Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 133

A Pittsburgh man will spend the rest of his life in jail for his role in the 2017 fatal beating of a cab driver in the city’s Beltzhoover neighborhood. Daniel Russell, 22, was found guilty Thursday of second-degree murder, robbery and conspiracy. He was one of four charged in connection...

State police are investigating the theft of a furnace and hot water tank from a Brady Township home. Troopers from the Butler station reported a burglary occurred sometime between Nov. 10-13 in the Brady Hills Mobile Home Park along Bluebell Lane. Someone entered the victims’ residence and stole the items...

Pop culture and comic enthusiasts have a chance to do some holiday shopping and meet celebrities at the Monroeville Convention Center. The final Steel City Con of the year is set for Dec. 6-8 at 209 Mall Blvd. It’s the exclusive comic con of Monroeville and one of the largest...

District Judge Linda Zucco recently handled the following cases. Charges were filed by Plum police unless otherwise noted. Held for court • Tiffany Panza, 35, of Pittsburgh on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and restrictions on alcoholic beverages. Charges were filed Oct. 15. • Nicholas Witucki, 33, of Plum...

A Vandergrift man who police say attempted to flee from authorities was arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges of having suspected heroin and other narcotics. Jerry Moore, 61, of Custer Avenue was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with a suspended license, two counts of possession of controlled substances and...

A Pittsburgh man is accused of homicide and other crimes in connection with a deadly home invasion in Wilkinsburg last week. Allegheny County police issued an arrest warrant for Brandon Franklin, 22. He’s wanted for allegedly killing a 42-year-old man at a home along Woodlawn Avenue on Nov. 14. The...

Carrie DelRosso, an Oakmont councilwoman and public relations consultant, announced she will challenge state Rep. Frank Dermody, D-Oakmont, in next year’s election for the 33rd state House seat. DelRosso hopes to earn the Republican nomination. Dermody has held the seat since 1991. He defeated Republican challenger Joshua Nulph last year....

Allegheny County Health Department officials partnered with Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity to offer a community conversation on opioids, treatment and overdose prevention. The event is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Penn Hills Library, 1037 Stotler Road. The program includes a slideshow presentation with an overview...

Several Oakmont Commons residents hope the borough and federal government will buy their homes so they can head to higher ground. Jill Tabis and Donna Caligiuri were among a handful of neighbors between 255-265 Commons Drive still putting their lives back together after severe storms in July. Rains flooded portions...

Need something to do in Oakmont or Plum this week? Check out these activities: • Let’s Groove Tonight, the premier Earth, Wind & Fire tribute band, returns to the Oaks Theater in Oakmont at 310 Allegheny River Blvd. Friday. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the show set for 7:30...

Penn Hills District Judge Anthony L. DeLuca handled the following cases recently. Defendants will have court dates set in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. Charges were filed by Penn Hills police unless otherwise noted. Held for court • Jerquay Atkins, 21, of Pittsburgh on charges of providing false identification to...

Firefighters from several departments responded to a large fire at a commercial building in Penn Township. Butler County dispatchers said the blaze at 103 Hicks Road began shortly before 9 p.m. Friday. Emergency crews remained on scene late that evening and no injuries were reported as of 10:50 p.m....

Oblock Junior High School Reach Out Club’s third annual Thanksgiving Food Drive continues through Wednesday. Donations will be collected at the Plum school, 440 Presque Isle Drive. The club is asking for canned goods such as vegetables, pie crusts and fillings, apple juice and boxed goods like stuffing, desserts and...

Plum officials plan to hold the line on property taxes and lease several police and public works vehicles as part of next year’s budget. Council voted 5-0 at this month’s meeting to advertise its 2020 spending plan. Councilmen John Anderson and Mike Pastor were absent. Taxes were raised in 2016...

More pieces are falling into place for a proposed Plum municipal center. Council voted 5-0 Wednesday night to appoint Massaro Construction of O’Hara as the Plum Town Center’s construction manager at an estimated cost of $425,000. Councilmen John Anderson and Mike Pastor were absent. The project’s estimated cost is $12...

Legendary funnyman Joe Bartnick returns home to Pittsburgh on Friday for an event five decades in the making. The best-selling author will take the stage at Club Cafe for a birthday bash. Doors open at 10 p.m. with the show starting at 10:30 at 56 S. 12th St. in the...

Fire crews were still on the scene of a house fire in Whitaker after 11 p.m. Tuesday. The blaze at 1222 River Road was reported shortly before 9 p.m., according to Allegheny County dispatchers, who said there were no injuries reported. A family was being assisted by the American Red...

Members of a West Deer family discovered their house was on fire Tuesday night when the lights snapped off and they went to investigate, according to a township fire chief. “It probably was the fire burning some of the circuits,” said West Deer No. 3 Fire Chief Josh Wiegand. The...

A one-vehicle crash along Route 28 southbound between the Tarentum and Harmar exits snarled traffic Tuesday. State police said no one was hurt when a white van went off the road and into a guardrail shortly before 3 p.m. Southbound traffic was reduced to one lane in the area, and...

More than 30 Teamsters were laid off from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sunday, officials from the Teamsters Local Union No. 211 said Tuesday in a news release. Union officials said the layoffs included three pressmen who were offered six weeks of severance pay. The union responded by filing a complaint...

Oakmont officials are confident they will hold the line on taxes with next year’s budget. It’s been about four years since council raised taxes to the current 3.73-mill rate. The proposed 2020 spending plan will not be advertised until next month, with council’s Dec. 16 voting session as its projected...

Need help finding something to do in Oakmont or Plum this week? Here are some options: • Oakmont Carnegie Library hosts Gentle Yoga with instructor Cora Fetchko 10:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesday at 700 Allegheny River Blvd. The program is suitable for all levels and no registration is necessary. • Meditation with...