Local category, Page 1427
Bank helps Westmoreland park police purchase equipment for police dog Rico
Westmoreland County Park Police’s sole police dog, Rico, received a gift Thursday to help with his training, thanks to 1st Summit Bank. Rico, a German shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix, is 1½ years old and trained to find explosives and guns, as well as in tracking and apprehension. The dog...
7th suspect named in New Kensington murder
An 18-year-old Pittsburgh man has been arrested in connection with the killing Sunday of a New Kensington man, the seventh suspect to be charged in the case, authorities said Thursday. Raquan Carpenter was arrested Thursday in connection with the death of Jason D. Raiford, 39, of New Kensington, who was...
Mon incline to close in August for 4 months for upgrades
The Monongahela Incline will be closed for four months for a rehabilitation project, Pittsburgh Regional Transit authorities announced Thursday. Improvements include modernizing the mechanical controls and electrical systems as well as upgrades to the interiors of the upper and lower stations. PRT and its contractors will begin mobilizing this month....
Export officials approve trail extension, will seal borough parking lot
After meeting with members of the Export Business Group, borough officials gave the go-ahead for Westmoreland Heritage Trail officials to extend the trail about 750 feet farther east. “The biggest thing we all agreed on was that they needed to put (trail) parking spots on the south side of the...
Parking tickets surprise SummerSounds staff, prompt Greensburg accommodation
The SummerSounds concert last Friday drew a huge crowd of about 8,900 to Greensburg’s St. Clair Park to hear an Elton John tribute band. But there was a sour note earlier that day, well before the free performance, when several people working behind the scenes to prepare for the event...
Covid recovery funding to help pay for $3M renovation of Greensburg ice arena
Kirk S. Nevin Arena is slated for an overdue $3.1 million overhaul so area ice hockey teams and other people can continue to enjoy smooth skating at the Greensburg facility. Greensburg City council is expecting to receive a $1.5 million grant for the project, available from the state Department of...
Westmoreland prison inmate planned to use wire from face masks in foiled escape plan, detectives say
A Westmoreland County Prison inmate is accused of using the small pieces of wire in the face masks used to prevent the spread of covid-19 to fashion a weapon he intended to use to help him escape from a court appearance, authorities said. The alleged escape plan by inmate Dennis...
New contract calls for some workers at Allegheny Valley Hospital to get raises up to 26% over next 3 years
Union workers at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison are lauding a new three-year pact that will raise the hourly wage of some employees by as much as 26% over the next three years. Members of Service Employee International Union Healthcare Pennsylvania began negotiations with Allegheny Health Network officials in early...
TV Talk: WPXI-TV names weekend morning anchor; Pittsburgh native exits ‘Jeopardy!’ role
Following the departure of news anchor Joe Arena, WPXI-TV reporter Alyssa Raymond will take over as Channel 11’s weekend morning anchor effective this weekend. A 2007 Moon Area High School grad, Raymond joined WPXI in 2020 and has been a general assignment reporter weekday mornings as well as a fill-in...
New owner plans to revitalize Heights Plaza in Harrison
The new owner of Heights Plaza says it will revitalize the long-troubled Harrison shopping center and add several new tenants by the end of the year. Benbrooke Realty Investment Co., a New York-based real estate manager, announced Thursday that it recently finalized its ownership arrangements for the nearly 30-acre shopping...
Murrysville: Rotary car cruise, steak fry, flag football, more
Upcoming Rotary events • The Murrysville-Export Rotary Club will host its annual Summer-fest car cruise from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Lamplighter. There is a $10 entry cost for those taking part in the show, and the first 150 entries will receive a dash plaque. The...
Westmoreland Symphony’s Summer Philharmonic to debut director’s concerto
The Summer Philharmonic of the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra Academy of Music will debut a new piece by music director Morrie Brand during a free concert at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Seton Hill University Performing Arts Center, 100 Harrison Ave., Greensburg. Brand’s Concerto for Flute and Chamber Orchestra was written...
Aspinwall officials prioritize replacing old water lines after recent water main breaks
Water breaks July 2 and July 3 in Aspinwall left many residents without water, and borough officials are moving forward with plans to improve water line infrastructure. Public works crews responded to three breaks around 7 a.m. July 2 in the 700 block of Center Avenue, the intersection of Field...
Police: Mt. Lebanon school board member charged in Florida assault of teen
A Mt. Lebanon School Board member sexually abused a teenager while on vacation in Florida this week, telling arresting officers “this is not good” and “mistakes were made,” according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Andrew Freeman, 34, is charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor, Florida authorities said....
Vandergrift man pleads guilty in federal court to robbing Apollo Trust Bank last July
A Vandergrift man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to robbing the Apollo Trust Bank last July. Bradley Mondi, 35, was accused of using “intimidation” to rob the tellers of $6,666 when he walked into the bank in North Apollo at around 2 p.m. on July 12, 2021, and pulled...
Hanson brings ‘Red Green Blue’ album tour to Greensburg’s Palace TheatreVideo
Hanson, a trio of preteen brothers from Tulsa, Okla., burst onto the pop music scene with their catchy 1997 hit, “MMMBop.” Unlike so many boy bands who hit it big and then quickly faded away, Hanson has endured. The brothers are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their major-label debut with...
Allegheny County suing pharmacies, alleging large role in opioid epidemic
Allegheny County officials contend that several large chain drug stores had a hand in creating the deadly opioid epidemic that has killed thousands across the county, contending that the pharmacies pushed the potent painkilling opioids into communities and failed to monitor and restrict sales when red flags arose. In a...
Free water safety event, Lock Fest, set at Allegheny River Lock 4 in Natrona
People are invited to stop by Allegheny River Lock 4 in the Natrona section of Harrison on Saturday for a boatload of fun. Lock Fest, the annual water safety event hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, will be presented free to the public from 10 a.m....
Edgeworth infrastructure projects boosted by state grants
Edgeworth officials plan complete two infrastructure projects with the help of state grant funding. The borough was awarded two $100,000 grants in June from the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s Gaming and Economic Development Tourism Fund. The grants are provided through taxes levied on casino revenue. They are...
Riverview clarifies use of district logo
A statement regarding the unauthorized use of Riverview School District’s logo has been released to the public: “The Riverview School District is a public entity serving a diverse population of students, staff, parents and community members. As such, the district holds no political affiliation. Additionally, the use of all district...
Osborne Elementary’s kindergarten play returns
For many years, kindergarteners at Osborne Elementary School performed the “Days of the Dinosaurs” play. It was revamped with new songs in 2008, and has been a long-standing tradition – with the exception of the past couple of years due to the pandemic. For several weeks, students learn about dinosaurs,...
Baked True North opens gluten-free bakery and storefront in Ross
After years of operating as a wholesale, gluten-free bakery, Baked True North has opened a brick-and-mortar location on Perry Highway in Ross. Owner Lauren Marts said Baked True North has been supplying gluten-free pastries and baked goods to cafes and restaurants since 2016, operating out of a commercial kitchen near...
3 of 6 teens charged in New Kensington shooting death in custody
Three of the six teenagers charged in connection with a fatal shooting Sunday in New Kensington are in custody, including the 14-year-old police say was the shooter. Braedon Matthew Dickinson, 14, of Herminie; Amir Kennedy, 14, of New Kensington; and Jonathan Eugene Felder, 17, of Arnold are in custody. According...
It’s last call for Excuses Bar & Grille on South Side
There will be no more excuses. And that was sad news to hear for the people who patronize this popular South Side bar. Excuses Bar & Grille will turn out the lights one final time for last call on July 17. After 34 years along Carson Street on Pittsburgh’s South...
Founder’s daughters revive Tropical Bungalow restaurant in Hempfield
Tom Papinchak said the smoothie was relatively new to Western Pennsylvania when he started selling the fruity concoction in the mid-1990s, first from a mobile thatched-roof kiosk and then at his Tropical Bungalow kiosks in Westmoreland Mall, downtown Pittsburgh and The Galleria in Johnstown. About 10 years later, he moved...
