Allegheny County News category, Page 295
Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Edgewood celebrates 2021 graduatesVideo
Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Edgewood celebrated their 2021 graduates on Thursday. Graduates began their morning with a class photo and a graduation walk through the campus prior to a commencement ceremony scheduled for 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. Students, faculty and staff lined the halls to...
171-year-old Edgeworth home available for $1.55M
Willa Cather wrote about this historic home in Edgeworth. The celebrated novelist used the elegant home — known as “Braeface,” Gaelic for “the brow of the hill” — as a setting for her 1925 story “Uncle Valentine.” She was a frequent guest there of the Slack family when she lived...
Attorney Milton Raiford apologizes for leaving client’s case during Zappala dispute; seeks to be restored
A day after Milton Raiford, who is embroiled in a public dispute with Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr., refused to represent his client in court, the defense attorney changed his mind. On Thursday, Raiford asked the court if he could return to Vanessa Williams’ case — telling...
Pine-Richland OKs 2021-22 budget with no tax hike, program or staff cuts
The Pine-Richland School Board has approved a budget for the 2021-22 school year that keeps property taxes at their current rate without the need to trim programs or staff. The nearly $96 million spending plan was approved by the board at its June 7 meeting. The district anticipates revenues of...
Judge orders primary ballot recount for tied commissioner race in Ross Township
An Allegheny County judge has ordered a recount of the ballots cast in the May 18 primary for two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination to run for the Ward 8 commissioner’s seat in Ross Township. Democrats Lauren Hergert and Denise Rickenbrode each received 235 votes, according to an unofficial tally...
Bethel Park woman charged with endangering the welfare of children, DUI
A Bethel Park woman faces multiple charges for allegedly trying to run over juveniles in a middle school parking lot. Haley Jankowski, 18, is charged with endangering the welfare of children, ethnic intimidation, driving under the influence, criminal mischief, reckless driving, corruption of minors, drivers required to be licensed and...
Portion of Elfinwild Road in Shaler closed for fallen tree
Motorists who use Elfinwild Road in Shaler will have to use a detour Thursday. The road is closed between Willett and Laurel Hill roads, police said. There is a tree down on the road and police are unsure of when it will reopen to traffic. PennDOT has been notified....
South Park walking trail lit up with solar panels
Walkers and joggers who frequent South Park will likely enjoy a new safety perk along Corrigan Drive. A two-mile stretch of walking path is now illuminated with 122 solar lights. Construction wrapped on the $738,750 Allegheny County project that targeted the pathway between Library and Brownsville roads. “The lights are...
Live entertainment, more menu items planned for Oakmont Greek Food Festival
Live entertainment, outdoor seating and more menu items are all part of the return of the Oakmont Greek Food Festival later this month. It is the 47th year for the festival presented by the Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church at 12 Washington Ave. Food will be served from...
Paint is source of high lead levels in Wilkinsburg homes, report finds
Concerned Wilkinsburg residents and community leaders met Wednesday to sift through a report on the high level of lead exposure in the borough and what to do about it. The report, “Get the Lead Out, Wilkinsburg” was compiled by Get the Lead Out, Pittsburgh and Women for a Healthy Environment....
Advocates for Pittsburgh-area sex workers call on officials for decriminalization
An activist group advocating for sex workers in the Pittsburgh area is calling on Democratic mayoral nominee Ed Gainey and other lawmakers to decriminalize sex work and end enforcement of prostitution charges, according to an open letter from the group. Pittsburgh’s Sex Worker Outreach Project, or SWOP-Pittsburgh, also called on...
Allegheny County fines U.S. Steel $200,000 for air pollution, permit violations
The Allegheny County Health Department issued over $200,000 of penalties against U.S. Steel for air pollution and permit violations that occurred at the Clairton Coke Works during the first quarter of 2021. In a statement from the health department, officials announced $201,500 in stipulated penalties for pollution violations and permit...
Allegheny, Westmoreland see rapid drops in new covid cases
New covid-19 cases continued their rapid declines in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. Allegheny County recorded 183 cases in the past week — including just 15 on Wednesday — for a seven-day daily average of 26. It hasn’t been that low since hitting 24 on June 24, 2020. For perspective, the...
Food Podcast: With school out, Trinity’s summer youth café addresses food insecurity
Even though school might be out for summer, the issue of living with food insecurity doesn’t go away for many children. That worry remains high as more families endure financial struggles from the covid-19 pandemic, causing the food security rate in Southwestern Pennsylvania to hit 21%. That’s a 41% increase...
Black attorney demands apology from DA Zappala, calls Allegheny Co. courthouse ‘cesspool of white privilege’Video
Black defense attorney Milton Raiford refused Wednesday to participate in his client’s nonjury trial until Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. meets with him, resigns or recuses himself from all of Raiford’s cases. A spokesman for Zappala said the office is aware of Raiford’s comments and has ordered...
7-Eleven, customers robbed in Castle Shannon
Police in Castle Shannon are investigating an armed robbery Wednesday at the 7-Eleven/Marathon station along Mt. Lebanon Boulevard. Officers were called at about 3:15 a.m. to the convenience store/gas station after a suspect brandished a handgun and took money from several people inside the store, as well as cash from...
Monroeville man sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison for cocaine-dealing while on probation for heroin conviction
An Allegheny County man has been sentenced to 5½ years behind bars for plotting to sell cocaine for a prison drug smuggling ring while on probation for a prior heroin-dealing conviction, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. Dorianne Harris, 28 — whom officials linked to residences in Monroeville as well as Munhall,...
Would-be intruder shot trying to break in to Mt. Oliver apartment
A man shot and wounded a would-be intruder Tuesday morning in Mt. Oliver Borough, according to police. The man, who police did not identify, was allegedly trying to force his way into a 19-year-old woman’s Ormsby Avenue apartment, Allegheny County Police Sgt. Matthew Mineard said in a statement. The shooting...
Black political advocacy group asks Supreme Court to investigate Zappala’s conduct
The Black Political Empowerment Project sent a letter Tuesday to the state Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Board seeking sanctions against Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. for a now-rescinded policy he issued last month banning his office from offering plea deals to a Black defense attorney. Zappala issued an...
Wabtec Corp. opens 3D printing operation near Pittsburgh InternationalVideo
Instead of using a mill to fabricate aluminum into the parts used in railway systems, Wabtec Corp. will be using a $2.5 million 3D printer that’s among the largest in the world at its new 11,000-square-foot facility in Findlay. The company is the successor of Westinghouse Air Brake Corp. Founded...
Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh expands list of nominees for bishop
Two more names have been added to the list of nominees for the next bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. The Rev. Jeffrey Murph, rector of St. Thomas Memorial Church in Oakmont, and the Rev. Canon Scott Gunn, executive director of Forward Movement, a spiritual renewal program based in...
Investigators believe Penn Hills teen’s killing was retribution for theft
Investigators believe a Penn Hills teen was killed last month as retribution for stealing drug proceeds two days earlier, according to charges filed. Deontae Deshawn Nalls, 21, was charged Monday with homicide in connection with the death of 17-year-old Darin Hobdy on May 23 on Vantine Street in Wilkinsburg. Two...
North Hills School District hires long-time educator as middle school principal
The North Hills School District has hired a veteran educator and coach to serve as principal for the middle school. LaMont Lyons’ contract was approved by the district’s school board on June 3. He replaces David Lieberman, who announced this spring that he is retiring. Lyons began his career in...
North Hills School District taxes going up next year
The North Hills school board has approved a tax increase to fund a nearly $88.3 million spending plan for the 2021-22 school year, district officials announced. The 0.39 mill tax hike increases the rate used to calculate tax bills from 18.65 mills to 19.04 mills and is the seventh time...
Allegheny County election results certified; Moreno still undecided on running as Republican
Voters may have a choice in the fall Pittsburgh mayoral election, if Tony Moreno claims the Republican nomination he earned by getting 1,379 write-in votes in the May primary. Moreno has previously said he was awaiting for certification of the results before announcing whether he will continue his campaign for...
