Western PA Local News category, Page 1092
Pittsburgh man charged with DUI, fleeing police after SUV flips into Collier home
A Pittsburgh man has been charged with driving under the influence and fleeing from Bridgeville police, stemming from a May 4 chase that ended when his SUV flipped into a house in Collier Township. Frank Cooper III, 30, also is charged with reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, an accident...
Monessen woman charged with threatening Westmoreland children’s bureau employees
A Monessen woman was charged Tuesday with terroristic threats and harassment after Westmoreland County detectives said she threatened to kill children’s bureau employees. Precious L. Gantt, 39, is accused of making the threats since February. She has been under the bureau’s supervision since 2021 in connection with a case involving...
Westmoreland happenings: burger bash, plant sale, golf outing, more
Submissions from nonprofit organizations for Briefly Speaking can be emailed to cpinto-smith@triblive.com. Include a complete address and daytime phone number. Submissions are due at least two weeks prior to the event. Each announcement is printed once; there is no fee. Fundraisers • Master Gardeners of Westmoreland County will have a...
Morning Roundup: Indiana County inmate charged with felony contraband
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, May 10, 2023: Indiana County inmate charged with felony contraband An inmate at the Indiana County Jail has been charged with a felony contraband violation after state police said he was found in possession of suspected fentanyl. Police...
The Stroller, May 10, 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. Monthly food truck event planned in East Vandergrift East Vandergrift Community...
Roundabout construction requires summerlong road closure in Allegheny Township
An ongoing construction project in Allegheny Township soon will have motorists driving in circles, but for all the right reasons. Township officials long have sought a solution for a problematic traffic area at the intersection of Route 356 and La Belle Vue Road. Enter the roundabout. “That intersection has traditionally...
$6M to help Western Pa. makerspaces bolster tech resources for smaller manufacturers
“Makerspaces” at four area colleges and universities are expanding their resources and/or programs to give regional small manufacturers increased access to equipment and the knowledge on how to use it. “The makerspaces will provide manufacturers and entrepreneurs throughout the Southwestern Pennsylvania region with easy access to equipment and services that...
Pittsburgh police: Overbrook man safe after being reported missing
An 82-year-old Pittsburgh man who was reported missing Tuesday has been found, city police said. Police said Wednesday that John Roginski, who lives in Pittsburgh’s Overbrook neighborhood, is safe. He was considered missing after last being seen leaving his home at about 3 p.m. Tuesday. Authorities were concerned about his...
Ligonier Valley Police Commission fires chief after last week’s raid at the police station
Members of the Ligonier Valley Police Commission on Tuesday fired Chief John Berger in response to a raid at the department last week that Solicitor Mark Sorice said focused solely on the force’s now former leader. The five-member commission, composed of elected officials from Ligonier and Ligonier Township and one...
Grand jury indicts Pittsburgh man who struck attorney in federal court
A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has indicted a Pittsburgh man on contempt of court and assault charges after he was accused of striking his own attorney in court last summer, acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti has announced. According to the three-count indictment, James Taric Byrd, 46, Pittsburgh, allegedly struck...
Judge calls out Westmoreland DA office over speedy trial rights violation
A Westmoreland judge has ruled that the county’s District Attorney’s Office failed to properly manage its caseload and violated the speedy trial rights of a Ligonier man charged in 2021 with drunken driving. Common Pleas Judge Tim Krieger dismissed the case against 38-year-old Jesse Springer. In a 12-page ruling, Krieger...
1 transported to hospital after truck crashes into house near Kingston Dam
One person was transported by ambulance to a hospital after a truck crashed into a building Tuesday afternoon in Unity near Kingston Dam, authorities said. Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Route 30 and Route 217 around 4:30 p.m. for a report of a vehicle that had hit...
Former Uniontown man sentenced in Capitol riot case to 14 years in prison
A former Uniontown man will serve 14 years in prison for his role in the riot designed to upend the certification of the 2020 presidential election at the U.S. Capitol. A jury in December found Peter J. Schwartz, 49, who now lives in Owensboro, Ky., guilty of nine felonies and...
Family of man who died after being tackled by Beaver County police officer settles wrongful death suit for $950K
The sister of a Beaver County man who died in November after being tackled by a Center Township police officer has settled with the officer and the township for $950,000. Deborah Little agreed Thursday to the nearly $1 million settlement, 40% of which was attributed to the wrongful death of...
New Kensington man claims jury erred in Arnold slaying case
The lawyer for a New Kensington man serving a life sentence for a 2020 murder argued his client’s claims of self defense were not properly considered by a Westmoreland County jury. Assistant Public Defender John Sweeney said evidence presented last year during a weeklong trial did not support the jury...
Court ruling paves way for Airmall operator to return to Pittsburgh International Airport
A state appellate court on Tuesday ruled that the operator of the Airmall at Pittsburgh International Airport can return to work after being evicted over the summer. Pennsylvania’s Superior Court reversed an August decision by Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Christine Ward. Ward had denied a request for a preliminary...
Matt Sobecki, longtime New Kensington volunteer firefighter, dies from cancer
Matthew S. Sobecki, a life member of the New Kensington Fire Department with nearly 50 years of service, has died. The New Kensington Bureau of Fire announced Tuesday that Sobecki, 64, died from cancer at 1:25 a.m. He died at UPMC Shadyside hospital. Sobecki served in many line and administrative...
Pittsburgh to begin hosting 2024 budget meetings to gather ideas from residents
Pittsburgh officials this week are starting a series of community meetings to gather public input on the city’s 2024 budgets. Residents will be have opportunities to participate in virtual and in-person meetings geared toward the North, South, East and West portions of the city. Roundtable discussions will include representatives from...
Plum police issue warning of mail theft
Plum police and the U.S. Postal Service are investigating numerous incidents of mail theft, police said Tuesday. Suspects are stealing the contents of residential and business mailboxes, police said. Officers have identified a vehicle of interest, according to police. On Monday, the driver of a white minivan was seen taking...
Free prom prep for Highlands students offered by volunteer glam squad
A Highlands-area glam squad is converging to help students prep for prom on Friday — for free. With hashtags like #GetYourPrettyOn and #FeelHandsomeFriday, volunteers from the Highlands Partnership Network have plastered social media to seek teens who need a little assistance getting red-carpet ready. “I want to make sure that...
Deer Lakes School Board draws pool of 7 candidates for May 16 primary
Residents in the Deer Lakes School District will have a choice in the May 16 primary of seven candidates seeking nominations to the ballot of the Nov. 7 general election, where five school board seats will be determined. Newcomers James Calvert, Susan Claus, Pietro Porco, Leonard Verdetto III and Phillip...
Pittsburgh leaders push for more transitional housing to address homelessness
Members of a Pittsburgh City Council committee dedicated to addressing homelessness on Tuesday outlined their vision for more transitional housing in the city. Transitional housing is meant to be more stable and longer-term than the traditional overnight shelters, and it would offer the privacy and safety of single-room occupancy, as...
Pittsburgh moves ahead with plans to make long-term fixes on Elizabeth Street, Herron Avenue bridges
Pittsburgh is moving forward with plans to make long-term repairs to the city’s poorly rated Elizabeth Street and Herron Avenue bridges. City Council on Tuesday approved awarding a preliminary design contract to Pittsburgh-based H.W. Lochner, at a cost of $878,500. Hazelwood’s Elizabeth Street Bridge and the Herron Avenue Bridge linking...
Woman accused of being high, slapping Arnold officer who pulled her over for careless driving
Arnold police accused a woman of being high and slapping an officer in the face when he pulled her over for careless driving. Lucy Lynn Haun, 33, of the 200 block of Campbell Avenue in Leechburg was charged with a felony count of aggravated assault along with three drug-related charges...
Pittsburgh City Council to hold public hearing, interview with police chief nominee Larry Scirotto
Pittsburgh City Council will hold a public hearing and an interview with acting police Chief Larry Scirotto before voting on whether to confirm his nomination as the city’s top cop. Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey last week announced Scirotto, a veteran of Pittsburgh’s police bureau, as his nominee for chief. Scirotto...
