Western PA Local News category, Page 1342
September is Senior Center Month
Bingo, parties, lunches, but mostly good friends bring in members to their area senior centers, including ones in Etna, Sharpsburg, Tarentum and Center North in Allison Park. The four centers are run by the nonprofit Northern Area Multi Service Center, or NAMS, according to Brian Metzer, senior director of its...
California wildfire smoke makes its way to Western Pa.
Friday evening’s hazy skies were the result of smoke traveling from California, where wildfires are raging. The smoke traveled through jet streams to the Midwest and East Coast, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jenna Lake. It isn’t uncommon for this to occur if the western states experience several wildfires,...
Inaugural Pumpkin Festival planned for Leetsdale
The Leetsdale parks and recreation committee has planned a new fundraiser to help harvest support for its children’s programs. The inaugural Pumpkin Festival is slated for Oct. 6-8 at Henle Park at the corner of Beaver and Ferry streets. Activities include pumpkin sales, arts and crafts, face painting, a corn...
Sewickley officials approve contractors for pair of major restoration projects
Two major renovation projects in Sewickley are expected to begin within the next few weeks now that council has approved the contracts. Allison Park Contractors’ $350,000 bid for the first phase of the Crescent Avenue restoration project was awarded at council’s Sept. 13 meeting. Borough engineer Mike Galet said they...
Proposed development in Sewickley clears borough hurdle, permits still required
A proposed development along Locust Place in Sewickley is one step closer to becoming a reality. Former office buildings in what is colloquially called Sewickley Village are being renovated into chef-owned restaurants, a listening lounge and an apartment, among other developments. Council unanimously voted Sept. 13 to approve a conditional...
Westmoreland chief clerk granted raise for expanded duties
Westmoreland County’s chief clerk is getting a more than $7,100 raise that officials said will be partly covered using funds from the county’s $105.4 million American Rescue Plan allocation. Chief Clerk Vera Spina will have added responsibilities in addition to her jack-of-all-trades role as the point person for the county’s...
Judge adds $3.78 million to verdict in Westmoreland swimming pool injury case
A Westmoreland County judge awarded $3.7 million in delayed damages to a Vandergrift man who was left a quadriplegic after he jumped onto a raft in a friend’s swimming pool in 2013. After a trial in March, a jury issued a $19 million verdict, a record high in Westmoreland County,...
Pittsburgh officials install fencing around problem area along Fort Duquesne Boulevard
Pittsburgh Public Safety officials on Wednesday installed a fence around a section along Fort Duquesne Boulevard where police have recently seen problematic activities. There were five recent arrests at the site, three of which were drug-related, Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt said. “It was a hangout spot during the day...
Region targeted for aerial geological survey to map underground mineral deposits
Residents in parts of Westmoreland, Fayette, Indiana and Somerset counties may see a low-flying plane or helicopter carrying a torpedo-like probe in the sky over the next few months. It’s part of a U.S. Geological Survey initiative to map underground rocks that may contain rare earth minerals or pockets of...
Allegheny Valley Hospital promotes healthy eating with first farmer’s market
Allegheny Valley Hospital hosted its first farmer’s market in Harrison on Thursday with a fresh array of veggies, meats and pastries. Hospital officials said the event was aimed at celebrating nearby farmers and bakers because the cafeteria uses locally-sourced items to supply its kitchen. Represented at the market were Old...
Witnesses testify that defendant bragged about setting fatal Homewood fire minutes after it began
In the minutes and hours after a home on Bennett Street in Homewood burned, the man accused of setting the fire walked back and forth along neighboring streets, his image captured repeatedly. During that time, witnesses testified Friday, Martell Smith bragged about what he’d done. “The defendant was at the...
Greensburg teen charged with attempted homicide will be tried in juvenile court
A Greensburg teen charged with the attempted homicide of three people will be prosecuted as a juvenile, a judge ruled this week. Anthony Shook, 17, originally was charged as an adult with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and other offenses after he was arrested in June 2021 in connection with a...
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport to host 2022 Pa. Aviation Conference on airport grounds
After four decades, the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania will hold its annual conference at an airport for the first time. The Arnold Palmer Regional Airport will host the 42nd conference, which kicks off Sunday, Sept. 18 and concludes Tuesday, Sept. 20. The Unity airport has hosted the conference previously, but...
Black Women’s Policy Center supports employers in closing Pittsburgh wage gap
This year, the Black Women’s Policy Center launched Level Up: Greater Pittsburgh Gender Pay Equity Pledge in collaboration with Women and Girls Foundation and YWCA Greater Pittsburgh. The three activist groups wanted to challenge employers in the Greater Pittsburgh area to use their power to close the gender wage gap,...
Tarentum police investigating Labor Day carjacking
Tarentum police are investigating after a woman told them she was carjacked at gunpoint just before 7 p.m. Sept. 5 along Heuser Way, not far from the Family Dollar store. No one was injured, according to Chief Bill Vakulick. The victim posted to social media about the incident, writing, “You...
Southwest Greensburg church picnic will benefit first responders
First responders will be celebrated Saturday at the Greensburg Church of the Brethren’s second annual community picnic. The event is set for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the church grounds at 554 Stanton St. in Southwest Greensburg. The Southwest Greensburg police and fire departments and Mutual Aid Ambulance Service...
Allegheny County Democratic Committee chooses Barb Warwick as nominee in election for Pittsburgh City Council seat
The Allegheny County Democratic Committee on Thursday selected Barb Warwick as its nominee for a November special election to fill a vacant seat on Pittsburgh City Council. Warwick, 45, of Pittsburgh’s Greenfield neighborhood, was chosen by committee members to be the party’s candidate for a special election on Nov. 8...
New Oktoberfest Festival brewing in Vandergrift
Beers, bratwurst and German culture are set to collide with a new festival in Vandergrift. The area’s first Oktoberfest Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 24. It is co-sponsored by Allusion Brewing Co. and the Vandergrift Business Association, and organizers are excited to close off Grant Avenue and roll out...
Allegheny Valley School Board votes, again, to tear down Colfax Elementary in Springdale
The adage claiming that history repeats itself is holding true for Colfax Elementary School in Springdale. Three years after the Allegheny Valley School Board voted to demolish the vacant building, it still stands. This week, the school board again voted to tear it down. That decision comes as the board...
Shaler Area School Board member pushes back on new graduation gowns
Less than a month after Shaler Area School District unveiled its new, universal graduation gowns to the public, school board member Edward Kress attempted to introduce a new plan for the rollout of the gowns – including the possibility of reverting back to the separate blue and white gowns. At...
Armstrong Trails lands $710,000 grant for design of Kiski River railroad bridge
The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources awarded $710,000 to Armstrong Trails to design the renovation of the old railroad bridge over the Kiski River in the village of Schenley in Gilpin. Earlier this year, Armstrong County landed a $3.5 million state grant to buy the Kiski Junction Railroad...
New Verona signs installed
Verona Borough recently completed a beautification project with the installation of several new welcome signs at multiple entrances to the municipality. In the works for over a year, the new signs were placed at both ends of Allegheny River Boulevard, replacing old ones that no longer conformed to Pennsylvania Department...
Weekend to bring ideal conditions for region: balmy temperatures and dry skies
The last weekend of summer is arriving in the Pittsburgh region with weather conditions ideal for enjoying outdoor activities. The National Weather Service in Moon has forecast dry skies and balmy temperatures without an excess of humidity. Highs in the low- to mid-80s are expected at about 5 p.m. both...
Kiski Area moving toward sports season tickets, all-sport passes for fans
Kiski Area High School sports fans could get a break when purchasing tickets to Cavalier games. The school board Wednesday gave Athletic Director John Peterman the green light, by consensus, to start designing season ticket programs for Kiski sporting events where admission is charged. The idea would be to offer...
Greensburg Salem School Board solicits proposals for facilities study
Greensburg Salem School Board took a first step this week toward a districtwide building feasibility study, voting 6-3 to seek proposals from prospective consultants. If one is approved, the consultant also could help manage the district’s capital projects over multiple years. Superintendent Ken Bissell noted it’s been at least three...
