Western PA Local News category, Page 1337
Monroeville Historical Society hosts Heritage Day Festival
Monroeville Historical Society is preparing for its annual Heritage Day Festival on Oct. 1. Acting as a “tribute to Monreoville’s rural past,” the festival maintains a modern version of the community’s early farming day tradition, the Harvest Home Picnic. The tradition dates back to the 1890s and has slowly evolved...
Parents charged in New Kensington boy’s death
Both parents of 9-year-old Azuree Charles were charged Wednesday in connection with the New Kensington boy’s death in May. Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said the boy’s father, Jean Charles, 40, of Brackenridge, is charged with first-degree murder, criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse, unlawful restraint of a minor...
Aspinwall Fireman’s Park pavilion eyed for upgrades
People who use Fireman’s Park in Aspinwall will notice significant upgrades in coming months to the site off West Ninth Street. The state awarded the borough a $45,290 grant on Sept. 19 to renovate the park pavilion. “The borough is thrilled to receive the grant to update our beloved Fireman’s...
Shogan promises transparency at hearing for National Archives leadership role
A North Huntingdon native was questioned for 30 minutes Wednesday during a Senate confirmation hearing to review her nomination to be archivist of the National Archives and Records Administration. Colleen Joy Shogan said she would provide transparency in regards to all emails and communications between the agency and the FBI...
Freeport borough offices closed to public as council tries to hire backup secretary
One could make an argument that Freeport’s government is suffering from “long covid.” The term refers to having effects from the virus persist long after the infection is cleared. It’s much like Freeport’s situation with a borough building that has been closed to the public for the past two weeks...
Baldwin Township set to dedicate Russell ‘Huck’ Hamler Veterans Memorial
Russell “Huck” Hamler has never lost sight of the fact that he’s lucky to be alive. During World War II, Hamler, a 98-year-old Mt. Lebanon native and Baldwin Township resident was part of a top-secret elite Army unit known as “Merrill’s Marauders,” named after its commander, Brigadier General Frank Merrill,...
Sewickley Music Club kicks off 101st season
The Sewickley Music Club’s 101st year welcomes back its members for the 2022-2023 season of a talented line up of musical performances. First up is the return of the delightful 3Rivers4 Barbershop Quartet singing their famous four-part harmony a cappella program entitled, “Decades of Delight.” The Club members will meet...
Bethel Park breaks ground for Pine Tree Park improvements
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Sept. 20 at Bethel Park’s Pine Tree Park to begin park upgrades, as well as sidewalk and storm-water management efforts. Local residents, along with several Bethel Park council members and municipal staff members, attended at the park, located off N Street near St. Germaine Church....
Shaler commissioners approve bid to demolish former Jeffery Primary building
Shaler Board of Commissioners on Sept. 13 unanimously approved the awarding of a contract to the Aliquippa-based R. Unis Demolition to tear down the former Jeffery Primary School building. Unis Development came in with a bid of $242,000 to demolish the building. Jeffery, which closed prior to the 2018-19 school...
Retired Steeler visits Hampton restaurant to receive donation
What appears to be a routine football play has the potential to change a life drastically. Ask Ryan Shazier. On a Monday night in 2017, the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker collapsed after making a tackle, having suffered an injury that necessitated spinal stabilization surgery and had doctors wondering if he ever...
Mt. Pleasant man facing more charges after another assault at county jail
A Mt. Pleasant man accused this week in an incident in a Westmoreland County courtroom was charged Wednesday with head-butting a second guard at the county jail in a month, according to court papers. Joe Paul Biller, 37, is facing aggravated and simple assault charges. He was being readied for...
Quick response to fire at Gilpin home prevents blaze from spreading
Firefighters from two municipalities were able to prevent a blaze from spreading after the awning of a home caught fire in Gilpin on Tuesday evening, according to authorities. Crews from the Gilpin and Leechburg volunteer fire departments were dispatched to a three-story frame home in the 3100 block of River...
Polkamaniacs to perform at Harrison Hills: ‘It ain’t your grandpa’s polka’
An eight-piece band in matching blue plaid suits will perform Saturday in Harrison Hills Park, and the musicians have a message for anyone who might attend: “It ain’t your grandpa’s polka.” “We’re a king-size plaidtastic stage show that no audience can resist,” said Michael Devine, a member of the Polkamaniacs....
Remember When: Nellie Bly, an Alle-Kiski Valley native, broke down barriers, stereotypes
The newest addition to greet passengers at the Pittsburgh International Airport is a statue of Nellie Bly — flanked by Steelers great Franco Harris and the “Father of Our Country,” George Washington. Bly was an Alle-Kiski Valley native. Born Elizabeth Cochran on May 5, 1864, in the Cochran Mills neighborhood...
Alle-Kiski Band Festival postponed to Thursday
The annual Alle-Kiski Marching Band Festival will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday at Yuhas McGinley Stadium at Penn Hills High School. The day was changed from Wednesday due to expected inclement weather. Schools participating in the non-competitive event include Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Freeport Area, Highlands, Kiski Area, Leechburg Area,...
Dolly Parton child book gifting program headed to the Latrobe area
A free book every month is on the horizon for children in the Latrobe area thanks to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and community support. More than 400 area children from birth to age 5 could benefit from the program, regardless of family income. The Greater Latrobe Partners in Education Foundation...
Jeannette school district seeks new bids on former building site
Jeannette City School District is once again accepting bids for vacant property that previously held a school on South Fourth Street. Superintendent Matt Jones said directors approved a resolution Monday to seek bids for four contiguous parcels at the intersection of Cuyler and Chambers avenues and South Fourth Street. A...
Pittsburgh man charged in Jan. 6 Capitol attack
A Pittsburgh man is facing misdemeanor charges after illegally entering the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack and entering the conference room of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, officials said. Thomas Carey, 21, communicated with four other men beforehand to coordinate their plans and then all illegally entered the...
Westmoreland happenings: scarecrow contest, spaghetti dinners, rummage sale
Submissions from nonprofit organizations for Briefly Speaking can be emailed to Carol Pinto-Smith at cpinto-smith@triblive.com or mailed to Briefly Speaking, 210 Wood St., Tarentum, PA 15084. Include a complete address and daytime phone number. Submissions are due at least two weeks before the event. Each announcement is printed once; there...
Washington School District alerts families to potential monkeypox case
Washington School District alerted students and families of a potential monkeypox case at Washington Park Primary School. A student suspected of having monkeypox or another similar disease was at the school Monday, Superintendent George Lammay said in a letter to families. “The school immediately sanitized all physical locations that the...
Glass City Heritage Festival returns in Jeannette
Jeannette will celebrate its history as a glassmaking town during a festival Saturday on Clay Avenue. The Glass City Heritage Festival will shut down three blocks of the downtown business district’s main thoroughfare from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Carole Babish, president of the Jeannette Business Association, said there will...
Police arrest man in connection with Shadyside, Lawrenceville burglaries
An Aliquippa man wanted in connection with a string of burglaries in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside and Lawrenceville neighborhoods has been arrested. Michael Moffett, 33, who faces multiple charges including burglary, criminal mischief and theft from a motor vehicle, was arrested by North Versailles police on Monday evening, said Cara Cruz, a...
Letter to the editor: Community should support fire department, first responders
We recently learned that Chief Quin and the volunteer fire department that faithfully serves our community retired the use of the Sewickley fire horn. We write representing many community members who would like to acknowledge that this decision was unlikely to have been easy, given the history and tradition that...
The Stroller, Sept. 21, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your 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. Annual Harvest Jubilee planned in Avonmore The Avonmore Harvest Jubilee will be...
1 dead in overnight shooting in Duquesne
A man was killed in a shooting in Duquesne early Wednesday morning. The shooting was reported on the 700 block of Grant Street just after midnight. The Allegheny County medical examiner’s office identified the man as Demetrius T. Pirl, 52, of Duquesne. When first responders arrived, they found a man...
