Western PA Local News category, Page 1339
Piper Bay Café plans 2nd location at former Kings in Salem
Jim Fry of Manor has fond memories of stopping at Kings Restaurant when he was younger and getting a slice of hot apple pie with the chain’s trademark cinnamon ice cream. Fry and business partner Preston Gorman of Plum hope to make some new memories, but this time at the...
Prosecutors ask for ‘Pink Hat Lady’ charged in Capitol riots to be placed on electronic monitoring
Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to require a Mercer County woman charged in last year’s Capitol riots to wear electronic monitoring while under home confinement. In a motion filed Thursday, the U.S. attorney’s office said Rachel Powell — who became known as “the Pink Hat Lady” — has violated...
Logans Ferry Road in Plum anticipated to reopen Friday
Thousands of drivers who regularly use Logans Ferry Road in Plum have another reason to look forward to Friday. The stretch of Logans Ferry between Entrance Drive and Columbia Road, near New Kensington, which has been closed since Aug. 2, is anticipated to reopen Friday, PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said...
North Hills School District to vote on Indian nickname ‘compromise’ at next meeting
Compromise is the name of the game when it comes to North Hills School District and its Indian mascot. On Sept. 15, the school board presented a resolution that allows for the discontinuation of the current Indian logo, but the continuing use of the name “Indians’ as the identifier for...
Bethel Park-based Harmony Singers recruiting new members
Covid-19 forced Harmony Singers of Pittsburgh to mute all performances for a while, but as the South Hills-based show choir enters its 56th year, members are hoping to restart the music and add some new members. Prior to the pandemic, the volunteer group regularly performed at retirement homes and other...
Loyalhanna Watershed Brewfest returns on Saturday with new fall date
The Loyalhanna Watershed Association’s annual Brewfest, now in its third year, has moved from the summer to the fall. The event, set for 4:30 p.m. Saturday , will feature live music and specialty beverages from area breweries and distilleries. It will be held on the western outskirts of Ligonier, in...
Rosslyn Road bridge over Parkway West reopens
Work on the bridge carrying Rosslyn Road over the Parkway West in Rosslyn Farms has been completed, PennDOT officials said Monday. Officials closed the bridge in early February after a truck struck it. Repair work began in late August. The bridge reopened to traffic Sunday evening, according to PennDOT....
Police use dog to capture woman they say sped through Mt. Vernon yard sale
A New Kensington police dog was used to apprehend a woman police say fled from an officer in Parnassus and sped through a neighborhood yard sale in Mt. Vernon on Friday afternoon. Alyssa Nicole Depanicis, 32, was arraigned Saturday on several felony charges including fleeing, escape and resisting arrest, misdemeanor...
Steelers players deliver air purifiers to Carnegie Boys & Girls Club
A visit from some real, live Pittsburgh Steelers certainly provided a sense of excitement. So did the prospect of eating hot slices of delicious pizza. But for youngsters who frequent the Carnegie Boys & Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania, the most enduring aspect of an afternoon of special activities was...
GOP congressional candidate Jeremy Shaffer picks up U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsement in key race
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Republican Jeremy Shaffer in a key race to represent part of suburban Pittsburgh in the U.S. House. Shaffer, an engineer and former Ross commissioner who founded a software company focused on infrastructure, said he was honored to be endorsed by one of the...
‘Bat Boy: The Musical’ will open Theatre Factory’s new season
If you say the phrase “supermarket tabloid” to someone and ask what image comes to mind, there’s a good chance they will mention “Bat Boy,” the infamous (not to mention fictional) subject of a 1992 Weekly World News story and the poster child for the height of tabloid silliness. “Bat...
Travel alert: Long-term single-lane restrictions along Route 28 begin this week
More traffic delays are likely along Route 28 beginning Wednesday, when single-lane restrictions take effect near O’Hara and Aspinwall, PennDOT announced. Work will begin at 6 a.m. in the northbound lanes and is expected to be ongoing through mid-October. Restrictions will be in place from Exit 7 (Delafield Avenue off-ramp)...
Municipal attorney starts new job as 5th Shaler Township manager in 122 years
Longevity is key for new Shaler Township manager Christopher Lovato, who will serve as only the fifth township manager in 122 years. Lovato, 39, of Franklin Park, began his tenure this month as deputy township manager, under the guidance of manager Tim Rogers until he retires in December. Lovato will...
Flight 93 site, Laurel Hill park, Forbes State Forest seek volunteers to help with projects
Volunteers are needed to do projects, such as picking up trash on land and water, improving trails and making bird houses, in state and federal parks in Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties as part of a nationwide effort to improve public lands. During National Public Lands Day on Saturday ,...
Games, obstacle course, pep rally await public at Greensburg Salem homecoming bonfire
The public is invited to a homecoming bonfire Wednesday at Greensburg Salem High School. Set for 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the school’s gravel parking lot, the event is sponsored by the Student Council Association. It is meant to heighten community and school spirit in advance of the varsity football...
Pa. sending search-and-rescue personnel to Puerto Rico to assist with Hurricane Fiona response
Gov. Tom Wolf on Sunday announced that two members of the state’s urban search-and-rescue task force will be deployed to hurricane-battered Puerto Rico to assist with emergency response efforts. This comes as Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico’s southwest coast Sunday, bringing with it floods, high winds, landslides and massive power...
Faces of the Valley: The Cupcake Girls incorporate inclusivity into their lives and their bakery business
About nine years ago, two sisters started with a mixer and an idea to make small gourmet cupcakes and large old-time cookies served with a mix of fun and inclusiveness. Courtney Kobelenske and Kylie Lash, both of Lower Burrell, opened Cora Lee Cupcakes, now based in New Kensington’s Feldarelli Square,...
Chartiers Valley students excel as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists
Two Chartiers Valley Seniors are being recognized as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists. Congratulations to Sean Maddix and Liam Pedersen, who earned high scores on the PSAT exam during their junior year. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in...
After mass resignations, Kiski Township hires more officers to restore positions
After Kiski Township police Sgt. Thomas Dessell, four other officers and the police secretary quit in protest in early July, the township supervisors whose actions they objected to have scrambled to replace the officers. The township is recovering from the mass resignation. The township supervisors have restored the positions with...
Portion of Oak Hill Road in Hampton Township closed after crash damages bridge
A portion of Oak Hill Road in Hampton Township was closed Monday morning after a crash damaged the bridge at Hardies Lake. The road was closed between West Hardies Road and Lakemont Drive, according to township officials. The closure came after a car crash on the bridge, which officials said...
Decline in gas prices breaks 2018 record, but change to winter gas could snap trend
With gasoline prices falling for a 14th consecutive week, the drop in the national average has surpassed the record decline of 2018 and is now the longest downward streak since 2015, an industry analyst said Monday. According to AAA, the national average is now about $3.68, down 4 cents from...
Out & About: Westmoreland Croquet Club Tournament aids area nonprofits
Some say it’s a fashion faux pas to wear white after Labor Day; others say the old rule no longer applies. The topic was subject of a good-natured debate between Jim and Jo Rossi of Ligonier Township during the Westmoreland Croquet Club Tournament. The Rossis were among tent sponsors for...
‘Carnegie Carnegie’: Forever in my heart and mind
September is “Love Your Library” month. ACLA, the Allegheny County Library Association, sponsors “Love Your Library” month for the 46 public libraries in our county. The Buncher Foundation has generally donated $200,000 for a prorated match for donations to local libraries made during the month. In gathering my thoughts on...
How to get a medical marijuana card in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania became the 24th state to legalize medical cannabis in 2016. Dispensaries opened to registered patients shortly after in 2018, and today, Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program is going strong with growing patient numbers and a healthy medical market. Through NuggMD, you can get your PA medical cannabis card online from...
Leaf disease continues to ravage Pa. beech trees
There’s a disease wreaking havoc on beech trees in Pennsylvania. Beech leaf disease currently is found in all but two of the state’s 67 counties. Caused by microscopic nematodes, the disease infects native American beech trees and commonly planted European ones, said Mihail Kantor, an assistant research professor of nematology...
