Allegheny County News category, Page 304
Allegheny County’s average of new covid cases hits low not seen since November
Allegheny County’s seven-day covid-19 case average dropped to 210 on Friday, a low that hasn’t been seen since November. The Allegheny County Health Department reported 191 additional coronavirus cases. The last time the county’s current seven-day case average was this low was 207 on Nov. 8. The overall number of...
Traffic disruptions next week for bridge inspections along Pittsburgh-Ross border
Three bridge inspection projects scheduled for next week along the border between the City of Pittsburgh and Ross Township will result in periodic traffic delays for motorists. The work being done by Fisher Associates of Canonsburg by bridge inspections will occur in Ross Township and the City of Pittsburgh from...
8 candidates cross-file for 4 open seats on North Allegheny School Board
Only one of the four North Allegheny school directors whose terms expire this year are seeking reelection. Board members Andy Chomos, Allison Minton and Scott Russell will step down at the end of the year, leaving Rick McClure as the only incumbent to seek reelection to another four-year term. The...
Fitzgerald’s lack of attendance at Allegheny County Jail board meetings stirs debate
Allegheny County’s president judge said Thursday that it is not within her purview to order County Executive Rich Fitzgerald to attend the monthly Jail Oversight Board meetings over which she presides. The Pittsburgh Current reported in March that Fitzgerald is statutorily required to attend the meetings, but has failed to...
Firefighters battle 3-alarm fire at Pleasant Hills bar
No one was injured in a fire early Friday at a Pleasant Hills bar/restaurant, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI. Crews were called just after 4 a.m. to the Pleasant Bar along Old Clairton Road for a three-alarm fire. Authorities said the fire appears to have started in the kitchen....
Investigation of assault charge involving Springdale High School baseball coach continues
Embattled Springdale High School baseball coach Brett Burger is still not coaching the team and may not be back before the conclusion of this season. Allegheny Valley School District Superintendent Patrick Graczyk confirmed Thursday that the district is still investigating an incident last month in which Burger was charged with...
Allegheny County paid sick leave bill presented to board of health
The Allegheny County Health Department on Wednesday presented a proposal to the board of health for countywide paid sick leave. The bill had started in Allegheny County Council, but was vetoed by County Executive Rich Fitzgerald in March, after he said he believed it should go through the board of...
5 Democrats vying for 4 primary nominations in West View
Five Democrats are vying for party nominations in the spring primary to run in November for four open seats on West View borough council. There are no Republicans running for council in the May 18 primary. Incumbent Mayor John R. Henry is unopposed on the Democratic ticket in the primary....
Couple charged with handcuffing children, locking them in basement of Mt. Oliver home
An Allegheny County couple faces a slew of assault charges for forcing their children to sleep in locked basement rooms, physically abusing them and handcuffing them, according to police. Richard Hayes, 37, of Mt. Oliver Borough, and his girlfriend, 26-year-old Natosha Bell, of Rankin, both face more than a dozen...
Pittsburgh terrorism expert concerned about U.S. troop withdrawal from AfghanistanVideo
Last month, President Biden announced a complete withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, ending the longest war in American history. It’s a decision that’s raised concerns for terrorism experts like Colin P. Clarke, director of Policy and Research for the Soufan Group, a global intelligence and...
Portion of Verona Road to close for a month in Penn Hills
A portion of Verona Road in Penn Hills will close until June 9 as crews work on repairing a landslide, PennDOT announced Thursday. Work on the road will begin 7 a.m. on May 10, depending on weather. The road will be closed between Lincoln and Mt. Carmel roads. Traffic will...
Covid cases in Allegheny, Westmoreland, state remain steady; vaccine efforts inch along
Allegheny County saw a second day of under 200 covid cases reported, while cases in Westmoreland County dropped after a data dump inflated cases for Wednesday. On Thursday, the Allegheny County Health Department reported 177 additional covid-19 cases — 148 confirmed and 22 probable. This is down 17.2% from last...
Deadline nears to vote for North Hills educator up for $20K NHL prize for using hockey-themed STEM program
North Hills Middle School teacher and avid Pittsburgh Penguins fan Anthony Burns has already netted $10,000 in technology donations for his school from the NHL by using an interactive hockey-themed game to teach STEM skills. Now the 6th grade science teacher is hoping his program of using interactive game play...
Neighbor Spotlight: Pine-Richland fifth grader crowned Miss Pennsylvania Preteen, heading to national pageant
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...
$96 million Pine-Richland budget holds line on taxes; no program, staff cuts
The Pine-Richland School Board is considering 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 unanimous May 3 vote gave the OK for the district to advertise the budget and place it on public review....
Neighbor Spotlight: Soccer Source owner teams with Open Field to outfit needy kids from Pittsburgh to Cameroon
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...
Suspect in Frazer Walmart thefts had drugs in car, police say
A Pittsburgh man was arrested by Frazer police last Saturday for five separate thefts of Walmart items valued at about $2,500, according to Police Chief Terry Kuhns. Albert Swoope, 48, of Pittsburgh, was taken to Allegheny County Jail after failing to post $10,000 bond. He is charged with retail theft,...
Duquesne-McKeesport Bridge reopens after possible strike by barge
The Duquesne-McKeesport Bridge reopened early Thursday after possibly being struck by a runaway barge, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI. The bridge was closed for about six hours after authorities said a barge broke free just after midnight on the Monongahela River. BREAKING NEWS: After a Possible Barge Strike, the...
Wilkinsburg’s new Abraham Lincoln statue will go up in June
The wait for a new Abraham Lincoln statue to return to its familiar perch in Wilkinsburg is almost over. Wilkinsburg Historical Society President Anne Elise Morris said that the new Lincoln statue will be erected in June at the intersection of Penn Avenue and Ardmore Boulevard. The newly sculpted, life-size...
Police: Teen shot outside his Penn Hills home
A 17-year-old boy was shot during the evening hours May 5 as he walked out of his Penn Hills home, police reported. Chief Howard Burton said the shooting took place around 6:30 p.m. along the 200 block of Pelone Drive. Shots were fired from a vehicle outside the home. Burton...
Mt. Lebanon police find that ‘suspicious’ package left in front of offices of legislator, Social Security, not dangerous
Mt. Lebanon police evacuated a building along Washington Road on Wednesday evening that houses offices for state Rep. Dan Miller, D-Mt. Lebanon, and the Social Security Administration after police were called to the scene of a suspicious package. According to the department’s Facebook page, police responded to 650 Washington Road...
Sen. Toomey pledges in Pittsburgh to find out why U.S. Steel nixed $1B Mon Valley projectVideo
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey said Wednesday that he wants to get to the bottom of why U.S. Steel nixed its planned $1.2 billion Mon Valley Works project last week, even as indicators point to the pandemic-battered economy “roaring back” and bipartisan support builds for a nationwide infrastructure infusion. “Steel prices...
Allegheny County officials cite equity and hesitancy as barriers to vaccinations
Vaccine hesitancy, equity and general access remain barriers to getting Allegheny County residents inoculated against covid-19, Dr. Debra Bogen, health director, said at a Board of Health meeting Wednesday. State data shows that 445,578 people in Allegheny County are fully vaccinated, but with around 1.2 million residents, Bogen said there...
Allegheny County officials support lifting of restrictions, tackle covid vaccine mythsVideo
A day after Gov. Tom Wolf announced the imminent removal of covid restrictions in Pennsylvania, Allegheny County officials said it was right move. “That’s really good news as we start to get back to normal,” County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said at a virtual news conference. “Everybody has been eligible for...
La Roche student newspaper rebranded with new name, focus on digital publishing
The student newspaper at La Roche University in McCandless has revamped its format to reflect changes in the industry and to allow student journalists to focus on digital publishing. The La Roche Courier has ended a 25-year run and is being replaced by the Redhawk Post, which will allow readers...
