Western PA Local News category, Page 1204
2023 Allegheny County homicide victims
A look at each of the homicides that have taken place in Allegheny County in 2023: Jan. 2: Justin McIntire Brackenridge police Chief Justin Clark McIntire, 46, was fatally shot during a manhunt in a confrontation with Aaron Lamont Swan Jr., 28. Swan was later fatally shot by police in...
Sheraden standoff ends in arrest
Pittsburgh police SWAT officers arrested a man wanted on felony assault charges who had barricaded himself inside a house in Pittsburgh’s Sheraden neighborhood for several hours early Wednesday. Police responded to a home in the 2900 block of Sheraden Boulevard around 2 a.m. for a report of a domestic dispute....
Pittsburgh International Airport passengers dealing with flood of flight cancellations, delays
Shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday, Pittsburgh International Airport looked as though it was in a state of suspended animation. A computer glitch in a government system largely brought airlines to a halt, delaying or canceling thousands of flights across the U.S. earlier in the morning. The carousels in the normally...
Fitness training system donated to Northern Regional Police in appreciation for serviceVideo
Being physically and mentally ready to take immediate action during an emergency is a critical part of the job for many police officers. But long, uneventful shifts on patrol; working odd hours that disrupt sleep and meal routines; and the everyday stress that comes with police work can make maintaining...
Jeannette gym damaged by flooding over Christmas break
The gym floor at Jeannette Junior-Senior High School was damaged after flooding on Christmas but Superintendent Matt Jones said it hasn’t affected basketball games and physical education classes. A frozen water line and broken sprinkler sent water onto the floor during the holiday deep freeze. City firefighters alerted district maintenance...
Police: Harrison man said he was so drunk he couldn’t recall nearly beating woman to death
A Harrison man who was charged with beating a woman nearly to death told investigators he got so drunk on New Year’s Eve that he couldn’t recall the incident, police said. Michael Adam Comley, 43, of the 1100 block of Gordon Street was charged with felony counts of criminal attempted...
Allegheny County health director Bogen nominated for Pa. health secretary
One of Allegheny County’s public health leaders could be getting a promotion as Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro on Wednesday nominated Allegheny County Health Department Director Dr. Debra Bogen for Pennsylvania’s secretary of Health. The cabinet position is the top public health official in the state, and is responsible for statewide health...
Task force pulls 4 pounds of fentanyl from streets in Westmoreland in 2022
Members of the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force seized more than $349,000 during 2022, making 200 arrests and getting about 15 pounds of drugs off the streets. The task force is composed of state and local authorities, including agents from the Attorney General’s Office, county detectives and officers from 40...
Hempfield high school renovation project receives $128 million budget approval
The cost to renovate Hempfield Area High School has surged thanks to inflation and increased square footage plans, district officials said this week. The project, which was initially pegged at $97 million to $110 million, now has a $128 million price tag — an increase of about 16% to 32%....
Ice storm simulation helps Westmoreland County Public Safety, partners prep for disaster
A regional failure of the power grid, widespread transportation disruptions and spotty communications. Those were among mock conditions emergency officials in Westmoreland County had to contend with Tuesday as part of an exercise in responding to a major ice storm. About 30 public safety staffers and other stakeholders gathered at...
Local streets flooded with police signs; organizers hope to print more
It’s hard not to notice the blue police signs sprouting up through Brackenridge, Tarentum and Harrison. More than 1,000 in all, the signs are popping up in yards, parks and along streets in the week since the fatal shooting of Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire. “What impresses me is that...
Fox Chapel Police have a new ‘Bug’ to show the community
Fox Chapel Police have a new community relations tool inspired by a Walt Disney movie. The department recently acquired a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle, a model commonly referred to as a Bug. Sgt. Craig Sorg, 58, said he has loved that kind of car for years ever since seeing “The Love...
The Stroller, Jan. 11, 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. Bowling event to benefit cat, kitten rescue A bowling fundraiser to...
1 flown from rollover crash in Washington Township
A woman was flown by medical helicopter following a crash early Wednesday morning in Washington Township, according to emergency officials. First responders were called to the intersection of Route 380 and Greensburg Road (Route 366) around 1 a.m. for a report of a car that had rolled over and struck...
Community joins forces to help with Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire’s funeral
Businesses, volunteers, students and others stepped up in unexpected ways to help give Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire the funeral he deserves. From a free burial plot and vault to a horse-drawn funeral caisson, donations of goods and services for McIntire’s funeral stretch beyond the Alle-Kiski Valley. “The family is...
Brackenridge chief’s name to be added to fallen officers memorial in Washington, D.C.
The process has begun to add Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire’s name and badge number to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. McIntire was killed Jan. 2 while on duty in Brackenridge pursuing a Duquesne man wanted for weapons-related parole violations and eluding police. The national memorial...
Resident recalls meeting Brackenridge Chief Justin McIntire on his last stop
E.L. Swiklinski has lived 10 years along Cleveland Avenue in Brackenridge, a quiet street tucked on a hillside overlooking the Allegheny River. On Jan. 2, the maintenance worker had the day off from Trinity United Methodist Church and spent the afternoon pouring seed into his multiple bird feeders and offering...
Retired police chiefs recall Justin McIntire as exemplary man
Jamie Bock’s earliest memories of Justin McIntire are of him as a boy, running around and playing on Third Avenue in Brackenridge where he grew up. McIntire was 8 years old when he was given an “unofficial” role in Bock’s wedding to his wife, Jennifer, on April 27, 1985. He...
Nonprofits host events for National Human Trafficking Awareness DayVideo
Awareness of human trafficking and its impact on communities can start with something as simple as red sand in the crack of a sidewalk. Staff and volunteers from Blackburn Center in Greensburg have been part of the Red Sand Project since 2017, bringing focus to the presence of human trafficking....
Thousands honor slain Brackenridge police chief Justin McIntireVideo
Those who spoke of Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire at his funeral Wednesday remembered him as a kind, forthright man with a love of family, community service — and the occasional practical joke. More than 1,000 police officers from around the state attended the funeral at Mount St. Peter Church...
Fox Chapel Conservancy to host Fire & Ice event at McCahill Park
The Fox Chapel Parks Conservancy will launch this year’s seasonal fundraisers with a unique event that draws people into nature with a twist. Fire & Ice at McCahill Park on Hemlock Hollow Road will highlight a space that traditionally is enjoyed for its baseball fields and playground. “The park will...
Sewickley, Glen Osborne close to new deal for fire protection from Cochran Hose
Sewickley officials are one step closer to finalizing a new fire protection services contract with Glen Osborne. Council voted Tuesday night to advertise an ordinance for a five-year agreement with the neighboring borough. Cochran Hose Co., Sewickley’s fire department, has provided Glen Osborne service for years with annual contracts. Sewickley...
Lapse in insurance coverage knocks Plum fire departments out of service for hours before being restored
Plum’s four volunteer fire departments were out of service for about six hours Tuesday because of a lapse in insurance coverage. The Holiday Park, Logans Ferry, Renton and Unity departments went out of service at 2 p.m., according to Holiday Park Chief Jim Sims and Unity Vice President Morgan McIlrath....
Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam faces censure vote for ‘vulgar’ language
An initial attempt to censure Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam, over foul language directed at a fellow member, was defeated Tuesday night. A full vote to censure will occur later this month, a councilman said. Hallam called the attempt to censure her “political theater.” The action came after a few...
Judge rejects Mt. Pleasant man’s request to dismiss assault counts
A Westmoreland County judge ruled this week that charges against a Mt. Pleasant man accused of assaulting two police officers can proceed to trial. Evidence presented during a preliminary hearing supports allegations that Joe Paul Biller, 37, attacked and threatened officers as they came to his home to arrest him...
