Local category, Page 2065
Greensburg looking to bolster its police dog unit
Greensburg plans to add two police dogs to its roster. The police department previously had two dogs. One, Dax, retired last year, and died soon after at 13. The other, Falco, is nearing retirement age. City council will start the process of acquiring two dogs Monday with a vote on...
Greensburg offers free lifeguard certification course to boost lagging recruitment
A good lifeguard is hard to find, which is why Greensburg’s recreation department is offering free lifeguard certification courses as a new recruitment tool. “We had a difficult time in general getting kids to apply for the jobs,” said Trudy Ivory, former recreation facilities manager for the city. Ivory retired...
Virtual tribute will celebrate Mister Rogers’ 93rd birthday
One of Latrobe’s favorite sons, Fred Rogers, would have turned 93 on March 20, and a virtual celebration on his birthday will feature singers and songwriters from across the country. The celebration of Mister Rogers will be livestreamed beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday at ThankYouMisterRogers.com. It also will appear on...
Allegheny County adds 288 covid cases, 9 deaths
Allegheny County on Friday reported 288 additional cases of covid-19, bringing the total to 77,803 since the pandemic began. The county’s seven-day case average, currently at 238, has remained below 300 cases since Feb. 9. Of the new cases, 185 were confirmed via 864 new PCR tests and 103 are...
Help wanted: Wigle Whiskey is filling 99 positions
Looking for a job? Wigle Whiskey posted via social media it is planning to fill 99 positions over the next nine weeks. “We are definitely in rebuilding mode,” said Meredith Meyer Grelli, co-owner of Wigle Distillery and Threadbare Cider & Mead, an award-winning craft distillery. The concept of “99 jobs”...
New director at Etna Community Organization demonstrates commitment to the borough
Armed with a passion for her small river town and a desire for its revitalization, Megan Tunon has taken the lead at the Etna Community Organization. A seven-year resident of the borough who also serves on council, Tunon hopes to advance projects of the Etna EcoDistrict and expand on the...
Semper Gratus charity 5K race returns to West Leechburg
The Shamrock Shuffle race is back and scheduled for March 13 in West Leechburg. The annual 5K race/one-mile walk by the nonprofit Semper Gratus will return this year, about a year after the 2020 race was postponed and ultimately canceled because of the covid-19 pandemic. “Our efforts as an organization...
That old shovel in the shed could be part of a giant pine cone sculpture for Tree Pittsburgh
Tree Pittsburgh is asking for donations of garden-related tools — particularly shovels and wheelbarrows — for a massive pine cone sculpture. The sculpture, expected to be 8 feet high, will commemorate the nonprofit’s 15th anniversary. Tree Pittsburgh is an environmental group dedicated to restoring and protecting urban forests in the...
The Stroller, March 5, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Valley News Dispatch will publish a list of community Easter egg hunts and activities. To have an event listed online and in the print edition, send the information as soon as possible to The Stroller, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Fourth Ave., Tarentum PA 15084 or email Carol Pinto-Smith; email...
Mt. Pleasant man arrested after police say he fled in stolen truck that later was set on fire
State police say a Mt. Pleasant Township man stole a pickup truck and led police on a 20-mile pursuit early Thursday. Seth G. Klingensmith, 24, of Acme, was arrested in Youngwood close to where the stolen 2010 Chevrolet Colorado was abandoned about 6:20 a.m. and believed to have been torched....
Allegheny County Jail administration defends covid-19 testing policy
Allegheny County Jail officials defended their handling of the covid-19 pandemic during Thursday’s oversight board meeting. Chief Deputy Warden Laura Williams told the board that there have been 2,163 inmates tested at the jail since March 2020. Of those, 287 have tested positive. According to Williams, 42 inmates are currently...
Mayor Bill Peduto, challenger Tony Moreno agree to run civil campaign; Ed Gainey silent on issue
Pittsburgh mayoral candidate Tony Moreno took to Facebook with a challenge Thursday, asking his competitors to be civil, during the campaign. Moreno, 51, of Brighton Heights is a retired Pittsburgh police officer. He’s running against incumbent Mayor Bill Peduto, 56, of Point Breeze and five-term state Rep. Ed Gainey, 51,...
Pittsburgh Public Safety promotes firefighters, EMS personnel
Pittsburgh Public Safety officials held ceremonies Thursday to promote and swear in a number of men and women in the bureaus of fire and EMS. The ceremonies were held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, a venue necessary to allow for social distancing. Promotions included four to the rank...
Owner vows to rebuild after losing his Upper Burrell mobile home in a blaze
An Upper Burrell couple was left homeless Thursday when fire raced through their mobile home on Amy Lane. Neither the couple, their pets nor any firefighters were reported to have been injured. Shortly after Larry Sieff turned on his hot water tank, he saw smoke in his kitchen and found...
Blawnox launches Adopt-A-Block program to keep borough clean
Blawnox is launching a new beautification program in the weeks leading up to Earth Day. Adopt-A-Block is a volunteer initiative designed to rid the streets of litter and other debris. Spearheaded by residents Casey Cunningham and Leah Krenn, it is a simple way to show community pride, the duo said....
Bridgeville man pleads guilty to federal child porn charges
A Bridgeville man pleaded guilty in federal court to child pornography charges. Paul Chretien, 66, pleaded guilty to charges of distribution of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced Thursday. He...
Penn Township man jailed after 19-hour standoff
A Penn Township man peacefully surrendered to police Thursday after a state police special response team took action to end a standoff that began a night earlier, authorities said. James Kassimatis, 51, came out of his Center Street house in Harrison City around 2 p.m., township police Chief John Otto...
Appointments filled after Giant Eagle extends Heinz Field covid vaccine clinic
Appointments for the covid vaccine clinic at Heinz Field next week have been filled, only hours after becoming available. Giant Eagle announced it would extend its covid-19 vaccination clinic at Heinz Field “after receiving an overwhelmingly positive response” this week. The chain made more appointments available to eligible individuals for...
Police: Remains found near VA Hospital in Oakland
Pittsburgh police are investigating after remains were found Thursday morning in Oakland, officials said. Officers received a call just before 10 a.m. about possible remains found on Brackenridge Street near the Oakland VA Hospital, said Public Safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz. Detectives arrived and found bone fragments in the street, Cruz...
Washington Township man in his 80s homeless after fire destroys mobile home
A Washington Township man in his 80s was displaced Thursday morning when fire destroyed the George Drive mobile home in which he lived alone. Washington Township Volunteer Fire Company Chief Clayton Murphy said the fire in the 300 block of rural George Drive started around 10:30 a.m. The occupant of...
Franklin Regional Unified Club celebrates Special Olympics fundraising with ‘Cool School Plunge’Video
After raising more than $6,000 for Special Olympics Pennsylvania, members of the Franklin Regional Unified Club were ready to celebrate. Typically, that celebration takes the form of the annual Polar Plunge held at Heinz Field and pitting kids and adults alike against the shattering cold of Western Pennsylvania water in...
‘Pink hat lady’ indicted on charges stemming from Capitol insurrection
A Mercer County woman charged with breaching the Capitol during riots there on Jan. 6 has been formally indicted. A federal grand jury sitting in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday returned eight counts against Rachel Powell, 40, of Sandy Lake, including obstruction; destruction of government property; entering a restricted building with...
More than half of Penn Hills School District students choose new, 4-day learning model
All Penn Hills students now have the option to go to school four days a week. The school district of nearly 3,300 students has been operating under a hybrid learning model since the beginning of the school year — with two groups of students alternating in-person instruction every two days....
Delmont woman accused of stealing prescription pills from pharmacy
A Delmont woman was arrested Wednesday on charges of stealing prescription medication from the pharmacy where she worked, according to the state attorney general’s office. Hannah N. Rosensteel, 26, was arraigned on multiple counts of illegal acquisition of controlled substances and illegal possession of controlled substances and one count of...
Accused drug supplier seeks bail nearly 4 years after arrest
A Westmoreland County judge is once again considering whether to set bail for a Clairton man who has been in jail nearly four years awaiting trial. Lindsey R. Wright, 41, was arrested in May 2017 on corrupt organization, conspiracy and drug offenses. Investigators have deemed him an alleged “major” drug...
