Western PA Local News category, Page 1661
Natrona Heights native Jimmer Podrasky releases 1st Rave-Ups album in 3 decadesVideo
Having left the Alle-Kiski Valley behind in the early 1980s, Natrona Heights, Harrison, native Jimmer Podrasky doesn’t miss the weather headed Pittsburgh’s way this weekend. “It’s been 40 years since I’ve driven in that kind of weather, and it still haunts me,” said Podrasky, 64, now a Los Angeles resident....
Listen to the emergency radio calls from the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse
Emergency services scanner traffic indicates a chaotic scene in the first moments after the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed Jan. 28 in Pittsburgh’s Frick Park. “Female screaming on the phone, possible vehicle over the bridge, stating the bridge gave out. Unknown injuries,” a dispatcher says at 6:41 a.m. Moments later, another...
Highlands Musical Cabaret promises to have audience dancing in their seats
It’s been 32 years since Highlands High School alum Michelle Peters sprayed her hair into a black beehive and strutted across stage as the misunderstood bad-girl Rizzo in the high school production of “Grease.” She’ll be back in the same auditorium on Saturday, belting out a ballad from the show...
Police: Brackenridge woman accused of bludgeoning dog to death with hammer in front of children
Brackenridge police arrested a woman after her boyfriend told them she beat the family’s dog to death with a hammer in front of their children. Bianca Simone Lee, 32, of Nelson Avenue, was arrested on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals and two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals in...
Several events planned for Westmoreland Mall this month
Officials at Westmoreland Mall are preparing for a busy month after several events were scheduled at the Hempfield facility. In all, three events will take place throughout February, located in the mall’s center court. The events will kick off Saturday with the Boy Scout’s Pinewood Derby Championship. Participants are required...
Ruffs Dale man accused by troopers of raping unconscious woman, sexually assaulting teenager
A 39-year-old Ruffs Dale man was arrested Thursday by state police on accusations of raping a woman who passed out after drinking vodka with him in his Sewickley Township camping trailer late last year and also having a months-long sexual relationship with a teenage girl. Steven K. Stemmler, who resides...
Man gets life in prison for deadly 2019 shooting in Pittsburgh’s Hill District
A man from Pittsburgh’s Hill District will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing another man on Memorial Day 2019. A jury found Jalaspian Charles, 34, guilty of first-degree murder, reckless endangerment and a firearms charge on Oct. 12. On Thursday, Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Edward...
Decorated veteran from McKean County, 75, gets fine for role in Capitol riot
A decorated sailor in Vietnam, William Blauser Jr. serves as commander of his local American Legion post and spearheaded an effort to get a veterans’ memorial installed in his community, which he continues to maintain. On Thursday, Blauser, 75, of Ludlow, McKean County, was ordered to pay a $500 fine...
D’s SixPax & Dogz, Sciulli’s Pizza donate meals to Fern Hollow Bridge workers
In true Pittsburgh spirit, the people in this city support each other through hardships. The aftermath from the collapse of the bridge carrying Forbes Avenue over Fern Hollow Creek in Pittsburgh’s Frick Park where 10 people were injured Friday could take a long time. Workers have been at the site...
Murrysville area: ‘Sweetheart’ hike, scholarships, library programs, more
Recreation department hosts “Sweetheart Hot Chocolate Hike” on Valentine’s Day The Murrysville Recreation Department will host a “Sweetheart Hot Chocolate Hike” at 10 a.m. on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. The hike will take place on the trails at Pleasant Valley Park, 2557 Pleasant Valley Road. The wooded hike includes slopes...
Western Pa. region’s labor force shrinks again, jobless rate falls
The Pittsburgh region’s jobless rate fell in December to 5.3%, the lowest in 2021, but more people dropped out of the labor force, continuing a baffling trend that has been a constant throughout the covid pandemic. “The Pittsburgh labor force levels have really not seen any rebounds from the loss...
Lane closures, detours planned for emergency bridge repair at Route 51/I-70 interchange in Rostraver
Emergency repairs to Route 51 in Rostraver will get underway next week after an over-height vehicle struck a bridge that carries traffic over Interstate 70, according to PennDOT. The project will result in lane closures on Route 51 and Interstate 70, as well as detours for traffic traveling between the...
Pittsburgh EMS chief recounts swift, selfless response to Fern Hollow Bridge collapse
Pittsburgh EMS District Chief Antwain Carter said he found the emergency dispatch hard to believe at first. A dispatcher came over the radio and said a woman had called screaming, reporting that Pittsburgh’s Fern Hollow Bridge had collapsed at Forbes and South Braddock avenues. Carter looked at the other district...
Allegheny County has plans to repair all of its poorly rated bridges
Allegheny County said Thursday that it plans to repair, replace or remove all 27 of its poorly rated bridges within the next few years. In the wake of last week’s collapse of the poorly rated Fern Hollow Bridge, which was owned and maintained by the city of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County...
From rain to sleet to snow, Pittsburgh region endures winter storm
PennDOT has ordered commercial vehicles off the interstates in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the Parkways East, West and North and Route 28 as of late Thursday afternoon. That’s because of the storm that coated roads with a wintry mix of freezing rain, ice and sleet, according to the National Weather Service in...
Franklin Park woman advocates for women’s heart health via National Wear Red Day
The pin on Kim Leo’s outfit is a sparkling accessory. It’s there to make a statement – but not a fashion statement. She wears it to send a heartfelt message. The shiny piece of red jewelry in the shape of a dress represents the symbol for the American Heart Association’s...
Pittsburgh looks to continue allowing businesses to use outdoor space for dining, displays
Pittsburgh City Council is considering legislation that would allow restaurants and retailers to continue using sidewalks and streets for outdoor seating or shopping, as many have during the pandemic. The legislation, sponsored by Councilman Bobby Wilson, would allow businesses to apply for permits to use sidewalks and roadways to expand...
Troopers: Icy conditions contribute to school bus crash in Indiana County that sends 3 students and driver to hospital
State police in Indiana believe icy road conditions contributed to a school bus crash in rural northern Indiana County Thursday that sent three students and the driver to area hospitals for treatment of minor injuries. Trooper Clifford Greenfield said state police are continuing to investigate the crash that occurred at...
Family seeks justice for former Springdale High football player shot to death
The family of Jorden “Flashlight” Lee Puskar, who was shot to death Jan. 22 in Avalon, is looking for justice — and the death penalty for the suspect in the killing. Puskar, 21, of Coraopolis was a 2019 graduate of Springdale High School, where he played tight end for the...
Squaw Run in Fox Chapel deemed off limits for elevated pathogens
Portions of Squaw Run in Fox Chapel are off limits for recreation after the Department of Environmental Protection found the water quality to be impaired, according to a new report released by the agency. At least one of the stream’s unnamed tributaries also was identified in the report. “Squaw Run...
Irwin man indicted for child pornography possession
An Irwin man faces arraignment later this month on a federal charge that he possessed child pornography, according to court filings. The grand jury indictment filed this week accused Thomas Crosby, 27, of having images of pornography involving children younger than 12 on Oct. 16, 2020. It was unclear from...
Pittsburgh officials urge residents to stay home with icy, snowy conditions on the way
Pittsburgh officials said crews are prepared to begin clearing roads during the anticipated winter storm, though they urged residents to stay off the roads if possible. Rain that began Wednesday night is expected to transition to ice and snow Thursday and into Friday. Temperatures are expected to be below freezing...
West Deer receives grants for Bairdford Park project, West Deer Fire Company No. 3 station relocation project
Two grants from the Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund came to West Deer last month, contributing to the township’s ongoing work on its parks and to the volunteer fire company’s station development. The township was awarded $59,000 for its Bairdford Park project. This is the second grant given to the...
Leechburg First United Methodist Church to hold ‘Souper Bowl Sunday’ lunch event
Leechburg United Methodist Church will be holding its first special luncheon on Sunday to help raise awareness about food insecurity. The event, to be held at the church, is dubbed the “Souper Bowl Sunday Lunch & Special Collections.” “This is an opportunity to raise awareness for people who suffer from...
Mill workers at U.S. Steel Irvin plant construct peaceful solution for owl vs. eagle spatVideo
After a great horned owl knocked a bald eagle off a branch near its nest at a Pittsburgh steel mill, workers at the company are trying to protect the once-endangered bird — by giving aid and comfort to its fellow raptor. On wooded property that’s part of the U.S. Steel...
