Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 129
Jefferson Hills officials continue debate over funding Gill Hall VFC
Jefferson Hills council continues to be at odds about funding a recently reinstated borough fire company. A motion made by Councilman Keith Reynolds to give Gill Hall Volunteer Fire Company $20,000 from the borough’s general fund was tabled by a 5-2 vote Monday night. “We reinstated them, but we haven’t...
Plum School District graduation plans finalized
Plum School District officials have finalized graduation plans. An in-person commencement has not been announced. However, seniors and their parents are invited to come to the high school May 15 for a “graduation walk,” photos and awarding of the diploma cover. Visits are by appointment only and scheduling must be...
Homicide charges filed against New Kensington man in death of 2-year-old stepson
A New Kensington stepfather whose 2-year-old boy died last month has been charged with murder. Keith Dale Lilly Jr., 31, was previously charged with aggravated assault, child endangerment and reckless endangerment. Online court documents show Lilly faces additional charges of homicide, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, recklessly endangering another person, possession...
Giant Eagle teams with domestic violence groups to help raise awareness during pandemic
Giant Eagle and local domestic violence programs have teamed up to reach victims during covid-19 pandemic. Law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and around the world have cited an increase in domestic abuse incidents the past few months. Giant Eagle officials announced Thursday they have postcards in 42 locations in...
Verona man charged with assault in connection with altercation at Giant Eagle while not wearing a maskVideo
A Verona man faces disorderly conduct and assault charges in connection with an incident at a Monroeville Giant Eagle in which he was not wearing a mask, police said. Nick Conley, 37, said he has shopped in various stores without a mask, even after covid-19 reached pandemic proportions in March,...
Paving begins in Oakmont as construction ban lifted
Paving has begun in Oakmont. Borough Engineer Amber Yon said Monday that Plum-based Tresco Paving started working on the 2020 paving project earlier that day. “We’re happy that Tresco chose us first,” Yon said. “As you can imagine, there’s a backlog of projects now that have all been delayed, so...
Sewickley parking authority members change
Sewickley council accepted the resignation of three parking authority members and appointed their replacements at a special meeting Friday. Sandra Maar, Andreas Schulze Ising and Brian Turk have left the authority. They were replaced by councilman Larry Rice and councilwomen Cynthia Mullins and Julie Barnes. The authority’s solicitor is Gretchen...
Oakmont officials tap a Plum company to handle this year’s street paving
Oakmont officials plan to spend more than $300,000 to pave six streets this year. Council unanimously awarded its 2020 paving project to Plum-based Tresco Paving. The company was the lowest of five bidders at about $305,300. Borough Manager Scot Fodi said Tresco was awarded last year’s paving contract and does...
Police: Boy stabbed twice after getting off bus in Penn Hills
A teen boy was stabbed after getting off a Port Authority bus in Penn Hills, police said. Penn Hills police Chief Howard Burton said the juvenile was stabbed twice in the back about 5 p.m. Monday at the intersection of Duff and Frankstown roads. He said a man and a...
Plum High School students take to social media to promote positivity, togetherness during pandemic
With schools across the state being closed for the rest of the academic year due to the covid-19 crisis, it can be challenging to stay in touch with classmates and stay positive. So a few Plum High School students took to social media to spread good cheer and let their...
Neff remains Sewickley council president after protest photo sparked controversy
Sewickley council President Jeff Neff retained his leadership position by the narrowest of margins following a special meeting Friday night. A motion to replace Neff as president with Councilman Larry Rice failed by a 4-5 vote in a near four-hour marathon session, more than three hours of which involved people...
Plum to replace grass ball fields with turf, resurface football field with ‘NFL quality product’
Plans to replace Plum High School’s baseball and softball field playing surfaces with synthetic turf, and replacing the football field turf and track are moving forward. The school board Wednesday night approved using about $2.32 million in bond refinancing saving for the project, as well as award contracts to three...
Another Pittsburgh drug trafficking gang member pleads guilty in federal case
A Pittsburgh man has admitted guilt in federal court to his role in a drug trafficking operation. Rico Taylor, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, authorities reported Wednesday. Taylor is one of 36 defendants charged in the...
Lower Burrell park trails to reopen Friday, other amenities to remain closed
Lower Burrell officials plan to reopen a portion of their parks Friday. Walking/running trails will be open and fishing will be permitted, according to a Facebook post by city officials Wednesday. However, playgrounds, any workout areas and basketball courts as well as public restrooms will remain closed. Organized sports are...
Tarentum jeweler, its customers, borough employees donate $12,630 to food bank
The Allegheny Valley Association of Churches’ food bank will be able to help more families during the covid-19 pandemic thanks to contributions from Tarentum workers and a borough jewelry store. Seita Jewelers was able to raise $11,500, and borough workers chipped in about $1,130 for a total donation of $12,630....
Plum’s Oblock art department seeks 2nd Pittsburgh CLO award
Plum School District’s Oblock Junior High School has a chance to add another masterpiece to its art collection. The art department was recently nominated for the Charles Gray Award in recognition of Excellence in Art Education. The award is given annually by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera to an elementary,...
3 men hospitalized after being shot in Homewood, 2 in critical condition
Three people were hospitalized, two in critical condition and a third reported to be stable, after being shot in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood. City police responded to a ShotSpotter alert along the 1200 block of Mohler Street about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Authorities said officers discovered a man who has been shot...
Police say car they were looking for was not involved in McKeesport shooting
Allegheny County Police have called off a search for a car originally believed to have been tied to shootings in McKeesport and cleared its owner. Two 15-year-old boys were shot Tuesday around 9:20 p.m. in the 900 block of Craig Street near the city’s Crawford Village housing development. Both boys...
Fox Chapel Area School District’s new superintendent to come from Franklin Regional
Fox Chapel Area School District has a new superintendent. Mary Catherine Reljac was unanimously hired Tuesday night to replace Gene Freeman as Fox Chapel Area’s top administrator. The district agreed to a four-year contract with a starting salary of $200,000. The contract is expected to be posted on the district’s...
Plum has 14 positive cases of covid-19
Plum has 14 positive cases of covid-19, according to the latest map published by Allegheny County. According to the same map, 271 tests have been conducted in the borough. In addition, a Pennsylvania Department of Health map breaks down the cases by ZIP code. That map shows 27 cases in...
Gill Hall VFC recertified as a Jefferson Hills fire company with conditions
Gill Hall Volunteer Fire Company in Jefferson Hills was reinstated on a probation basis as a certified borough company after being idle for more than a year. Council voted 5-2 in January 2019, with members Vickie Ielase and Mary Reynolds dissenting, to drop the department as a recognized company, meaning...
Former doctor’s office manager from Pittsburgh pleads guilty to federal drug crimes, health care fraud
A former office manager of a California doctor sentenced for running a “pill mill” in Western Pennsylvania has admitted guilt in federal court to her role in the conspiracy to prescribe fentanyl and opioid painkillers for cash. Marcia Ramsier Arthurs, 62, of Pittsburgh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone,...
2 people show up at hospital claiming to have been shot in Pittsburgh’s Hill District
Two men were dropped off at a hospital after claiming they had been shot in Pittsburgh, according to city Public Safety officials. City police said they responded to the hospital, which was not identified, around 3:50 p.m. Friday. Munhall EMS and Southeast Regional EMS personnel were outside the hospital and...
Another employee at Port Authority’s West Mifflin garage tests positive for covid-19
The Port Authority of Allegheny County reports that a tenth employee — the sixth worker at the same bus garage — has tested positive for covid-19. The employee works at the West Mifflin garage, transit agency spokesman Jim Ritchie announced Friday. The employee has been off work and in self-quarantine...
Sewickley borough president gets heat for photo with alleged militia group
Sewickley council President Jeff Neff has come under fire for posing in a photo with an armed militia group at a Pittsburgh rally. About 200 people gathered downtown Monday to protest Gov. Tom Wolf’s ongoing shutdown of non-life-sustaining businesses due to the covid-19 pandemic. Neff, a GOP state Senate candidate,...
