Local category, Page 1811
Body found in Allegheny River in Plum ID’d as Washington Township man
The man who was pulled from the Allegheny River in Plum on Sept. 1 has been identified. Shawn Ferraccio, 46, of Washington Township, was found dead in the river shortly before 10:30 a.m. along the 100 block of Coxcomb Hill Road. Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified Ferraccio on Tuesday....
34 covid-19 cases reported at Hempfield Area School District
As Hempfield Area School District leaders vow to return to a mask-optional policy as soon as possible, more than 30 covid-19 cases have been reported in the district. According to a tracker on the district’s website, there are 34 confirmed cases, 31 of which are among students and three that...
Indiana’s Appalachian fest combines music, contests, remembrance of sacrifice, success
The Northern Appalachian Folk Festival will return to downtown Indiana Thursday through Saturday with live music, vendors, workshops, children’s activities and storytelling and fiddle contests. On Saturday, there will be a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks and honoring two Indiana County residents who were killed...
Pittsburgh Irish Festival celebrates 30 years by adding even more green
Barb Martin will be making the Pittsburgh Irish Festival a little greener. The master gardener is teaming with members from the Late Bloomers Garden Club in Forest Hills to turn the Cultural Cottage into a plush area full of what Martin calls a “kaleidoscope of flowers, plants, herbs and vegetables.”...
On the roster: Pennsylvania artist creates Heinz Field image of Steelers player names
This picture is worth 1,608 words. Word artist Dan Duffy handwrote the name of every Steelers football player dating back to 1933 in a way that it created what appears to be the likeness of Heinz Field. Duffy, who owns Art of Words, creates caligrams — words arranged in a...
Parent: Son denied lunch due to not wearing mask
An Armstrong Central High School parent said her son was denied lunch for refusing to wear a mask on the first day in which they were required. Mandi Stewart said the district withheld food as punishment for her son, 10th grader Colton Stewart, for not complying with the state mandate...
Protest planned at Rep. Reschenthaler Hempfield office
A citizens activist group is planning a rally Wednesday afternoon outside Republican Rep. Guy Reschenthaler’s Hempfield office to seek his support for the $3.5 trillion relief package supported by House Democrats but opposed by the GOP members. Voice of Westmoreland plans to join with the United Home Care Workers of...
New Kensington-Arnold addressing fights after football game with Highlands
Discipline will be “administered and enforced swiftly and justly” after two separate fights involving New Kensington-Arnold students broke out after a football game Friday at Valley’s Memorial Stadium, the district announced Tuesday. One fight involved two girls, while another was between two cousins, Superintendent Chris Sefcheck said. Valley had played...
Armyworms wreak havoc on lawns, crops in ‘unprecedented’ outbreak
Ben McGraw, an associate professor of turfgrass science at Pennsylvania State University, surveyed dead turf on a Pennsylvania golf course Friday. The turf recently had been attacked by fall armyworms. The moth larvae, which are known for destroying grass, turf and an array of crops, have been wreaking havoc during...
Westmoreland water rescue teams helped with search for boy recovered from the Ohio River
Westmoreland County water rescue teams from North Huntingdon, Murrysville and New Alexandria-Bradenville-Lloydsville helped in the multi-state effort Tuesday to search for a young boy who went missing Sunday while swimming in the Ohio River about 30 miles south of Wheeling, W.Va. The search ended early Wednesday morning when rescuers recovered...
Woman jailed after attempted car theft in Hempfield, troopers say
A Braddock woman is in the Westmoreland County Prison on $25,000 bond, charged with assaulting a man at a Hempfield convenience store early Saturday during an unsuccessful attempt to steal his car. Jesse Jamar Burton, 34, was arrested by state police on multiple assault and attempted robbery charges after the...
Scottdale man charged with sexually assaulting boy
A Scottdale man was arrested on multiple charges of sexually assaulting a boy over 18 months between 2016 and 2017, according to state police. Scott F. Rys, 47, was arraigned last week on charges of corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of children and indecent assault and three counts of...
La Roche University to host various fall admissions events
La Roche University will host a series of admissions events from September through December, inviting high school and transfer students to explore the McCandless campus. During the fall admissions events, students and families will learn about the school’s more than 50 majors, NCAA Division III athletics programs and study abroad...
Seven Springs Mountain Resort hopes to hire 1,000 for upcoming ski season
Seven Springs Mountain Resort’s goal of hiring 1,000 employees for the upcoming ski season at its three resorts in Western Pennsylvania will kick off this week with its “Walk-In Wednesday” event. The resort, headquartered at Seven Springs in Champion, Somerset County, is seeking seasonal, part-time and full-time help for Seven...
Teen rescued from beneath pipe in Murrysville
A teenager was rescued Monday night in Murrysville after being trapped for 90 minutes underneath a 3,500-pound pipe, according to emergency responders. The 16-year-old, who was not identified, was taken to a local trauma center after being freed, according to Murrysville Medic One, which assisted in the rescue. The first...
The Palace Theatre’s mid-September lineup has string of big names
For singer Amy Grant, there’s always a risk in performing live — and it has nothing to do with covid conditions. “The risk of live music is that you can’t do it over, but that’s the beauty of it, too,” said Grant, who has a Sept. 17 show at The...
Former home health aide pleads guilty to stealing from Murrysville client
A North Versailles woman pleaded guilty to a theft charge Tuesday in connection with items missing from a Murrysville home where she worked as a health aide. The amount of restitution Breianna Knox, 31, brings to her sentencing hearing in a few months could sway Werstmoreland County prosecutors to recommend...
Police log: Drugs, DUI among charges filed by Monroeville police Aug. 19 and Aug. 20, 2021
The following charges were filed Aug. 19 and Aug. 20 with Monroeville District Judge Jeffrey L. Herbst. Charges were filed by Monroeville police: • Brenden Slack, 28, of Monroeville with possession of controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia and defiant trespass. Charges were filed Aug. 19 in connection with an...
District court: DUI, firearms cases among those handled by Monroeville District Judge Jeffrey Herbst Aug. 16 and Aug. 23, 2021
Monroeville District Judge Jeffrey L. Herbst handled these cases Aug. 16 and Aug. 23. Defendants will have court dates set in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Charges were filed by Monroeville police unless otherwise noted. Held for court • Tyrone Williams, 26, of McKees Rocks on charges of...
District Court: Drug, DUI charges among those handled in Judge DeLuca’s Penn Hills court Aug. 30, 2021
Penn Hills District Judge Anthony L. DeLuca handled the following cases recently. Defendants will have court dates set in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. Charges were filed by Penn Hills police unless otherwise noted. Held for court • Duane Faulk, 49, of Verona on charges of accident involving damage to...
Sharpsburg’s Alexander Sands draws national attention with Lawrenceville art gallery
Fox Chapel Area graduate Alexander Sands opened his Lawrenceville art gallery in February and has been blown away by the number of requests he gets from artists to display their work, from as far as Alaska and beyond. But Sands, a Sharpsburg resident, is staying true to his focus to...
Man stopped with loaded gun in carry-on at Pittsburgh International Airport
A man was stopped by Transportation Security Administration officers early Tuesday when they saw a loaded gun in his carry-on bag at Pittsburgh International Airport, authorities said. Officers observed a loaded 9mm handgun while the man was going through the main security checkpoint just before 6:40 a.m. Allegheny County Police...
The Westmoreland’s chief curator Barbara Jones plans retirement after 26 years
Following a tenure of more than 26 years, Barbara L. Jones will retire April 1, 2022, from her position as chief curator for The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg. The museum will commemorate her retirement and her body of work with special public programming for the spring of...
Students, parents protest state school mask mandateVideo
Students at several area school districts walked out of classes Tuesday in protest of the state’s mask mandate. In the Derry Area School District, students reported for school, then left the high school, carrying signs voicing their displeasure at being forced to wear masks. Police and school officials moved the...
Blairsville man killed in motorcycle crash
A Blairsville man was killed Monday in a motorcycle crash in Indiana County. Mark A. Sprague, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene on Tunnelton Road in Conemaugh Township, east of Saltsburg, according to county Coroner Jerry Overman. Investigators said Sprague was driving a Harley-Davidson motorcycle at 6 p.m. when...
