Local category, Page 1871
Family will bid farewell to fashion icon B. Smith in Scottdale ceremony
Late fashion icon and Everson native Barbara “B.” Smith will be laid to rest next to her parents Saturday in the Scottdale Cemetery. The private ceremony and interment of Smith’s ashes will be attended by family, including her younger brother, Dennis, and his four grown daughters. Smith, 70, died Feb....
Jury complies with Jeannette woman’s wishes and finds her guilty
A Jeannette woman dared Westmoreland County jurors to convict her Friday. After nearly two hours of deliberations, they complied. Deborah Samulski, 62, was convicted of two misdemeanor counts of filing false reports with a local gas company and city police. During a two-day trial, jurors questioned her mental health, and...
Churchill public hearing on potential Amazon site likely to stretch several more days
Churchill Borough’s ongoing public hearing regarding a potential Amazon distribution center is likely to stretch several more days. During the public hearing — which began Monday and continued Thursday evening — Texas-based Hillwood Development is outlining their proposal for an Amazon distribution center at the former site of the George...
National Night Out picnic to be held at Northmoreland Park
Allegheny Township is hosting a picnic next month at Northmoreland Park as part as part of the community’s participation in National Night Out. It’s a free gathering aimed at building relationships between first responders and the community and serves as a positive crime and drug prevention event. Coordinated by the...
Mosser Casting is looking for paid extras on the film ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’
Wanted: children ages 11-14 and adults, 18 and older who want to have a part in a movie. Nancy Mosser Casting is seeking the individuals to portray bar and bat mitzvah guests for the film “Cha Cha Real Smooth” starring Dakota Johnson, directed by Cooper Raiff, who is also starring...
PennEnergy to install well on Ekastown Road in Buffalo Township
PennEnergy will be installing a well site in Buffalo Township after gaining approval from township officials. Construction at the site, located at 765 Ekastown Road, is slated to begin later this summer, said Amanda Peterson, a stakeholder relations manager with PennEnergy. Some township residents have voiced concerns on social media...
Carnegie Mellon researchers teach autonomous vehicles to navigate narrow, car-lined streets
Driving through Pittsburgh’s narrow, car-lined streets can pose a challenge to even experienced drivers. It’s a particularly difficult situation to teach to autonomous vehicles without a human driver behind the wheel. A team of Carnegie Mellon University researchers at the Argo AI Center for Autonomous Vehicle Research developed an algorithm...
Second 14-year-old charged in Duquesne homicide
A second 14-year-old boy faces homicide charges in connection with a fatal shooting earlier this year in Duquesne, according to charges filed against him Friday by Allegheny County Police. Carlo Owens, of Duquesne, is charged with homicide, conspiracy and robbery in the death of 21-year-old Damont Adams. An alleged co-conspirator,...
Verona man’s furry green motorcycle helmet attracting attention on A-K Valley roads
Jeff Barnes wants you to notice him. That’s why the Verona man who works in New Kensington dons a furry, green motorcycle helmet cover with a Muppet-like face when he rides around the Alle-Kiski Valley and beyond. Yes, he enjoys seeing people smile when they get a glimpse of his...
Work along Sample Road scheduled to last through September
Motorists who use Sample Road in Hampton should allow extra travel time for the next two months. The road will be limited to single-lane alternating traffic beginning Monday and lasting through late September. Work will happen from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., PennDOT announced. The limited traffic will allow crews...
Greensburg man who fathered child with teen pleads guilty to sexual assault
A Greensburg man will serve up to 23 months in jail for the sexual assault of a New Kensington teenager who gave birth to his child. Marcus Franklin Crawford, 25, formerly of Jeannette, pleaded guilty Friday to statutory sexual assault, corruption of a minor and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. Police...
Jury unable to reach verdict in Jeannette drug, gun case
A Westmoreland County prosecutor will seek to retry a Pittsburgh man on gun and drug charges after a jury was unable to reach a verdict this week. Prosecutors contend Stefon Wilson, 23, along with other adults and a juvenile, sold heroin and cocaine from a Jeannette home in 2019. Jurors...
Aspiring scientists can find much to do at Sharpsburg Community Library
Sharpsburg Community Library has transformed its courtyard into a hands-on creative station for summer. Elementary-aged students last week were treated to one-hour mini camps, through Carnegie Science Center, where budding engineers tangled with experiments fit to test their inner Thomas Edison, organizers said. “The kids are learning electrical and structural...
Entrepreneur, philanthropist John G. Rangos Sr. dies just before 92nd birthday
Entrepreneur and philanthropist John G. Rangos Sr. died Wednesday, one week shy of his 92nd birthday. Rangos died following a brief illness, according to a news release from the John G. Rangos Sr. Charitable Foundation. The release said he died surrounded by his children — John Rangos Jr., Alex Rangos...
Crack’d Egg loses appeal of closure order, plans to continue court fight
A Pennsylvania appellate court ruled in favor of the Allegheny County Health Department on Friday, finding that the forced closure of the Crack’d Egg restaurant in Brentwood was appropriate given its owner’s refusal to follow covid-19 mitigation measures. The decision has no practical effect because Gov. Tom Wolf lifted safety...
Sundays on Pittsburgh Street in Greensburg scheduled for this weekend, featuring food trucks
Several Greensburg-based entities are gearing up to host their second Sundays on Pittsburgh Street event this weekend. The event, scheduled for Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Wilbur “Wib” Albright Parking Lot, located behind the Green Beacon Gallery and Unique Ink, will feature yard games, corn hole, live...
Leechburg struggles to find police applicants
Faced with a bare cupboard when it comes to police applicants, Leechburg Council is looking at boosting pay for officers. At Thursday’s council meeting, borough officials said the Civil Service Commission has received no applications for a full-time job on the borough’s police force despite openings being advertised. Council President...
Police charge secretary with stealing $225K from Washington Township firm
The former secretary of a Westmoreland County trucking firm was arrested Friday on charges of stealing $225,413 from her employer, according to court documents. Christie M. Parker, 43, of Penn Hills, was arraigned on charges of forgery, receiving stolen property, theft by deception and unlawful use of the computer in...
Lawmaker asks state to turn down energy company’s request to draw water from Big Sewickley Creek for fracking
A lawmaker has asked Pennsylvania’s top environmental official to turn down a plan by PennEnergy Resources to draw as much as 3 million gallons of water a day from Big Sewickley Creek and one of its tributaries for natural gas drilling. Members of the Big Sewickley Creek Watershed Association also...
Teen charged with attempted homicide as Pittsburgh officials look for ways to curb South Side violence
A violent night on Pittsburgh’s South Side led to attempted homicide charges against a 15-year-old boy, assault charges against two others, and the announcement of coming changes to traffic flow on East Carson Street, officials said Friday. Three people were shot early Friday near East Carson and South 18th streets....
AHN adding paramedic response team at new Wexford hospital set to open this fall
Emergency medical crews serving communities north of Pittsburgh are about to get some backup from Allegheny Health Network. To coincide with the opening of the new 160-bed AHN Wexford Hospital this fall in Pine Township, the health network is launching a Paramedic Response Unit that will work with local emergency...
Pa. Supreme Court: Money from state-forest drilling cannot prop up state budget
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that state officials cannot transfer money from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Oil and Gas Fund — derived from natural gas drilling on state forest land — to the state’s general fund to help balance the annual budget. The PA Environmental Defense Foundation...
Community Swim Club team caps undefeated season with gold in North Hills league championships
Community Swim Club is making waves in the North Hills Summer Swim League. An undefeated season was capped with a win in the championship meet July 15, ranking them as the top regional team in the Gold Division. It was the first time in more than five years that the...
Land trust seeks consultant, public input for planned Hempfield parkVideo
Swallows swoop from their perches in the former Schwarz barn to feast on insects that populate the fields of the surrounding Hempfield farm. The Westmoreland Land Trust, which now owns the property, plans to invite even more native species to enjoy the farm, along with the public. The trust’s board...
Astronomy for Disabled Veterans project at VA PHS Heinz campus in O’Hara moving forward
Stars continue to align for a pilot astronomy program at the VA PHS Heinz campus in O’Hara. James Surman, a Plum resident and one of the founders of the Astronomy for Disabled Veterans project, said they recently acquired a 48-inch pier from High Point Scientific to be the base of...
