Western PA Local News category, Page 1073
Questions surround timing of vote for new Harrison police chief
The Harrison Commissioners didn’t break the law but they appear to have violated the intent of the state’s Open Meetings law when they voted during last week’s agenda meeting to hire the township’s new police chief, according to an attorney for the PA NewsMedia Association. “Residents and taxpayers expect and...
Westmoreland Republican row officers secure Democratic nominations through write-in votes
Westmoreland County Treasurer Jared Squires and Controller Jeffrey Balzer were out to lunch in late April when they decided to put in motion a plan to ensure they wouldn’t have any competition for the jobs they’ve held for the last 11 years. “We realized no one was running against us....
Man accused of leaving nephew for dead in North Huntingdon fails to appear for hearing
A warrant was issued for a Forest Hills man who failed to appear for a hearing Wednesday in a case involving his nephew’s 2022 death in North Huntingdon. The lawyer for Jeffrey Carlson said his client claimed work obligations kept him from attending the hearing in which he was to...
Greensburg Salem eyes fall reopening for water-damaged middle school classrooms
Greensburg Salem School District plans to have three middle school classrooms with water-damaged carpeting back in use in time for fall instruction. But it’s expected to take longer to restore the district administration offices that also were soaked in mid-April when a water fountain on the school’s second floor started...
Ex-Army Ranger from Glenshaw gets 5-plus years for Jan. 6 Capitol riot
A combat-hardened ex-Army Ranger from Glenshaw who breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and fought with law enforcement officers was sentenced Wednesday to 66 months in federal prison. Robert Morss, 29, a former Shaler Area School District substitute history teacher, was convicted in August by a federal judge...
Back to Roots: Monroeville event features seed swap, plant education
Monroeville Community Park West was blooming with activity on May 20, thanks to a Back to Roots event. The Monroeville Area Native Plant Group and the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of Wild Ones hosted the festivities. Nature lovers and budding botanists came out to swap native seeds, purchase native plants, listen...
Latrobe woman wins big from scratch-off Pa. Lottery ticket
When Diane Babbin sent her mother, Laura LeBlanc, to the Shop ’n Save in Latrobe last week, she was expecting to receive a thermometer, not a million dollars. “We still haven’t bought the thermometer,” Babbin joked Wednesday. The 38-year-old Latrobe woman said her son, Boston Soluri, had stayed home sick...
Latrobe welcomes back former officer as new police chief
Latrobe’s council chambers were filled with people this week as they watched a familiar face become the city’s police chief. Richard Bosco will be returning to the department and will replace John Sleasman, who retired last year. “It’s great to be home,” Bosco said Monday as he took the oath...
Pittsburgh updates fees for residential, commercial development projects
Pittsburgh has updated its fee schedule for residential and commercial development projects to make up for a $1.4 million shortfall in the Department of City Planning budget. The city will charge a fee of 0.1% of a project’s cost for residential developments and a 0.3% fee for commercial developments. Fees...
Menu options could change at Westmoreland courthouse as county seeks food service proposals
Lunch options could be expanding at the Westmoreland County courthouse. The county is seeking proposals from private food providers and restaurants to operate the former cafeteria space that since 2016 has been run by Subway, commissioners said this week. “We as a county are open to different options, such as...
Harmar police say surveillance photo used to track down man accused of thefts from Target
Harmar police accused a man of stealing more than $1,500 from the Target store in the township after images from surveillance video were used to find a match with a booking photo from a previous arrest, according to investigators. Jonathan Lee Neal, 22, of the 500 block of South Trenton...
Family of late Pine-Richland teen Matt Graf creating youth behavioral health fund
An annual charity golf outing honoring a Pine-Richland High School student who died a few weeks before graduation in 2013 will begin using some of the money raised to help children suffering from behavioral issues. Since its inception in 2015, the Matt Graf Golf Outing has donated $96,000 for student...
Funeral arrangements announced for La Roche University President Sister Candace Introcaso
Funeral arrangements for La Roche University President Sister Candace Introcaso have been announced. A viewing for Introcaso, who died Monday, will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Visitation Chapel in The Commons at Providence Heights in McCandless. A Mass will be...
Leechburg Area Pool won’t receive 2nd half of pledged covid-relief money from Gilpin
An effort to raise money for a new water slide at Leechburg Area Pool is causing a splash in Gilpin. In a post Wednesday to the pool’s Facebook page, pool secretary Steve Senjan, a former Gilpin supervisor, criticized Gilpin officials for not following through on their $25,000 pledge to the...
Vanderbilt woman arrested after drug sting at Rostraver gas station
A Fayette County woman was jailed this week after she received a half pound of crystal methamphetamine from an undercover officer in Rostraver with the intent of taking it to an apparent drug dealer, according to court papers. Kylee J. Moore, 21, of Vanderbilt is facing drug and conspiracy charges....
Monessen woman accused of threatening judge, children’s bureau arrested in Washington, D.C.
A Monessen woman charged this month with threatening Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau employees and now accused of threatening a Westmoreland County judge has been arrested in Washington, D.C., police say. Precious L. Gantt, 39, was arrested by the Metro Police Department after it received a copy of a warrant obtained...
Construction to start this summer on Pittsburgh’s Homewood Field
Work is expected to start this summer on a project to update Homewood Field with a regulation-size football field and other amenities. Officials held a ceremonial groundbreaking at the site Tuesday ahead of construction on the project. “Homewood Field is a beloved and heavily used resource by the community,” Mayor...
Jeannette concert, food truck nights expand to 8 summer dates
Some homegrown heroes will take the stage for the season opener of Concert and Food Truck Thursdays in downtown Jeannette. Rock band Twisted Fate will play a free show 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Elliott Group Amphitheater at Clay Avenue and South Fifth Street. Food trucks and a...
Author talks, other activities set at Monroeville Public Library
Monroeville Public Library is hosting the following events: • Game Nights, 6 to 8:30 p.m. June 8 and June 27. The library will provide spaces for a variety of board games, card games, tabletop games, and party games like Jackbox. Guests are welcome to bring their own games or try...
New Kensington Bridging the Gap graduates prepare for brighter futures
Gabrielle Ham sees so much potential in the students she mentored over the past 12 weeks even if, at first, they didn’t see it themselves. Ham, director of Bridging the Gap at the New Kensington Salvation Army, said some of those kids were told the program was “for the bad...
Plum library encourages summer reading with concert, other activities
Summer is a time for relaxing by the pool, traveling and spending time outdoors. Pamela Fauls hopes Plum residents add another activity to their to-do list — visiting the library. Plum Borough Community Library is hosting a summer reading kickoff on June 7 from 6 to 7:45 p.m. Local musicians...
Westmoreland happenings: Strawberry festival, sunset yoga, Memorial Day service, more
Fundraiser • West Newton First Church of God will have a Strawberry Festival from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Sewickley Grange, Route 136, Sewickley Township. Menu: homemade sandwiches, salads and strawberries. Dine in or takeout. Takeout orders: 724-872-7467. Health • Excela Health neurologist Dr. Cathleen Adams will present a...
Police identify victim, suspect in Oliver Citywide Academy shooting
An Oliver Citywide Academy student was shot and killed by another student Wednesday morning outside the school, police said. Police identified the victim as Derrick Harris, 15. The suspect, Jamier Perry, also 15, is charged with homicide, possession of firearm by a minor and carrying a firearm without a license...
Westmoreland Heritage Trail Community Festival will include poker run
The annual Westmoreland Heritage Trail Community Festival will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 3 in Trafford, and this year will include a poker run. In addition to basket raffles, a DJ, fishing for kids, food vendors, ice cream, face-painting and more, the festival will include a...
Jacobs Creek Watershed Association to host ‘Young Naturalist Camp’
The Jacobs Creek Watershed Association will host a “Young Naturalist Camp” in June at Laurelville Retreat Center in Mount Pleasant Township. The overnight camp will be June 11-13 and is the successor to the association’s “Tot-Time” and “Nature Explorer” day camps for children ages 11 to 13. Programs during the...
