Western PA Local News category, Page 1615
Upper Burrell firm donating up to 1% of March sales to support Ukrainian refugees
Polyconcept North America, an international business in the Westmoreland County Business and Research Park in Upper Burrell, is donating up to 1% of its March sales revenue to humanitarian relief efforts for Ukrainian refugees. The main page of the company’s website is promoting its efforts, stating: “We’re proud to support...
Man pleads guilty to fatally shooting stepbrother after 2019 Pittsburgh fireworks
A North Side man who, in 2019, unintentionally shot his stepbrother during a melee between two groups of teens following the July 4 fireworks in Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty Thursday to third-degree murder. Camerin Caldwell, 20, will be sentenced by Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Susan Evashavik DiLucente on June 23....
Hampton Community Library storytime offers fun, flexibility
For parents, mornings can be kind of hit or miss, as staff members at Hampton Community Library are well aware. “If your kid wakes up tired or grouchy,” Annie Avondolio said, “you can still make it to storytime.” She is the children and youth librarian, and she’s excited about a...
Police accuse man of using counterfeit checks bearing Pine builder’s name to steal cash
A man from Altoona is accused of using fake bank checks bearing the name of a Pine building contractor to get more than $5,200 in cash. David Clark Modrey, 36, of 6th Ave., was charged by the Northern Regional Police Department with one count of felony theft by deception and...
In brief: Seedling sale, Guatemala Mission 5K and more around Pine, Richland
Seedling sale The North Area Environmental Council is holding its annual seedling sale. The sale offers a wide variety of non-invasive plants, trees and wildflower seed mixes to add to the beauty and natural habitat of your back yard and the ecological health of the region. NAEC is partnering with...
Pittsburgh mayor appoints new economic opportunity manager
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said Tuesday he is appointing Ricardo Williams to be the city’s economic opportunity manager. “One of my priorities as mayor is ensuring that every one of our residents has access to economic opportunity,” Gainey said in a statement. “Williams and his team will be laser-focused on...
Winter storm watch issued; expect a snowy St. Patrick’s Day parade in Pittsburgh
It won’t exactly be a repeat of the unforgettable Blizzard of 1993, but the forecast for Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Pittsburgh includes rather heavy snow accumulation and high winds. “There will be accumulating snow during at least the early part of the parade,” said WPXI-TV’s chief meteorologist Stephen...
Allegheny Health Network’s Monroeville surgery center earns patient safety award
Allegheny Health Network’s Monroeville Ambulatory Surgery Center has been recognized with a 2022 safety award by the Patient Safety Authority, an independent state agency which collects reports of patient safety events from Pennsylvania health care facilities. Pennsylvania is the only state that requires health care facilities to report all incidents...
Irwin hires 2 police officers
Irwin’s police department has new replacements for two part-time officers who left the force last month. Borough council on Wednesday hired Kyle Morton of Yukon as a full-time officer at a rate of $25.62 an hour, plus benefits. Cole Bertok of Jeannette was hired as a part-time officer at a...
Plaque at Greensburg Salem Middle School will honor late crossing guard
The late Karen McPhail rarely forgot a name or a face in her Greensburg community. “It was unbelievable how she knew everybody,” said Sgt. Donald Sarsfield of the Greensburg Police Department. McPhail worked for the department for 16 years as a crossing guard, spending much of that time helping Greensburg...
Blairsville woman sentenced following decade-long tax, mail fraud scheme
A Blairsville woman was sentenced to over six years in federal prison on charges of mail and tax fraud, after Indiana County prosecutors say she stole more than $500,000 from her employer over the course of a decade. Sandra J. Doak, 64, of Blairsville, was sentenced to 42 months in...
Teacher strike authorized, but not set, at New Ken-Arnold
Teachers in the New Kensington-Arnold School District authorized a strike if a new contract isn’t reached in the near future. The New Kensington-Arnold Education Association represents 151 teachers and professional staff who have been working without a contract for nearly eight months. Ashley Pujol, union president, did not provide an...
Westmoreland County Prison fills a dozen vacancies at job fair
The county job fair at Westmoreland Mall was a big success, officials said. More than 40 applications were received for 50-plus vacant jobs in county government, according to Sam Miller, associate director of the human resources department. “It seems to have been a successful event,” Miller said. The goal of...
Pittsburgh Public Schools police officer injured in Homewood crash
A Pittsburgh Public Schools police officer was injured in a crash Thursday morning in the city’s Homewood neighborhood, according to an Allegheny County 911 dispatcher. The crash happened on Bennett Street around 7:50 a.m. PPS spokeswoman Ebony Pugh said the injured officer, who was driving a school SUV, was conscious...
2 Western Pa. pets make finals to be next Cadbury Bunny
One of two Western Pennsylvania pets could become Hershey’s next Cadbury Bunny. The animals are vying for the title in the annual competition to find a furry or feathered friend to star in a Hershey commercial for Cadbury Creme Eggs, one of the more popular Easter candies. In addition to...
Knichel Logistics in Richland celebrated International Women’s Day
William Knichel believed in his daughter. “He pushed me to be my best and to work hard and that is what made me a strong woman today,” said Kristy Knichel, 45, who is president and CEO of her late father’s company, Knichel Logistics, a freight brokerage company in Richland. “I...
Mineo’s in Squirrel Hill teams with Helltown Brewing for a hazy IPA
Pizza and beer. It’s the perfect combination. Mineo’s Pizza House in Squirrel Hill and Helltown Brewing in Export have collaborated on a hazy IPA. The silver, green, red and white can contains a photo of Giovanni Mineo Sr., who started the pizza business in 1958. Written across the bottom in...
The Stroller, March 10, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community Easter Egg hunts, breakfasts with the Easter Bunny and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Free formal attire to be distributed Saturday The Cinderella’s Closet at North Apollo Church of...
Officials in Freeport, Gilpin to hold talks about feasibility of merging police forces
Freeport officials say they want to explore the feasibility of merging the borough’s police department with Gilpin Township’s force to help increase patrols and, if possible, save money. Borough officials recently floated the idea of a merger as a way to avoid a situation like the one in November in...
2022 maple sugar season nearing its end in Western Pennsylvania
Don’t get too sappy about it: The 2022 maple sugaring season is nearing its end in Western Pennsylvania. Dan Roseum, owner of Roseum Maple Syrup in Murrysville, expects the season to last one or two more weeks at most. The Pennsylvania season, which typically begins in early February and ends...
Leet zoning hearing canceled, denial of proposed Quaker Valley High School application pending
A Leet Zoning Hearing Board meeting to discuss changes to a proposed Quaker Valley High School was canceled after the district failed to provide an amended plan. The zoning board had scheduled a hearing for March 9 following its denial of the district’s special exception application for the school last...
Pittsburgh police: No one hurt as man surrenders in Mt. Washington SWAT standoff
A man surrendered to authorities without incident after barricading himself and his family inside a Mt. Washington residence Wednesday evening, according to a Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson. City police responded shortly before 5:30 p.m. for a reported domestic dispute between the man and a woman in the home in the...
Private plane leaves runway while landing at Allegheny County Airport
No injuries were reported Wednesday morning when a small plane strayed off the runway at the Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin, according to a county airport authority spokesman. Three people were aboard the private HondaJet aircraft when it went off the runway upon landing at the airport at about...
Sewickley Parking Authority formally dissolved by borough council
The Sewickley Parking Authority has been formally dissolved. Council approved the start of the process to bring parking enforcement back to the borough office in October. Elected officials approved the authority’s certificate of termination on March 8. “It formalizes the arraignment with the state and the county,” council President Cynthia...
Caliente Pizza looks to add another award to its collection at International Pizza ExpoVideo
When Nick Bogacz of Pine Township returned from his first trip to the International Pizza Expo in Parma, Italy in 2015, he was reinvigorated. “I saw how culinary-inspired it was,” said Bogacz, owner of the Caliente Pizza chain in the Pittsburgh area. “When I came back, I managed to convince...
