Local category, Page 1678
West Deer supervisors reject well pad proposed by Olympus Energy
The West Deer Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on Dec. 15 not to approve the first of two proposed well pads from Olympus Energy LLC. West Deer Chairman Arlind Karpuzi said the board denied the application because it did not meet the township’s zoning ordinances. West Deer Vice Chairwoman Beverly...
Deer Lakes Hockey Club to hold 3rd annual alumni game raising awareness for suicide prevention
A West Deer mother is determined to fund a Hope Squad for every school district to continue to raise awareness about suicide prevention in honor of her daughter. Molly Rupprecht is humbled to see an idea the Deer Lakes Hockey Club approached her with become an annual event of coming...
Building the Valley: Upper Burrell business proves essential through pandemic
When the pandemic halted and disrupted businesses throughout the region, Quality Machined Products of Upper Burrell missed only a few beats. The family-owned tool and die shop manufactures screw machining parts for the defense and transportation industries. They are located in the Westmoreland Business and Research Park. Although not considered...
Saying goodbye to that live Christmas tree
North Allegheny communities have made preparations for disposal of live Christmas trees after the holiday. Allegheny County also is offering a Christmas tree recycling program at county parks. Here’s the run-down: Franklin Park The first week of Christmas tree collection will start Monday, Jan. 10, and the second week will...
McKees Rocks man struck and killed by train in Homestead
A pedestrian was struck and killed by a passing Norfolk Southern train Monday afternoon in Homestead. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Monterey Markee Woodson, 49, of McKees Rocks. The incident happened shortly before 1 p.m. along railroad tracks behind the 400 block of East Eighth...
Scottdale crash sends at least 1 to hospital
At least one person was flown to an area hospital following a two-vehicle crash Monday morning in Scottdale, according to a Westmoreland County 911 dispatch supervisor. The wreck was reported at about 11:45 a.m. on Porter Avenue. Additional details weren’t immediately available....
Omicron detected at Penn State’s main campus, officials say
The omicron variant of coronavirus has been detected at Penn State’s main campus in State College, university officials announced Monday. The news comes as officials monitor the coronavirus pandemic in advance of the start of the spring semester, which may begin remotely, Penn State officials said last week. College officials...
Kim Ward shares reports of covid-fueled burden on hospitals, but opposes vaccine mandates
Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, addressed reports from health system officials about the “dire situation” hospitals across the state are facing as they are being overburdened by a heavy volume of covid patients. The officials have noted the vast majority of covid patients who are being admitted to their...
TSA issues list of must check holiday items
Flying with gifts? The Transportation Security Administration recommends packing gifts in gift bags or gift boxes rather than wrapping them. If a wrapped gift triggers an alarm, it will have to be opened, meaning the gift wrap has to be removed. If the gift is in a bag or box,...
Fayette County man jailed without bond on accusations of raping, photographing sex acts with 4 girls
A Fayette County man was ordered held in the county jail without bond after he was arrested by state troopers on 40 felony counts of sexually abusing four young girls who he befriended over the last six years. David A. Straitiff, 47, of North Union, was arrested Saturday by troopers...
Man flown to hospital after being struck by car in Jeannette
A man was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital after being struck by a car Monday morning in Jeannette. The crash occurred at about 6:15 a.m. on the Claridge-Elliott Road, according to a Westmoreland County 911 dispatch supervisor. The man, who is in his 50s, was struck near the Elliott Group...
Westmoreland jail sees coronavirus cases ease in recent days
Westmoreland County Prison Warden Bryan Kline said that as of Monday there are 21 current coronavirus infections at the jail but no additional cases have been reported since late last week. Kline said the last inmate to test positive for the virus was on Dec. 17. “It’s getting better,” Kline...
Allegheny County Mental Health Court program marks 20th anniversary, graduation
Timothy Treganowan, who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, became addicted to heroin at age 27 after he broke his back and was prescribed opioids. In 2017, while incarcerated for burglary and receiving stolen property — crimes committed, he said, to fuel his habit...
Pittsburgh council to vote on whether police can make minor traffic stops
City Council on Monday continued debate about a measure that would prohibit Pittsburgh police from pulling people over for minor, secondary violations. Though council was originally scheduled to vote on the legislation Monday, members delayed the final until next Tuesday at the request of Councilman Anthony Coghill, who has repeatedly...
Westmoreland doles out retroactive pandemic hazard pay to top administrators
Nearly two years after the fact, Westmoreland County’s senior executives, department heads and other top administrators will receive bonuses for their work in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Commissioners on Monday unanimously approved retroactive pandemic pay for about 60 county officials for 10 days of work between March...
Peduto Chief of Staff Dan Gilman to take on new role at Duquesne University
Dan Gilman, who served as Mayor Bill Peduto’s chief of staff, announced Monday that he will be taking on a new role at Duquesne University when Peduto leaves office in January. Gilman will serve as a senior advisor to Duquesne University President Ken Gormley and will move into the chief...
Pittsburgh approves spending plan for $10.8 million parks tax fund
City Council on Monday approved the spending plan for the fund holding the money collected through the Pittsburgh’s new parks tax. This will be the first year the city has the dedicated fund to use for park projects. The trust fund is projected to contain $10.8 million at the start...
Tarentum shooting victim identified
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim of a fatal shooting in Tarentum last week as Arquwonna Wright, 30, of Tarentum. According to police, Wright was shot late Thursday night along Main Street near the apartment building where she lived with her two children, 4 and 6 months....
Charges against Latrobe councilman, former firefighter to be dropped after deal reached
Moments before the start of a court hearing Monday for a Latrobe councilman and a former city firefighter accused of stealing department funds to pay private legal fees, defense attorneys met privately with the prosecutor and resolved the criminal case. Assistant District Attorney Leo J. Ciaramitaro emerged from the chamber...
Westmoreland County signs on to $26B settlement in opioid lawsuit
Westmoreland County on Monday signed up to be part of a proposed $26 billion national settlement with three major drugmakers to end a lawsuit over the ongoing opioid epidemic. The county and its 11 largest municipalities would receive up to $22 million over the next 18 years, commissioners said. “This...
Governor orders flags to half-staff in memory of Mt. Pleasant mayor, fire chief
State flags at government buildings across Pennsylvania will fly at half-staff until sunset Wednesday by order of Gov. Tom Wolf, in honor and memory of late Mt. Pleasant mayor and fire chief Gerald “Jerry” Lucia. He died unexpectedly Dec. 17 and will be buried Wednesday. Lucia had responded to a...
Pittsburgh Mayor-elect Ed Gainey announces transition team details
Pittsburgh Mayor-elect Ed Gainey on Monday introduced new members to his transition committee as he prepares to take office next month. The announcement came virtually after he said he tested positive for covid-19 Monday morning. “This is a robust group of people that came together here,” Gainey said of his...
Sharky’s taking donations for holiday meal distribution, aiming to serve 600
Cindy Love of Latrobe can remember delivering a holiday meal to a family in need last year, and the look on a little boy’s face as it arrived. “It really broke my heart,” said Love, a volunteer who helped deliver more than 450 meals cooked by the staff at Sharky’s...
Gas prices falling as omicron variant surges, stalling oil demand and prices
Average gasoline prices continue to fall as cases of the covid omicron variant surge, leading oil demand and prices to stall, an industry analyst said Monday. “The decline in gas prices will likely continue until new covid cases slow down,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for price-tracking...
Pittsburgh Mayor-elect Ed Gainey tests positive for covid
Pittsburgh Mayor-elect Ed Gainey announced during a virtual press conference Monday that he has tested positive for covid-19. Gainey said he tested positive after taking a rapid test in the morning. He was holding a virtual press conference to announce his transition team. Gainey said he was exposed to the...
