Western PA Local News category, Page 1642
Man falls to his death while working in Churchill
A 45-year-old man died after falling from a tree in Churchill on Friday afternoon while working, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. The man was identified as Heath Barr of Ellwood City. According to a medical examiner’s report, Barr died at UPMC Mercy hospital after falling from the...
IUP plans tuition break for in-state undergrads, reverting back to flat-rate model
Indiana University of Pennsylvania is proposing a tuition break for in-state undergraduates beginning next fall by moving back to a flat-rate billing model. Under the plan, students who live in Pennsylvania and are enrolled in courses totaling between 12 and 18 credits per semester would pay $7,716 in annual tuition,...
Live! Casino hosting job fair, accepting applications for dealer school
Officials at Live! Casino Pittsburgh are hosting another job fair to recruit for several open positions while also accepting applications for their free dealer school. The job fair is scheduled for Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m. at the casino’s recruitment center in...
Fox Chapel Area School District police chief to become treasurer of national nonprofit
Joseph Kozarian, Fox Chapel Area School District’s chief of police, will soon add a new title to his resume. The law enforcement veteran takes over as treasurer for the National Association of School Resource Officers in July. “It’s a great honor, great organization and wonderful people,” said Kozarian, 55, of...
Financial aid available for families impacted by Penn Hills fire
People impacted by a devastating apartment complex fire in Penn Hills are eligible for financial relief, state officials announced Friday. About 30 families were displaced by a fire Jan. 22 at the Rodi Arms apartments along the 300 block of Rodi Road. No injuries were reported. Gov. Tom Wolf said...
Castle Shannon man admits to child porn possession
A Castle Shannon man has plead guilty in federal court to child porn charges, officials announced Friday. David Colaianni, 62, admitted to U.S. District Judge William S. Stickman, IV that he possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. Officials said a federal search warrant was executed by FBI...
Weather issues impact travel in Downtown Pittsburgh
Between the rains, the ice and intense snow squalls, the Pittsburgh region was hit with a heavy dose of Mother Nature late Friday and early Saturday. Parts of three interstates in Downtown Pittsburgh were closed Friday evening because of anticipated flooding, PennDOT said. By Saturday morning, the rivers had risen...
Route 356 in Butler County to have lane restrictions Saturday to address flooding
PennDOT officials said lane closures in both directions of Route 356 in Jefferson Township will take place Saturday. The northbound lane will be closed at the intersection of Route 356 and Bonniebrook Road, extending about 2,500 feet from the intersection in both directions, starting at 7 a.m. The southbound lane...
Infrastructure funding could clear way for Pittsburgh to get added passenger rail service
Funding from the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed last year will clear the way for Pittsburgh to receive more passenger rail service to Harrisburg and points east, Gov. Tom Wolf said Friday. Expanding passenger rail service eastward from Pittsburgh has been discussed for years. “With this infusion of federal money,...
Apprenticeship competition highlights importance of manufacturing in Southwestern Pa.
Local manufacturing apprentices put their skills and knowledge to the test Friday in a competition to determine who is best at metal working in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The competition, hosted annually by the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association, featured eight apprentices from six local manufacturing companies. This...
2 bridge projects over I-70 to begin in North Belle Vernon, Rostraver
PennDOT is planning this summer to begin work on replacing the bridge that carries Fayette Street over Interstate 70 in North Belle Vernon. It’s among more than 140 state-owned bridges in Westmoreland County that are rated in “poor” condition, with advanced “deterioration of primary structural elements.” The Fayette Street bridge...
Harmar sees 47% sewage fee hike as cost of new treatment plant soars
The escalating cost of the Allegheny Valley Joint Sewage Authority treatment plant expansion is going to cost Harmar ratepayers to the tune of a 47% hike in sewage fees. Officials said the plant expansion was first pegged at $35 million. Now, the cost has risen to $102.5 million. In response,...
North Huntingdon OKs detective for AG drug task force
A North Huntingdon police detective will become a member of the Pennsylvania attorney general’s drug task force, serving as the only agent based in Westmoreland County. The agreement, which township officials approved this week, will require North Huntingdon to continue to pay the detective’s salary. The state would cover any...
Pittsburgh International Auto Show features a $133,795 Maserati
As guests make their way up the escalator to the second floor, they can catch a glimpse of it. The shiny smooth black finish and sleek design of the 2022 Maserati Levante Modena S stands out. At $133,795, it is believed to be the most expensive new car available for...
Pittsburgh’s poorly rated South Negley Avenue Bridge slated for repairs
As discussions about the safety of Western Pennsylvania’s bridges continue in the wake of last month’s Fern Hollow Bridge collapse, Pittsburgh’s South Negley Avenue Bridge is the latest span to raise concerns. The Shadyside bridge has attracted attention for wooden posts placed beneath the deck that appear to be supporting...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Feb. 18-21
Choice of concerts Music lovers can place their bets on a concert trifecta this weekend at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg: • Country singers Tracy Byrd and Aaron Tippin, 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $58.50-$78.50. • Pittsburgh’s “King of Cool” Donnie Iris, with The Cruisers and special guests Joe Grushecky...
New Kensington man accused of sending email to extort $35K from former employer
A New Kensington man is accused of trying to extort $35,000 from the Butler County company where he worked by threatening to report alleged workplace violations to federal inspectors and union officials. Saxonburg police charged Ramon Presco Livingston, 43, of Fifth Avenue, New Kensington, with two counts of felony attempted...
Westmoreland County pays $150K to settle inmate lawsuit over claims of guard attack
Westmoreland commissioners have approved a $150,000 settlement to end a federal lawsuit filed by a New Mexico man who claimed county jail guards brutally beat him two years ago. James Mapp, 34, sued the county after he claimed he was assaulted by guards at Westmoreland County Prison following his arrest...
Gas station outside Sam’s Club in Hempfield remains closed after crash damaged building
Repairs were underway Friday to a small building at a gas station outside Sam’s Club in Hempfield after a pickup truck slammed into it earlier this week. Hempfield Fire Department Deputy Chief John Storey said firefighters rescued a person who was inside the attendant building at the time of the...
Appeal denied for mother of man convicted in New Ken cop killing
An appeal was denied Thursday for the mother of a man on death row in the fatal shooting of a New Kensington police officer. The 2020 conviction of Sherry Holt, 51, of Pittsburgh on a hindering apprehension charge was upheld in state Superior Court. She is the mother of Rahmael...
Comedy, cabaret to highlight all-live Pittsburgh Humanities Festival
The tagline for the Pittsburgh Humanities Festival is, “Smart talk about stuff that matters,” but that doesn’t mean it’s a series of esoteric talks by a group of stuffy academics. “We’re more liberal than some about our definition of the humanities, and that’s deliberate,” said Randal Miller, director of dance...
Rains cause minor flooding along Allegheny River; to continue into early Saturday
High water flowing down the Allegheny River had largely receded Friday evening in communities leading into Armstrong County, although areas closer to Pittsburgh could soon feel the impact. According to Rich Redmond, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon, flood warnings along the river at Parker, Rimer and...
A guide to Pittsburgh: Strip District blends best of old and new
For a small stretch of land, Pittsburgh’s Strip District has a big history. From its roots as an industrial center, through its reinvention as a produce distribution hub, to today’s vibrant blend of uses, it has continued to evolve. Today’s Strip District is a mix of old and new, traditional...
Murrysville takes public input on spending federal covid relief dollars
Murrysville officials wanted to hear from ideas from the public about how to use a little more than $2 million in federal American Rescue Plan relief funding at their Feb. 16 meeting. Chief Administrator Jim Morrison said the municipality had received an initial payment last July, and the second will...
Winds leave 14,000 residents without power through Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania’s weather roller coaster had high winds sweep out 60-plus degree temperatures Thursday to below freezing early Friday, also resulting in almost 14,000 area residents still without power, according to area utility companies. Among the highest wind gusts reported to the National Weather Service overnight were 58 miles per...
