Yarmulke-wearing inmate appears in Westmoreland County court
A Mt. Pleasant man attended a court hearing Wednesday with a yarmulke on his head, a week after he was denied transport from the county jail to the courthouse because he refused to remove it. Kort Noel Eckman, 49, sported a white head covering decorated with a floral pattern during...
Bacteria risks found at all Lake Erie beaches in Pennsylvania, report says
Health risks were found at all of Lake Erie’s Pennsylvania beaches last year, a new report says. The beaches tested in 2024 were found to be potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day, according to the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center’s latest analysis of bacteria testing titled “Safe...
Ross approves minimum distance of 3,000 feet between medical marijuana businesses
The prospect of upwards of 19 medical marijuana businesses along McKnight Road didn’t sit well with Ross Commissioner Denise Rickenbrode. That’s why, she says, she asked her fellow commissioners to triple the minimum distance between them from 1,000 feet to 3,000 feet. All but one agreed with her and approved...
‘Call to action’: Pittsburgh controller warns of ‘precarious’ city finances
Pittsburgh Controller Rachael Heisler on Wednesday warned that the city’s finances are “precarious” and urged officials to cut spending while growing the local economy. In the first half of the year, the city spent $24 million more than during the same period in 2024, Heisler said. That happened even though...
Community Supermarket in Harrison set to close
Harrison is losing one of its longest-standing grocery stores. Community Supermarket in Heights Plaza is set to close this fall. Richard Lubkin, asset manager of Heights Plaza Shopping Center, called the store a mainstay appreciated by thousands. “We are deeply disappointed that Giant Eagle affiliate, Community Market, has opted to...
Penn Hills School District welcomes therapy pilot program
Penn Hills School District officials are prioritizing mental health. Kristin Brown, director of pupil services, said Pittsburgh Mercy’s integrated school-based therapy program has been implemented in the district. “We wanted students to feel more comfortable,” Brown said. While the district has had school-based therapy until a contract ended during the...
Judge refuses to end lawsuit by U.S. Steel, Nippon against Cleveland-Cliffs
Despite the successful $14.9 billion merger of U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel, attorneys for both companies said Wednesday they plan to proceed with a lawsuit against steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs and the head of the United Steelworkers union for allegedly conspiring against them to try to block the deal. Cleveland-Cliffs had been...
Enson Market reopens in Pittsburgh after health violations
A new supermarket in Pittsburgh’s East End has reopened after the Allegheny County Health Department ordered its closure earlier this month. Enson Market, an Asian American grocery store in North Point Breeze, is one of 32 locations nationwide offering food products from over 28 countries. Before failing to meet food...
Iron Horse to stage ‘Coach and Mrs. Jagoff,’ written by Pine man and inspired by true story
A play set in Western Pennsylvania will debut in August at Iron Horse Theatre Company in Ambridge. The two-act play “Coach and Mrs. Jagoff” features main characters Jake Sebastian, a successful high school football coach and his wife, Lynn, who live in Fisk, a declining industrial town. “(The Sebastians) employ...
Lawsuit claims West Mifflin school board retaliated against former athletic director
West Mifflin Area School District’s former longtime athletic director and boys basketball coach is suing the district and five board members, alleging retaliation after his contract was not renewed. The complaint, filed Tuesday by Scott Stephenson in federal court, claims the district eliminated his position after he spoke out against...
Summer sounds for the dog days as Pittsburgh’s weather heats back up
Should we talk about the weather? Fans of alternative rock pioneers REM might smile at the oblique reference to “Pop Song 89,” opener to the band’s major label debut “Green.” Others might sigh, get up or stand as they sip a tall glass of Turner’s tea from a glass dripping...
Murrysville seeks funding help to upgrade Route 22 signal coordination
Murrysville officials want to upgrade the adaptive system used to coordinate Route 22 traffic lights through the town’s commercial corridor. “The system we have in place is about 12 years old, and we think it’s run its course,” Murrysville Chief Administrator Michael Nestico told council at its meeting this week....
Emil Bove, Trump’s pick for federal appeals court, troubles former Pa. judges, prosecutors
The divisive nomination of Emil Bove, a zealous defender of President Donald Trump, to a lifetime seat on the federal appeals court that oversees cases in the commonwealth has generated intense reaction nationally and among former federal prosecutors and judges in Western Pennsylvania. Trump is a big fan of his...
Turner Dairy Farms receives $750,000 to expand distribution center and automation
From dairy products to iced tea, Turner Dairy Farms in Penn Hills has been a Pittsburgh staple since the 1930s. The company and its reach has expanded. Today, it partners with 35 family-owned dairy farms within a 70-mile radius. With that wide range, the company was in need of an...
State regulators: Lead in Laurel Highlands creek linked to shooting range
Spent shot from a sporting clays shooting range near Seven Springs Resort in Somerset County might be causing high lead levels in a Laurel Highlands stream, state environmental regulators said. State environmental investigators believe the lead pellets that fall to the ground after they’re fired at clay targets at Highlands...
Buffalo Township man dead after ATV accident in Armstrong County
A Buffalo Township man was pronounced dead by the Armstrong County coroner on Monday after a fatal ATV accident. Michael McGuire, 60, was last seen on Friday, July 18. The coroner said the ATV he was operating went over an embankment and rolled into a ditch near McGuire’s camp in...
Chartiers Valley officials: Staffing, education have bright outlook for school year
Chartiers Valley School District officials say an aggressive, early retirement incentive resulted in no furloughs and a positive staffing outlook this school year. “Contrary to published reports of mass furloughs, the board and administration implemented this strategic initiative to address ongoing fiscal challenges while maintaining our commitment to high-quality education,”...
The Stroller, July 23, 2025: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Annual Artfest to honor...
Greensburg woman appointed to leadership role at Independence Health
Dr. Mary Elizabeth Kovacik Eicher always wanted to work close to her hometown. A clinical neurologist who joined Excela Health in 2019, Kovacik Eicher was named to a key leadership role last week by Independence Health, which was formed in the merger of Excela and Butler health systems in 2023....
Pittsburgh stands out as only U.S. city cheaper to buy than rent, report says
Pittsburgh came out on top in a new Realtor.com rental report as the only U.S. city where it’s cheaper to buy a home rather than rent. According to the report, renting saves over $900 per month compared to buying a home in 49 out of 50 of the largest cities...
Westmoreland happenings: Ice Cream Sunday, parish festival, class reunion, more
Church News • Level Green Presbyterian Church will host its annual Ice Cream Sunday at 10 a.m. July 27 at the church, 105 Olive Drive, Trafford. The theme will be “Caring for the Kids in Our Community” and will honor and bring awareness to those who work every day helping...
Pittsburgh VA on pace to lose 3% of workforce by year’s end
More than 200 federal workers providing or supporting medical care for Pittsburgh-area veterans have left their jobs this year as the Trump administration pressures agencies to slim down. By its own count, the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System has lost 238 employees since January, with another 87 set to leave...
Plum mayor, neighbors hope Rustic Ridge lawsuits will bring answers
After families of six people killed in a 2023 house explosion in Plum sued multiple companies for alleged negligence and wrongful death Tuesday, the borough’s mayor and neighbors in the Rustic Ridge housing plan say they hope the suits will offer some answers nearly two years later. Filed in Allegheny...
Pine-Richland employees, positions added to union representing support professionals
Several employees and classifications of employees are being added to a union representing support professionals in the Pine-Richland School District. The school board approved the agreement with the Pine-Richland Education Support Professionals Association at its July 21 meeting. The association approached the district about adding the positions to the bargaining...
Penn Hills establishes tax credit program for volunteer firefighters
Penn Hills leaders have officially established a volunteer service tax credit program. During council’s monthly voting meeting July 21, members voted to unanimously adopt a program that provides a tax credit for residents volunteering with one of the municipality’s fire departments. “We are the largest suburb in Allegheny County,” Mayor...
