Western PA Local News category, Page 1096
Out & About: Lamp Theatre gala boogies back to the disco era
It was a boogie wonderland at Stratigos Banquet Center in North Huntingdon on April 29, as guests shook their groove things at The Lamp Theatre’s Disco Ball Gala. They took a trip back to the ’70s, clad in glitter and gold chains, polyester shirts and platform boots, miniskirts and mustaches....
Out & About: CASA of Westmoreland recognizes special advocates
Leadership is more than just talking, it’s doing. That was the message Executive Director Mitchell Samick gave to attendees at the 14th annual CASA of Westmoreland Leadership Breakfast, held April 28 at Word of Life Church in Hempfield. For CASA, that means providing court-appointed advocates to be a voice in...
Out & About: Mental health advocates honored at ‘Innovations’ dinner
Dr. Lisa Issac said she was “honored, humbled, shocked and overjoyed” to receive the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award from Mental Health America of Southwestern PA, but her resume speaks for itself. A Monroeville resident and former chief of medical services at Torrance State Hospital, Issac continues to serve various organizations...
‘Not just one size fits all’: Autism Employment Network provides opportunities in Monroeville, other locations
For anyone who thinks people stopped taking pride in their work, meet Robert Hester. “You happen to have popped in on me at the same time I’m going to make my 100th package,” he told a recent visitor to his Monroeville Mall workplace, as Hester and a colleague placed a...
Prom Grand March dazzles in Leechburg
Leechburg Area High School students sparkled onstage Saturday as they kicked off festivities for the 2023 “Crystal Gala” Junior/Senior Prom. More than 80 students were introduced onstage at 2 p.m. before a packed audience as they walked between a giant “2023.” Prom-goers boarded a bus after the grand march for...
Historic Hanna’s Town opens its historic grounds for the season
A love of local history shone as bright as the sun Saturday through a couple dozen volunteers who imparted their deep knowledge to anyone who would listen at Historic Hanna’s Town. Dick Sheats of Fairfield had several stories about the authentic late 18th century Conestoga wagon. Malori Stevenson of North...
Jeff Landy, a driving force in Mt. Pleasant Borough, dies at 65
Jeff Landy brought a little piece of Disney to Mt. Pleasant Borough. As one of the driving forces behind the Mt. Pleasant Glass & Ethnic Festival, he was always looking toward the entertainment giant and magical amusement park for inspiration to make his town’s celebration better than the previous year’s....
Just in time for Mother’s Day: Allegheny Township Boy Scouts selling flowers to fund summer camp
An Allegheny Township Boy Scout troop is selling Mother’s Day flowers to raise money for its summer camp trip. Boy Scout Troop 551/6551 of Allegheny Township held the event at Leo’s Tire Service in Vandergrift . The troop will be back from noon to 5 p.m Saturday. Prices are 4-inch...
$5,000 reward offered for information on fatal 1997 fire in Fayette County
A $5,000 reward is potentially up for grabs for anyone who can provide information about a May 4, 1997, fatal fire in Fayette County that claimed the life of a 65-year-old woman. The fire 26 years ago was ruled arson by a state police fire marshal. Shirley Mae Saxon was...
Road closing in Fairfield for slide repairs
A road in Fairfield is set to close Monday for slide repairs. A PennDOT spokesperson said the work will continue through late August on Loughner Road. The sparsely populated road is off Route 259, which will be used as a detour. It is just west of Champion Lakes Golf Course...
Homestead shooting identified as 16-year-old boy
A West Mifflin boy was fatally shot late Friday in Homestead, according to investigators. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified him as Dominic Sanner, 16. Allegheny County Police said they were called to East 17th Street just before 11:30 p.m. and found him in between two homes with a...
2 Harrison residents with lengthy community service vie for local magistrate’s office
A Harrison attorney hoping to bring fresh ideas to the magistrate’s office is taking on an incumbent who has served in office for three decades. Thomas Babinsack will compete against Carolyn Saldari Bengel for the position that covers Brackenridge, East Deer, Fawn, Harrison and Tarentum. Magisterial district judges earn about...
Lower Burrell seeks more than $100,000 for park improvements
Two of Lower Burrell’s premier parks could look a little different in the future. According to City Councilman Chris Fabry, proposed improvements include cleaning and crack sealing the basketball courts at Burrell Lake Park and Officer Derek Kotecki Memorial Park, as well as installing a new acrylic sportsmaster coating and...
The Stroller, May 6, 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. American Cancer Society seeks volunteers The American Cancer Society is looking...
Murrysville attorneys vie to replace Conway at Export district court
After more than two decades as a district judge in Export, Charles Conway will retire from the bench at the end of the year, and two candidates from Murrysville will compete in the May primary election to fill his shoes. Judi P. Petrush, 55, has worked as an assistant district...
Norwin teacher smiled her way through Boston Marathon
Norwin High School math teacher Angela Knipple doesn’t shy away from mental or physical challenges, and likes to run long distances, so it seems only fitting that she combined the two and took on the legendary Boston Marathon. Not only did Knipple finish the rainy Boston Marathon on April 17,...
Back the Blue donates $2,000 to Brackenridge police in McIntire’s memory
The Back the Blue fundraising committee again showed its appreciation for local police Thursday with a donation to the Brackenridge Police Department. Ron Balla Jr. of New Kensington, president of the grassroots fundraising group, and other members of Back the Blue appeared before council Thursday evening to present a $2,000...
Pond cleanup removes plants from Penn Township fishing spot — for a cause
The waters of the Penn Township Municipal Park pond look clearer than ever after a coalition of volunteers and public works crews came together this week to remove plants from its depths. Using a pitchfork and some of his son-in-law Jimmy Rudick’s homemade tools of wood, pool noodles and rake...
Route 28 northbound ramp to Route 910 weekday lane restrictions begin Tuesday
Motorists who take the northbound Route 28 ramp to Route 910 in Harmar might want to prepare for a longer commute for almost two months. PennDOT has announced single-lane, weekday restrictions beginning Tuesday on the Route 28 North to the Route 910 (Exit 11) off-ramp in Harmar will begin Tuesday,...
Torch sparks fire that damaged New Kensington house
A person doing plumbing work sparked a fire that damaged a New Kensington home Friday afternoon, fire Chief Ed Saliba Jr. said. The fire in the 400 block of Pershing Drive in the city’s Mount Vernon neighborhood was reported shortly after 2 p.m. Saliba said volunteer firefighters from New Kensington,...
Former Pa. state trooper pleads guilty to federal child porn charges
A former Pennsylvania state police trooper has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges. Sean Ryan McKenzie, 38, of Perryopolis, Fayette County, was arrested in March 2022 and charged in federal court last May. He pleaded guilty on Friday, May 5, 2023. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, McKenzie attempted to...
Homewood South’s Bible Center Church hosting events aimed at curbing gun violence
Cynthia Wallace, pastor at Bible Center Church in Pittsburgh’s Homewood South neighborhood, believes violence prevention efforts should start young. Her church was one of more than 30 Pittsburgh organizations that received nearly $1 million in Stop the Violence grants from the city. The money is meant to fund initiatives that...
Westmoreland DA defends summary charges for trooper accused in fatal Salem crash
The Westmoreland County district attorney Friday defended a decision to charge a Pennsylvania State Police trooper with summary traffic offenses for his role in a fatal accident last year. Tyler Strini, 27, of Homer City pleaded guilty Friday to four traffic offenses — speeding, reckless driving, driving at an unsafe...
Man identified who was found shot to death in Braddock
Authorities are calling the death of a man who was found shot to death Friday in an apartment in Braddock, a homicide. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Malik Sanders, 50. He was dead at the scene. A medical examiner’s news release Saturday called Sander’s death...
Amera Gilchrist sworn in as Pittsburgh’s 1st Black female EMS chief
Amera Gilchrist was sworn in Friday as the city’s first Black female EMS chief. Gilchrist, 49, has served on the city’s Bureau of EMS for nearly 24 years. She assumed the role of acting chief when former EMS Chief Ronald Romano retired. After 45 years of service, Romano’s last day...
