Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 97
Botany and booze brings big crowd to VeronaVideo
When Aimee and Matt Butch of Greenfield walked the grounds of Railroad Park in Verona on Saturday it was with cool drinks in their hands and a smell of spring in the air. “We like flowers, and we like booze,” the wife said. “It’s a win, win.” It was that...
Gateway School District officials, teachers union reach deal and avoid strike
Gateway School District and teachers union officials reached an agreement Sunday and avoided a strike. The announcement was made on the district’s website and Facebook page. The deal comes after more than 16 combined hours of talks Friday through Sunday between the district and Gateway Education Association officials. “Both sides...
Search for missing man in Allegheny River ends with no results
A search for a missing man along the Allegheny River near several campsites in Gilpin ended with no results Sunday. Multiple organizations including state police Kittanning barracks, police and firefighters from Gilpin, firefighters from Leechburg, Vandergrift and North Apollo along with Greensburg bloodhounds were out from 1 p.m. to 7:30...
Street art fair latest effort to continue bringing life back to New KensingtonVideo
The heart of New Kensington’s business district beat a little stronger Saturday, and the city showed signs of artistic life. Painted chairs and parked cars lined the 900 block of Fifth Avenue. Its sidewalks featured tables of dolls, jewelry, paintings, caricatures and basket raffles. The sound of women singing could...
Rosedale Beach Club in Penn Hills/Verona area ready for season
Rosedale Beach Club near the Penn Hills/Verona border will start its 95th season on Memorial Day weekend. The pool and recreation site along Third Street opens at noon on May 29. Club officials and volunteers recently spent a weekend cleaning the facility to prepare for the opening. “It’s gotten easier...
Riverview school board incumbents move to November ballot; several challengers get party nods
All three incumbents seeking party nods in the May 18 primary for four Riverview school board seats will move on to the November ballot. Only one will be on both the Democratic and Republican tickets, according to complete but unofficial returns from the Allegheny County Elections Division. Arlene Loeffler made...
New barn at Woodville Plantation will provide historical experiences
A Collier nonprofit has crafted an 18th-century barn on its national historic landmark site. Neville House Associates plans to use the structure, crafted with wood from an 1810 Belgium barn found at the Steranko Farm in Latrobe, to provide more authentic experiences at the Woodville Plantation. “It fits in with...
Penn Hills school board primary candidates will all be on November ballot
All seven Penn Hills school board primary candidates seeking party nods for four seats will be on the November ballot. Some will be on either the Democratic or Republican side while one will be on both, according to complete but unofficial returns from the Allegheny County Elections Division. Incumbent Marisa...
Mail-in ballots could affect Verona council Democratic candidate race
Two Verona council incumbents and two others appear to have earned Democratic nods for four seats while one incumbent might not have made the cut. Incumbent Raymon Suchevich would need all 18 write-in votes in order to edge out fellow council member Nancy Carpenter for the party nomination for four...
Celebrity guest and artist changes announced for Steel City Con in Monroeville
Organizers of Steel City Con, a pop culture convention at the Monroeville Convention Center, announced new celebrity guests and artists for its upcoming show. Hollywood legend William Shatner tops the list of more than 25 guests scheduled for June 11-13 at 209 Mall Plaza Blvd. The Emmy award-winning actor, writer...
Sewickley Manager Marla Marcinko fired; officials won’t say why
Sewickley Council has fired borough manager Marla Marcinko. However, officials remain mum on their reasoning for the termination via a split vote earlier this month. “The elected officials voted to make a change in the manager’s position,” council President Jeff Neff said when questioned about the move. He said he...
Bethel Park police collect thousands of pairs of socks for Pittsburgh area charity
Bethel Park police recently partnered with a Pittsburgh nonprofit to collect socks for the city’s homeless and raise awareness of the department’s K-9 unit. Officers were able to obtain 3,464 pairs of socks from three collection sites and two community events. They were donated to Socks with a Mission, a...
Bethel Park recreation plans include new splash pad, playground at Park Avenue
A new splash pad, playground and pavilions are among the plans for a park along Park Avenue in Bethel Park. Council president Tim Moury said everything is still in the design phase. Contract bids for project specifications will be sought in late fall and construction is planned for early next...
Primary election winnows crowded Plum School Board field; Plum Council slates set
Two incumbents and several newcomers out of 12 candidates seeking Democratic and Republican nods for four Plum School Board seats were each successful in getting single party nominations, according to complete but unofficial returns from the Allegheny County Elections Division. Board member Joe Tommarello was among four candidates selected on...
Jefferson Hills Council members go through firefighter training at Allegheny County Fire Academy
Two Jefferson Hills council members have nearly completed firefighter training through the Allegheny County Fire Academy. Council president Karen Bucy, a retired eighth-grade teacher, and Melissa Steffey, a real estate agent, have spent more than a dozen Saturdays at the training facility in Allison Park learning what many men and...
Primary election underway throughout Plum
Voting took place for the May 18 primary election. Polls in Plum opened at 7 a.m. closed at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. was allowed to vote. Masks were required. The Advance Leader will update readers on election results throughout the day and coming days as voting...
Primary election underway throughout Monroeville
Voting took place for the May 18 primary election. Polls in Monroeville opened at 7 a.m. closed at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. was allowed to vote. Masks were required. The Times Express will update readers on election results throughout the day and coming days as voting...
Vendors, organizations to participate in new night markets initiative in Jefferson Hills park
Andrew Reilly Memorial Park in Jefferson Hills will soon be bustling with businesses and folks eager to stimulate the economy through a new borough event. The Jefferson Hills Recreation Initiative’s inaugural Night Markets kicks off Thursday, May 27. It’s scheduled every Thursday from 5-8 p.m. through July 29 at the...
Giant Eagle to allow fully vaccinated customers, staff to go maskless
Giant Eagle will not require fully vaccinated shoppers or workers to wear masks at its supermarkets and GetGo locations starting Monday, company officials announced. Company spokesman Dick Roberts explained the move via press release Tuesday evening. “Throughout the covid-19 pandemic, we have taken every opportunity to safeguard the health and...
Oakmont officials don’t want coal tar in the borough
Oakmont has become the most recent Allegheny County community to frown on the use of coal tar. Citing health concerns, council unanimously voted to adopt a resolution banning the use of coal tar, a material linked to stomach and bladder cancer. “Coal tar has a very high concentration of what...
Police: Man shot multiple times in Stowe
A man was shot multiple times along a Stowe Township street Monday night. Allegheny County police said they were dispatched for a shooting around 9:20 p.m. along the 600 block of Woodward Avenue. Officers found a man with multiple injuries and other evidence of a shooting, according to a county...
Fire under investigation in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood
Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a three-alarm fire that heavily damaged an apartment building in Bloomfield on Monday night. The fire was reported shortly before 9:45 p.m. in the 4100 block of Main Street, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety officials. The fire quickly was raised to three...
Plum’s Monday Market opens with new vendors, new opportunitiesVideo
Plum’s Monday Market is open for its fourth season with several new vendors. Hours are 3 to 7 p.m. nearly every Monday through the end of October at Plum Creek Park along New Texas Road. There is no market on Memorial Day, July 5 and Labor Day. “We grew it...
Volunteers clean up Laird Cemetery in Plum
A group of volunteers spent a day restoring a sign and did some landscaping at Laird Cemetery in Plum, the final resting place of some of the borough’s first families. Resident Jennifer Zafris said she would pass the site at New Texas and Saltsburg roads often and wanted to do...
Carlyton High School’s first graduating class celebrates 50th anniversary with current seniors
Phyllis Timbario remembered what it was like entering her senior year at Carlynton High School some 50 years ago. She was from Carnegie and part of the first graduating class of the new school formed from the merger of Carnegie and Crafton school districts. “One on hand we were getting...

