Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 154

Volunteers are wanted for the fourth annual Plum Community Clean-Up Day. The event is 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday in celebration of Earth Day. Residents, civic groups, church groups and businesses are encouraged to help make the borough free of debris. Assistant borough manager Dave Soboslay said about 100...

One person was transported to a hospital with injuries sustained in a two-vehicle crash in Penn Hills. Allegheny County dispatchers said two cars collided Tuesday shortly before 4 p.m. at the intersection of Allegheny River Boulevard at Nadine Road. There was no word on any other injuries....

Dave Kalatschoff was shocked when lightning struck his Oakmont apartment on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. “I saw this big white flash, and it felt like someone shook you really, really hard,” he said standing outside the three-story building near the intersection of Eighth Street and Washington Avenue. “I didn’t get...

Oblock Junior High’s third annual Reach Out Club Easter egg hunt broke a record for participants and eggs. More than 500 people participated and 6,500 eggs were used in the hunt inside and outside the school at 440 Presque Isle Drive. Children from infants to age 14 were separated into...

More transparency, more fiscal responsibility and a focus on teaching basic life skills to complement a strong curriculum were among the ideas expressed by Highlands School Board candidates at a forum in Harrison. “I’ve gone to many, many meetings and watched the deterioration and frustration of the community,” said Region...

What is happening in Oakmont and Plum this week? Here are some of the highlights:Broadway pianist, conductor, actor and Emmy nominated comedy writer Seth Rudetsky brings his one-man-show, “Rhapsody in Seth,” to the Oaks Theater, 310 Allegheny River Blvd. Doors open around 6:30 p.m. with the show slated 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 courtJordan Mason, 20, of Penn Hills on charges of simple assault, harassment and strangulation....

Amateur astronomer Ed Potosky helps University of Pittsburgh students reach for the stars. The Buffalo Township resident who grew up in North Huntingdon helps aspiring astronomy students at his alma mater learn about the history of the Allegheny Observatory as well as different ways to gaze upon the galaxy. “It’s...

Part of a house under demolition in Pittsburgh’s North Side collapsed onto a road Friday bringing down power lines and starting a few fires. News exchange partners WPXI reported about 60 Duquesne Light customers lost power Friday as a result of the incident around Armandale Street and Garfield Avenue. Crews...

Plum School District board members are not proposing a tax increase or program cuts despite a deficit in the 2019-20 preliminary budget. Next year’s spending plan still has an estimated $457,000 gap, which officials plan to close through several options by the end of June. “We can still do some...

Dark Hollow Woods in Oakmont has gone to the dogs and bicyclists — temporarily. Council approved a six-month trial period, May 1 to Oct. 31, to test off-leash times and cycling in the publicly owned park near Crystal Drive. The current policy prohibits bikes in the park and dogs from...

Steel City Con, one of the largest pop culture and comic conventions in the nation and exclusive to the Monroeville Convention Center, broke attendance records this month. More than 14,000 people visited the venue at 209 Mall Blvd. between April 12-14. The con is in its 30th year, and just...

State financial recovery officer Daniel Matsook and his committee have more time to construct a plan to fix the fiscally troubled Penn Hills School District. Matsook said an extension was granted by the state Department of Education to complete the plan by May 20. He originally intended to submit the...

Penn Hills School Board Vice President George Sens will be joined on the elected panel by a very familiar face: his wife. Board members voted 4-2 at a special meeting Monday to appoint Jan Sens to fill the seat vacated by former President Denise Graham-Shealey. Graham-Shealey resigned in March to...

Penn Hills police said a man was kidnapped at a business along Verona Road and released a few streets away when the alleged assailants realized they had the wrong guy. The incident took place around 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Verona Car Spa in Penn Hills. Police Chief Howard Burton...

District Judge Linda Zucco recently handled the following cases. Charges were filed by Plum police unless otherwise noted. Waived preliminary hearingsZechariah White, 24, of Tarentum on charges of accident involving damage to attended vehicle/property and failure to stop and give information or render aid. Charges were filed Oct. 6. Melanie...

Monroeville police filed the following charges April 10-15 in District Judge Jeffrey L. Herbst’s office:Dylan Pierce, 19, of Monroeville with possession of controlled substances, possession with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license. Charges were filed April 15 in connection with an incident at...

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 courtTyrone Hicks Jr., 25, of Jeannette on charges of possession of firearm prohibited, firearms not...

Sam Parkin’s greatest day at school had nothing to do with the classroom or dismissal, and everything to do with heart and teamwork. Sam, 17, of East Deer was one of several students at Sunrise School in Monroeville to compete against Gateway High School students in a basketball game earlier...

Oakmont officials launched a new website Monday in order to improve communication with residents. The redesigned oakmontborough.com allows users to find borough forms and schedules, as well as activities and government functions, more efficiently. The mobile site also received a boost and a more user-friendly menu tab. Borough officials said...

Two people are recovering at local trauma centers after being shot in Munhall. The Allegheny County Police Homicide Unit was called to assist borough police with the shooting investigation around 8:50 p.m. Tuesday along the 400 block of East 12th Avenue. Munhall Police Chief Pat Campbell said a man from...

Gary Torick has had enough of Deer Lakes School District leadership. The longtime school board member made that clear with his resignation, ending a total of 24 years on the board. “With all the misleading statements and all the untruths being told, I can no longer be a part of...

Oakmont officials awarded this year’s paving contract to Plum-based Tresco Paving. The contract is worth about $295,000. The company was the lowest of four bidders. Council unanimously voted Monday night to award the bid. The list of streets to be paved was approved in February. The paving list includes: •...

A Monongahela man was killed in a crash in Carroll Township. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office reported William Criswell, 59, was pronounced dead shortly after 4 p.m. Monday at Allegheny General Hospital. He was injured in a crash along the 100 block of Route 88 South. The cause and...

Need help finding something to do in Plum and Oakmont this week? Here are some suggestions:Plum Community Center hosts an egg painting workshop 1-3 p.m. Tuesday at 499 Center-New Texas Road. Instructor Larry Kozlowski will show people how to make Pisanki decorated Slavic eggs. Cost is $5 per person. Call...