Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 163
New club aims to teach Penn Hills middle-schoolers about real world workforce
A new club will give Penn Hills Linton middle-schoolers an understanding of the world of work from a variety of professionals. School board members recently approved Career Club, the latest project from the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity’s Adopt-a-School program. The historically black international fraternity has offered its free educational program...
Pa. attorney general will not review Penn Hills School District grand jury report
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro will not review a grand jury report regarding Penn Hills School District finances, according to a letter received by the district. A two-year grand jury investigation by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office faulted school officials and board members for plunging the district into financial...
Drug, theft cases recently handled by Judge Herbst in Monroeville – Mar. 27, 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 courtAngela Szekely, 27, of Trafford on charges of tampering with physical evidence, possession of drug...
WPXI anchor/reporter Marlisa Goldsmith leaving Pittsburgh for Arkansas TV station
Marlisa Goldsmith, Emmy award-winning anchor/reporter at WPXI, plans to leave Pittsburgh for Arkansas. “We’ll miss Marlisa greatly,” WPXI News Director Suzanne Nadell said via email to the Tribune-Review on Wednesday night. “She’s a great community citizen (and) newsroom leader. We’re happy she has this opportunity in Little Rock and wish...
Portion of Center-New Texas Road in Plum to be closed throughout April for emergency repairs
Center-New Texas Road from Patricia Lane and Plumcrest Drive in Plum is expected to be closed throughout April for emergency repairs, borough officials announced Wednesday. Crews from Plum-based A. Liberoni Inc. will repair and stabilize a section of the roadway damaged by landslides earlier this year. Borough Manager Michael Thomas...
Light catches fire in Plum High gym, no injuries reported
No injuries were reported as a small electrical fire disrupted track practice Wednesday afternoon at Plum High School. Unity firefighters said they were dispatched around 4:45 p.m. Wednesday for a fire in the school’s upper gymnasium. A short burst of flames was seen from one of the ceiling lights. It...
Wilkinsburg man pleads guilty to role in crack ring tied to West End gang
A Wilkinsburg man pleaded guilty in federal court to drug law violations in connection with his role in a crack cocaine ring with ties to the Greenway Boy Killas street gang, federal authorities announced Wednesday. Jewell Hall, 32, was among 28 suspects nabbed last summer in a wiretap probe targeting...
New interactive newsletter produced at Plum School District
Plum School District has launched an interactive monthly newsletter designed to promote positivity and highlight students and staff. The inaugural issue of PlumIS was revealed this month. It’s posted on the front page of district’s website, pbsd.net, and emailed to parents registered on the district’s student database. The newsletter was...
Woman shot in Swissvale, Allegheny County police investigating
A woman was hospitalized after being shot in Swissvale Tuesday night. Emergency responders were dispatched for the shooting around 9 p.m. along the 7300 block of Brinton Street. Authorities said the victim was found with a gunshot wound to her side. The woman’s condition was not immediately available. Allegheny County...
Assault, robbery cases among those recently handled in Judge DeLuca’s Penn Hills court
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 courtLauren Dumm, 30, of Charleroi on charges of burglary, robbery, aggravated assault, theft by...
Penn Hills parent seeks crackdown on fighting, cyber bullying at Linton
Rhonda Walden wants Penn Hills School District officials to take action to ensure other students do not suffer the same trauma as her daughter. “There is lack of policy at Linton, lack of consequence,” Walden told district officials at a meeting March 25. “Multiple students have been involved in fights...
Body found in Larimer identified as missing East Liberty woman
A body found near an auto body shop along Washington Boulevard in Pittsburgh’s Larimer section earlier this month has been identified as a Pittsburgh woman missing since September. Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office officials on Monday identified the body as Jessica Young, 35, of East Liberty. She was last seen...
Penn Hills School Board member resigns to focus on social justice
Denise Graham-Shealey has stepped down from the Penn Hills School Board. “My roots are in advocacy, and I look forward to returning all of my time and attention to it,” Graham-Shealey wrote in her resignation letter submitted to district officials March 25. The board voted to accept her resignation that...
Second eaglet hatches at Pittsburgh’s Hays bald eagle nest
A second baby eagle has emerged at the Hays bald eagles nest, Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania officials announced Monday afternoon. “It’s a really fun time of year for us,” Audubon Communications Director Rachel Handel said. “I think it’s one of the most engaging ways we come in contact with...
Harrison woman puts the ‘special’ in Special Olympics
Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series that features Alle-Kiski Valley people and the notable things they do. Melanie Bollinger has trained basketball and track and field champions for two decades. The Buffalo Township resident, along with her husband, Bo, and friend, Mary Smider, operate a Special Olympics...
An old, vacant gas station in Oakmont may become a borough parking lot
The Oakmont Community Foundation wants to turn an old, vacant gas station into a parking lot. The foundation is a nonprofit formed by the Oakmont Chamber of Commerce. Chamber member Dan Monaco, owner of Hoffstot’s Cafe Monaco and Chelsea Grille, presented the project to borough officials at a recent council...
Plum High School performers plan to bring audiences to the merry old land of Oz in April
Plum High School musical cast and crew hope folks follow the yellow brick road to the auditorium for a performance of “The Wizard of Oz.” This year marks the 80th anniversary of the time-tested classic about a young Kansas farm girl and her dog’s journey back home through the magical...
California man sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for distributing meth
A man from the state of California was sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to five years prison after he was convicted of distributing methamphetamine. Senior U.S. District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentence on Richard Sperry, 54, of Newberry Springs, Calif., authorities reported Thursday. Authorities say Sperry distributed...
South Oakland’s Swinburne Street closed again for landslides
Swinburne Street in Pitsburgh’s South Oakland section was closed Thursday because of landslides. The road may remain closed from Parkview to Greenfield avenues for about two weeks so repairs can be made, news exchange partner WPXI reported. It’s not the first time Swinburne Street closed this year as a result...
Swissvale police investigate pedestrian struck by vehicle
Swissvale police are investigating a traffic crash involving a pedestrian Thursday evening. Allegheny County dispatchers received a call about a man struck by a vehicle along the 2600 block of South Braddock Avenue around 7:50 p.m. The man was not transported to a hospital, county spokeswoman Amie Downs said. One...
Road to close as crane lifts 30,000-pound MRI scanner into Oakland research institute
Fifth Avenue in Oakland, between Bellefield Avenue and Dithridge Street, will be closed Friday night through early Monday as a crane will be used to lift a new MRI scanner into the Mellon Institute. Pedestrian traffic also will be restricted 7 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday. Authorities said the...
Assault, drug cases recently handled by Judge Herbst in Monroeville – Mar. 21, 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 courtNicole Ruaso, 38, of North Braddock on two counts of possession of controlled substances. Charges...
DUI, theft cases among recent Monroeville police investigations – Mar. 21, 2019
Monroeville police filed the following charges March 15-21 in District Judge Jeffrey L. Herbst’s office:Teyara Mack, 20, of Monroeville with retail theft. Charges were filed March 19 in connection with an incident along the 400 block of Mall Circle Drive.Caleb Sitman, 18, of Monroeville with terroristic threats and disorderly conduct....
Penn Hills charter school students welcome public into their MicroSociety
Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship students live in their own little world – literally. Children and staff recently welcomed parents and the public into their MicroSociety, a unique educational model in which the student body is the economy. They run businesses, government and banks and are held accountable for...
Linton Middle School performers spreading message of unity with musical
Linton Middle School performers aim to transport Penn Hills School District community members to a tropical paradise with their upcoming musical. The students will present “Once On This Island Jr.” at the school March 29-31. The show is a theatrical adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s popular fairy tale “The Little...
