Western PA Local News category, Page 184
‘Cleaner, safer streets’: Shapiro visits Pittsburgh to praise Downtown upgrades
Standing on the North Shore Friday morning, Gov. Josh Shapiro heralded “meaningful progress” in ongoing efforts to make the city’s Golden Triangle safer, cleaner and more vibrant. About a year ago, Shapiro unveiled the $600 million Downtown revitalization plan, which will include about 1,000 new housing units, increased public safety...
New Kensington man arrested following evacuation of apartment building where he lives
A gunshot and the discovery of what appeared to be two grenades led to the evacuation of a New Kensington apartment building Thursday night. The incident began shortly before 9:30 p.m. with an altercation at Valley Royal Court, an apartment complex along Fifth Avenue, that led to a man firing...
16 ‘ghosts’ on tap at Prospect Cemetery fundraiser in Brackenridge
Sixteen “ghosts” of long-gone prominent residents will haunt Prospect Cemetery in Brackenridge on Thursday. People are invited to hear their tales at the 17th annual tour which doubles as a fundraiser for the cemetery. Cost is $10 a person. Proceeds pay for maintenance at the 13-acre site along E. 10th...
ESL program offers skills, ‘family’ to English language learners at Allegheny Valley
Though Maria Cosme’s Allegheny Valley students speak more than half a dozen languages from four continents, one tongue unites them: English. Cosme is one of the most recent additions to the district, where she teaches ESL — or English as a Second Language — courses to elementary students through high...
Car enthusiast honored with repair fund to help people with transportation needs
Julian DiNino of Kilbuck bought his first BMW E-30 when he was 14. He was serious about cars. With skills he learned from both friends and his dad, who was an airplane mechanic, DiNino worked on becoming adept at fabrication and welding, eventually becoming a car performance mechanic. After graduating...
‘Bad for everybody’: Western Pa. labor leaders pans federal shutdown
With the U.S. government shut down, thousands of unionized federal workers throughout Western Pennsylvania are wondering whether they’ll still be allowed to do their jobs — and, if so, when they’ll get paid for it. Elizabeth McPeak, first vice president of the National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 34, on Friday...
PennWest enrollment declines slightly but is ‘steadying,’ official says
During her first semester at Kent State University in fall 2023, Alison Jones realized she wanted to attend a smaller university where she would be able to make her mark. “Kent was a little too big for me,” said Jones, 20, of Edinboro. “Transferring to Edinboro, there’s obviously a lot...
Plum fire chiefs, borough expect stipend program to continue
Plum officials say they’ll likely carry on next year with a program that offers stipends for volunteer firefighters in the borough. The stipends — $15 per hour — were approved by the borough in January and were first distributed in March. Holiday Park VFD Chief Jim Sims said the stipends...
Teen missing in West Deer found safe
A 15-year-old boy reported missing in West Deer on Thursday was found safe, township police said. The teen was found at about 7:10 a.m. Friday near Golden Lane. No other information was released. Police had requested help from the public early Thursday as they conducted a search in the area...
Fatal high-speed crash on Parkway East leads to charges
A Pittsburgh man is facing involuntary manslaughter and homicide by vehicle charges stemming from a fatal crash on the Parkway East in March. Donald Isiah Lewis II, 28, of Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood, told police a four-vehicle crash on Interstate 376 that left one person dead was his fault, according...
Battle of the Books fundraiser for north libraries tops $2,000, logs 1st year with a perfect score
“What famous inventor did not believe in sign language despite having a deaf wife and mother?” If you’ve read “True Biz” by Sara Nović, as many competitors at this year’s Battle of the Books did, you’ll know the answer: Alexander Graham-Bell. Book lovers from all over northern Allegheny County gathered...
1st-year wages for police increasing in McCandless; Franklin Park, Northern Regional also seeking officers
Salary adjustments for McCandless police were approved at the town council meeting Sept. 22, with the hopes of attracting more applicants. The change eliminated the first tier of service level, bringing the wage structure to a graduated increase over a five-year period, rather than six years, said John Schwend, manager...
Heritage, heart — and a good offer — lead folks back to family homesteads
Editor’s note: This is the second in an occasional series on real estate market trends in Western Pennsylvania. Across Western Pennsylvania, families are finding their way back to houses that once belonged to parents and grandparents, drawn by a mix of nostalgia, practicality and economics. Whether it’s the comfort of...
Tarentum church eyeing former Rite Aid for community center
A former Rite Aid building in Tarentum will find new life as a community center/food hall. Gifted by the now-bankrupt pharmacy chain in 2019 to Abundant Joy Fellowship, the building at Fifth Avenue and Corbet Street will be a place for people to connect, Pastor Cathy Blythe said. Construction crews...
Alle-Kiski Valley municipalities escape the pinch of state budget impasse
Unlike school districts and county governments, Alle-Kiski Valley municipalities aren’t sounding the alarm on how the state’s budget impasse is affecting their coffers or future projects. In fact, unless the impasse continues well into next year, local governments won’t be feeling it at all. “It’s really not hurting us at...
The Stroller, Oct. 3, 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. A-K Hope Center event...
Morning Roundup: Police say man set fire in Waterworks Giant Eagle; pedestrian hit by car succumbs to injuries
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Oct. 3: Man faces arson charges over Giant Eagle fire A man was arrested Thursday after allegedly sparking a fire in the Giant Eagle Market District at the Waterworks in Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood. Police said Russell Weleski, 33,...
Norwin student to run long distance trail race alongside uncle, grandfather
There aren’t many middle school students who can say they’ve completed a marathon. But by the end of this weekend, that is precisely what Norwin eighth grader Isabella Verdin hopes to accomplish. Verdin, 13, of Irwin will toe the start line of a six-hour trail race in Lykens, Dauphin County,...
Latrobe woman, 2 dogs staying with family after fire ravaged her home
A woman and her two German Shepherds are staying with relatives after a fire nearly destroyed her Latrobe home Thursday evening. Firefighters responded to the blaze shortly after 7 p.m. at 315 Chambers St. Fire Chief John Brasile said initial investigation indicates it started from a grill on a porch...
Man dies after being found shot in Pittsburgh’s Hill District
A man was shot and killed Thursday night in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood. Public Safety officials said officers were dispatched at 6:53 p.m. to the 600 block of Perry Street. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner on Friday identified the victim as Gerald L. Bogan III, 23, of East Liberty. Responders...
Celine tribute show to honor late founder of Act One Theatre School, support breast cancer foundation
Two good causes will be part of the Celebrating Celine concert on Oct. 19, including supporting Glimmer of Hope, a local breast cancer foundation, and honoring the late Karen Cordaro, the beloved founder of Act One Theatre School in Bellevue. Jenene Caramielo, a Celine Dion tribute artist and North Allegheny...
War, apartment fire punctuate Ukrainian woman’s unexpectedly long stay in Western Pa.
Nadiia Koshykova packed light on Dec. 12, 2021, when she traveled by rail, then by plane, from her native Ukraine to visit her son’s family in their Ohio Township home. “I have one suitcase — winter clothes,” Koshykova, 66, said. “I wanted to see America and then return back to...
Experts say ‘partisan’ government agency messages on shutdown could violate federal law
The bright red box on the U.S. Housing and Urban Development website minces no words. “The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government,” it reads. A message in the rust-colored box at the top of the U.S. Department of Agriculture website is much the same. “Due to the Radical...
Jurors shown video of assault of autistic teen in New Kensington, allegedly because of grudge against mom
Logan Bashioum testified Thursday that he didn’t remember much from an alleged attack in New Kensington two years ago. A video played for jurors during the second day of trial against a brother and sister accused in the beating showed two men standing over Bashioum, who was 17, kicking him...
North Allegheny snags top spot in 2026 Niche ratings as best school district in Pittsburgh area
North Allegheny School District achieved the No. 1 spot as the best school district in the Pittsburgh area, and second out of 494 other districts in the state, according to the 2026 K-12 School and District Niche ratings. It also scored third in the state as the best place to...
