Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 110
Plum Community Library has a new director, online programs
Plum Community Library enters the new year with a new director and more virtual programming. Pam Calfo of Pittsburgh’s North Side has taken over for Marilyn Klingensmith, who retired as director little more than a month ago. Calfo was welcomed to the library in November and formally took the reins...
New geocaching game on Rachel Carson Trail encourages family hikes
A Pine Township family’s hiking experience has inspired a new game to get other families out on the Rachel Carson Trail. Brian Vernon needed to get out of the house after working from home for months on end and helping his daughter, Lorelei, and son, Riley, learn during the covid...
Body found under the Birmingham Bridge
Pittsburgh police are investigating the discovery of a body under the Birmingham Bridge. Public Safety spokesperson Cara Cruz said officers responded to a call for a deceased man on some rocks between Forbes and Second avenues shortly before 4:30 p.m. Monday. Major Crimes and the Crime Scene Unit processed the...
Verona’s yellow brick road to be paved
Bricks that have lined First Street in Verona for decades will become a thing of the past as borough officials plan to have the deteriorating roadway paved this year. “It’s one of the major roadways of Verona that traverses across the hills and not up and down,” borough Engineer Matt...
Plum property owners seek to create agriculture security areas in the borough
More than a dozen Plum property owners want to establish agriculture security areas (ASAs) in the borough. Resident Dori Tompa, one of the applicants in support of the ASAs, came before council at its Jan. 4 work session to ask for the borough’s help. She is in the process of...
Police: Penn Hills man shot multiple times
A Penn Hills man was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot multiple times Monday night. Police Chief Howard Burton said the shooting took place at about 7:45 p.m. near the intersection of Woods Road and Marion Way. The victim is a 47-year-old resident. He was taken to UPMC Presbyterian...
Police arrest 3 people for alleged involvement in Green Tree shooting
Allegheny County Police have arrested three people in connection with a Monday night shooting in Green Tree. Scottie Harris, 21, Jamere Blackwell, 20, and Sequawon Harris, 22, have all been charged with criminal attempt homicide and related charges for allegedly attempting to rob a man around 8:15 p.m. along the...
Penn Hills JROTC students to continue program at Plum High School
Plum Air Force JROTC students from Penn Hills will be able to continue their journey this school year after a new agreement was approved by officials from both districts. Penn Hills’ Navy Junior ROTC program was eliminated in 2019 due to a lack of cadets and money. Both districts had...
Pittsburgh residents encouraged to put garbage, recycling out for collection Wednesday
Pittsburgh officials are encouraging residents whose garbage and recycling has not yet been collected to leave their materials at the curb for collection Wednesday. Mayor Bill Peduto vented his frustration on the collection service delay Tuesday. “I am beyond disappointed that homes still have not had their garbage and recycling...
Verona officials pass 2021 budget with no tax increase, discuss manager position
Verona property owners will not be paying more in real estate taxes as a result of the borough’s 2021 budget. Council unanimously approved next year’s spending plan and tax ordinance Tuesday night. “I feel confident in this budget,” Borough Manager Jerry Kenna said. “Everything that was requested by the department...
Baldwin-Whitehall school board reappoints its president, vice presidents
Baldwin-Whitehall school board kept its three top leaders in their positions heading into next year. Anthony DiCesaro, Peter Giglione and Robert Achtzehn were reappointed as board president, first vice president and second vice president, respectively, at the December reorganization meeting. DiCesaro won a second four-year term in last year’s election....
Man hospitalized after being shot in Green Tree
A man was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries Monday after being shot in Green Tree. Allegheny County police said the shooting occurred around 8:15 p.m. along the 1100 block of Greentree Road. First responders found the man and transported him to an area hospital. No further information about the victim...
Verona manager plans to step down next month, replacement search in infancy
Verona officials are seeking another borough manager. Jerry Kenna announced his resignation as top administrator earlier this month. It is effective Jan. 30, or possibly later, depending on how his replacement search goes. “I think it was time,” Kenna said Monday about stepping down. “Council’s been getting a lot of...
New pavilion and other upgrades planned for Cribbs Field in Verona
Verona officials plan to install new amenities at Cribbs Field with the help of state funds. The borough received a $200,000 grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for the recreational upgrades. It is a matching grant with a $30,000 borough contribution. The park is off Second...
Plum School District accepts corporate donations for facility upgrades
Plum Borough School District recently received more than $60,000 in two corporate donations for facility improvements. Spitzer Toyota gifted $30,000 and artificial grass manufacturer Act Global gave $32,000 to the district. Superintendent Brendan Hyland and officials from both companies talked about the contributions at Tuesday night’s workshop meeting. The board...
Plum School District students to return to hybrid class schedule Jan. 11
Plum School District officials plan to welcome students back to school in a hybrid class schedule in a few weeks. Administrators had previously slated the first Monday in January as a return date for students and staff after being moved to all virtual learning due to rising covid cases both...
Oakmont council holds line on real estate taxes, borough fees in 2021 budget
Oakmont officials held the line on real estate taxes and borough fees in their 2021 budget. Next year’s spending plan was approved via a 6-0 vote Monday night. Councilwoman Sophia Facaros was absent. Several council members participated virtually to help with social distancing and covid safety protocols. It’s been about...
Police: Hill District shooting suspect captured
A Mt. Oliver man wanted on attempted homicide and other charges in connection with a shooting in Pittsburgh’s Hill District has been captured. Renato Shealey, 40, was apprehended Monday evening and taken to the Allegheny County Jail. Pittsburgh police charged him with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, robbery and firearms violations...
Oakmont councilwoman resigns borough post to join state House
Oakmont Councilwoman Carrie Lewis DelRosso resigned from her elected post to step into another one in the new year. DelRosso defeated state House Minority Leader Frank Dermody in the November election. The Republican challenger collected 51.5% of the vote compared with Democrat incumbent Dermody’s 48.5%, a margin of 923 votes,...
Jefferson Hills Police Chief Gene Roach retiring after nearly 40-year career
Jefferson Hills police Chief Gene Roach is calling it a career after nearly 40 years in law enforcement. “It doesn’t seem like that much time has elapsed,” Roach said Monday. “As I look back on it now, 39 years is a long time, more than half of my life. It...
Oakmont crews ready for next round of snow
Oakmont public works crews remain undaunted by the recent snowfall, and are ready to clear a path for travelers should they be called out again. “We are always prepared to treat and clear roads within the borough,” Borough Manager Scot Fodi said via email. Oakmont has three full-time public works...
Police: Man arrested after barricading himself in Mt. Washington home
A man was taken into custody Thursday by Pittsburgh police after barricading himself in a Mt. Washington home for about two hours. Juan Hernandez, 53, who is listed in court documents as homeless, surrendered to authorities shortly after 8 p.m. when a SWAT team gained access to the residence along...
Pittsburgh-based Rycon Construction to build new $12 million Plum municipal center
Plum officials have taken the next step in developing a new municipal center. Council approved a $16.5 million contract from Rycon Construction Thursday night. The Pittsburgh company was the lowest of 11 bidders. The so-called town center would house a police station, municipal offices, gym, a plaza and a community...
Plum holds the line on taxes with 2021 budget, park upgrades included
Plum homeowners will pay the same real estate tax rate in 2021 they have been for the fourth straight year. Plum Council unanimously voted Dec. 17 to pass a $13.7 million budget and maintain the tax rate at 4.78 mills. The vote was conducted at a virtual meeting broadcast on...
Pittsburgh homicide suspect caught in Seattle
A Pittsburgh man wanted on homicide charges for allegedly killing a woman in November was apprehended Thursday in Seattle. Terrence Washington, 36, was arrested without incident by a U.S. Marshals Task Force, Seattle police and the King County Sheriff’s Department, reported Phil Cornelious, chief deputy U.S. marshal of the Western...
