Western PA Local News category, Page 1743
National drop in gas prices skips Pittsburgh area, frustrating drivers
Rick Toney was pumping gas as a kid in the 1970s. And he’s still doing it today for his cousin, Joe Shamey, owner of Shamey’s Gulf Service on Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington. It’s one of the few, maybe only, full-service gas stations in the area. So Toney hears...
The Stroller, Dec. 2, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your club meetings, community events 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. Therapy dogs welcome to join program at Allegheny Valley Hospital Allegheny Valley Hospital, Harrison, is expanding its pet therapy program and...
90% of Allegheny County employees comply with vaccine mandate; 2 sheriff’s employees suspended without pay
More than 90% of Allegheny County’s 5,000 executive-branch employees showed proof of getting vaccinated against covid-19 by Wednesday — the deadline to do so or risk being fired, county officials report. Just two of more than 200 employees with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office — an independent entity — still...
Westmoreland 911: Crews responded to vehicle crash with entrapment in Salem
Crews responded to a vehicle crash with entrapment in Salem Township Wednesday evening, a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher said. Officials were called to the 1000 block of Brick Hill Road around 7:06 p.m. for reports of the crash that resulted in a vehicle overturning. According to the dispatcher, one person was...
Beaver County man gets 1 month behind bars in Capitol riot case
A Beaver County man will spend a month behind bars for participating in the storming of the Capitol in January, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. Russell Peterson of Rochester — who bragged about his role in the insurrection on social media — also must pay a $500 fine, U.S. District...
90% of Allegheny County employees comply with vaccine mandate; 2 sheriff’s employees suspended without pay
More than 90% of Allegheny County’s 5,000 executive-branch employees showed proof of getting vaccinated against covid-19 by Wednesday — the deadline to do so or risk being fired, county officials report. Just two of more than 200 employees with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office — an independent entity — still...
Pennsylvania wine and liquor sales set another record, annual report shows
If you’re headed to a holiday party this month, chances are good that either Tito’s Handmade Vodka or Fireball Cinnamon Whisky will be on the bar. Unflavored vodka remained Pennsylvanians’ drink of choice during the 2020-21 fiscal year, bringing in $307.6 million and topping the sales list in 53 of...
Greensburg man jailed, accused of leading police on 108 mph pursuit
A Greensburg man accused of leading police on a seven-mile, high-speed chase that started in in the city and ended near Murrysville was arrested after an officer recognized his car parked at a grocery store and was able to identify him, according to court documents. Greensburg patrolman Hank Fontana Jr....
Jeannette teen seeks transfer of attempted homicide case to juvenile court
The lawyer for a Jeannette teen awaiting trial on charges that he attempted to kill two men in a shooting last year says the case should be prosecuted in juvenile court. Khalil Myers was 16 when he was charged in connection with a shooting on Oct. 21, 2020, in Jeannette...
Judge accuses Westmoreland district attorney’s office of misconduct in Stanko case
A Westmoreland County judge accused the district attorney’s office of misconduct in its handling of three criminal cases against a Unity man named as a potential suspect in the disappearance of a former girlfriend missing since April 2018. In a blistering 26-page opinion made public Wednesday, Common Pleas Judge Tim...
Pittsburgh region’s jobless rate falls to 5.9%; labor force shrinks
The Pittsburgh region’s unemployment rate in October fell below 6% for the first time since the pandemic took hold of the economy in April 2020, a combination of more jobs being filled and, once again, fewer people in the labor force. “It’s just as if the economy is stuck in...
Western Pa. covid hospitalizations hit highest point in more than 10 months
As the threat of the omicron variant looms, covid-19 hospitalizations in Western Pennsylvania have hit their highest point in more than 10 months. Allegheny County on Wednesday reported 504 covid patients in hospitals, the most since there were 535 patients on Jan. 12, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department...
Unity man accused of having inappropriate contact with 13-year-old
A 48-year-old Unity man was arrested this week by Greensburg police after he was accused of having inappropriate contact with a 13-year-old girl. Thomas B. Greenwood was charged after a two-month investigation by police, according to court documents. The girl’s mother reported to police that Greenwood assisted her moving into...
Pittsburgh City Council looks to ban parking in bike lanes, with some exceptions
Pittsburgh City Council advanced legislation that would ban parking in the city’s bike lanes, but there would be exceptions to the rule. The proposed ordinance, introduced by Councilman Bobby Wilson last week, would add bike lanes to the list of places city drivers can’t park. Other areas where parking is...
Remodeled Sheetz reopens in New Stanton
The familiar bright red glow has returned to the night sky in New Stanton, beckoning turnpike travelers and locals. A remodeled, 6,070-square-foot Sheetz convenience store, known for 24-7 fuel and made-to-order (MTO) food, opened Wednesday after being shuttered for most of the summer during reconstruction. One of the biggest changes...
Pittsburgh man gets 1 year, 1 day in prison for throwing brick at police car during 2020 protest
A Pittsburgh man who threw a brick through a police cruiser window during protests last year was sentenced Wednesday to a year and a day behind bars. George Allen, 33, of the city’s Sheraden neighborhood, also must spend three years on probation following his release from federal prison, U.S. Attorney...
New book chronicles pioneering amusement park family that operated West View Park
The amusement park that operated for 71 years in West View was already long gone and replaced with a shopping center by the time Mike Funyak was born in 1992. But his life-long love and fascination for amusement parks left him longing to learn all that he could about the...
Chartiers Valley students collect food for South West Meals on Wheels
The Peers Helping Peers group at Chartiers Valley Middle School and Intermediate School did more than just help their peers with a recent food drive that benefited South West Meals on Wheels. The drive ran from Nov. 27-23 and students collected more than 1,800 items. In addition to being used...
Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant stepping down to lead San Diego foundation
Grant Oliphant is stepping down as president of The Heinz Endowments, spurring a nationwide search for the next leader to helm Western Pennsylvania’s second-largest grant-making foundation. Oliphant — who has headed The Heinz Endowments for the past eight years — is leaving to become CEO of the San Diego-based Conrad...
First Night Pittsburgh promises fireworks, music, fun and giant rabbits
When one thinks about New Year’s Eve, rabbits probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. Highmark First Night Pittsburgh 2022 just might change that. “A highlight of this year’s event, ‘Intrude’ from Parer Studios in Australia is a true spectacle,” says Sarah Aziz, director of festival management for...
Jingle Bell Rock to ring out at Casino Theatre in Vandergrift
A rockin’ Christmas concert is coming to Vandergrift. The annual Jingle Bell Rock holiday fundraiser concert returns to the Casino Theatre on Saturday after being canceled last year because of the pandemic. The concert will start at 7:30 p.m. Keeping closer to family-friendly event than epic rock show, the music...
Freeport Renaissance Association presents Small Town Christmas
Sleigh bells will be ringing in Freeport as a holiday celebration returns Saturday. The Freeport Renaissance Association presents its Small Town Christmas. The association had virtual and socially distanced activities last year, and there was no parade. “I just think it’s going to be a really good opportunity for community...
Gilpin supervisors hope to hold the line on taxes, boost public safety spending in 2022 budget
Gilpin residents should expect to see more township police coverage and no change in real estate taxes as part of next year’s budget. Supervisors recently approved their preliminary 2022 spending plan, which includes a boost to public safety spending while keeping the tax rate at 11 mills. Projected revenues are...
Bethel Park teen, a 2-time cancer survivor, committed to keeping his friend’s memory alive
Sean Rovers and Kaylee Kruise met during radiation treatments for brain cancer at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Lawrenceville. They endured many of the same experiences, from IVs and blood tests to operations and pain. It was during their time there the youngsters discovered they shared a birthday —...
Winter coat giveaway scheduled at New Stanton fire hall
Linda Hauger has a knack for giving back. The New Stanton resident for months has been filling an Angel Blessing Box with food and is planning a winter coat giveaway for those in need. “We’ll set up in the fire station, and people can come and get what they need,”...
