Local category, Page 1664
Pa. authorities cracking down on unemployment benefits fraud, some reported in Westmoreland
State officials are examining the source of a reported increase in efforts to steal unemployment compensation benefits, which they are trying to thwart by adding a new process for identity verification. Department of Labor & Industry Secretary Jennifer Berrier said the agency is working with law enforcement to investigate and...
Beaver County men get 30 days behind bars for their participation in Capitol riot
Two Beaver County men who roamed around inside the U.S. Capitol for 25 minutes during the Jan. 6, 2021, riots and bragged about smoking marijuana in the building will serve 30 days behind bars. Mitchell P. Vukich, 26, of New Brighton, and Nicholas Perretta, 27, of Baden, were sentenced in...
Pine-Richland considers segregating masked, unmasked students
Faced with soaring coronavirus cases and a decision by the Pine-Richland school board to make masks optional for staff and students, district officials are now considering a plan that would segregate masked and unmasked children in classrooms. Citing the state Supreme Court ruling that the Pennsylvania Department of Health overstepped...
Hempfield taps 3 veteran firefighters as assistant chiefsVideo
Three longtime members of Hempfield’s volunteer fire service will serve as assistant fire chiefs, new positions that will bring the responsibility of establishing command at fire and emergency scenes. Don Thoma, Dan Thoma and Jay Wilkinson took their oath of office Monday during a supervisor’s reorganization meeting. “We’ve made history...
Award-winning pastry chef joins WCCC culinary program faculty
Award-winning Chef William Racin has joined the Westmoreland County Community College School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality as a full-time baking and pastry instructor. With more than 18 years of experience in fine dining restaurants and boutique hotels, Racin comes to WCCC from the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh, where he...
Former Congresswoman Melissa Hart announces bid for governorVideo
Former Congresswoman Melissa Hart outlined her campaign priorities Wednesday as she formally launched her bid to become Pennsylvania’s first female governor. Hart, 59, of Bradford Woods, is entering a crowded field of more than a dozen GOP candidates who so far have declared their candidacies for the state’s highest office....
1 dead in Norvelt house fire, victim identifiedVideo
A state police fire marshal was attempting to determine the cause of a fast-moving fire Wednesday that killed a woman and destroyed a two-story home in Mt. Pleasant Township. The fire was reported just before 11 a.m. at 814 Arbor Lane in the village of Norvelt. Westmoreland County Coroner Timothy...
Food Podcast: 2021 at the food bankVideo
On this week’s episode of the Food Podcast presented by Clearview Federal Credit Union on the TribLIVE podcast network, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank looks back at 2021. Right now, 1 in 7 people in southwestern Pennsylvania are facing food insecurity. Rising grocery prices, job loss and the aftershock of...
Corey Pistininzi takes seat as New Kensington Council reorganizes
New Kensington Council welcomed a new member as it reorganized Monday following last November’s municipal election. Corey Pistininzi took the seat previously held by Doug Aftanas. Both Democrats, Aftanas did not seek reelection in 2021. A resident of New Kensington for eight years, Pistininzi owns Modfinish in downtown New Kensington,...
Friends remember dance coach gunned down in Wilkinsburg on New Year’s Day
Friends of Amariey Lei said she exuded positivity, making sure those around her were happy and knew they were loved. “She was a blessing, to our team and to our lives,” said Jazmaine Wade, a coach for the Lady Diamonds hip hop and majorette dance team, of which Lei was...
New Kensington Council gives final approval for new Popeyes restaurant
A new Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is expected to be up and running in New Kensington by the end of this year. City council has unanimously approved a conditional use for the development in front of Giant Eagle on Tarentum Bridge Road. That approval was needed because of the project’s expected...
Butler County man arrested after Buffalo Township woman tells clinic staff he beat, strangled her
A Butler County man was charged with multiple felonies after a Buffalo Township woman went to a clinic for face and head injuries and told medical staff that he punched and strangled her. Bradley Borg, 32, of Bessemer Avenue in Butler Township was charged with two felony counts of strangulation...
Quaker Valley Rotary Club collects socks for homeless veterans
For the second year, the Quaker Valley Rotary Club hosted a sock collection for homeless veterans. Larry and Dawn Capozzolo spearheaded this year’s initiative, placing a box with signs at Safran’s Supermarket in Sewickley, where community members could conveniently drop of their donations. The club promoted the drive on social...
Westmoreland happenings: bingos, turkey dinner and meetings
Fundraisers • Lincoln Heights Civic Association will host bingo from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 6 and 20 at the center, 42 Millersdale Road, Jeannette. There will be 20 regular games and five quickies. Cost: 25 cents for a three-card bingo board and $1 for quickies. Payout is 50/50. Free...
Depreciation Lands Museum has full slate of activities
At the Depreciation Lands Museum, learn a new skill, attend a lecture or simply enjoy the wooded grounds and historic cemetery, which are open every day from sunrise to sunset. Take a few moments to walk into the quiet winter world of our early settlers. Looking for an indoor activity?...
Latrobe moves forward with surveillance, video upgrades, underpass rehabVideo
Latrobe officials this year are taking steps to move forward with several improvements, including boosting surveillance capabilities downtown and videoconferencing technology in council chambers. City Manager Michael Gray told council Monday he is set to review agreements with the Latrobe Foundation for sharing costs of new surveillance cameras to be...
Pittsburgh Public Schools adds more buildings to weeklong remote learning
Five more Pittsburgh Public Schools will move to remote learning through the end of the week, bringing the number of schools to 14 that will be closed for in-person learning because of staffing shortages. The district added Arsenal 6-8, Liberty PreK-5, Manchester PreK-8, South Hills 6-8 and Whittier PreK-5, saying...
Caleigh Campbell named to University of Vermont dean’s list
Environmental studies Caleigh Campbell, an environmental studies major from Gibsonia, has been named to the dean’s list for the fall 2021 semester at the University of Vermont. Campbell is in the College of Arts and Sciences. To be named to the dean’s list, students must have a grade-point average of...
Aquinas Academy students earn AP Scholar Awards
Fifteen Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh seniors (class of 2022) and recent graduates (class of 2021) were awarded AP Scholar awards by the College Board. Helayna Baer (2022), Steven Giacobbe (2022), Isabelle McGowan (2021) and Macrina Vollmer (2021) earned the AP Scholar award granted to students who receive scores of 3...
UPMC Children’s adds covid unit as precautionary step as hospitalizations rise
A second covid-19 unit has opened at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to prepare for the potential of rising cases. It is a precautionary step, hospital officials said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a 114% increase in admissions for covid-positive children — from...
Freeport post office to be renamed for longtime employee
Freeport council hopes to make a final move to have the Freeport post office renamed after longtime resident and employee Joseph Rodney Chapman. Chapman, nearing age 100, was a World War II prisoner of war who worked 35 years at the post office. Mayor James Swartz Jr. said he was...
The Stroller, Jan. 5, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Start the new year off right! Publicize your events, club meetings and fundraisers for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Volunteers needed at Highlands Meals on Wheels Highlands Meals On Wheels is seeking volunteers to deliver...
Pittsburgh police issue warrant for driver in deadly Strip District crash
Pittsburgh police have issued an arrest warrant in connection with a fatal 2021 crash in the Strip District, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV. Leonard Saus is wanted on charges of vehicular homicide stemming from the crash on April 24. Police said Saus was driving an SUV that sped through...
Burrell grad helps develop game at Duquesne University teaching about vaccines
Brinley Kantorski remembers playing “The Oregon Trail” educational video game when she was a student in the Burrell School District. While many of the game’s players will remember the line, “You have died of dysentery,” Kantorski said her games always ended in drowning as she tried to get her wagon...
Deer Lakes alum heads Pittsburgh chapter of national Women Interactive Network group
Dawn Pomaybo blazed a trail for herself using her expertise and skills in networking to help women reach their highest potential. The Deer Lakes School Distinct alum, who resides in East Deer, runs her own business and is executive director of the Pittsburgh chapter of the national organization Women Interactive...
