Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 144
‘Mario Kart’ comes to life in Monroeville with Mushroom Rally racesVideo
Clad in the yellow scales and green spiky shell of the fiercest villain in all the Mushroom Kingdom, Doug Gallagher of Harrison stomped about and unleashed a mighty roar before chasing down enemies in a go-kart. He played the role of Bowser during a race at Mushroom Rally, a life-sized...
Inaugural Fall Festival in Oakmont set for this month
Event organizers hope a new October celebration in Oakmont becomes an autumn tradition. Oakmont Chamber of Commerce presents its inaugural Fall Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 12. Allegheny River Boulevard will be blocked off from Pennsylvania to Washington avenues for the family-friendly event, sponsored by Greater Pitt...
Multi-vehicle crash shuts down part of Route 28 near Aspinwall
The northbound lanes of Route 28 by the Highland Park Bridge were closed due to a multi-vehicle crash Thursday night. The lanes were shut down near Exit 6 around 9:45 p.m., according to PennDOT officials. It was unclear if there were any injuries or when lanes would be reopened. UPDATE:...
Assault, theft cases among those recently handled by Judge Zucco in Plum
District Judge Linda Zucco recently handled the following cases. Charges were filed by Plum police unless otherwise noted. Waived preliminary hearings • Jontay Bush, 34, of Wilkinsburg on four counts of theft by deception and six counts of retail theft. Oakmont police filed the charges Aug. 10. • Andrew Sloma,...
Route 51 reopens after tractor trailer cargo spill
A portion of Route 51 in the South Hills that was closed Thursday evening due a cargo spill from a tractor trailer has reopened. Allegheny County dispatchers said the vehicle carrying sheets of steel at Saw Mill Run Boulevard and Wabash Street lost some of its cargo shortly after 5...
Elderly North Braddock man robbed after visiting bank
An elderly man was reportedly followed from a bank in Homestead and robbed inside his North Braddock home. The victim spoke with news partners WPXI about the incident Wednesday. “I’m an older person. I just had knee surgery, and I just felt helpless,” the man said. The victim told WPXI...
Repairs to Riverside Park track in Oakmont set to begin this month
Restoration of the Riverside Park track in Oakmont is expected to begin this month. The borough recently was awarded a $140,000 grant through the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s Greenways, Trails and Recreation program. It is a matching grant with Oakmont covering about half. Council budgeted $70,000 for...
Matsook to remain Penn Hills School District chief recovery officer despite attempted ouster
Daniel Matsook will remain Penn Hills School District’s chief financial recovery officer, state Department of Education officials decreed in response to an attempt by the school board to have him removed. Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera informed district officials of the ruling via letter dated Sept. 30 and obtained by...
Assault, drug cases among recent Monroeville police activity – Oct. 2, 2019
Police filed the following charges Sept. 26 through Sept. 30 in District Judge Jeffrey L. Herbst’s office. All charges were filed by Monroeville police unless otherwise noted: • Dezmon Lewis, 18, of Wilkinsburg with simple assault, defiant trespasser and two counts of resisting arrest. Charges were filed Sept. 26 in...
Theft cases among those recently handled by Judge Herbst in Monroeville
Monroeville District Court Judge Jeffrey Herbst handled these cases recently. Defendants will have court dates set in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Charges were filed by Monroeville police unless otherwise noted. Held for court • Keona Arrington, 21, of Plum on charges of resisting arrest and hindering apprehension/prosecution....
Route 910 bridge in West Deer reopens ahead of schedule
A Route 910 bridge in West Deer that closed in mid-August has reopened. The old bridge, over a branch of Deer Creek between Oak Road and Frontier Drive, was demolished and replaced. A majority of the work was completed ahead of the original mid-October projection for completion. Officials said minor...
Bedbugs force Steel Valley to close schools
Steel Valley School District schools will be closed Wednesday as the district deals with bedbugs. Superintendent Edward Wehrer posted a letter to the district’s website about two incidents, one at the high school Monday and in a middle school student’s backpack Tuesday, in which a suspected bedbug was found. “Our...
‘Fake news’ a real discussion at Sewickley Public Library
Just because a reader does not agree with a story does not make it fake news. That knowledge and how opinions are not news were among the many related topics discussed at a fake news and information literacy workshop presented at the Sewickley Public Library by PublicSource Executive Director Mila...
Assault, drug cases among those recently handled in Judge DeLuca’s Penn Hills court – Oct. 1, 2019
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 • Brandon English-Dean, 27, of Penn Hills on charges of simple assault and...
Seeds to start Brandy Marie’s Gymnastics in Buffalo Township were sown at young ageVideo
Editor’s note: Building the Valley tells stories of businesses big and small and the employees who make them special. If you know of any standout employees, bosses or companies with a great story to tell, contact reporter Madasyn Lee at mlee@tribweb.com. A birthday party at the former Champion Gymnastics in...
1 hospitalized in connection with head-on crash in Washington Township
Washington Township police are investigating a crash Friday evening that sent one person to a local hospital with injuries. Westmoreland County dispatchers said calls for the two-vehicle, head-on crash at Route 66 and Silvis Road came in shortly before 6:30 p.m. North and southbound lanes of Route 66 were closed...
Elizabeth Bridge reopened after structural concerns addressed
The Elizabeth Bridge has been reopened about a day after it was closed due to structural concerns. PennDOT closed the bridge, on Route 51 between Elizabeth and West Elizabeth, Thursday afternoon due to a failed temporary structural support bracket being utilized for hanger cable replacements. Crews and consulting engineers worked...
Monroeville Convention Center to host healing expo this weekend
National and regional experts on health and wellness will be in Monroeville this weekend for the third annual Mind Body Spirit Healing expo. The event is presented by Kelly Simon Management and scheduled for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Monroeville Convention Center, 209 Mall Blvd....
Bond financing authorized for proposed Plum Town Center
Bond financing is being explored to fund a proposed municipal center in Plum. Council recently authorized administration to issue bonds to pay for the new facility along Old Mine Road near the public works and EMS facility. Officials could borrow about $20 million with building construction costs projected around $12...
Plum’s Holiday Park Elementary students explore entrepreneurship through school business
Chloe Lewis has big plans to launch her own business and be successful enough to contribute to local charities. The Holiday Park Elementary sixth-grader has a head start to her goals through the school’s student-based business. “I did it last year because I thought it would be fun,” said Chloe,...
Fire at commercial building in Dormont under investigation
The Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a blaze at a commercial building in Dormont. County dispatchers said the fire occurred at 3029 West Liberty Ave. shortly before 9:40 p.m. Thursday. Authorities said it was under control around 10:50 p.m. and no injuries were reported....
DUI, drug cases among those recently handled by Judge Zucco in Plum – Sep. 26, 2019
District Judge Linda Zucco recently handled the following cases. Charges were filed by Plum police unless otherwise noted. Waived preliminary hearings • Arnell Clark, 24, of Richmond on charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence, careless driving and exceeding maximum speed limits. State police...
New security protocol at Penn Hills School District prohibits visiting except for school business
People without a purpose – such as picking up or dropping off students, or have a scheduled visit – should stay off of Penn Hills School District property during school hours, according to a recent security change. Superintendent Nancy Hines said similar security measures were implemented at the Bill Fralic...
Assault, drug cases among recent Monroeville police investigations – Sep. 25, 2019
Monroeville police filed the following charges Sept. 23 in District Judge Jeffrey L. Herbst’s office: • Thomas Moeller, 60, of Pittsburgh with retail theft. Charges were filed Sept. 23 in connection with an incident along the 3600 block of William Penn Highway. • Anthony Gilmore, 20, of Penn Hills with...
Theft, firearms cases recently handled by Judge Herbst in Monroeville
Monroeville District Court Judge Jeffrey Herbst handled these cases recently. Defendants will have court dates set in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Charges were filed by Monroeville police unless otherwise noted. Held for court • Brandon Murphy, 24, of McKeesport on charges of simple assault, disorderly conduct and...
