Will Menards still build in Hempfield? Extension discussed for Route 30 site
Hempfield officials are continuing discussions with home improvement chain Menards as a site plan for a new store is set to expire Dec. 31, said township manager Aaron Siko. “We have no documents and no signed agreement as of this date,” Siko said Tuesday. “The board is continuing to talk...
Westmoreland County officials sworn in; new judge, register of wills take office
Judge Harry Smail Jr. knows how well-versed Katie Pecarchik is in the operation of the Westmoreland County Register of Wills Office. As a clerk, she left a lasting impact on him when he as a young attorney filing estate matters. She again impressed him after taking over as acting register...
White-out on Route 119 near Westmoreland-Fayette border leaves 1 injured after multiple crashes
One motorist was injured in one of a series of three wrecks that happened during white-out conditions Tuesday morning along a stretch of Route 119 near the border of Westmoreland and Fayette counties. A PennDOT plow on hand to clear snow from the highway was involved in the last of...
Annual Oakmont Christmas tree collection hosted at new location, still benefits goats
Oakmont is changing the location for its annual Christmas tree recycling collection. Folks dropping off their trees are now asked to head to Creekside Park on Dark Hollow road. For the fourth year, the collection will supply tasty treats for the furry friends at Capricious Goats LLC. The group of...
Pittsburgh Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith retires
After 16 years on Pittsburgh City Council, Theresa Kail-Smith is retiring. That doesn’t mean she plans to stay away from council chambers, however. Kail-Smith said she expects to return to offer her perspective during the public comment periods that open each meeting. “Being a council member’s not all glitz and...
The Future of Pittsburgh Ball ready to shine on New Year’s Eve
The nearly 1,000-pound Future of Pittsburgh Ball was tested Tuesday and is ready to rise on New Year’s. Mounted on an 80-foot-tall pole atop Penn Avenue Place in Downtown Pittsburgh, the illuminated sphere will rise Wednesday night as the city rings in the new year during the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s...
Salem officials seek additional funding to extend public water service
Greg Bosich has been waiting for good news about his water for about six or seven years. Bosich lives on Kennan Drive in Salem, where a falling water table has caused wells to fail for homeowners along the road that connects Route 819 to Orr Drive. “They built a park...
The 25 most-read stories of 2025 on TribLive.com
The year 2025 was marked locally by the changing of the guard in the Pittsburgh mayor’s office, the changing of hands of U.S. Steel, uncertainty on college campuses and tragedy at PNC Park and PPG Paints Arena. We covered the stories, and you responded in droves online. Here were the...
Ligonier Township moves forward on replacing 1 local bridge, repairing another
Ligonier Township is moving forward with plans to refurbish a bridge on Harvey Road after awarding a contract for the project to a Washington County company. Replacement of a closed township bridge on Ramsey Road also is closer to reality now that state officials have approved the township’s application for...
Pittsburgh Brewing Co.’s football watch parties expand to college bowl games
Pittsburgh Brewing Co. is kicking off the new year with a series of football watch parties. The East Deer brewery will host watch parties for college bowl games and the Pittsburgh Steelers game coming up in the first week of the new year. Kicking off on Jan. 1, the brewery’s...
Leechburg Veterans Memorial Bridge lights are all back on
Things are looking a little brighter in Leechburg. At least they are on the Leechburg Veterans Memorial Bridge. After more than a year of working with PennDOT to repair the lights on the bridge, borough leadership announced last month the bridge is now fully lit for travelers. “The lights going...
Western Pa. expected to see respite from windstorms, power outages
Monday’s windstorm that resulted in thousands of power outages throughout Western Pennsylvania appears to be winding down. Gusts peaking around 45 mph to 55 mph left about 10,000 customers without power in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties Monday. As of 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, First Energy and Duquesne Light are reporting about...
10 people, 2 cats rescued from Marshall-Shadeland house fire
Ten people and two cats were rescued from a house fire early Tuesday morning in Pittsburgh’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety. Fire crews were dispatched around 1 a.m. to the 800 block of Woods Run Avenue. The blaze was brought under control around 1:45 a.m., Public Safety said....
The Stroller, Dec. 30, 2025: 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. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Free grief workshop offered...
Westmoreland Land Trust names Plum native as new executive director
The new executive director of the Westmoreland Land Trust brings a love of nature and extensive experience to a nonprofit organization that has helped preserve about 700 acres in the county. “I really connected to the trust’s mission of protecting and preserving land in Westmoreland County and making it accessible...
Latrobe joins Leechburg in switch to Indiana County no-kill group for animal control service
Latrobe is dropping its longtime Salem-based animal control provider in favor of an Indiana County nonprofit that has added a stray animal pickup service to its animal shelter and sanctuary operation. City officials said Whiskey Acres Rescue and Sanctuary’s no-kill policy was a primary factor in making the switch. “My...
Narcan in schools? Educators react to proposed legislation
Public school officials statewide administered medication to reverse an opioid overdose 32 times during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Who received the naloxone dose and in which schools it was administered were not made public by the health department. But the growing impact of...
State trooper struck by vehicle while at scene of previous Butler County crash
A state trooper from the Butler station was struck by a vehicle while investigating a previous two-vehicle crash Monday afternoon in Butler County. The trooper was taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries and was in stable condition, according to state police. The driver of the vehicle that...
Death of teen struck by car in West Mifflin ruled accidental
The death of a 13-year-old boy struck by a car in West Mifflin over the weekend has been ruled an accident, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said Monday. Terrel “TJ” Byars Jr. was struck Saturday evening in front of a Speedway convenience store at 4315 Kennywood Blvd. He died...
Ross posthumously honors business owner Bobby Colosimo for generosity to community
Ross resident and business owner Bobby Colosimo was a “workaholic,” says his wife, Robin. But he didn’t work just for himself. He started a landscape supply business, The Barn, for his son, David, and founded a real estate company, BMDS, for the benefit of his four granddaughters. “Everything that Bobby...
Water main break temporarily closes Pittsburgh Zoo
A water main break has disrupted several events at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. The zoo shut down for repairs Monday around 12:30 p.m., according to its website. That forced the closure of Wild Illuminations, its annual holiday lantern experience, according to Michael Schroeder, a zoo spokesman. Wild Illuminations, which...
Pittsburgh invokes eminent domain to seize Homewood apartment building
Pittsburgh City Councilman Khari Mosley is invoking the city’s eminent domain powers in an effort to preserve a 100-unit apartment complex in Homewood as affordable housing. “We’re really trying to do three things: prevent displacement, preserve affordable housing and prevent the property from going into the hands of another bad...
Community rallies around Leechburg business after Christmas vandalism
The Leechburg community wasted no time rallying around a local business after it was vandalized late Dec. 25. Honeybee and Co. on Market Street has received monetary and product donations after the shop’s “Lovely Little Locker,” a donation cabinet filled with free hygiene items, was vandalized. Destiney Beatty, who co-owns...
Buffalo Township approves tax hike to rebuild reserves
Buffalo Township residents will see another bump in their property taxes next year after township supervisors opted to raise the township’s millage rate in their recently passed budget. It raises real estate taxes about 22%, from 13.5 mills to 16.5 mills. That means the owner of a property at the...
No tax increase for South Buffalo property owners next year
Next year, South Buffalo homeowners can expect their tax bills to remain the same. The township passed its 2026 budget without a real estate tax hike for the 16th consecutive year earlier this month. South Buffalo’s property tax rate will remain at 5.7 mills. That means for a home at...
