Western PA Local News category, Page 15
Ligonier Valley ex-police chief John Berger headed to trial on bribery, drug charges
The man Westmoreland County prosecutors said bribed former Ligonier Valley police Chief John Berger with pain pills and an award is now cooperating with authorities. Michael Hootman, 43, of Ligonier Township served as a key witness for prosecutors during a preliminary hearing for Berger on Friday. Prosecutors accuse Berger of...
New Kensington-Arnold students gifted supplies at yearly Adopt-A-School program
Sixth grader Landon Fernandez said he might use new school supplies gifted to him to draw, study and help with his homework. Bags of school supplies, including notebooks, colored pencils, glue and more were given to all 600 students at Roy A. Hunt Elementary School in Arnold on Friday. It...
Concussion effects on women highlighted at symposium in Pittsburgh
While the medical field has made strides in recognizing sex-specific norms and risk factors in concussion recovery, it still falls short in tailoring treatment for high-risk women, according to Alicia Trbovich, a neuropsychologist with the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program. At the Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research symposium...
High school students explore careers at Independence Health System Westmoreland Hospital
Students from Greensburg Central Catholic, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield Area, Penn Trafford and Jeannette City school districts participated in a career fair at Independence Health System Westmoreland Hospital on Friday, Feb, 27, 2026. It was the first of two career fairs the hospital is hosting for students this year; the next...
Hampton superintendent retiring after 42 years in public education
Michael Loughead remembers having a positive experience when he was a student growing up in eastern Pennsylvania years ago. That curiosity inspired him to consider a career in public education — and that’s where he has been ever since. Loughead, 66, of Oakmont, will retire as Hampton Township School District’s...
Penn-Trafford hockey team gets championship send-off from classmates, familyVideo
The Penguins Cup champion Penn-Trafford High School hockey team is headed east to compete against North Penn in the Class 2A state finals, and their classmates cheered the players on Friday afternoon as they boarded the bus for West Chester. The Warriors won their first Pens Cup title on Monday...
Hempfield Area superintendent vows to ‘support kids and our staff’ after PTO treasurer charged with theft
Hempfield Area Superintendent Mark Holtzman said the district will financially support Fort Allen Elementary School’s students and staff after Westmoreland County detectives accused a parent of taking $46,000 from the school’s parent-teacher organization. Darshanna L. Truss, 35, of Hempfield, a treasurer of the PTO, was charged this week with two...
Virtual learning for Pittsburgh Public Schools during NFL Draft draws national reaction
A decision tied to the NFL Draft is quickly turning into a national public debate, as people flood social media with reactions to Pittsburgh Public Schools’ decision to move classes online that week. Pittsburgh Public Schools announced this week that students will be learning remotely April 22 to 24, the...
Plaza at North Shore to open ahead of Pirates’ 1st game at PNC Park
The North Shore will gain a new dining and entertainment space ahead of the Pirates’ home opener and the NFL Draft. Legacy Hospitality Partners announced Thursday that The Plaza at North Shore, along with its first restaurant concept, SugarBird, will open April 2. The 30,000-square-foot Plaza is at the corner...
Council approval ushers in next phase of lighting project at Oakmont’s Riverside Park
It looks like ground will be broken by summer in Oakmont’s Riverside Park. A unanimous vote this week by Oakmont Council set in motion the next phase of adding lights to the Riverview Raiders’ home fields in the borough-owned park. The borough collects rent from the school district so it...
Pittsburgh Regional Transit to get $350K to support added services during 2026 NFL Draft
Pittsburgh Regional Transit will receive financial help to boost its services during the 2026 NFL Draft. “The best way for football fans to get Downtown is on public transportation,” Jerad Bachar, president and CEO of local tourism agency Visit Pittsburgh, said during a transit agency committee meeting Thursday. The Greater...
Police seize cocaine, mushrooms, cash, guns in Robinson bust
A Robinson man was jailed Thursday after authorities said they found nearly a kilogram of cocaine, psychedelic mushrooms and about $30,000 in cash in his Statia Street home. Nicholas Giese, 40, was charged with seven drug counts. He was taken to the Allegheny County Jail, where he posted $100,000 bail...
EPA to conduct water testing around South Huntingdon landfill siteVideo
When U.S. Rep. Summer Lee visited South Huntingdon’s Yukon neighborhood last summer, she sat with families to hear their concerns about decades of potentially toxic pollution from the nearby Max Environmental Technologies landfill. On March 19, Lee, D-Swissvale, announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would begin sampling residential drinking...
Arnold police to wear body cameras
Arnold Mayor Shannon Santucci said getting body-worn cameras for police officers was one of her top priorities coming into office. Now that the department has them, she hopes they’ll help to protect those officers and the community. “(It will be beneficial) if there are any questions of legal disputes on...
‘Immaculate Collection’ clears 400 tons of litter ahead of 2026 NFL Draft
As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, efforts to clean up the region are kicking into high gear. Allegheny CleanWays, a nonprofit dedicated to removing litter, in September launched a regionwide cleaning and beautification effort dubbed the Immaculate Collection, a play on the famed Immaculate Reception that Steelers legend Franco Harris...
Murrysville burglary suspects charged with additional attempt in Penn TownshipVideo
Two men charged with attempted burglaries in Murrysville this month are facing additional charges related to a third attempted burglary the same day in neighboring Penn Township. Sebastian M. Montano 24, of Chicago, and Kevin D. Piza-Alzate, 24, of Reading, were initially both charged with burglary and criminal conspiracy for...
Vote scheduled on paid ambulance authority for Brackenridge, Harrison and Tarentum
Ambulance service chief Brad James wishes he had an easy fix for the plight of first responders locally and across the state. Rescue crews for years have faced a growing crisis of insufficient funding and a dwindling workforce. “I wish someone would come and wave a magic wand at the...
1800s horse farm for sale, includes old letters found inside walls in Clinton Township
A sprawling 1800s equestrian farm on the market in Butler County has something most homes don’t — original letters penned by a gentleman to a lady of the house. “The love letters, all believed to have been written during the 1800s by a man to a young lady living in...
Milanes Mobile expands from Cuban food truck to brick-and-mortar restaurant in McKees Rocks
It’s a tall order to make Western Pennsylvania feel like the Caribbean, but Collyn and Carlos Milanes Jr. were up for the challenge. The couple, owners of the popular Cuban food truck Milanes Mobile, which launched last May, are expanding with a brick-and-mortar restaurant in McKees Rocks. Milanes Cuban Corner...
State Rep. Lindsay Powell co-sponsors bill to limit smoke shop proximity to schools
A state representative from Philadelphia is lobbying to prohibit smoke shops from setting up too close to schools or other places where children gather. Democratic State Rep. Ben Waxman introduced a bill that would limit new smoke shops from opening within 500 feet of daycare centers, K-12 schools, youth centers...
Morning Roundup: Police investigating after 2 shot in Homewood South; shooting in Larimer
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, March 20: Shooting in Homewood South Two people were shot early Friday in Homewood South, authorities said. Police were called at about 4:45 a.m. to the intersection of Tioga and Rosedale streets for a 10- and 21-round ShotSpotter...
Building the Valley: Veteran duo takes the wheel at Harrison auto shop
A longtime auto repair shop in Harrison has reopened under new management — and a bit of divine intervention, according to the new owners. Ekas Auto Care along Freeport Road was purchased by Ashley and Ryan Stadelmaier of Freeport, both veterans who served as U.S. Army helicopter technicians. “My husband...
A month after Springdale police helped ICE detain resident, anxiety remains for local immigrants
Soon after Springdale police signed a 287(g) agreement to cooperate with federal immigration and customs officials last year, Carlos and Judah Marroquin told TribLive they worried about what it could mean for the community. On Feb. 10, they got their answer when Randy Cordova-Flores, a Peru-born resident who had lived...
The Stroller, March 20, 2026: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Salvation Army accepting summer...
Westmoreland municipal authority extends contract with private manager
The Johnstown company that has served as the private manager for the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County since the early 1990s will remain on the job for the next 10 years. Authority board members on Thursday approved a five-year contract extension with Resource Development and Management Inc. (RDM) that will...
