Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 78
Part of Sarver Road in Buffalo Township closed Thursday, no reopening date given
PennDOT closed a portion of Sarver Road in Buffalo Township on Thursday. The closure is at the intersection Sarver Road and Monroe Road. A detour has been posted using Route 356 (South/North Pike Road). The detour is about 9 miles long. PennDOT officials said there is no estimated time for...
Fox Chapel Area schools go to masks optional
Masks went optional for schools in the Fox Chapel Area School District on March 2. The shift in safety protocols was made after at least five consecutive days of Allegheny County being in the low community covid transmission level, according to district spokeswoman Bonnie Berzonski. Masks had been mandatory during...
Penn Hills bus garage parking lot expansion plans on pause
Plans for an expansion of a Penn Hills bus garage parking lot along Saltsburg Road were put on pause as council considers amending its zoning ordinance. Krise Transportation has served as Penn Hills School District’s main bus service provider for years. There are about 170 employees and about 150 buses...
Quaker Valley High School presents Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’
Quaker Valley High School musical students and staff are excited to have the public be part of their world once again. After a video/streamed performance of last year’s musical due to covid restrictions, auditorium doors will reopen mid-March for the Broadway version of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” More than 500...
Quaker Valley High School welcomes therapy dog program
A jingle of dog tags resonates whenever Penny makes her way around Quaker Valley High School. The 2-year-old purebred bulldog brings joy to students and staff alike. “It’s been great,” said owner Rob Johnson, a paraprofessional who obtained the dog from D and D Bulldogs near Philadelphia. “The kids have...
Leet, Leetsdale, Sewickley and Edgeworth among Banner Communities
Several Quaker Valley area communities were among 80 Allegheny County towns and municipal authorities designated as 2022 banner communities by the Allegheny County League of Municipalities. They are Leet Township, Leetsdale, Edgeworth and Sewickley. This marks the tenth year of the program, which recognizes municipalities that show a commitment to...
Pittsburgh police: Missing girl last seen Saturday
Pittsburgh police seek help finding a missing girl. Taylor Wilson, 13, was last seen on Saturday. She is described a standing 5 feet 7 inches tall, with blue eyes and brown hair. Police said she is known to frequent Ross, Fineview and Westwood neighborhoods. Anyone with information on Taylor’s whereabouts...
Quaker Valley COG selects permanent glass recycling spot in Sewickley
Quaker Valley Council of Governments officials have selected a Sewickley site for its glass recycling program. The municipal government cooperative has been mulling over where to put a permanent bin to serve its 15-member communities for quite some time. Sewickley officials made a suggestion last month to use a portion...
1 killed after opening fire on police in South Connellsville
South Connellsville police shot and killed a man after they say he fired at them during a welfare check early Tuesday evening in South Connellsville. Police were called to a home on the 2100 block of Second Street in Connellsville shortly after 4:30 p.m., after a request to check on...
Pittsburgh gang member sentenced to federal prison for drug, firearm conviction
A Pittsburgh man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison after he was convicted of violating federal drug and firearms laws, officials announced Tuesday. Devonte Parker, 26, became the latest member of Darccide/Smash 44, or DS44, a neighborhood gang involved with significant drug trafficking in the city. U.S....
Peter Adams appointed to Sharpsburg Council
Sharpsburg officials have tapped a health care professional as their next council member Peter Adams, an administrative fellow at UPMC, was recently appointed to fill the vacant seat of Brian Kozera, who moved out of the borough. Kozera was elected to his first term in November. Adams’ appointment is for...
Penn Hills demolition plans in various stages
Multiple blighted and unsafe buildings will be demolished this year in Penn Hills. Municipal planning director Chris Blackwell said plans to take down just under 40 properties are in various stages – from 19 properties under contract for demolition and a recent grant application for five more. “Penn Hills has...
Quaker Valley School District yet to respond to Leet board’s denial of school-related application
The future of a proposed Quaker Valley high school is uncertain as school district officials continue to mull over a denial by the Leet zoning hearing board. The board unanimously voted to deny the district’s special exception application for the project on Feb. 9 — however, board members said they...
Sharpsburg council pulls measure to decriminalize possession and use of marijuana, paraphernalia
With virtually no public support and a police chief saying the proposal conflicted with state law, Sharpsburg Council on Feb. 24 permanently yanked a controversial measure to legalize marijuana in the borough. The measure itself never came up for a vote. The sponsor, Councilman Jon Jaso, made a motion to...
Libraries host bilingual story time, energy fair
Story time Cooper-Siegel Community Library hosts a Spanish and English storytime from 10:30-11 a.m. March 8 at 403 Fox Chapel Road. Gather in the library’s Program Room for a playful storytime that includes interactive books, rhymes and songs in both Spanish and English. The free program is geared toward babies...
Police: Mother charged for threatening student on Gateway school bus
A Monroeville woman is charged with terroristic threats and other crimes for allegedly threatening a Gateway elementary student on a bus. Jada Northcutt, 34, got on to a bus with Evergreen Elementary School students at the intersection of Garden City and SunnyField drives the morning of Jan. 27, according to...
Quaker Valley School District officials invest in new technology for students, staff
New iPads and laptops are expected to be in the hands of Quaker Valley School District students and staff next school year. District director of innovation and strategic initiatives Karyn Dobda said 320 iPads were purchased for first and ninth-grade students. It also approved the purchase of 100 MacBook Air...
Ross commissioners president defends police chief after ‘no confidence’ vote from union
Dan DeMarco, president of the Ross Board of Commissioners, defended his police chief at Tuesday night’s meeting following a “no confidence” vote from the township’s police union. A letter sent earlier that day from the executive board of the Ross Township Police Association announced that 27 officers voted in favor...
Pittsburgh man sentenced to nearly 4 years in federal prison for heroin trafficking
A Pittsburgh man has been sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for his involvement in a heroin trafficking ring, federal officials announced Tuesday. David Joyner, 26, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. US District Judge William S. Stickman IV sentenced him...
Pittsburgh man sentenced to more than 3 years in federal prison for drugs, guns
A Pittsburgh man has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison for violating federal narcotics and gun laws, federal authorities announced Tuesday. Prosecutors say Don Eric Copeland, 20, possessed illicit drugs with intent to distribute them — crack cocaine and a mixture containing cocaine and fentanyl. Pittsburgh police seized...
Fox Chapel teen, emergency responders and dispatcher honored for saving boy’s life
New Year’s morning began with a crisis for the Stephany family of Fox Chapel. Their youngest member, Max, 11, was found unconscious inside their Riding Trail Lane home. Parents Rob and Molly Stephany tried all they could to wake him up. However, Max did not respond and was not breathing....
Fox Chapel Area School District police chief to become treasurer of national nonprofit
Joseph Kozarian, Fox Chapel Area School District’s chief of police, will soon add a new title to his resume. The law enforcement veteran takes over as treasurer for the National Association of School Resource Officers in July. “It’s a great honor, great organization and wonderful people,” said Kozarian, 55, of...
Financial aid available for families impacted by Penn Hills fire
People impacted by a devastating apartment complex fire in Penn Hills are eligible for financial relief, state officials announced Friday. About 30 families were displaced by a fire Jan. 22 at the Rodi Arms apartments along the 300 block of Rodi Road. No injuries were reported. Gov. Tom Wolf said...
Castle Shannon man admits to child porn possession
A Castle Shannon man has plead guilty in federal court to child porn charges, officials announced Friday. David Colaianni, 62, admitted to U.S. District Judge William S. Stickman, IV that he possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. Officials said a federal search warrant was executed by FBI...
Route 356 in Butler County to have lane restrictions Saturday to address flooding
PennDOT officials said lane closures in both directions of Route 356 in Jefferson Township will take place Saturday. The northbound lane will be closed at the intersection of Route 356 and Bonniebrook Road, extending about 2,500 feet from the intersection in both directions, starting at 7 a.m. The southbound lane...
