Local category, Page 1077
Police say Vandergrift couple blew crack cocaine smoke into the faces of their 2 young kids
A Vandergrift couple was ordered to stand trial after lab tests on their two young children showed they had cocaine in their systems. Craig James Rearick, 36, and Krystal Diane Kus, 30, of the 1100 block of Lincoln Avenue each were charged with two felony counts of endangering the welfare...
Amid Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial, Jewish community and others work to show city as inclusive place of refuge
Over the next several months, as the trial unfolds in connection with the Squirrel Hill synagogue shooting, Pittsburgh will be repeatedly reminded that it is home to the worst antisemitic attack in U.S. history. Eleven people from three congregations — Tree of Life-Or L’Simcha, Dor Hadash and New Light —...
Homeless man jailed after New Kensington police say he stole truck left running at gas station
New Kensington police arrested a homeless man Wednesday several hours after he allegedly stole a pickup that was left running while the owner went into the BP station on Tarentum Bridge Road to buy something. Matthew David Geracia, 36, was charged with felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property...
Out & About: Westmoreland Walks in the pink for annual fashion show
Westmoreland Walks board members and supporters are passionate about two things, fighting breast cancer — and fashion. The two seemingly disparate interests came together for the organization’s annual Passionately Pink Fashion Show, on April 22 at Westmoreland County Community College in Hempfield. Guests were treated to a parade of the...
Out & About: Ligonier Valley Historical Society food fest packs ’em in
A group of area restaurants put their best foods forward for Ligonier Valley Historical Society’s 30th Tastes of the Town, on April 20 in The Barn at Ligonier Valley. Surveying the packed house, Ligonier Borough Mayor Ormond “Butch” Bellas said, “It’s great to get together as a community and enjoy...
Out & About: Greensburg-Jeannette NAACP hosts annual banquet
“Looking Back While Moving Forward” was the theme for the annual Greensburg-Jeannette NAACP Human Rights Banquet, held April 22 at Greensburg Country Club. It’s a pivotal time in history not just for the organization, but for society itself, said branch President Ruth Tolbert. “We find ourselves in a period of...
Eating plants and blinking: Western Pa. scientists research evolutionary path of ancient mammal ancestors
Blinking — all of us do it, all the time. But research by scientists in Western Pennsylvania is shedding new light on how something as simple as blinking helped ancient animals begin the transition from water to land, and how some of them developed into plant-eaters. At Seton Hill University,...
Westmoreland again expected to be major factor in 2024 presidential race
Eyes could once again be on Westmoreland County as a key indicator ahead of the 2024 presidential election. With President Joe Biden’s announcement last week that he will seek a second term in office, political observers said the county is expected to play an outsized role in determining who wins...
Greensburg Salem students to present French, Spanish performances for Culture Day
Those attending Greensburg Salem High School’s annual Culture Day may hear students singing a French chanson or see them dancing a Latin salsa. “Students from the world language classes create cultural acts,” explained Tammy Lyons, a Spanish teacher at the school who chairs its world language department. The students will...
Frogs, toads, trillium, more showcased at North Huntingdon nature preserve
An evening nature walk at a North Huntingdon nature preserve will help participants learn about the frogs and toads that make the area their home. Herpetologist AAron Capouellez will lead the walk at the Otto & Magdalene Ackermann Nature Preserve, near Ardara, and share his love for amphibians while hopefully...
Behind the art: Italian abbey’s history depicted in painting at St. Vincent
Editor’s note: Behind the Art is a recurring series highlighting artistic works throughout the county. A deeply symbolic work of art on display in St. Vincent Archabbey’s Crypt leads viewers through the fall and rise of the Abbey of Montecassino in Italy, an important place in the Benedictine Order’s history....
Out & About: Saint Vincent seniors exhibit digital media creations
Senior students from four disciplines came together to exhibit works from their digital media professional capstone project at Saint Vincent College. Their work is showing through May 5 in the Verostko Center for the Arts on the Unity campus, where an April 19 opening reception drew a large crowd. “Collectively...
Frazer police respond to hoax call about double shooting
Frazer police responded to a call Saturday from a man claiming to have shot his wife in the head and saying he was about to shoot himself — only to learn that it was all a hoax. The call came in shortly after 3 p.m. to an Allegheny County 911...
Woman freed after being trapped under vehicle in Monessen
A woman was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital for treatment after she was freed after being pinned underneath a vehicle Saturday in Monessen, according to a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher. She reportedly was getting out of the vehicle when it moved and she became trapped under it, the dispatcher said....
Allegheny Valley School District teacher selected for free trip to Disneyland
A teacher in the Allegheny Valley School District has earned herself a free trip to Disneyland this week. McCall Emerick, an elementary school science teacher, has been named as one of the 100 exceptional teachers from around the country who will participate in the Disney 100 Teacher Celebration at Disneyland...
Harmar police: Driver held at gunpoint after picking up hitchhiker
A driver who stopped at a GetGo on Friday night in Harmar and picked up a man who asked for a lift to Verona was taken for a ride at gunpoint, according to Harmar police. Harmar police Chief Jason Domaratz said as the unidentified driver took the man toward Oakmont,...
Boy flown to Pittsburgh hospital after injury at Mt. Pleasant Township soccer field
A boy was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital after suffering head and neck injuries Saturday at a Mt. Pleasant Township soccer field, according to a Hecla Volunteer Fire Department spokesman. A medical helicopter was summoned following the incident shortly after noon near Bridgeport Dam, a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher said....
UFO, Bigfoot research, stories shared at Westmoreland conference
Fifty years or more ago, Pat Desmond saw a ball of light moving low through the air near her Washington County home. Ever since, she’s been seeking information about such unexplained phenomena and sharing stories of sightings with like-minded folks. That was the case Saturday, April 29 at the 15th...
Visitors got to explore Greensburg’s art scene Saturday
Visitors to downtown Greensburg on Saturday were invited to explore the city’s arts scene during the annual Greensburg ArtsWalk. The Westmoreland Museum of American Art played host to a poetry reading by Greensburg Salem School District students. There also were art displays by students from the Central Westmoreland Career and...
Mountain climbers rappel down Mount Washington to clean up the hillside
Experienced mountain climbers and other volunteers cleaned up litter Saturday from the slopes of Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington. They rappelled down the cliff from along Grandview Avenue. The Explorers Club of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and the Allegheny Mountain Rescue Group participated in the cleanup efforts, which have been conducted...
Traffic calming construction begins Monday in Brighton Heights
Construction on a traffic calming project in Pittsburgh’s Brighton Heights neighborhood is expected to begin Monday. The project will aim to reduce traffic speeds on Termon Avenue between California Avenue and Brighton Road, officials said. Construction is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The project is expected to last...
Lower Valley Little League held Opening Day ceremonies, boasts of nifty new scoreboard
The Lower Valley Little League held Opening Day ceremonies Saturday morning at its field in Springdale. The ceremonies included dedication of a new scoreboard donated by R.I. Lampus Co., which has been affiliated with the field for 54 years. Overnight rains forced Saturday’s games to be postponed, but other activities...
Police: Man shot several times in drive-by shooting in Pittsburgh’s South Side
A man was shot several times in the drive-by shooting early Saturday in Pittsburgh’s South Side. Police heard gunshots in the 1500 block of East Carson Street at about 2:15 a.m. Officers then found the man, who had run to the intersection of South 16th and Bingham streets. He was...
Seventh grader at Ingomar Middle School publishes first book
Hybrid humans, outer space travel and a deadly virus are some of the elements in “The Existence,” a book authored by Nia Sharath, a seventh-grader at Ingomar Middle School at North Allegheny. Set in the 2200s, the tale incorporates science fiction, fantasy, friendship, family and a fight between good and...
The Stroller, April 29, 2023: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Murder mystery dinner to benefit local feline rescue A murder mystery...
