Western PA Local News category, Page 2013
Former Leechburg Council president remembered for love of community, service
Leechburg Council’s meeting Tuesday began differently than normal — with a moment of silence for former council president and active community member Anthony J. Defilippi. Defilippi died Sunday, May 16 at 79. “He was my mentor when I came on council,” said Tom Foster, the current council president. Defilippi spent...
Dedication to be held for new Veterans War Memorial Park in Coraopolis
The newly constructed Veterans War Memorial Park will be able to have a proper dedication on Memorial Day after being canceled last year because of covid. Members and officers of the Keith-Holmes VFW Post 402 will lead the dedication from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 31 at 412 Mulberry St....
Teen songwriter from Kennedy collaborates on tune with fellow ‘America’s Got Talent’ alum
Ashley Marina Yankello, a 13-year-old singer-songwriter from Kennedy , is releasing an original song Friday, written and recorded in a collaboration with a fellow “America’s Got Talent” alum. The pop/rock song, “Time to Shine,” features vocals by the local teen, who has dropped her surname for her musical career, and...
Job openings increase in Alle-Kiski Valley
The PA CareerLink Alle-Kiski reported an uptick this week in job openings, with a four-week rolling average of 225 openings in the Alle-Kiski Valley. “Virtually all of the businesses and organizations that we have contact with are looking to add workers now,” said Phil Grove, account representative with PA CareerLink...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: May 21-23
Return of the ‘90s They say you’re not a true kid of the 1990s if you never heard someone say, “Get off the internet. I need to use the phone!” Hard to believe it’s more than 20 years since that era passed into history, but it’s coming back for a...
Pittsburgh airport hit by early morning power outage, causing checkpoint delays
Passengers heading to Pittsburgh International Airport this morning should allow for extra time after a power outage caused delays at the security checkpoint. The power went out shortly after 4:30 a.m., according to airport spokesman Bob Kerlick. “The outages occurred as crews were doing electrical testing overnight,” Kerlick said. “Emergency...
The Stroller, May 21, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your club meetings, 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. Free food distribution set Saturday in Lower Burrell Burrell Community Church, Lower Burrell, will host a free drive-thru food distribution from 10...
Kiski Area Upper Elementary students examine real race cars to study the physics of racingVideo
Some sixth graders from Kiski Area Upper Elementary were revved up for science class this week. Students participated in a new, hands-on, outdoor physics-based science class Thursday. They got a chance to check out some real race cars in a segment called “The Science of Racing,” which focused on engineering...
Protect PT appeals fracking well-pad approvals to Pa. Supreme Court
The citizen group Protect PT’s argument for why zoning hearing board decisions allowing additional gas well fracking in Penn Township should be overturned contained a number of elements, but focused on a central question. Should a legal body be permitted to simply declare that an expert witness’s testimony is not...
Outbound Parkway North HOV lanes set to open after being closed 14 months for maintenance
Beginning at 10 a.m. today, motorists will once again be able to use the outbound HOV lanes along the Parkway North after being shut down for more than a year for maintenance, PennDOT announced. The inbound High Occupancy Vehicle lanes will remain closed, officials said. “The department is currently evaluating...
Oak Street in Irwin used for ‘Quadfather’ film shootVideo
Dominick Domasky of Greensburg is in the inspiration business. Whether it takes the form of books, motivational speaking or, on Thursday night, film-making in downtown Irwin, Domasky’s Motivation Champs company “shares inspiration, positivity and smiles 24/7, and helps other people do the same,” he said. One of Domasky’s clients is...
No injuries after wires come down on Norwin elementary bus
No one was injured Thursday evening when a tractor-trailer snagged a fiber-optic cable, breaking a utility pole and dropping wires on a Norwin school bus in North Huntingdon, emergency officials said. Irwin Fire Chief Justin Mochar said the truck was turning from Caruthers Lane onto Laurel Avenue around 4:40 p.m....
Hampton officials prepping for pool season
As temperatures begin to heat up, Hampton officials are prepping for pool season with an eye on a return to fun in the sun. “We are looking forward to opening to warm weather at 11 a.m. May 29,” Kevin Flannery, director of community services, said. Daily admission fees range from...
Greensburg College Club presents annual scholarships
The Greensburg College Club continued its century-plus tradition of granting scholarships to local high school students on Thursday evening, presenting nearly $20,000 in scholarships. “We had a wonderful group of applicants this year,” said Maxine Oleyar, part of the club’s scholarship committee. “The amount of things these kids do are...
More charges for Penn Township double murder suspect’s alleged shooting spree
Police say Victor F. Steban went on a shooting spree across central Westmoreland County hours before he killed two people at a Penn Township home. Steban, 53, was arraigned on new charges filed Thursday by state police, including multiple counts of attempted homicide, aggravated assault and shooting into occupied structures...
PennDOT sets dates, detour for Coxcomb Hill Road closure
A two-week closure of a 1-mile section of Coxcomb Hill Road in Plum will begin at about noon Monday, weather permitting, PennDOT announced Thursday. Coxcomb will be closed between Kerr and Logans Ferry roads through June 7 while crews work on drainage improvements and shoulder reconstruction. Through traffic will be...
All 3 candidates in Kiski Area’s Region I earn nominations
All three cross-filed candidates for Kiski Area School Board’s two Region I seats will appear on the November ballot, if the unofficial vote count from Tuesday’s primary holds up. Two nominations were up for grabs in both the Republican and Democratic primary races. In the GOP race, incumbent Kathleen Snyder...
Westmoreland judge approves settlement of Richard Mellon Scaife trust
A $200 million settlement in a long-fought battle over a 1935 trust left to late philanthropist and newspaper publisher Richard Mellon Scaife was approved in Westmoreland County court Thursday. The approval during a brief hearing before Judge Harry Smail closes the book on a legal entanglement dating back to 2014...
Newcomers Boak, Farkas take top spots in Harmar Supervisors primary races
Two first-time candidates emerged as the top vote-getters in Tuesday’s primary races for the Harmar Board of Supervisors. Two nominations were up for grabs in both the Democratic and Republican races. Samuel Boak collected 228 votes to win the three-way Democratic race, while Neal Farkas picked up 107 votes to...
5 candidates to again appear on ballot in November in Deer Lakes School Board race
All five candidates vying for four spots on the Deer Lakes School Board will appear on the ballot in the general election in November. Incumbent Kristi Minnick and new candidates Brian Brown, Jeremy Love, Jonathan Majernik and Traci Stotler all cross-filed to run on both the Democratic and Republican tickets...
State police: Man ran meth lab out of his home near Smicksburg
State police in Indiana County are preparing charges against a man who allegedly operated a meth lab out of his home near Smicksburg. Officers from the county’s probation department, who were conducting a check at the 39-year-old man’s home Wednesday, contacted state police after they suspected he was making methamphetamine,...
Busy as bees: ‘We need them a lot more than they need us’
Thursday was a busy day for beekeepers, and not just because it was World Bee Day, when people should reflect on the importance of bees and their role as pollinators supporting our food crops and environment. Bill Kopar of Fawn Township, owner of the Kopar Honey Farm, recently has been...
North Huntingdon police freed of mail-delivering duties
The days of North Huntingdon police serving as mail carriers for the seven commissioners are over — a decision prompted by Tuesday’s arrest of an armed murder suspect walking down busy Route 30. Commissioners this week unanimously voted to stop the 30-year practice of having officers deliver township-related mail that...
Fayette man’s rapid control of robotic arm at Pitt lab detailed in ‘Science’
Having the sensation of touch makes quite a difference for Nathan Copeland. The 35-year-old man from Dunbar, Fayette County, lost the sensation and most of the motion in his limbs at 18 when he broke his neck in a car crash. Since 2014, he’s been participating in a study at...
West Mifflin man charged in connection with kidnapping, rape case
A woman spent hours held captive in her ex-boyfriend’s West Mifflin home Wednesday, forced into the basement when police responded to her texts seeking help, according to charges filed Thursday. Demetrius Pirl, 51, faces a slew of charges, including kidnapping, rape, false imprisonment and sexual assault. The ordeal left a...
