing team near a sports complex in Neville Island shortly after 7 a.m. Friday. Sewickley Police Chief Dave Mazza said his officers...
Sewickley officials approve 2026 paving program, separate sewer project
Sewickley officials plan to spend about $550,000 to repair four streets this year. Council unanimously voted April 14 to award this year’s paving program to Wampum-based Youngblood Paving. They were the lowest of six bidders and finished last year’s paving program this month, according to borough engineer Mike Galet. The...
Day 2 of Sewickley’s Herbst House hearing set
Evidentiary hearings for Divine Redeemer Parish’s request to demolish the former convent known as the Herbst House will continue on April 29. The hearing — remanded by Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas after Sewickley council denied the demolition in April 2023 — is focused on whether the structure can...
Sharpsburg chili cook-off fundraiser postponed until October
A beloved Sharpsburg Community Library food-themed fundraiser has been postponed. The annual Robert “Snakeguy” Habegger Chili Cook-off was originally planned for April 18 at Roots of Faith. It has now been pushed to early October. Organizers are working to confirm a new date and time. “We’re cooking up something bigger...
Leetsdale secures loan to help purchase VFW lot near Henle Park
Leetsdale officials have taken out a loan to buy the borough’s Veterans of Foreign Wars’ parking lot. Council voted 6-0 on April 9 to pass an ordinance approving borrowing $203,000 from Huntington Public Capital Corporation at an annual interest rate of 4.13%. Councilman Scott Zahner was absent. Negotiations between the...
Leet officials approve resolution limiting interactions with ICE
Leet commissioners approved a new policy for township police limiting interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Commissioners unanimously voted in favor of the resolution on April 13. Solicitor Stephen Chesney said the policy is based on a template from the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office. He said it behooved...
Washington Street ‘hump’ in Leetsdale removed, road reconstructed
A troublesome section of a Leetsdale road has been realigned after being closed for about a year. Washington Street had what residents called a hump at the intersection of the former Leet Street Bridge, which was closed to traffic in 2013 and removed in 2017. The bridge side had been...
Sewickley father detained by ICE since February has reunited with family
A Sewickley father has been reunited with his family after being in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for nearly two months. Bruno Guedes da Silva, a native of Brazil, was freed on a $5,000 bond set by an immigration judge this week. He reunited with the family Tuesday evening at...
Blawnox upgrades borough website to make it more ADA accessible
Blawnox officials have revamped the borough’s website to make it easier for residents and visitors to use. The site was updated with new software and assistance from CivicPlus in order to be more Americans with Disabilities Act compliant on March 31. The biggest change is the accessibility tool to the...
William Shatner, Patricia Arquette among celebrities at Steel City Con in MonroevilleVideo
Hollywood legend William Shatner believed Friday afternoon the astronauts on NASA’s Artemis II mission would make it safely back to Earth following their voyage to the moon. The actor best known as Capt. James T. Kirk on the original “Star Trek” series shared his thoughts about the team and their...
Petition launched to show support to Aspinwall Council’s censuring, resignation request of mayor
An Aspinwall resident has launched a petition campaign seeking signatures in support of borough council’s recent censuring request of Mayor Scott Zimmermann, and the calls for his resignation. Its virtual version, posted to ipetitions.com, is titled “Upholding Integrity and Accountability in Aspinwall Leadership.” It purported to have had a little...
