Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 159
Extension granted to craft Penn Hills School District’s recovery plan
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 directors appoint board vice president’s wife to fill vacancy
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...
Police: Penn Hills kidnapping victim released after assailants realize he’s the wrong guy
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...
DUI, firearms 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 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...
Assault, drug cases among recent Monroeville police investigations – Apr. 17, 2019
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...
DUI, theft cases recently handled by Judge Herbst in Monroeville – Apr. 17, 2019
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...
Gateway, Sunrise students score more than just points
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 launch new website
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 shot along East 12th Avenue in Munhall
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...
Deer Lakes school board member resigns citing problems with leadership
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 awards paving contract to Plum-based Tresco
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: •...
Monongahela man dies after crash in Carroll Township
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...
Events going on in Plum and Oakmont this week
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...
DUI, drug cases among those recently handled in Judge DeLuca’s Penn Hills court – Apr. 15, 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 courtMelvin Barnes III, 33, of Pittsburgh on charges of possession of marijuana, driving under...
International medical mission trips a calling for Oakmont nurseVideo
Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of an occasional series featuring Alle-Kiski Valley residents and the notable things they do. Laurel Houck uses medicine and faith to help heal the bodies and souls of people overseas. “The main thing is, medicine is a hook to bring people in so...
Plum Creek is stocked for the borough’s annual trout fishing event
Plum Creek is filled with fish just in time for the borough’s third annual Opening Day of Trout Fishing event. Residents ages 12 and younger can catch and release Saturday from 8-11 a.m. at the stream along New Texas Road across from the borough building. On-site licensing prior to fishing...
Easter Egg Hunt at Plum junior high school to take place this weekend
Oblock Junior High School’s annual Easter Egg Hunt is set for Saturday. The school district’s Air Force Junior ROTC cadets will open the event at 440 Presque Isle Drive with a flag raising ceremony around 9:40 a.m. The hunt is from 10 a.m. to noon. There will be multiple hunts...
2 Pittsburgh women sentenced for their role in Medicaid fraud conspiracy
Two Pittsburgh women were sentenced in federal court for conspiracy to defraud the state Medicaid program. U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon sentenced Autumn Brown, 31, and Brenda Lowry Horton, 48, to five years of probation, including six months of home detention, for their roles in a years-long conspiracy. Brown and...
Plum soccer youths take first place in regional competition
Plum Area Soccer Association athletes Allison Porter and Gage Adinolfi both earned first place at the regional Elks Soccer Shoot. They represented the Oakmont Elks Lodge 1668 in the skills competition in Fredrick, Md., and defeated competitors from Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. Allison...
Riverview may curtail programs, raise taxes to plug 2019-20 budget hole
Riverview School District officials may cut programs and increase taxes to close a projected $530,000 shortfall in next school year’s budget. District Business Manager Tammy Good recently delivered a 2019-20 preliminary budget update earlier this month. It is posted under the business office tab of the district’s website, rsd.k12.pa.us. Estimated...
Florida man, 71, pleads guilty to robbing Harmar, Shaler banks in 2016
An elderly Florida man accused of robbing two banks in the Pittsburgh area has pleaded guilty in federal court. Robert Stiver, 71, of Pompano Beach pleaded guilty to two counts of armed bank robbery in front of U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Bissoon, authorities said Thursday. Stiver has been detained...
Man recovering after being shot in the back in Penn Hills
A man in his early 20s is recovering after being shot in the back in Penn Hills. Police Chief Howard Burton said officers found the victim Wednesday after 11:30 p.m. along Robinson Boulevard near the Thad Stevens Volunteer Fire Department. He’s believed to have been shot while in his car...
Verona officer commended for saving missing woman unknowingly in medical danger
A Verona police officer is being hailed a hero for finding a missing borough woman who unknowingly needed serious medical attention. Resident Joann Semencar was reported missing Feb. 26 around 11:20 p.m. Police Chief Ron McLemore said she had reportedly left her home on the cold, windy evening in search...
Penn Hills School District financial recovery plan nearly complete, details not released
A plan to bring the financially struggling Penn Hills School District back in the black is nearing completion. State financial recovery officer Daniel Matsook has been working with a special advisory committee to craft the extensive plan the past few weeks. It is expected to be submitted to the state...
House destroyed in 2-alarm fire in Robinson
A home was destroyed after a two-alarm blaze late Wednesday in Robinson, Police chief Tim Westwood said. Firefighters from Robinson and Kennedy townships responded at 10:04 p.m. to the fire along the 100 block of Field Club Drive. “From what we could see, the roof was completely destroyed,” Westwood said....
