Allegheny category, Page 321
Family, friends honor Jafar Brooks with balloon release, memorial
In Arabic, the name Jafar means “rain or water that comes from heaven.” The words came from Khalid Samad, an activist from Cleveland who came to Homewood on Friday to pay his respects during a dedication to the young Jafar Brooks, who died Dec. 15 after being gunned down in...
Man claims false arrest in 1965 kept him from substitute teaching jobs at Deer Lakes, Northgate
A Baldwin man is suing Deer Lakes and Northgate school districts, alleging that both refused to hire him as a substitute teacher because of what he claimed was a bogus arrest over loud music in 1965. Anthony Gaglierd, who said in his lawsuit that he had a teaching career spanning...
Port Authority driver who died from covid remembered as mentor to all
A hopeless romantic who loved to burst into song, Marlon Lucas was a mentor to all he met, friends and family eulogized Friday at a funeral service in Penn Hills. The Port Authority driver of bus 1110 died Dec. 6 after contracting covid-19. He was 57. Employees and dispatchers gave...
Man acquitted in Wilkinsburg mass shooting to plead guilty to federal gun charge
A man acquitted in the Wilkinsburg mass shooting case earlier this year will plead guilty next week to a felony gun charge in federal court. Cheron Shelton, 33, of Pittsburgh’s Homewood section, is expected to plead to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon via video conference...
Daily covid cases dip in Allegheny County; 27 new deaths reported
Allegheny County on Friday reported a small drop in covid-19 numbers with 827 new cases added, the second day in a row below 1,000 new cases. The county Health Department added 850 cases Thursday and the seven-day average is now down to 951 cases from a high of 1,067 just...
Jackknifed tractor-trailer closes Route 65 near McKees Rocks Bridge
A portion of Route 65 near the McKees Rocks Bridge was closed in both directions Friday morning, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI. A tractor-trailer jackknifed and spilled fuel on the road just north of the bridge, WPXI reported. Suggested detours for motorists include Camp Horne Road and Parkway North....
Perfect timing: Boyce Park ski slopes, snow tubing opens Saturday
Just days following a 9-inch snowfall, the Boyce Park ski slopes and snow tubing area will open for the season on 10 a.m. Saturday. Restrictions will be in place to comply with Pennsylvania’s temporary covid-19 protection measures. Only 50 skiers and 50 snow tubers will be permitted during each session....
Lawsuit alleges negligence by shuttle driver in September crash that killed pedestrian
The sister of a woman struck and killed by a shuttle bus in Pittsburgh’s Oakland section in September has filed a lawsuit against UPMC for negligence. Mary Flaherty, 76, of Monroeville was struck about 3:40 p.m. on Sept. 17 as she was walking near the intersection of Terrace and Buffalo...
1,200 Pa. health care workers vaccinated so far for covid-19Video
About 1,200 Pennsylvania health care workers received covid-19 vaccinations over the past three days as more shipments continue to arrive at dozens of hospitals statewide, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine said Thursday. No adverse effects have been reported in the 1,205 vaccinations, Levine said. Sixteen of the initial 87...
Mt. Oliver man wanted in connection with North Huntingdon woman’s fatal shooting
Police are seeking a Mt. Oliver man wanted in connection with the Dec. 5 shooting death of a North Huntingdon woman. An arrest warrant has been obtained for Jerrel Marquis Ingram, 32, of Mt. Oliver. Allegheny County detectives said 22-year-old Madison Gilroy of North Huntingdon died of injuries sustained during...
MLB recognition of Negro Leagues records ‘quite significant,’ says museum presidentVideo
On Wednesday, Major League Baseball announced that it will finally recognize Negro Leagues records and statistics between the years 1920 and 1948, the year after Jackie Robinson broke the big league color barrier. It means Negro Leagues star and Hall-of-Famer Josh Gibson, who played for the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh...
ACJ inmate, girlfriend face child sex abuse charges in connection with explicit video call
An Allegheny County Jail inmate and his girlfriend face child abuse charges that stem from a video call in which the couple’s toddler daughter was seen on the bed during a sexually explicit call between the two. Allegheny County Police began investigating after jail officials noted “disturbing behaviors” in a...
Pittsburgh CAPA dance students take steps in virtual concert
Kasey Coles pushes the living room couch out of the way. Her studio space is now ready. Such is the life of a senior dance major at Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, a creative and performing arts magnet school, Downtown. Pittsburgh Public Schools are stuck in remote learning because of the pandemic....
Police from eastern Allegheny Co. suburbs join forces to distribute toys
Local police departments are joining forces with Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes for a toy giveaway on Sunday. Police officers from Swissvale, Edgewood, Forest Hills, Wilkins Township, Churchill, Wilkinsburg, Braddock Hills and Rankin are teaming up with the local nonprofit to provide toys for families in need this holiday season. The...
Former McKeesport man sentenced to 18 years for soliciting sexual images from boys
A former McKeesport man was sentenced Wednesday to 18 years in a federal penitentiary for soliciting sexual photos of three boys online while he was on probation for a child pornography charge, according to U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady. Scott Payne, 33, was ordered to serve 20 years of supervised...
Family, coaches have ‘no words’ to describe pain of losing Jafar Brooks
Those who knew Jafar Brooks were lost for words in the days following the teenager’s untimely death. “There are no words, you can’t describe this feeling. When you love someone, ain’t no words to make them feel better,” said Rashad Byrdsong, grandfather of the Churchill teen who was fatally shot...
Allegheny County reports record 55 new covid deaths
Allegheny County on Thursday reported 55 new coronavirus deaths, a record number that topped the previous high of 34 set on Dec. 9. The death toll for the county now stands at 743. There have been 229 deaths reported this month. The Allegheny County Health Department said that the new...
Have a carby Christmas: Mancini’s bakes up a holiday tree
Mancini’s Bakery is taking Christmas carbs to a new level. The popular bakery created an 8-foot-tall Christmas tree crafted from its Italian bread. The holiday display should draw fresh attention, said Nick Mancini Hartner, co-owner of the bakery and the mastermind behind the bread tree. “I’ve always enjoyed playing with...
Pandemic drives Pittsburgh region’s food insecurity to new heights, reshapes assistance efforts
Food insecurity is an ongoing problem in the Pittsburgh region, made much worse by the covid-19 pandemic. Area food banks have responded by redoubling their efforts while facing new challenges. With pandemic restrictions putting many American breadwinners out of work or reducing their hours, food banks this year have been...
Snow day! Plum School District closed Thursday due to weather, playing in snow encouraged
Plum School District will be closed Thursday due to Wednesday’s heavy snowfall. A message from Superintendent Brendan Hyland about the snow day was posted on the district’s twitter page and newsfeed. The closure was in large part a result of Wednesday’s snow storms. “Students are directed to close their Chromebooks,...
North Versailles man dies after being hit by township snowplow truck
Authorities have identified a North Versailles man struck and killed by a snowplow truck in the midst of Wednesday’s storm. The victim is John Vichie, 63, of North Versailles, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office. Vichie was walking with a snow blower when he was struck by a...
Body found in Allegheny River in Shaler identified
Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified a body that was recovered from the Allegheny River on Wednesday morning. Officials said it was David Lesser, 54, of Shaler. Allegheny County homicide detectives were notified shortly before 8:30 a.m. of a body in the river near Pine Creek. Lt. Venerando Costa...
Advocates demand virtual access to Allegheny County criminal courts: ‘It’s not difficult’Video
Two advocacy groups called an Allegheny County court policy requiring the public to attend hearings in person even though proceedings are being held virtually “unlawful,” and threatened to file a federal lawsuit. A letter sent Monday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy...
Allegheny County’s covid rates still rising as some businesses ignore restrictionsVideo
Allegheny County’s current seven-day average for new infections is 1,000 new cases per day – an increase of about 150 cases from last week, officials said Wednesday. The percent of covid-19 cases returning with positive results has also climbed by 2% from last week – now at 14.6% positivity. County...
As covid-19 surges, Pennsylvania colleges urged to delay students’ return
Citing “an alarming increase in covid-19 cases” and yet another surge expected to peak in January, Pennsylvania acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega on Wednesday urged colleges and universities to delay the start of their spring semester. Ortega also suggested colleges and universities use virtual instruction as much as possible....
