Western PA Local News category, Page 1334
5 people left homeless when fire breaks out at Leechburg duplex
Five people were left homeless Thursday afternoon when fire heavily damaged a duplex on Main Street in Leechburg. Leechburg Fire Chief Tom Foster said the fire was reported around 5:48 p.m. at 135 Main St. Foster said two cats remained unaccounted for. The fire erupted from the second floor of...
New Kensington residents remember Azuree Charles the day after boy’s parents charged with his death
New Kensington residents from East Ken Manor and beyond gathered in front of 9-year-old Azuree Charles’ home to remember him Thursday, a day after his parents were charged in connection with his death in May. Some, including children, held signs saying “Justice has been served,” “Fly high,” and “I miss...
Route 66 reopens in Salem Township after two-car crash
State police are investigating a two-vehicle crash that shut down part of Route 66 for a few hours Thursday. Troopers said the crash took place along Route 66 by Daisy Lane around 3:40 p.m. One vehicle overturned. It was unclear if anyone was injured. A trooper from the Kiski Valley...
Donora man guilty of attempted murder and assaults in North Belle Vernon bar fight
A Donora man was convicted Thursday of the attempted murder of one man and injuring two others during a bar fight three years ago in North Belle Vernon. After more than four hours of deliberations, a Westmoreland County jury found Eric Cook, 46, guilty of 10 criminal counts in connection...
Plum receives $73,000 grant for stormwater improvements
State Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-Penn Hills, announced that Plum Borough will receive a $73,203 grant to maintain and repair three existing residential retention ponds. The borough plans to use the funding to award a contract to remove more than 4,400 tons of sediment from the retention ponds, clear overgrown vegetation...
Penn State officials hope for 47% increase in state general support funding
Penn State officials plan to aim high in their 202-24 state funding request. On Friday, the Board of Trustees will vote on whether to approve a request for an additional $115 million in general support funding from the state. If approved by legislators, that would bring the university’s general support...
1 airlifted from car-truck crash in Salem Township
One person was airlifted by medical helicopter for treatment following a Thursday afternoon crash in Salem Township that involved a tractor-trailer and a passenger car. No one else was hurt, according to Slickville firefighters, who said the injured personhad to be freed from the wrecked car. The car was overturned...
Gateway students participate in 1 Million Book Giveaway
Gateway High School students announced that they will be joining over 30,000 high school students nationwide in an effort to give 1 million books to underserved youth in their local communities in 43 States as part of Chick-fil-A Leader Academy, a national high school leadership program. Students took part in...
Logans Ferry Road reopens to traffic in Plum
Friday has come early for drivers who use Logans Ferry Road in Plum. “Logans Ferry Road has reopened to traffic,” PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said Thursday afternoon. Logans Ferry had been closed between Entrance Drive and Columbia Road, near New Kensington, since Aug. 2 while crews from Plum Contracting worked...
Bar fight leads to Penn State’s The Corner being shot up in New Kensington
Evidence markers show where nearly a dozen bullets struck the Seventh Street side of The Corner, Penn State’s entrepreneurial center in downtown New Kensington last Friday. Damage included a shattered window, marked by one of the the markers still on the building Thursday. New Kensington police did not respond to...
North Allegheny school director resigns
Kevin Mahler resigned from the North Allegheny School Board at the Sept. 21 meeting after serving since 2013. “I’m simply burned out after 10 years of involvement, with almost nine of those as a board member,” he said. Mahler said he got involved because he saw “a district that was...
Monroeville Senior Citizens Center receives $24,000 grant
A $24,000 grant will help the Monroeville Senior Citizens Center replace the flooring in its fitness center, state Rep. Brandon Markosek announced. Markosek, D-Monroeville, said the funding for the project will cover the cost to remove the current carpet flooring in the center’s fitness area and install athletic rubber flooring....
Norwin Chamber to hold Oktober fest; church plans flu clinic
Norwin Chamber ‘Okt-Chamber-Fest’ The Norwin Chamber will host an “Okt-Chamber-Fest” celebration from 5-8 p.m. Sept. 29 at Quinn Brewing in North Huntingdon. The cost is $25 and proceeds will benefit the chamber’s scholarship fund. The event will feature music, light food, raffle prizes and a stein-holding contest. For tickets or...
Greensburg Turkey Trot registration begins; YMCA partners with race committee
Registration is open for Greensburg’s annual Turkey Trot, set for Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24. This year, the race committee is partnering with the Greensburg YMCA, which is helping with pre-race operations and promotion of the Thanksgiving Day 5K run/walk. The Y also is among multiple community nonprofits that will benefit...
Murrysville area: 5K run/walk, International Women meeting, fall nature hikes and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Event listings must be submitted at least eight days in advance in order to make the deadline for the Star. • • • Franklin Regional homecoming bonfire The annual Franklin Regional homecoming bonfire will take place from 5:30-8 p.m. Sept. 29 in...
Hempfield man charged with leaving obscene messages for members of Congress
A Hempfield man who previously served jail time for harassing Black members of a Penn Township church was charged Thursday with leaving 214 obscene and racially-charged voicemails for 35 members of Congress, according to court papers. Mark Eugene Ray, 62, is charged with ethnic intimidation and two counts of harassment...
First Amendment likely prevents Pine-Richland from disciplining student after racist Homecoming sign incident
Pine-Richland School District likely does not have the legal authority to discipline a high school student whose homecoming proposal sign went viral on social media and left members of the community dismayed, according to an attorney with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. The First Amendment likely prevents the district from...
Heroes to Heroes: Event in Mt. Washington honors human services professionals, clients
Among the people in myriad professions who have worked toward mitigating the devastating effects of the covid-19 are “unsung heroes that, in our opinion, went unnoticed.” “These are the men and women of human service agencies who selflessly and tirelessly, under the limitations of pandemic conditions, somehow found a way...
Woman found in Allegheny River in June died of accidental drowning, medical examiner says
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner on Tuesday released a cause and manner of death for a woman whose body was found in the Allegheny River in Downtown Pittsburgh in June. Julie Anne Keddie, 38, of Shadyside, died June 15 from an accidental drowning, the medical examiner’s office said. Keddie had...
North Hills Special Response Team earns negotiating award
When it comes to negotiating tough situations, the North Hills Special Response Team can be considered one of the best. It placed first in the Best of the Best negotiating competition hosted by the Pittsburgh FBI in August at The David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Six Pittsburgh-area special response teams...
Richard S. Caliguiri Great Race to result in Pittsburgh road closures
Road closures will impact Pittsburgh’s Downtown, Uptown, Oakland and Squirrel Hill neighborhoods this weekend as about 10,000 people are expected to participate in events for the Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race. The weekend of events includes a variety of races, including the Diaper Dash, Tot Trot, One-Mile...
Experts say covid pandemic continues to hospitalize, kill in Pennsylvania, despite Biden comments
For many, if not most, the masks are off and the covid pandemic is in the rearview mirror. But an average of 10 people are dying from covid in Pennsylvania each day, and about 1,150 residents are hospitalized with the virus, according to state health data. The state Department of...
Martell Smith to serve life in prison for setting Homewood fire that killed 3
Martell Smith stood at the front of an Allegheny County courtroom Thursday with his legs shackled and a leather belt around his waist, securing his hands. He was no longer presumed to be innocent. Less than an hour earlier, a jury of seven men and five women had found Smith...
Wexford antique store Twin Pine is a curated experience
At 7 years old, Martin Edward would jump in the car with his grandparents and drive to huge antique shows throughout the region. That’s when Edward became “enamored” with interesting pieces — and now, he’s sharing that fascination with the Pittsburgh region. Last fall, Edward opened Twin Pine, a Wexford...
Some Pittsburgh elected officials caution against ‘blue hydrogen’ hub pitch
Leaders from around the world are in Pittsburgh for the Global Clean Energy Action Forum, and hydrogen figures to be a key topic of discussion. While the gas is quickly gaining cache as the future of American energy, there are disagreements about what Pittsburgh’s role should be concerning hydrogen. And...
