New, fresh foods market will end ‘food desert’ in Sharpsburg
John Jericho of Sharpsburg is tired of leaving Sharpsburg to buy groceries. The senior citizen soon won’t have to leave the borough to access fresh, quality produce and groceries with the opening of a new market called Harvest on Main Community Market, set to open in early 2026. Harvest on...
Off-duty miracle: Arnold police chief, wife save life of Lower Burrell crossing guard
Sometimes it’s just not your time. Such was the case for Dennis “Denny” Soroka on Sept. 20. The 80-year-old from Lower Burrell is alive through a miracle of happenstance: He suffered cardiac arrest at just the right place and time, in a store that had an automated external defibrillator and...
Westmoreland happenings: Pancake dinner, bingos, meetings, more
Fundraisers • Community Church of Hecla, 537 Hecla Road, Mt. Pleasant Township, will host a Vera Bradley bingo at 1 p.m. Nov. 2 at the church. Doors open at noon. A light lunch will be served. Details and tickets: 724-396-8065 or 724-244-2586. • A pancake and sausage dinner will be...
The Stroller gets a sick day
No Stroller today Due to illness, The Stroller column does not appear today. The column will return as soon as The Stroller feels better....
6 Westmoreland karate athletes recognized at international competition
Six Westmoreland County karate athletes received medals at the International Combat Organization World Championships in Wales earlier this month. Norwin freshman Gabby Viola received nine gold medals, three silver and two bronze, as well as the “overall fighting grand champion” and “most decorated athlete titles.” Her 8-year-old brother, Will Viola,...
Tips for Cops fundraiser has huge turnout; organizers set goal of $6,000 to help needy
Monroeville police Officer Robert Gowans said cops can sometimes get a bad rap. That wasn’t possible on Oct. 19, when off-duty officers turned out in force to help the less fortunate. Police from Penn Hills, Wilkins, Churchill and Monroeville traded in their uniforms for aprons to serve a hungry crowd...
6 in school board race for 4 Ligonier Valley 4-year seats; 2 face off for 2-year term
Six candidates are vying in the Nov. 4 election for a quartet of four-year seats on the Ligonier Valley School Board. Two other hopefuls — John Fitchwell, selected by Republican Party leaders, and Maureen Ittig, chosen by the Democratic Party — are facing off for a two-year seat. The winner...
Latrobe man charged with gun permit violation at Pittsburgh International Airport checkpoint
Allegheny County Police have charged a Latrobe man with a firearms violation after a handgun was discovered in his carry-on bag Wednesday morning at Pittsburgh International Airport. Police identified the passenger as 51-year-old John Frye. They determined he did not possess a valid concealed carry permit. Transportation Security Administration officers...
Wilmerding teen charged with homicide in double fatal shooting in Pitcairn
Allegheny County Police have charged a Wilmerding teen in the fatal shooting of two other teens on June 26 in Pitcairn. Jamon Brookins, 16, is charged as an adult with two counts of criminal homicide and a felony robbery count. Police said Brookins, then 15, fired multiple times at Tyrant...
All treats, no tricks: Mt. Pleasant Halloween parade lacks notoriety from past year
Last year’s Halloween parade in Mt. Pleasant Borough brought the small community of 4,250 people plenty of publicity, but not in the way officials would have liked. This year, organizers promised to be extra vigilant about parade participants to avoid a repeat appearance of a controversial entry like one last...
With full slate of candidates, GOP leaders hope to chip away at Allegheny County Council’s Democratic majority
If every registered voter in Allegheny County turned out, and Republicans joined forces with independents and third-party voters, Democrats would still win by nearly 90,000 votes. But the county’s GOP committee chairman told TribLive the party is feeling momentum heading into Tuesday’s election and hopes to pick up at least...
Dizzying heights at venues like PPG Paints Arena unsettle upper-level spectators
For Pittsburgher Fabian Carrazana, going to a hockey game or concert means braving the vertigo-inducing pitch of PPG Paints Arena. “The upper bowl is terrifying,” Carrazana said Wednesday, two days after witnessing a man at a Pittsburgh Penguins game suffer life-threatening injuries after falling from the venue’s upper level. “It’s...
Feds charge weight-loss clinic operator in Pittsburgh area with giving customers cow drugs
A woman who ran two weight loss clinics in the Pittsburgh area is charged in federal court with mislabeling animal medication and giving it to humans. Nicole Millen is charged with a single misdemeanor count of drug mislabeling. A federal court docket sheet shows she is scheduled to plead guilty...
State Attorney General’s Office agents investigate at New Kensington property
Investigators with the state Attorney General’s Office conducted an investigation at a New Kensington home Wednesday evening. Attorney general’s agents were on scene at 918 Baldrick St., which is near the intersection of Stevenson Boulevard and Seventh Street. The agents on scene were unable to comment. New Kensington police Chief...
Hampton resident presses for action on intersection in need of stop control mechanism
The Hampton Council meeting began Oct. 22 as it always does, opening with concerns from any residents and property owners. One resident worried about a dangerous intersection stepped up to air her concerns for a second time. Lauren Scheiber addressed Hampton Council about Wildwood Road Extension and Middle Road. “Back...
Judge reinstates house arrest for Jeannette man charged with assault of county detective
A Westmoreland County judge has reinstated house arrest for a Jeannette man accused of breaking into an off-duty county detective’s home last year and assaulting him. The reversal by Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger came after the alleged victim, Detective Nick Caesar, voiced safety concerns about defendant Jonathan E....
PennDOT holds annual training session in advance of winter season
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 12 held winter training Wednesday in Unity for snowplow operators. They practiced using wing plows mounted on the sides of their big yellow trucks while maneuvering through a course marked by orange cones. Drivers had to back into a parking spot, avoid obstacles such as...
Murrysville massage parlor worker pleads guilty to prostitution
A woman charged in connection with a raid at a Murrysville massage parlor pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor prostitution charge on Wednesday. Police said Weihong Wang, 63, was one of two women working last month during a raid of the Asian Garden Spa on Route 22. Police said Wang offered...
5 things to know about Obamacare open enrollment
Steep discounts for millions of Americans on Obamacare won’t expire until Dec. 31, but an exodus from the government health insurance program is expected to start Saturday when open enrollment kicks off for 2026. Nearly all people browsing Affordable Care Act plans will see higher prices than last year because...
Chartiers Valley to deploy AI school safety platform
Chartiers Valley School District will work with a Carnegie Mellon University spinout to deploy a threat detection system at district buildings. School directors on Tuesday, Oct. 28 approved a five-year contract with CurvePoint for the Wi-AI Perimeter Threat Detection system. Wi-AI transforms standard Wi-Fi signals into a real-time safety system...
Faces of the Valley: Oakmont author celebrates faith, unique genre in breakout book
Glenn Armocida has lived many lives in his 66 years. The Oakmont author started his journey as a writer at a young age while growing up in Plum. Even then, he enjoyed reading and creating his own stories. With support from his parents and teachers, he attended the University of...
Impact of massive Amazon layoffs unclear in Pittsburgh region
Amazon is cutting 14,000 jobs as it expands its use of artificial intelligence, though it’s unclear how the move will affect the Pittsburgh area. On Tuesday, Beth Galetti, Amazon’s senior vice president of people experience and technology, announced the layoffs. TribLive reached out to Amazon to learn how the decision...
Retired Hampton officer finds calling at Blessed Trinity, Holy Cross schools
Having worked for the Hampton Township Police Department for 25 years, Officer Pete Halli is enjoying a slower-paced career as a school resource officer at Blessed Trinity Academy in Indiana Township. But that doesn’t mean he’s let his guard down. “Our job is not only about providing a safe environment...
Mindful of budget, Pine eyes options to upgrade Northern Regional police station
As Pine Township refines its 2026 budget, one of the major projects on the docket is the station upgrade for the Northern Regional Police Department. Potential costs of a new headquarters range from $20 million to $30 million. The police department hired Buchart Horn Architects in early 2025 to complete...
‘Yinzers deserve nice things’: Officials celebrate halfway point of Market Square remake
Market Square’s revitalization is about halfway complete, officials said Wednesday, hailing progress in ongoing efforts to reenergize Downtown Pittsburgh ahead of the NFL Draft in April. Jeremy Waldrup, president of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, said Market Square’s $15 million facelift is on budget and on track to be done before...
