Western PA Local News category, Page 115
Norwin area: Book sale, heating assistance, tree sale, more
Scouts to sell Christmas trees Boy Scout Troop 284 of Irwin will be selling live Christmas trees at the Busy Beaver store parking lot at the Norwin Hills Shopping Center. The tree sale will be from 5-9 p.m. Dec. 12; 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 13; and from 10 a.m.-6 p.m....
Penn Township proposes steady property tax rate in 2026 budget
Penn Township commissioners will vote next week on a 2026 budget proposal that would not increase property taxes. The nearly $12 million spending plan includes a property tax rate of 17.4 mills, plus a 1.3 mill tax dedicated to the township’s five volunteer fire departments: Claridge, Grandview, Harrison City, Level...
Police search for Washington County couple accused of living with corpse, cashing Social Security checks
Police in Washington County are searching for a husband and wife accused of living with a decomposing body to continue cashing social security checks. James Bebout, 69, and Debbie Bebout, 64, of Canton Township are charged with felony theft and criminal conspiracy as well as abuse of a corpse. The...
Pinch of rising prices, outlook on inflation differs among area shoppers
Jaclyn Thomas of Southwest Greensburg and Tim Taylor of Sharpsburg are feeling the economic pressure of rising costs in different ways. “Being on a low income, it’s very hard,” said Thomas, 46, who is a food stamp recipient. “There’s a lot of things I had to cut out.” Taylor, 41,...
Same budget, different universes: Pittsburgh council, mayor diverge on 2026 spending plan
Depending on who’s talking, Pittsburgh’s 2026 spending plan is either absolutely fine — or a complete disaster. City Council members, their budget director and the Pittsburgh controller seem to be living in a totally different reality than Mayor Ed Gainey’s top officials. Detractors have blasted the Gainey’s final budget as...
2 more New Kensington men federally indicted after 2024 drug bust
Two New Kensington men have been added to the list of people indicted in a Department of Justice investigation of an alleged cocaine trafficking organization in Western Pennsylvania. Andres Flores-Cedeno, 39, of New Kensington and Marcos Francisco-Tomas, 34, of Riverside, Calif., arrested last year, were indicted previously. Authorities said the...
3rd trial results in guilty verdicts for New Kensington man charged with 2020 slaying
Felicia Williams and her family said justice was finally served after a Westmoreland County jury convicted a New Kensington man in the fatal shooting of her brother nearly six years ago. After three days of testimony and two hours of deliberations Wednesday, jurors found Letresse Tareke Williams guilty of second-degree...
No tax increase in Marshall for 2026; township working to build capital reserve
Marshall residents won’t see a tax increase in the new year. At their meeting Dec. 1, township supervisors passed a 2026 budget that retains a millage rate of 1.42 mills. While the general fund is listed at $10,985,210 versus expenditures at $14,243,537, that’s because of a transfer of nearly $4...
Contract change for Crawford Pool bathhouse saves Shaler $24K
A change in contracts for the construction of a new bathhouse at Crawford Pool in Shaler’s Kiwanis Park will save the township about $24,000. According to township Solicitor Anna Jewart, Shaler was required to separate contracts for the bathhouse project’s electrical and plumbing work from the $2.21 million contract awarded...
Springdale Zoning Hearing Board approves requests from data center developers
Data center developers have cleared the last hurdle before a formal council vote after the Springdale Zoning Hearing Board approved six variance requests from Allegheny DC Property Co. The variances allow the center to stand at 75 feet high with more than 100 diesel generators on its roof and its...
Shaler recognizes outgoing Commissioner David Mizgorski
Outgoing Shaler Commissioner Dave Mizgorski was recognized at his final meeting as a township commissioner on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Mizgorski, a Republican, lost his bid for reelection as Ward 2 commissioner in November’s election to Democrat Josh Fleitman. Councilmen Conrad Wagner, Ward 4, and James Boyle, Ward 6, were unopposed...
Preliminary hearing moved for former Highlands teacher accused of sex assault
A preliminary hearing for Sean Dicer, a former Highlands School District teacher charged with sexual assault, has been moved from District Judge Carolyn Bengel’s office in Brackenridge. Dicer, 53, of Brackenridge, is instead scheduled to appear at 10:30 a.m. Monday before District Judge Michael J. Girardi in Harmar. His attorney,...
Parking an issue as Shaler commissioners approve mausoleum expansion
The Catholic Cemeteries Association of the Diocese of Pittsburgh is preparing to expand a mausoleum at St. Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery along Soose Road in Shaler. Shaler commissioners on Tuesday, Dec. 9, approved construction of the 3,600-square-foot addition, conditioned on the provision of 16 parking spaces or the association seeking a...
Sports betting websites to require valid ID in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania will soon require a valid government-issued ID for online sports betting. Lee Copello, director of iGaming compliance for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, said that by Feb. 28, all existing iGaming and online sports betting users will have to upload photos of the front and back of their ID...
Assistant chief in Allegheny County DA’s office resigns amid criminal charges
An assistant chief in the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office who is facing criminal charges has resigned. Richard McDonald, 56, of Oakdale submitted his resignation within the past several days, his attorney, Robert Del Greco Jr., confirmed Wednesday. McDonald, who started with the DA’s office in May 2018, received $125,723...
Latrobe to add accessible curb ramps at sites north of Depot Street
Latrobe plans to improve handicapped accessibility on city sidewalks at seven locations north of Depot Street, with the help of federal funding. Public works Director Scott Wajdic said there are several locations that lack curb ramps for those with mobility challenges. He said sites along Alexandria Street are targeted for...
St. Vincent Camerata explores Mary and the manger with ‘Nata Nox’ concerts
Chaz Bowers of Elizabeth has been admiring the St. Vincent Camerata for quite some time now. Over the years, he’s played the organ for several of the chamber ensemble’s concerts, and the music they perform is at the heart of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, where he serves as music...
At the library: Here are some upcoming events at the Glenshaw, Millvale and Shaler North Hills facilities
GLENSHAW PUBLIC LIBRARY The Glenshaw Public Library, 1504 Butler Plank Road, Shaler, was established in 1895 and is known as the oldest free library west of the Alleghenies. Hours are 6 to 8 p.m. Mondays for a quilters meet-up, 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m....
Property tax in Lower Burrell holds steady; rate increases to be considered next month
Lower Burrell property owners will not see an increase in their real estate taxes next year but could pay more for sewage and recycling. Council approved the city’s 2026 budget, which totals just more than $12 million. A home at Lower Burrell’s median assessed value of $20,389 will continue to...
Tickets available for annual gala recognizing North Allegheny alumni
Celebrating the professional and personal achievements of former North Allegheny graduates is the highlight of the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Gala, set for Jan. 22 at the Holy Trinity Center in McCandless. The event, held annually by the North Allegheny Foundation, will begin with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m., followed...
Riverview life skills students raise more than $2,000 for unified bocce
Riverview’s life skills class is the home of craftsmen. Specializing in woodwork, accessories and T-shirt making, students put their skills to the test when they sold their wares at the recent Pittsburgh’s Handmade Arcade event. “We do a lot of career development stuff and financial literacy through selling different things,”...
Bus safety enforcement program coming to Carlynton
A new, technology-based bus safety program in the Carlynton School District aims to reduce or eliminate the illegal passing of stopped school buses. The school board in December approved an agreement with BusPatrol. Through the agreement, all Carlynton buses will be equipped with automated stop-arm enforcement cameras. The cameras are...
Shaler approves 2026 budget; property tax rate unchanged
Shaler property owners will not see their township property tax bills increase in 2026. Township commissioners on Tuesday, Dec. 9, approved a $17.4 million budget for next year and left the property tax rate unchanged at 3.49 mills. For a property at Shaler’s $132,200 median value, the township tax bill...
Greater Latrobe School Board hires new solicitor after Sunshine Act argument, chooses Rossi as president
Greater Latrobe School Board has a new president and a new solicitor. The choices follow an extended argument among board members over the former solicitor’s billing and whether the public was given proper notice of the agenda item in accordance with the state Sunshine Act. Yelayna Rossi, one of two...
Man accused of stealing $13K worth of trading cards from New Kensington store
A Ford City man is accused of stealing more than $13,000 worth of trading cards from a New Kensington store. Police say Jeffrey James Spang, 48, stole from the Feisty Goblin store on Fifth Avenue in New Kensington on at least 12 occasions. The total reported loss was $13,118, according...
