Local category, Page 1139
Pittsburgh to continue leasing fueling equipment for compressed natural gas vehicles
Pittsburgh will continue leasing fueling equipment for its growing fleet of compressed natural gas vehicles. The city has 10 natural gas refuse trucks and is getting 10 more this month, according to Maria Montaño, a spokeswoman for Mayor Ed Gainey. City Council members have debated the merits of compressed natural...
Pittsburgh to improve pedestrian safety near 3 elementary schools
Shannon Peterson drives his 6-year-old son Shannon Peterson Jr. to and from school every day so the boy doesn’t have to walk a dangerous route to his elementary school. The Petersons live close enough to Arlington PreK-8 in Pittsburgh’s Arlington neighborhood that the school is well within walking distance, but...
Pittsburgh man charged in theft of church bell
A Pittsburgh man faces criminal charges in connection with the theft of a 1,000-pound church bell. Matthew Pistelli, 54, was arrested Monday night by Pittsburgh police plainclothes detectives in connection with the Feb. 12 theft of the bell from Turner Cemetery in the Squirrel Hill/Greenfield area. Pistelli faces charges of...
Water issue closes Pittsburgh zoo, but it should reopen Wednesday
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium closed Tuesday because of what it described as a water issue, but the facility is expecting to reopen to guests Wednesday, officials said. The issue was located outside of zoo grounds but was impacting the zoo with “intermittent service,” said Alex Cauley, the zoo’s public...
Lawsuit: Western Psych staff mistook nurse’s disabilities, injected him with antipsychotic meds
A former charge nurse at Pittsburgh’s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic has filed a lawsuit alleging that colleagues mistook symptoms of his disabilities for substance abuse and injected him with an antipsychotic medication before trying to have him involuntarily committed. Aaron Diamond, now of Lehigh County, had worked as a...
Goodwill to end use of plastic bags in Southwestern Pa.
Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania is joining the plastic bag ban. The regional nonprofit chain of 34 Goodwill thrift stores will eliminate the use of plastic shopping bags later this month. Shoppers are encouraged to use a free box from the store, bring their own reusable bag, or buy a Goodwill...
Franklin Regional students channel 1950s with spring musical ‘Grease’Video
Last year in the Franklin Regional Theatre Guild’s production of “The Little Mermaid,” students had the challenge of playing princes, mythical creatures or anthropomorphized fish. This year, director Mark Wolfgang said there’s an even bigger challenge — playing a slightly different version of themselves, as the angst-filled high school students...
Pittsburgh’s police officers ratify contract with raises, new disciplinary structure
The union representing Pittsburgh’s police officers has ratified a contract with the city that includes pay increases and a new structure for disciplining officers, officials said Tuesday. Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said rank-and-file officers voted Monday night to approve the deal by a vote of 572 to 13. The head...
Springdale power plant property could be rezoned residential
Riverfront property in Springdale could look vastly different if council moves forward with a proposal to rezone a coveted piece of land. The partially dismantled Cheswick Generating Station, which is on 56 acres and includes an adjoining 27-acre parcel, will be the focus of discussion during a meeting Wednesday of...
Leechburg fire chief hopes to improve safety rating by replacing old equipment
Sometimes less is more. Especially when it comes to ISO fire safety ratings. Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company Chief John Foster hopes to reduce the company’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating from a 6 to a lower number, after receiving a one-point increase during the last ISO inspection in 2020. The...
Fewer than 500 homes still without power from weekend storms
Power has been restored for nearly all of the nearly 30,000 customers affected by heavy storms that passed through the area over the weekend, toppling trees and damaging buildings. West Penn Power reported that as of 6 a.m. Tuesday, 450 homes in Westmoreland County were still waiting for the power...
Westmoreland CASA welcomes newest volunteers
Liza Moran knows she can help. A 37-year-old software engineer from Murrysville, Moran was among five new volunteers sworn in Monday to serve as court-appointed special advocates for troubled Westmoreland County children. “I have been really blessed with support during difficult times in my life, and I thought this is...
The Stroller, March 7, 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. Freeport Hockey Boosters to host night at the races A St....
High winds bring weekend of darkness to many near Laurel Mountain ridges
Using candles and flashlights to illuminate their Mt. Pleasant Township home over the weekend and coolers of ice to keep their food from spoiling, Ladonna and Randy Hrabak persevered during the 48 hours they went without power from Friday night to late Sunday. “We just had (cold) sandwiches to eat,”...
2 die in multi-vehicle crash in Armstrong County
Two women died in a crash Monday in Plumcreek Township, according to Armstrong County Coroner Brian K. Myers. State police on Tuesday identified the women as Lacy L. Gohn, 41, and Marasco Sonza, 70. Where they lived was not disclosed. The crash happened around noon on State Route 210 just...
Duquesne man wanted for 2022 sexual assault of 14-year-old girl arrested
A Duquesne man accused of using the internet to lure and sexually assault a 14-year-old girl last year was taken into custody Monday, authorities said. Cameron Salmon, 21, had been on the run since August 2021 when he faced charges involving a firearm, according to Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin M....
Elections issues the focus at League of Women Voters forums
Elections will be the focus of two upcoming talks sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Westmoreland County. The Timely Topics speakers series will kick off on March 28 with a discussion about open primaries in Pennsylvania. Former state Sen. Jack Wagner will discuss efforts to amend state laws...
Gas prices trending upward as annual change to summer blends is underway
The average gasoline price in the Pittsburgh area came down slightly in the past week while the national average increased as the transition to summer gas has started across the entire country, an industry analyst said Monday. Pittsburgh’s average was $3.72 per gallon, according to price-tracking service GasBuddy and its...
1,000 and counting: Volunteer with Monroeville-based Bridges Hospice creates ‘memory bears’ for families
They’re made from all kinds of clothing: pajamas, jeans, ties, scarves, socks, even a fur coat. One features a gentleman’s shirt that was a favorite of his grandson. “So he would go to bed with the bear every night, and it was like he had his grandpa with him,” Jeanne...
Corbet Street demolition will disrupt traffic in Tarentum
Demolition of a building in the heart of the Tarentum business district will interrupt traffic for a few days this week. A three-story brick building at 215 Corbet St. is scheduled to come down, beginning Tuesday. The project is expected to last two to three days. Borough Manager Dwight Boddorf...
Norfolk Southern to pay $7M to reimburse Pa. agencies, fire departments, create relief fund
The train company responsible for last month’s derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, has agreed to pay more than $7 million to cover costs incurred by Pennsylvania agencies and fire departments and establish a relief fund for residents and businesses, Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday. Shapiro said he demanded Norfolk Southern...
Pa. game commission seeking genetic info on ‘tame’ ruffed grousesVideo
Have you been harassed by Pennsylvania’s state bird? The game commission wants to know. No, seriously. In the spring and fall, some ruffed grouses exhibit what wildlife experts refer to as “tame” behavior. Despite being completely wild animals, they show very little fear around people and will sometimes even act...
Robert Bowers appears in federal court as prospective jurors complete questionnaires in Tree of Life case
The man accused of killing 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue in 2018 appeared in a federal courtroom Monday morning for the first time in more than four years. Robert Bowers, 50, of Baldwin, was present in the eighth-floor courtroom of U.S. District Judge Robert Colville for the...
Wildlife livestream helps ‘bring the outdoors in’ for Saint Vincent studentsVideo
Bill Powers of Murrysville is on the lookout for a pileated woodpecker nest somewhere on his property. And Saint Vincent biology professor Jim Kellam is just the man to help him find it. Their mutual appreciation for wildlife has led to the installation of a TV at the Dupre Science...
1 transported in I-70 on-ramp crash in North Belle Vernon
Firefighters freed a person trapped in a one-vehicle crash Monday morning in North Belle Vernon. The crash was reported around 8:30 a.m. on the on-ramp to Interstate 70 westbound, according to a Westmoreland 911 supervisor. A medical helicopter was ready to transport the person to a hospital. Traffic on the...
