Local category, Page 2087
Lenten message delivered across Lower Valley, with or without ashes
Christians who were unable to get ashes swabbed across their forehead to celebrate the start of Lent shouldn’t despair. Ash Wednesday, with or without the black ashes, kicks off a season inner reflection and repentance, according to the Rev. Jim Gretz, the pastor of St. Matthew Parish. “I have always...
Dog license fee hike would address Pennsylvania bureau’s budget shortfall
Pennsylvania could regain the dubious moniker as the nation’s puppy mill capital without a hike in the state’s dog license fees this year, Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding warned Wednesday. He joined two state lawmakers and Gisele Fetterman, wife of Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, seeking support for an annual...
Criminal charges dropped in case involving woman who sued Churchill police
Criminal charges have been dismissed against a woman who had an encounter with a Churchill police officer while taking a walk. She said the 2019 incident left her handcuffed and briefly detained. Rebecca Suits, 60, of Boise, Idaho, was visiting her godmother in Wilkinsburg when she went for a walk...
Allegheny Valley School District to return to in-person instruction 4 days a week
Allegheny Valley School District students will be able to return to in-person learning four days a week beginning Monday, March 8. The school board voted 7-1 in favor of bringing students in kindergarten through 12th grade back to school four days a week after impassioned arguments supporting the move from...
Allegiant Air announces flights between Pittsburgh, Key West
Allegiant Air will debut nonstop flights between Pittsburgh International Airport and Key West, Fla., beginning June 3. “From the historic sights at Dry Tortugas National Park to the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, Pittsburgh visitors have a lot to explore in Key West,” Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of...
Fayette man’s Virginia confession results in guilty plea to sex charges
A former Fayette County man will serve up to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a girl 20 years ago. Lawrence Wesley Henry Jr., 50, formerly of Normalville and East Huntingdon, will serve his prison sentence in Virginia, where he first confessed to his crime in Westmoreland County following...
Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority seeking blighted properties for demolition
The Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority has a significant chunk of money to help clear blight from communities. Now officials just need vacant buildings with the potential for demolition, said Brian Lawrence, executive director. “It is an essential thing that we have to face in our communities,” he said. The countywide...
Port Authority to discuss transit improvement ideas at community meetings
Port Authority will host a series of public meetings in the coming weeks to discuss NEXTransit, the service’s plan for improving Allegheny County transit. There will be four meetings in total: at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Feb. 25, and at 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on March 2....
Gateway School District officials discuss potential return to 5-day, in-person instruction
The Gateway School District is working toward getting students back into school five days a week by the end of March or early April, depending on grade levels. Superintendent Bill Short said during the school board’s Feb. 16 meeting that a survey would go out to families Feb. 22 to...
Judge rules against Crack’d Egg restaurant: ‘They’ve largely chosen their fate here’
An Allegheny County judge said that the owners of the Crack’d Egg have “largely chosen their fate,” by remaining closed rather than comply with a covid-19 masking order. Common Pleas Judge John McVay on Wednesday denied the Brentwood restaurant’s request to stay an order he issued earlier this month requiring...
Westmoreland County sees 4 additional covid deaths, cases steady
Westmoreland County on Wednesday added four new covid deaths, after two days with none, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The total number of covid deaths in the county now stands at 652 since the pandemic started last March. There have been 47 reported deaths in February....
Excela starting to offer covid vaccines to public when available; most staffers immunized
About 70% of Excela Health’s staff are immunized against the coronavirus and a limited number of appointments are periodically being opened to community members who meet the state’s guidelines. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carol Fox said the health system late last week opened appointments on its website to people over...
Westmoreland news includes craft show, scholarship application deadline
Festival • The Fort Armstrong Folk Festival, planned for Aug. 5-8, in Kittanning, is accepting space applications from vendors. Hours of operation will be 5 to 10 p.m. Aug. 5, noon to 10 p.m. Aug. 6 and 7, and noon to 6 p.m. Aug. 8. Vendors in the artists market...
Allegheny County reports 26 new coronavirus deaths
Allegheny County on Wednesday reported 26 new coronavirus deaths and 215 additional coronavirus cases. The newly reported deaths is a spike in the county data, but most days in February have reported a low number of deaths. Eight or fewer deaths have been recorded on 12 days this month. That...
Here are some spots for Allegheny County fish fries
The annual Lenten fish fries may look a little different this year because of the pandemic. There will be no indoor dining, but meals will be available for takeout and delivery. Here are some places to enjoy meatless Fridays in Allegheny County. CHURCHES Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church,...
Sharpsburg police training aimed at strengthening community relations
A police training session this week in Sharpsburg is aimed at boosting rapport and trust with the community and increasing confidence in officers, Chief Tom Stelitano said. Developed by IUP Police Academy, the eight-hour class is titled “Principled Criminal Justice and Police Legitimacy.” It will be from 9 a.m. to...
Gateway School Board appoints, swears in Robin Mungo to fill vacant seat
A longtime Monroeville resident and Gateway graduate was sworn in as the school district’s newest member on Feb. 16 after being appointed last week. Robin Mungo, 52, will fill a spot on the nine-member board that has been vacant since Jan. 7, when Paul Caliari stepped down following a racially...
New covid cases for Penn-Trafford-Jeannette area tallied for week ending Feb. 16, 2021
The number of new confirmed covid cases in the Penn-Trafford-Jeannette area held steady this week, with 30 new cases in the seven-day period ending Feb. 16 — the same as the week prior — according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Since the pandemic began in March, the...
Unity panel hears neighbor complaints, zoning appeal concerning backyard chickens
Neighbors complained about noise and odor from backyard chickens in Unity Tuesday as the owners concluded their testimony in pursuit of a zoning variance needed to keep the birds. Kristin and Jeff Kuhns are appealing a July 13 ruling by township zoning officer Harry Hosack that they can’t keep a...
Blackburn Center in Greensburg offers online training for violence hotline volunteers
The Blackburn Center in Greensburg is offering training for those interested in volunteering for the organization’s hotline that receives calls from victims of domestic and sexual violence. The 12-week training session, which begins March 8, teaches prospective volunteers skills needed to answer calls on the 24/7 hotline while also teaching...
Carnegie partners with Meter Feeder to digitize street parking
People parking in Carnegie can now manage their meters remotely by using an app. The borough’s council recently approved a contract with Meter Feeder, a tech company based in Braddock. The app allows people to pay for parking tickets and metered spaces through their smartphones. It is available to download...
Baldwin’s Blessed Trinity Parish holding food distribution instead of Lenten fish fry
Blessed Trinity Parish will host a food distribution at its Baldwin church this month in lieu of its traditional Lenten fish fry. The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26 outside St. Albert the Great Church, 3198 Schieck St. The parish partnered with the Greater...
Divine Redeemer Parish in Sewickley to offer fish fry takeout for Lent
Volunteers at Divine Redeemer Parish in Sewickley are eager to hear the sizzle of fish in the fryers on Fridays during Lent. “We wanted to get some normalcy back to the parish,” said Karin Masterani, parish office manager. “It’s part of the Catholic tradition.” All fish fries within the Catholic...
More snow on the way for Western Pa., which has already seen twice as much as usual
More than twice as much snow as usual has dropped on the Pittsburgh region this year, and more is on the way. The National Weather Service station in Moon recorded 52 inches of snow between Dec. 1 and Feb. 16. In an average year, the region receives 25.6 inches of...
Condado Tacos invites local artists to paint at South Hills spotVideo
A painting of icon Andy Warhol can be seen crawling out of a grave, spray cans in his hands. A zombie hovers above. On the other side of the room trolley cars appear to be rolling by South Hills Junction. The city of Pittsburgh appears in the background. Across the...
