Allegheny County News category, Page 290
Churchill residents protest potential Amazon development
A large group of Churchill residents who oppose a potential Amazon distribution center in their community held a protest Tuesday evening. Hillwood Development — a Texas-based group that has acquired land for Amazon in the region before — is trying to purchase the former site of the George Westinghouse Research...
Aspinwall historian taking steps to raise money for library, community centerVideo
A new historic walking tour is raising funds for a proposed library and community center in Aspinwall. Terry Nelson Taylor, Aspinwall historian and longtime resident, is volunteering her time and tour guide skills, offering monthly walking tours around the borough that was founded in 1892. All proceeds from the Aspinwall...
Woman, 50, killed in McKeesport wreck Saturday afternoon
Allegheny County Police are investigation a car crash Saturday afternoon in McKeesport in which a 50-year-old woman was killed. County police were notified about 4:15 p.m. that a vehicle crashed in the 500 block of Pirl Street and went over the hillside. The victim, Levona Hawkins of McKeesport, was thrown...
‘So sweet’: Farms anticipate abundant corn season
After a challenging growing season in 2020, local farms are returning to normal levels of success with this year’s weather to produce much-anticipated sweet corn. Greg Forejt Jr. of Windy Heights Farm Market in East Huntingdon said last season was too dry, resulting in the loss of about half of...
53-year-old Wilkinsburg man found shot to death
Police have identified a man found shot to death in Wilkinsburg on Friday afternoon. Allegheny County Police said they responded to the 1900 block of Laketon Road shortly before 2 p.m. for a report of a man not breathing. First responders found Darnell Trowell, 53, of Wilkinsburg, dead of apparent...
Allegheny County family’s overdose loss inspires law designed to ‘save lives’
Heather’s Law was signed this week by Gov. Tom Wolf, ending a four-year effort to provide an extra tool in the battle against overdose deaths. Authored by Rep. Eric Nelson (R-Hempfield), the legislation is named for an Allegheny County family’s daughter who died of an overdose. Formally titled Act 41...
Game Commission seeking help to locate turkey poacher in O’Hara’s RIDC Park
A man shooting a crossbow at a flock of turkeys in O’Hara’s RIDC Park could have caused catastrophic results, Game Commission authorities said Friday. “This is a highly populated area, and the fact that someone would do this is shocking,” said Northern Allegheny County Game Warden Madison Kyle. She said...
Kennywood’s Phantom’s Revenge ranked 2nd best roller coaster in national poll
Kennywood Park’s Phantom’s Revenge roller coaster has put up a second place showing in a USA Today 10Best.com poll to decide which roller coaster is America’s best. Phantom’s Revenge boasts a 232-foot drop through the structure of the Thunderbolt roller coaster and reaches a top speed of over 85 mph....
Wexford siblings launch nonprofit, website that gets to the heart of issues affecting senior citizens
Hannah and Joseph Shin weren’t looking to use technology when they decided to find a way to inform and entertain senior citizens. But the North Allegheny senior and her 20-year-old brother, who is pursuing a pre-med track at the University of Pittsburgh, knew that whatever they did, it had to...
Committee to Save St. Philip School, Pittsburgh diocese clash over items removed from building
An ongoing dispute regarding the future of St. Philip School — which the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh plans to merge despite strong opposition — escalated Thursday morning when police responded to the school as diocesan officials removed some equipment from the building. A spokesman for the Committee to Save St....
Jefferson Hills resident with rare disease uses platform to highlight video game accessibility
Jefferson Hills resident Grant Stoner found a way to turn his passion for video gaming into a platform to highlight and improve accessibility in video gaming. The 27-year-old has a rare disease called Type II spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a progressive neuromuscular disease. The disease causes difficulty to perform certain...
West Penn Hospital nurses rally for new contract, citing continuing stresses
Nurses at Allegheny Health Network’s West Penn Hospital, pointing to pressures of the national nursing crisis, are seeking new contracts with the hospital. Speaking at a Thursday morning rally on behalf of roughly 700 union members organized through SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, nurse Kayla Rath called for West Penn to improve...
South Park rider hopes to exploit home course advantage in local BMX races
Thousands of pro and amateur BMX racers from all over the world will converge at South Park BMX in Bethel Park this weekend for the Stars and Stripes Nationals. And one racer in particular might have a bit of an advantage over the rest of the field. Cameron Bramer, 19,...
Bridge linking Swissvale to Rankin set to reopen
People traveling on the Parkway East to Kennywood Park will soon be able to use the Swissvale exit again to cross the Kenmawr Bridge to get to the park. Since the bridge closed May 17, traffic had been re-routed through Homestead. The bridge is set to reopen at 7 p.m....
Mom of liver transplant recipient Lucas Goeller recalls ‘miracle’ donation with mom of Nebraska girl who died
Indiana Township’s Lucas Goeller had days to live. At 2 years old, he was laid up in UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh with a serious liver infection. It was June 2015. At the time, he was diagnosed with a rare liver disease called biliary atresia. His only shot at survival...
Food Podcast: Pittsburgh food bank changes look with new branding
On this week’s episode of the food podcast presented by Clearview Federal Credit Union, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank reveals its new logo and look. The mission is the same, but the logo has changed to reflect the innovative things the food bank is doing to provide meals to...
6th annual golf outing in honor of Pine-Richland senior who died raises $22K for charity
An annual golf outing in honor of a Pine-Richland senior who died in 2013 just weeks before graduation raised nearly $22,000 that will be donated for scholarships and other worthy causes, organizers announced. The 6th annual Matt Graf Golf Outing held June 4 at the Pittsburgh North Golf Club in...
Neighbor Spotlight: Wexford man’s family featured in film chronicling sandwich generation of caregiversVideo
Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...
Neighbor Spotlight: Pine woman’s book aims to help families tame kids’ compulsion for tech
Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...
Allegheny Land Trust closes deal to acquire the former Churchill Country Club for about $3 million
The Allegheny Land Trust officials announced Wednesday that they have closed on the deal to purchase the former Churchill Valley Country Club. It’s an event more than two years in the making. The 151-acre site at the Churchill/Penn Hills border will be preserved for recreation. The Sewickley-based Allegheny Land Trust...
Police: 16-year-old boy hospitalized after shooting in McKees Rocks
A 16-year-old boy was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries Wednesday after being shot in McKees Rocks, police said. Allegheny County emergency dispatchers were notified around 3:15 p.m. of a shooting victim in the 800 block of Gray Street. On scene, officers with the Allegheny County Police Department, who responded to...
Police: Drugs, guns found in car after driver almost struck Duquesne officer
A West Homestead man faces DUI and other charges after he nearly hit a Duquesne police officer who was conducting a traffic stop early Tuesday, authorities said. The incident happened around 1:30 a.m. as a Duquesne City officer was making a traffic stop along Route 837. Police said a second...
‘The numbers prove it’: Allegheny County officials point to rising vaccination rates and falling case counts
Eighty percent of Allegheny County’s adult population is at least partially vaccinated against covid-19, officials said Wednesday, a rate that continues to rise as case counts and positivity rates continue to fall. “Let’s get that last 20%,” said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, “so we can all feel safe, we...
Business owner sues Pittsburgh police, judge after parking lot dispute
A woman who says she was unlawfully detained after she called Pittsburgh police about a person illegally parked in a Greenfield lot that she owns filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday alleging retaliation and excessive force. Marsha Simonds, and her husband, Matthew, sued the City of Pittsburgh, as well as...
Man gets 26 to 52 years for deaths of 2 men found in burning Point Breeze home
Vincent Smith lived a wanderer’s lifestyle. He didn’t drive, traveled the country, rode his bike everywhere, loved reading Jack Kerouac and fancied discussion about Kierkegaard. At his sentencing hearing on Wednesday, a long-time friend called him nonviolent, peaceful and kind with a “gentle soul.” But Allegheny County Assistant District Attorney...
