Western PA Local News category, Page 1085
Borough officials work to certify over 300 parking meters in Vandergrift
A Vandergrift resident advocating for legally operating parking meters throughout the borough appears to be making headway on her mission. Rae Ann Bruner has been spearheading efforts to fix broken, inaccurate and jammed parking meters since mid-March. “They have begun the process of gutting and repairing the meters,” Bruner said....
‘I never wanted to be a career politician’: Gina Cerilli Thrasher reflects on 2 terms as Westmoreland commissioner
Gina Cerilli Thrasher is looking forward to a break from politics. That means trading the public spotlight and sometimes odd hours as Westmoreland County commissioner for dinners at home with her family and more downtime. Her February announcement that she would not be hitting the campaign trail for a third...
Larry Scirotto takes reins of Pittsburgh police with list of priorities
The man in line to become Pittsburgh’s next police chief will be tasked with improving more than just public safety. Observers say Larry Scirotto also will need to improve discipline, morale, diversity and training within the Pittsburgh police department, while boosting recruitment and community relations outside of it. “You have...
Police: Woman used heroin before killing pedestrian in New Florence
An Indiana County woman is accused of being impaired when she hit and killed a pedestrian in New Florence late Monday and fled the scene, according to court papers. State police said Melissa Ann Anderson, 52, of East Wheatfield told them she used heroin just before the collision. Barry Lynn...
3 hurt in North Braddock crash
Three people were hospitalized Monday afternoon after a head-on crash in North Braddock. The two vehicles involved crashed near Lincoln Highway and Electric Avenue around 12:20 p.m., Allegheny County Police said. Three people were taken to area hospitals in stable condition, police said. Police did not identify them. Police are...
Lawmakers push for earlier presidential primary
The date of next year’s primary conflicts with a major religious holiday, and some state lawmakers have taken notice. The 2024 Pennsylvania primary is set for April 23. It conflicts with the Jewish holiday of Passover and takes place after many states already would have voted for a presidential nominee...
Madison tax collector fined for late payments says life events got in the way
Madison Borough’s tax collector is accused of ignoring requests from county auditors to access his records and as a result owes more than $2,800 for making late tax payments. Westmoreland County Controller Jeffrey Balzer said an audit released Monday of collections made by Madison tax collector John Fassett last year...
Inmate pleads guilty to assault of prosecution witness in New Kensington murder trial
A Wilkinsburg man was ordered to serve up to a year in prison for assaulting a jail inmate who testified last year in the trial of New Kensington man convicted of first-degree murder. Shawnti Eugene Shifflett, 27, pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor charge of simple assault after Westmoreland County...
Talent abounds at Bethel Park Arts Fest
Amid the dazzling array of artwork on display at Bethel Park High School was a graphite drawing that was on its way to a new home in Washington, D.C. Beginning in June, senior Tatum Brown’s “Canaries in the Coal Mine” will be exhibited at the U.S. Capitol for a year...
Bedford Dwellings death ruled a homicide
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled the Jan. 27 death of a woman in Pittsburgh’s Bedford Dwellings as a homicide. Markeyta Daniels, 24, of the North Side, was found unresponsive in a residence in the 2200 block of Somers Drive around 1 a.m. and later pronounced dead, the...
Alcoa strikes 8-year deal to supply Emirates Global Aluminium
Alcoa inked a multi-year agreement for the Pittsburgh-based company to supply Emirates Global Aluminum with smelter grade alumina. The 8-year agreement, which begins in 2024, will allow EGA to procure as much as 15.6 million metric tons of alumina from Western Australia. The deal will represent a significant portion of...
Line painting scheduled this week on several Alle-Kiski Valley roads
PennDOT will be painting lines on roads in the Alle-Kiski Valley area through Saturday, the agency announced Monday. Work to repaint lines will occur between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PennDOT says it generally is not responsible for paint on vehicles. Roads in the Alle-Kiski Valley area where painting will...
New Kensington-Arnold 5th graders enjoy morning trout fishing at Valley High School
Stocking the trout certainly helped, but they didn’t seem to be needed for some fifth graders from Roy A. Hunt Elementary School to enjoy a morning of fishing in Little Pucketa Creek outside Valley High School. Some students were as happy catching the numerous itty bitty fish in the creek...
Lifeguard shortage puts opening of all Pittsburgh pools in jeopardy
Pittsburgh needs to recruit about 40 to 50 more lifeguards to open all of the city’s pools this summer, officials said. Maria Montaño, a spokesperson for Mayor Ed Gainey, said the city is “recruiting hard” to get enough lifeguards to open all the city pools, but they’d need a total...
Hill District Federal Credit Union gets $1.1 million from FNB
The Hill District Federal Credit Union received a $1.1 million investment from F.N.B. Corporation, the holding company of First National Bank, with the goal of boosting financial services to the neighborhood. Pittsburgh-based FNB is building its headquarters in Lower Hill. Construction on the FNB Financial Center began in September 2021...
Chartiers Valley students surprise teacher with donation in her honor
For three months, 150 students in kindergarten through second grade arrived at Chartiers Valley Primary School early each Wednesday. Led by second-grade teacher Shelley Territ, they performed daily exercises as participants in Kids of Steel, a training program that motivates youngsters and their families to get moving and make healthier...
Pittsburgh’s URA provides 1st loan to help convert vacant Downtown office space into housing
Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority is awarding its first loan from a program that aims to help developers create affordable housing in vacant Downtown office space. Last week, the URA board unanimously approved providing a $300,000, 0% interest loan to Hullett Development Triangle to help it convert unused space in the...
Garden club’s May Mart aims to raise money for upkeep of Lower Burrell gardens
A Lower Burrell tradition will come into bloom later this month. The Burrellton Garden Club’s May Mart is set for 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 20, at the Lower Burrell city garage, on Schreiber and Bethel streets. Among its offerings will be annuals, perennials, hanging baskets, herbs and...
Bethel Park students meet auditor general, learn financial literacy at JA BizTown
Say you encounter an offer for a credit card that boasts a 0% introductory annual percentage rate for the first 12 months after opening an account. Oh, and the rate increases to between 18% and 29%, based on your creditworthiness, at the end of that year. Do you take the...
Police investigate suspicious death of Mt. Lebanon man
Allegheny County police said they are investigating a suspicious death in Mt. Lebanon. At 2:58 p.m. Saturday, Mt. Lebanon Police responded to the 200 block of Academy Avenue for reports of a dead man whose body had been discovered by a family member. Police said they found trauma to the...
Crime Stoppers offering reward in connection with fatal New Kensington shooting in December
Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for information leading to an arrest in connection with the fatal shooting of a New Kensington man outside his apartment building in December. James Michael Hayes, 31, was found shot to death about 10:30 p.m. Dec. 9 in the parking lot behind...
Police say scammers stole $1K in merchandise from Hempfield store
State police are trying to identify two people who made off with $1,000 worth of merchandise after investigators said they did a quick-change scam at a children’s clothing store in Hempfield. Troopers released surveillance images of the suspects on Monday in connection with the April 25 incident at Carter’s in...
3 men in jail after raid in Jeannette
Three men were jailed without bail Thursday after members of the Westmoreland County drug task force raided a Jeannette home and reported finding drugs and two guns, according to court papers. Police said they confiscated $1,000 and about 21 grams of suspected cocaine. Chad E. Foster, 29, of Jeannette; Charles...
Derry Township man charged after police say he shared child porn on Snapchat
A Derry Township man is being held at the Westmoreland County Prison after state police said he shared a video of child pornography through Snapchat. Timothy Allen Eckenroad, 32, was arrested Thursday on charges of child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility. Troopers said Snapchat notified the National...
Franklin Regional, conservation district officials seek grant for work on Haymaker Run
Franklin Regional School District officials recognize the value of their front yard at the elementary campus along Sardis Road in Murrysville. With several acres of natural habitat and the high-quality stream in Haymaker Run along its western border, “we’re looking at the Sloan campus as an environmental center,” Superintendent Gennaro...
