Western PA Local News category, Page 1329
Western Pennsylvania natives in Florida prepare for Hurricane Ian to make landfall
Claire Dice was planning to return to Penn Hills on Friday from her vacation in Florida. But at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Dice got word that Indian Shores, a town on the Gulf Coast barrier island where she is staying, was being evacuated as Hurricane Ian prepares to make landfall in...
Verona Community Group hosts 2nd annual Community Picnic
Verona Community Group hosted its second annual Community Picnic on Sept. 24 at Cribbs Field. Volunteers grilled free burgers and hot dogs and others brought various side dishes. Resident Tracy Pampena was crowned “Chili Queen of Verona” after her beef chili concoction with bread beat out three other competitors, including...
Forbes Road students bring cyber-security presentation to Monroeville library
Aiden Gerhart of Monroeville said exploring the internet without a basic working knowledge of scams is like getting onto a boat without a compass or an atlas. But the second-year student at Forbes Road Career & Technology Center doesn’t want people new to the online experience feeling belittled. “A lot...
Haunted Guyasuta returns with fright-filled festivities
Fright will abound in the forest during the annual Haunted Guyasuta event at the Boy Scout camp in O’Hara. The Halloween-themed festival is scheduled for Oct. 15 and offers both fun and fear, depending on the time of day. Pumpkin patches, hayrides and other non-scary activities will run from 3...
Pumpkin patches, hayrides, corn mazes: These farms go all in for Halloween
In search of the great pumpkin? You might have a good shot at finding one — and a lot more — at one of these pumpkin patches. As always, its wise to call ahead to check hours, admission costs and availability of activities during the week and weekends. Janoski’s Farm...
Gathering on Grant gains momentum in Vandergrift
A new seasonal monthly event in Vandergrift has proved to be a crowd-pleaser. Gathering on Grant, a community-based food and vendor festival, debuted in May. Lead organizer Eric Mikula said the event has been a great success. “It’s been wonderful. The response from our neighbors has been great. We have...
Building the Valley: One of nation’s largest building wholesalers sets up in Harmar
One of the nation’s largest building suppliers has opened a location in Harmar. ABC Supply Co. opened its doors Aug. 1 at 460 Nixon Road. “We’re a 40,000-plus-square-foot, all-under-roof supplier,” said site manager Mike Mrakovich. “We will be a one-stop shop for the Cheswick community and surrounding areas.” The facility...
Big summer concerts at PNC Park generated $40.9M in spending
If you went to one of the big concerts at PNC Park in Pittsburgh this summer, you contributed to the city’s economy — in a big way, according to new numbers released by VisitPittsburgh on Tuesday. According to the city’s official tourism agency, the four shows drew 160,150 visitors to...
Man dies after being stabbed multiple times in Jeannette
A 62-year-old Jeannette man was stabbed to death Monday night in a fight with a Penn Hills man, police said. Police were responding to a call about an altercation about 9:45 p.m. on South Sixth Street in Jeannette when they found William Osselburn bleeding from wounds to his neck, left...
Pine-Richland receives recognition for RAMS Way initiative
All six Pine-Richland schools have received recognition for RAMS Way, a district-wide initiative that aims to foster a positive school environment. The Pennsylvania Positive Behavior Support Network announced that Pine-Richland’s initiative met its School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports requirements for the 2021-22 academic year. The PBIS approach seeks to...
The Stroller, Sept. 27, 2022: 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 a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Local Marines to celebrate at birthday ball Westmoreland County Marines will...
Police say man accused of leading Frazer officers on chase arrested on separate charges
A Florida man who got away after leading police on a chase along Route 28 and trying to run down an officer who attempted to stop him with spike strips has been arrested, according to authorities. Frazer police have charged Derek Lewis Washington, 33, of Lauderdale Lakes with four felony...
Shaler area student news for the week of Sept. 27, 2022
Samuel Wyman was among the 116 incoming medical students who received a white coat at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine’s 14th annual ceremony welcoming the class of 2026. Madison Ballew of Glenshaw has enrolled at James Madison University for the fall 2022 semester. Ballew will be majoring in accounting. Christopher...
Woman who fatally hit 6-year-old boy on bike in Glen Hazel charged by Pittsburgh police
An arrest warrant has been issued for the woman who Pittsburgh police say fatally hit a boy on his bicycle in July. Rhonda Wood, 63, is charged with homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, careless driving involving death, and a stop sign violation, according to police. At around 8:20 p.m. on...
Kennywood shooting puts spotlight on park security, metal detectors
The triple shooting inside Kennywood Park has raised questions from park-goers and national security experts about the facility’s security measures and screening technology that is supposed to detect prohibited firearms. An altercation between two groups of juveniles led to a 39-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy being shot in the...
North Huntingdon man receives 25 to 50 years in prison for sexual assaults
A North Huntingdon man was sentenced Monday to 25 to 50 years in a state prison for repeatedly raping a girl and taking pornographic photographs and videos involving her. The girl testified during a sentencing hearing for John M. Wilbanks, 41, that therapy helped her realize that the sexual assaults...
Judge to determine if Jeannette man understood rights in arson case
A Westmoreland County judge is being asked to determine whether a Jeannette man was capable of understanding his rights and whether a statement he made to police in a deadly 2018 row house fire was voluntary. Brian E. Rendon, 38, is charged with homicide and arson in the April 9,...
Deputy warden retires from Westmoreland jail
George Lowther started his job as a corrections officer with the Westmoreland County Prison on the first day the facility opened in 1993. Lowther, who rose through ranks over the years to become deputy warden, will be saying goodbye to the jail in Hempfield and his longtime job. The county...
Garage floor collapses after car pulls into it in Penn Hills
A Penn Hills man pulling into his garage fell a few feet Sunday after a slab collapsed. Penn Hills Fire Marshal Chuck Miller said it happened at 10:30 a.m. along the 300 block of Bon Air Road. Firefighters said the driver had exited the vehicle by the time responders arrived,...
Pittsburgh seeking donation for 107th annual holiday tree
Though Christmastime is not quite here, Pittsburgh officials are getting ready to deck the halls. The city’s Department of Public Works Forestry Division on Monday announced it is looking for Pittsburgh’s 107th annual Christmas tree, which will be on display in front of the City-County Building on Grant Street throughout...
Donegal Township man sentenced for assault of child
A Donegal Township man was sentenced Monday to 22 to 44 months in a state prison for sexually assaulting a mentally challenged child. Ronald W. Kern, 81, was ordered to spend an additional five years on probation after the prison term. He pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated indecent assault...
New Jersey man gets 3 years’ probation for deceiving Hempfield woman
A New Jersey man was sentenced Monday to three years of probation in a bail scam that netted $5,000 from a Hempfield woman who state police said was led to believe her daughter needed bail money. Noel Medrano-Abreu, 30, will remain jailed pending the outcome of a similar case in...
Pumpkin grown in Harrison City snares top prize at Ohio festival
A Harrison City man squashed the competition at a pumpkin festival in Ohio. Erik Gunstrom’s 2,405-pound entry won first place in the 58th annual Barnesville, Ohio, Pumpkin Festival on Wednesday, beating the next runner-up by more than 40 pounds. Last year’s winner at that festival was 2,195 pounds. Gunstrom, an...
Common Pleas judge rules Pittsburgh ‘facility fee’ for professional athletes unconstitutional
An Allegheny County Common Pleas judge last week struck down a City of Pittsburgh fee levied against professional athletes who play here, calling the fee an unconstitutional tax. Judge Christine Ward granted a motion for summary judgment filed by three athletes, as well as the players associations representing Major League...
Lane restrictions on I-79 in Franklin Park announced
Weeknight and weekend lane restrictions scheduled to begin Sept. 26 on northbound I-79 in Franklin Park are expected to continue through mid-October, PennDOT announced. The restrictions will occur on the bridge over southbound I-279 (Parkway North) from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weeknights and from 7 p.m. Friday nights...
