Delmont mayor resigns in absentia; longtime solicitor retiring
Delmont will start the new year with a new borough attorney but without its newly elected mayor. Alyce Urban submitted a letter of resignation at Tuesday’s council meeting, just over a month after running unopposed in the November election and earning a new four-year term. Urban, who has served as...
Police: Man shot during burglary attempt at his Wilkinsburg home
A man was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot in Wilkinsburg on Tuesday night. Allegheny County Police said officers were notified of a shooting shortly before 8 p.m. along the 2200 block of McNary Boulevard. First responders found a man shot in the torso. Police said preliminary information shows...
Local vendors eye NFL Draft 2026 contract opportunities
After months of education and training, business members of the NFL’s 2026 Source Program got their first opportunity to meet face-to-face with potential buyers in the 2026 NFL Draft. On Tuesday, Pittsburgh vendors gathered at the Community College of Allegheny County Foerster Student Service Center in Pittsburgh’s North Side for...
Crews battle blaze at Wilkinsburg home
Several fire crews responded to a residential fire in Wilkinsburg on Tuesday night. Allegheny County 911 dispatchers said the blaze began around 7:40 p.m. on the 1000 block of North Avenue. No injuries were initially reported, according to dispatchers. The Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire provides fire protection in Wilkinsburg. The...
Springdale residents, environmental groups gather to oppose data center
About two dozen community members discussed concerns and penned letters to local officials Tuesday night about a proposed data center in Springdale. Hearings for the center have been ongoing for several months, but a final vote to approve or reject the project is expected Tuesday. Organized by local environmental groups...
‘Grim picture’: Pittsburgh council meets in private to hear options for tax hike, budget cuts
Pittsburgh City Council members met Tuesday behind closed doors to hear a presentation about ways to fix a gaping hole in the 2026 budget. Council Budget Director Peter McDevitt showed council options including tax increases at various levels, scaled-down pay raises for nonunion workers and cuts to the city’s workforce....
Greensburg pension commission returns $62K to ex-chief, hears appeal on benefits suspension
Greensburg will return nearly $62,000 in pension contributions made by its former police chief while the city’s police pension commission weighs an appeal by a retired officer whose benefits have been suspended. Both former cops — Regina McAtee, 52, of New Kensington and Shawn Denning, 44, of Delmont — are...
Robert Friedlander, longtime head of neurological surgery at UPMC, steps down
Dr. Robert Friedlander, longtime head of neurological surgery at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh, has stepped down from his post, the hospital system confirmed Tuesday. A UPMC spokesperson offered no additional details about Friedlander’s abrupt departure from his position, which he’s held since 2010. Pitt referred TribLive to UPMC’s...
Shaler Area retains leadership as 3 new members join school board
Leadership of the Shaler Area School Board is unchanged following the November election, which saw three new members join the board. James Tunstall was reelected president of the board at its Dec. 3 reorganization meeting. Eileen Phillips was reelected vice president. Their seats were not up for election this year,...
Arnold man cleared of assault on inmate during sheriff transport
A Westmoreland County jury on Tuesday acquitted an Arnold man of assaulting a female inmate while the two were being taken to jail in the back seat of a sheriff’s car. Jurors deliberated one hour before returning not-guilty verdicts on charges of aggravated harassment by a prisoner and indecent assault...
2 new police officers hired in Bridgeville
Two new officers have joined the Bridgeville Police Department. Borough council on Tuesday, Dec. 9 hired officers Brayden Fedorek and Matthew McDanel. “Both can, and I believe will, be assets to this department and the community for the foreseeable future,” said Chief Gary James. “We are excited to bring them...
Penn Hills, Pittsburgh leaders unveil newly paved East Hills Drive in ‘2 birds, 1 stone’ collaboration
Petra International Ministries’ Elder Jim Balthrop has been working with the church for 30 years. For those 30 years, Balthrop has listened to the worries and complaints of his parishioners about the state of East Hills Drive, a road that connects Penn Hills to Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood. Since 1995,...
New Kensington police charge brother of man killed outside Elks Lodge with homicide
New Kensington police believe the man killed outside the Elks Lodge early Saturday was shot by his brother during an altercation with another person. They’ve charged Steffon Ballard, 38, with homicide, attempted homicide, possession of a firearm and aggravated assault in the death of Jeffrey Ballard, 46, who served as...
Expiring Obamacare subsidies prompt thousands to drop Pennie health insurance
For every new enrollment, two Pennsylvanians are dropping Obamacare coverage as steep government subsidies are set to expire at year’s end. About 38,000 people who have Affordable Care Act coverage through Pennie, the state’s health insurance exchange, have opted not to renew their plans for next year. That’s compared to...
Local lawmakers, librarians celebrate $5M increase in Pa. budget for public libraries
Librarians and others joined local legislators Dec. 5 at Northland Public Library to celebrate a $5 million increase in the Pennsylvania budget for public libraries. The extra funding is reflected in the statewide public library subsidy of $75,470,000 for the coming fiscal year and is part of the $50.1 billion...
Monzo to retire as head of Westmoreland airport authority
Gabe Monzo, who has seen plenty of takeoffs and landings during his more than four decades working for the Westmoreland County Airport Authority — including the last 17 as its executive director — announced Tuesday he will retire from that role at the end of April. “While the responsibilities seem...
Taxes to spike 63% in Franklin Park as borough adopts ‘fiscally proactive’ 2026 budget
Franklin Park residents will see a 63% jump in taxes in 2026. The millage rate was increased by 1 mill, to 2.59 mills from the current 1.59 mills, to address deficits in the budget and reserve funds. While the budget passed unanimously Dec. 3, the millage rate passed 4-2, with...
Who are Pittsburgh Mayor-elect O’Connor’s latest picks for his administration?
Pittsburgh Mayor-elect Corey O’Connor this week announced his picks for more key posts in his administration. Sharon Werner — a former chief of staff to U.S. Attorneys General Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch — will be the city’s chief operating officer. Sophia Shapiro, the daughter of Gov. Josh Shapiro, will...
Reserve commissioners approve $6M 2026 budget with no property tax increase
Reserve commissioners have approved the township’s $6 million budget for 2026, which carries no property tax increase. The township’s property tax rate will remain at 6.47 mills. For a property at the township’s median value, the annual township property tax bill will stay at about $615. Commissioners approved the budget...
Brackenridge garbage rates remain steady but residents to pay for oversized items
Brackenridge residents will have a new garbage hauler in 2026. Council on Thursday approved a bid from Shank Waste Service in Lower Burrell which maintains unlimited pickup from borough homes. Rates will remain at $70 per quarter, but residents will pay a slight charge for items considered oversized, Council President...
Planned $68M health sciences building at Duquesne University to open in fall 2028
Duquesne University officials say a new, $68 million health sciences facility will locate clinical services, consolidate programs and strengthen the college’s role in regional health care. Duquesne announced Tuesday that it plans to build a new, 80,000-square-foot health sciences facility at the corner of Forbes Avenue and Magee Street that...
Former teacher accused of sexual assault most recently taught at private Butler County school
A former Highlands School District teacher charged last week with sexual assault against children continued to teach after leaving the district in 2022. Sean Dicer, 53, of Brackenridge was most recently employed at Penn Christian Academy, a private school in Penn Township, Butler County. Dicer was arrested Thursday and charged...
Food truck found operating without permit
The Cousins Maine Lobster food truck operating in Richland last week was ordered to close by the Allegheny County Health Department — for operating without a permit. However, a week later, Annalisa Sangiovanni, an administrator for Cousins Maine Lobster’s Pittsburgh franchises, said the issues have been remedied. “Our original Pittsburgh...
Hempfield students, teachers pitch in to donate holiday meals to local families
Spanish teacher Natalie Fetterman couldn’t unhear the numbers — the 326 Hempfield Area students who take advantage of the district’s weekend food program. That’s in addition to the 900 students throughout the district’s nine school buildings who are registered for free or reduced cost lunches. “These numbers aren’t something that...
False fire alarm fines begin in Greensburg with the new year; ordinance holds property owners accountable
New rules regarding false fire alarms in Greensburg are set to go into effect Jan. 1. Greensburg council on Monday unanimously approved updating an ordinance that holds property owners accountable for alarm malfunctions, particularly when firefighters repeatedly respond to the same building. Fire Chief Tom Bell said firefighters have been...
