Allegheny County News category, Page 14
Former Allegheny County public defender Matt Dugan to help lead Pennsylvania Prison Society
The Pennsylvania Prison Society has named Matt Dugan, a former chief public defender for Allegheny County, as its first Western Pennsylvania region director. Headquartered in Philadelphia, the Prison Society is a nonprofit advocacy group for incarcerated people. The only organization in the state with legal authority to visit any prison...
Lawsuit claims Allegheny County Jail failed to care for man who died of pneumonia
A lawsuit filed in federal court last week accuses Allegheny County Jail staff and the contractor that runs the medical unit there of failing to properly care for a man who had pneumonia and later died at a hospital. Joseph King Jr., who had been incarcerated starting in 2023, died...
Shelter from the storm: Pittsburgh-area homeless community finds relief from brutal weather
A Greyhound bus dropped Drezon “Dre” Pankey in Downtown Pittsburgh two weeks before a winter storm shut down the city with 14 inches of snow. Born in Ohio and raised in Florida, the former high school football running back knew no one here. He carried everything he owned, including a...
ICE agents take Brentwood man, leaving family seeking answers
Maklim Gomez Escalante texted his wife at 12:50 p.m. Jan. 20, letting her know he had arrived at the Magisterial District Court in Baldwin to testify as scheduled at 1 p.m. The text was followed by one more: “ICE agents are here.” She didn’t hear from him again that day....
Judge approves Millvale’s emergency request to borrow $1.9M
A judge on Feb. 3 approved Millvale’s emergency request to borrow $1.9 million so the borough can pay off its overdue debts as it works to right its financial ship. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge John T. McVay Jr. said he would draft his order granting Millvale’s petition after hearing...
Monroeville native, WWE announcer Corey Graves grapples with new role as Point Park professor
The term “kayfabe” has been used for decades in the professional wrestling business, its origins dating to the early 20th century as carnies and wrestlers worked to keep the illusion of what they did hidden from fans. The last safeguards to the term died as the internet came to life...
World’s tallest living female dog is a Great Dane with an ironic name and Pittsburgh roots
Minnie is anything but what her name suggests. The black-and-white Great Dane named after a Disney character recently earned the title of world’s tallest living female dog by Guinness World Records. Having just turned 4, Minnie — standing at 3 feet, 2.25 inches on all four paws — is about...
Sewickley Academy officials to add more addresses, signage to campus
Sewickley Academy officials believe adding addresses and signage throughout the campus will help ensure vendors and emergency responders get to the right place. The academy’s address is 315 Academy Ave. in Edgeworth. The problem is there are a dozen buildings on campus. Its bus loop is at 200 Hazel Lane,...
Officials warn people to stay off frozen Pittsburgh rivers
First responders have a simple message after seeing reports and videos of people walking on frozen Pittsburgh rivers: Don’t do it. “Don’t put yourself at risk to get injured — because our first responders have to put their lives on the line to help you,” said Pittsburgh EMS Chief Amera...
4 North Allegheny students named to Junior Achievement’s 18 Under Eighteen for 2026
Four North Allegheny students are among a team of 18 other students in and around Western Pennsylvania who have made significant, meaningful achievements by the age of 18. As honorees in the Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania’s 18 Under Eighteen for 2026, presented by EQT, the group will be celebrated...
Etna officials rally volunteers to help neighbors dig out from record-setting snow
Etna officials led a volunteer effort Jan. 31 to help residents in need dig out from a record-setting snowfall. Pittsburgh set a new record Jan. 25, when the National Weather Service measured a one-day snowfall of 11.2 inches at its office in Moon, shattering the previous record of 5.2 inches...
Allegheny Land Trust nears goal to conserve 30 acres in Collier for park expansion
The Allegheny Land Trust is a step closer to conserving about 30 acres of property in Collier. The trust is receiving $659,100 from the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to put toward the acquisition of the approximately 30 acres in Collier for an addition to Settlers Cabin County...
Blawnox launches ‘soft dig’ to test water lines throughout borough
Blawnox officials are taking steps to ensure that borough infrastructure is built to last. A “soft dig” project will kick off this spring to test water line composition throughout the borough. “The project will allow the borough to dig down to certain water lines and identify exactly what material the...
‘A little scary’ and a lot dangerous: People reminded to stay off frozen rivers
It is highly dangerous and widely discouraged to walk on frozen rivers. But that hasn’t stopped some people from doing it anyway. Videos and news footage from this weekend have shown people walking and sliding across the frozen Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, near Point State Park and the North...
Inmate who died at Allegheny County Jail identified as Hampton man
A 55-year-old man died Sunday morning at the Allegheny County Jail, Warden Trevor Wingard announced. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner identified the man as Mark Schwartz, of Hampton. Schwartz was booked into the jail on Aug. 2 on charges of a misdemeanor charge of simple assault and a summary offense...
Making the grade: School districts vary when configuring grade levels in buildings
A realignment of grade levels in Burrell School District buildings has offered more opportunities for students this school year. Students had more clubs, career exploratory classes and leadership prospects because of a district realignment that followed the closure of Stewart Elementary in August 2025. Effective this school year, Bon Air...
Recovery group marks 70th anniversary of ditching of B-25 bomber in Mon River
It’s been 70 years since a B-25 bomber ran out of fuel, splashed down on the Monongahela River near today’s Homestead Grays Bridge and was never seen again. A group fascinated by the story, and not giving up hope that the plane or parts of it may yet be found,...
Police: Wilkinsburg man assaulted woman, stole her vehicle
Pittsburgh police arrested a Wilkinsburg man accused of assaulting a woman and using her vehicle to get away. Charges against Jermaine Turner, 34, include aggravated assault, unlawful restraint, robbery, robbery of a motor vehicle, simple assault and terroristic threats. The victim in the case told officers that Turner, whom she...
Code Orange air quality warning issued for Mon Valley
An air quality action day has been issued for five communities in the Monongahela Valley because of an increase in particulate matter pollution, according to the state’s Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP issued a Code Orange Air Quality Day on Saturday for Clairton, and Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln and Port...
McCandless Polar Plunge rescheduled because of extreme cold
Because of the extremely cold temperatures, the McCandless Polar Plunge has been rescheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. March 20 at North Allegheny High School off Perry Highway. It will take place in collaboration with North Allegheny’s Unified Bocce team. The event, benefiting Special Olympics, originally was scheduled for Feb....
‘We go in the snow’: First responders in North Hills remain ready for emergencies
Preparation is key for emergency crews in the North Hills during extreme weather patterns. First responders are ready for action during the cold spell and will continue the same practices as harsh conditions continue or if they return in the coming months. “We go in the snow,” was Chief Chris...
Classic arcade gallery opens in former Duquesne church
Pittsburgh’s retro gamers have a new place to play as The Church Arcade in Duquesne will open its doors on Saturday for a two-day grand opening featuring tournaments, craft beers, food trucks, music and of course, arcade games. Operated by the Pittsburgh Arcade Collective – a group of classic arcade...
Sweetwater Center for the Arts to celebrate Folk February with 2 musical performances
Sweetwater Center for the Arts is celebrating Folk February with two concerts celebrating folk and Americana music. Pittsburgh-based Buffalo Rose returns to Sweetwater for a three-peat performance Feb. 6. The band will bring its six-piece “Theater Kid Americana” sound, featuring strong vocal harmonies, mandolin and acoustic instrumentation in an energetic,...
Preserving National Opera House important for Pittsburgh and beyond
When irreplaceable spaces disappear from the Pittsburgh landscape, the damage to historical records is permanent. That’s the view of North Side resident Jonnet Solomon, who has dedicated 25 years to the preservation of the National Opera House, a Queen Anne-style mansion on the border of the city’s Homewood and Lincoln-Lemington...
Larry Cervi, beloved arts director and founder of East End Kids, dies
Larry Cervi, who spent decades shaping students and stages as an educator and performing arts director across the Pittsburgh region, was a people person at heart. Cervi, of Churchill, died Thursday, after a yearlong battle with bladder cancer, only two days after his 90th birthday. He founded the Larry Cervi...
