Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 18
4 vying for Highlands School Board in Region 2
Four people are competing for two positions to represent Highlands School Board Region 2. Incumbent Debra Lehew will go up against newcomers Shane Chesher, Jeff Thimons and Whitney Washington in the May 20 primary. Incumbent Nicole Kocon is stepping down. Region 2 includes Brackenridge and parts of Harrison. All of...
PPG Place parachuters may have obtained duplicate building key
Two men who parachuted from PPG Place may have gained access to the building with a copy of the key. Building officials believe a contractor may have made a duplicate key in March, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. The locks have since been changed and the duplicate keys have...
Gov. Shapiro talks about arson attack in ‘Good Morning America’ interview
In an interview with “Good Morning America” on Friday, Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned the rise of politically motivated threats in the wake of the attempted homicide and arson attack April 13 at the Governor’s Residence. “It’s real,” Shapiro told co-host George Stephanopoulos. “I mean, this is sadly a real part...
Homestead fire chief voted out over fight incident
The volunteer fire chief in Homestead has been removed from his position as the result of a disorderly conduct arrest in February. Timothy Eads was relieved of his duties with the Homestead Volunteer Fire Department, according to Homestead Solicitor Samuel Delfonso, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. Court documents show...
Morning Roundup: Pittsburgh police seek charges on Downtown ‘porch pirate’
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, April 18: Police make arrest in Downtown Pittsburgh thefts Pittsburgh police said they will charge a “porch pirate” they believe is responsible for several thefts Downtown and along the North Shore. Public Safety officials said a warrant is...
Then and Now: Aspinwall Catholic grade school celebrates 100 years in the borough
A lot has changed since St. Scholastica elementary school was established along the tree-lined streets of Aspinwall in 1925 – most notably, the name. But the school, now called Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy, remains true to its mission of providing a solid Catholic foundation for area youth. “Our...
LEAP preschool at Sharpsburg’s Watson Institute the only one of its kind in Allegheny County
Teacher Christine Kunkel kicks off each day with a morning meeting that finds her shaking her arms, patting her stomach and pretending to swim. The meeting participants — 3- and 4-year-olds at the Watson Institute’s LEAP preschool in Sharpsburg — follow suit, singing and dancing on a colorful mat near...
Massive steel transport expected to slow traffic on Western Pa. roads
A truck carrying a massive load of 153 tons of steel will wind its way through Western Pennsylvania on Thursday, slowing traffic on major arteries from Allegheny County to Columbiana County, Ohio. The superload will cause rolling traffic stoppages as it needs two lanes to move through, PennDOT officials said....
Morning Roundup: 3 injured in Ross crash; guns stolen from Cranberry home
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, April 17: 3 injured in Ross crash Three people were injured late Wednesday following a crash along McKnight Road in Ross near the area of a major road project. Emergency crews were called to the 4600 block of...
Officials look at possible connection between 2 found dead in Butler and Beaver counties
Two people were found dead in separate incidents Wednesday — one in Butler County, the other in Beaver County, the Pennsylvania State Police report. First, a 47-year-old woman was found shot inside an apartment complex at about 1 p.m. in Jackson Township, Butler County. She was discovered at her Creekside...
Harrison’s 1st Garden Tour aims to connect residents
From metal fish to mosaic tiles to a Victorian doorknob, every bauble in Bill Godfrey’s garden was either a roadside find or dropped at his door by friends and strangers. “It’s an artist’s garden,” said Godfrey, who has lived three decades at his Walnut Street home in the Natrona neighborhood...
Pittsburgh man dies after crashing into Florida lake
A 71-year-old Pittsburgh man died Tuesday after he crashed into a lake near Orlando, Florida. Police have not yet released the man’s identity, according to the Osceola News Gazette. The Florida Highway Patrol said emergency crews were called just about 3:40 p.m. to the community of Celebration. They say the...
Morning roundup: Carjacking in Point Breeze; 2 robberies — 15 minutes apart — near Pitt’s Oakland campus
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, April 16: Carjacking in Point Breeze Pittsburgh police are investigating a carjacking that happened Tuesday in Point Breeze. Officers were called at about 9:50 a.m. to South Braddock Avenue and Waverly Street for a report of an armed...
Buffalo teacher placed on leave after mistakingly giving students THC gummies
A New York teacher has been placed on administrative leave after giving her students edible THC gummies that she mistook for Sour Patch kids. The incident happened at William J. Grabiarz School of Excellence in Buffalo, N.Y., according to WKBW. The edibles were packaged to look like regular candy, police...
Aspinwall’s Green Streets doubles impact with high school partnership
Leaders of an annual Aspinwall cleanup are expecting to toss even more trash from town roads and green spaces after solidifying a partnership with the Fox Chapel Area environmental club. Andy Collins, vice president of the nonprofit host Aspinwall Neighbors, said the event is growing at a rapid pace heading...
Morning Roundup: Police pursuit in Fayette County ends in crash
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, April 15: Fayette County pursuit ends in crash A police pursuit ended with a truck crashing into a post office early Tuesday morning in Fayette County, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. The crash happened at about 1:40...
Former Brilliant Branch rail line a ‘blank canvas’ for public trails, economic growth
Pittsburgh will have its own version of Manhattan’s High Line in coming years, providing 3.6 miles of trails, gardens and riverfront access along an antiquated rail corridor near Aspinwall. The Brilliant Branch, a former railroad line that stretches from the shore at Allegheny RiverTrail Park to Pittsburgh’s Homewood section and...
Second phase of Brackenridge trail to start, provide missing link to larger goal
Missing links that will enable expansion of the 33-mile Three Rivers Heritage Trail are starting to fall into place like dominoes, organizers said. Work at Brackenridge Memorial Park will begin this spring on a quarter-mile path that will provide connections to planned trails in Harrison and Tarentum. “These connections are...
Charges filed in Parkway East wrong-way crash that killed 2
Police have charged the driver they say caused a wrong-way, head-on collision that killed two people Sunday evening on the Parkway East near Downtown Pittsburgh. Pedro Olan Morales, 56, from Charlotte, N.C., has been charged with aggravated assault by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person, accidents involving injury or...
Morning Roundup: Pittsburgh police investigate 2 separate shootings
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, April 14: Teen found shot along Wood Street Pittsburgh police are investigating after a teen was found shot late Sunday along Wood Street, just near Downtown’s public safety center. Officers responded at about 11 p.m. to the 400...
2 newcomers vying for seat in Highlands Region 3
Highlands School District residents in Region 3 will see a choice of two people seeking a four-year term on the school board. Newcomers Clint Crowell and Aasta Deth, both cross-filed, are vying to fill the seat of Ashley Javier, who is stepping down. Crowell, 43, is a teacher at Freeport...
PennDOT’s Route 28 wrong-way safety detectors aim to save lives
Route 28 has earned a dangerous reputation after dozens of wrong-way crashes that claimed lives and racked up damage. PennDOT will usher in new technology this month to turn that around. A $4.8 million safety detection project will target 21 ramps along the expressway — a stretch where 30 wrong-way...
Covid pandemic exposed vulnerabilities but brought lessons in preparedness
Ordinary shopping trips became a scavenger hunt five years ago. Shoppers who felt fortunate enough to find toilet paper quickly filled their carts. Demand soared for items such as masks, lumber, liquor and computer chips. As covid-19 swept across the United States, empty store shelves spurred anxiety, heightened tensions and...
Pioneer Hose in Brackenridge provides critical service throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley with Rehab Squad
A specialized truck at Pioneer Hose in Brackenridge is critical for keeping firefighters throughout the region on the job. Although, the department’s Pierce Rehab Squad, a climate-controlled box truck where volunteers can rest and rehydrate, provides little to no medical intervention, it is essential to firefighter health and safety, Chief...
State’s first Unified eSports League levels playing field at Fox Chapel Area, Freeport Area
For Matt Murslack, the start of every meet for his fledgling unified video gaming club is like stepping onto the field for a real-life big game. The eighth grade teacher at Fox Chapel Area’s Dorseyville Middle School delivers a fiery motivational speech and lessons in sportsmanship. Then the competition starts,...
