Western PA Local News category, Page 2095
Video: Conor Lamb discusses Biden’s Pittsburgh visit, Capitol securityVideo
President Joe Biden is saying the outlook for the country’s economy is looking brighter thanks to the recently passed $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package, the American Rescue Plan. Critics say the plan is a waste of money and many citizens don’t know exactly where the money is going. The president...
Millvale police Officer Joe Spalick credits training, teamwork in fire rescue
Millvale police Officer Joe Spalick acted on pure adrenaline when he helped rescue three people from a fully engulfed house fire Monday afternoon. “I was the first one on the scene, and I instantly saw the front porch in flames and thick black smoke all through the house,” Spalick said...
Aspinwall seeking volunteers to make borough greener, cleaner
Greener and cleaner is the aim of Aspinwall’s spring litter collection, scheduled from April 23 to 25 to celebrate Earth Day. “Green Streets” is a decade-long effort that relies on volunteers to make the trash pickup a success. “This is a family-friendly volunteer opportunity that allows Aspinwall residents to take...
Ligonier area dam removed; trout stream to be restoredVideo
A 1940s-era reservoir that once held close to 7 million gallons of drinking water for the Ligonier-Laughlintown areas is empty. A New Kensington company is removing the dam — a project that eventually will allow the stream that fed the reservoir to be rechanneled so it flows freely into a...
Sharpsburg launches Adopt-A-Block program to keep borough clean
Sharpsburg residents can step up to keep the community clean, “adopting” their own little piece of the borough. Council on March 25 approved an Adopt-A-Block program through which residents and business owners can sign up to rid litter from a particular stretch of road for at least a year. “I...
Pittsburgh officials endorse legislation to expand voting rights, condemn attacks on transgender athletes
Pittsburgh City Council members Tuesday formally urged federal and state officials to protect voting rights and denounced attempts to prohibit transgender athletes from participating in scholastic and collegiate sports. Council members unanimously passed actions sponsored by council members Corey O’Connor and Erika Strassburger. O’Connor’s measure asks Pennsylvania’s U.S. Sens. Bob...
Hempfield man accused of attempting to break out of Westmoreland jail
A Hempfield man jailed in connection with an alleged domestic assault is accused by police of using wheelchair arms to pry off the metal frame of a window at the Westmoreland County Prison, according to county detectives. Jule A. Mascherma, 33, is charged with attempted escape, institutional vandalism and making...
3 Pittsburgh residents accused in $1M fraud scheme targeting pandemic unemployment
Three Pittsburgh residents face felony charges in connection with a scheme that defrauded Pennsylvania of nearly $1 million worth of pandemic-related unemployment relief, according to charges filed by the state Attorney General’s Office. Linda Slade, 51, of Westwood; Rochelle Oaks, 66, of Perry South; and Keith Brown, 53, of Brighton...
Allegheny Freedom Works inaugural Easter egg hunt draws crowd despite rain
There were rain clouds high above the participants of the inaugural Allegheny Freedom Works Easter egg hunt March 28. Officials said it did not dampen the spirits of participants, as more than 1,000 eggs with various treats were scattered for young scavengers to find. Hundreds of families from Plum and...
Burglary, drugs among charges handled by Monroeville Judge Jeffrey Herbst on March 22, 2021
Monroeville District Judge Jeffrey L. Herbst handled these cases March 22, 2021. Defendants will have court dates set in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. All charges were filed by Monroeville police. Held for court • Michael P. Evans, 60, of Penn Hills on charges of burglary and two...
Police log: Drug possession, traffic violations among charges filed by Monroeville police March 16-19, 2021
The following charges were filed March 16-19, 2021, with Monroeville District Judge Jeffrey L. Herbst. All charges were filed by Monroeville police unless otherwise noted: • Brendan Shropshire-Simpson, 22, of Pitcairn with simple assault and harassment. The charges were filed by Pitcairn police on March 16 in connection with an...
Latrobe bridge set for rehabilitation
A bridge in Latrobe is set for rehabilitation this year after the county commissioners on Monday approved a $2.4 million project. Brewery Bridge carries Ligonier Street over Loyalhanna Creek near City Brewing and Excela Health Latrobe Hospital. County engineer Vaughn Neill said the project is funded mostly by a federal...
United Steelworkers begin strike at Allegheny Technologies, Inc.; reject’s ATI’s last-minute counter offerVideo
The United Steelworkers began a strike against Allegheny Technologies Inc. on Tuesday, marking the first such action against the company in nearly three decades. Some workers have been with the company long enough to remember the last strike 27 years ago, but Harrison’s Jeff Allenberg, 41, was hired at ATI’s...
Woman hurt in South Huntingdon crash
A Finleyville woman was hurt in a one-vehicle crash early Tuesday in South Huntingdon, according to state police. Barbara M. Hadbavny, 60, was traveling on Route 31 at 1:30 a.m. when troopers said her vehicle crashed into a culvert and flipped over near Turkeytown Road. The crash resulted in significant...
United Steelworkers set strike date at ATI facilities
The United Steelworkers union announced Friday it will start a strike at Allegheny Technologies Inc. next week. The union said it informed ATI it will strike over what it calls unfair labor practices beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday. “We have provided the notice to ATI to ensure an orderly and...
Rising lumber prices a pain in the pocketbook, push new house prices up $24,000
In 40 years of building homes in Westmoreland, Allegheny and southern Butler counties, Ray Snoznik, owner of R.A. Snoznik Construction Inc. of Murrysville, never has seen such a jump in lumber prices in one year. “It’s up 188% from last year. We’re trying to adjust (to the price hike), but...
Youngstown, Whitney-Hostetter fire departments complete merger
The Whitney-Hostetter Volunteer Fire Department will cease operations as it merges with the nearby Youngstown fire department, officials announced Monday. The newly formed Youngstown-Whitney Volunteer Fire Department will continue to be known as Station 39. The merger, announced on the Youngstown department’s Facebook page, was a years-long process, according to...
Relief on soaring lumber prices unlikely until at least fall
The demand for lumber is outstripping supply, pushing lumber prices up and, in turn, raising the the price of a typical new home by $24,000. This “perfect storm” of factors will not let up in the short term, according to a chief economist for a national building association. “Lumber prices...
Pittsburgh police investigate shootings in Hill District, Larimer
Pittsburgh police are investigating two shootings that happened Monday, one of which left a man in critical condition, authorities said. Officers responded just after 11 p.m. to the 2200 block of Webster Avenue in the Hill District where they found a man shot in the back. He was transported to...
The Stroller, March 30, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your club meetings, events and fundraisers in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Lower Burrell to host Easter Bunny drive-thru An Easter Bunny Drive-Thru for children in prekindergarten through third grade will be by appointment from 10...
Allegheny County and Pennsylvania see highest covid hospitalizations in a month
Covid hospitalizations on Tuesday continued to increase in Allegheny County and Pennsylvania, according to state data, reaching levels previously reached a month ago. Pennsylvania The number of covid-19 patients hospitalized in the state grew to 1,980 on Tuesday, the 10th consecutive day hospitalizations have increased. It was the most people...
Police: Man shot in leg in Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood
A man was taken to a hospital in stable condition after being shot in the leg in Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood. Public Safety spokesperson Cara Cruz said officers responded to reports of a man shot around 8:30 p.m. Monday along the 200 block of Larimer Avenue. Police located the victim inside...
Whitehall Fire Department adds junior program to enlist young members
Caelan Austin of Whitehall hopes to follow in his grandfather’s firefighter footsteps. The 16-year-old has a solid head start as the borough’s first junior firefighter. “I’ve always had an interest in it, and always wanted to help out the community and serve the community,” Caelan said. “I’m excited, happy, a...
Plum VFD plans to replace aging rescue truck, needs borough funds
Officials at Unity Volunteer Fire Department in Plum need borough funding to replace an aging rescue truck. The current vehicle is 21 years old with a rusting frame and is expected to be put out of service within the year. “It is not structurally acceptable to give to somebody else...
New North Huntingdon-Irwin area covid cases down slightly
The number of new confirmed covid cases in the North Huntingdon-Irwin-North Irwin area dipped slightly from March 22 to 29, compared to the previous seven-day period, according to data released Monday by the state Department of Health. There were 47 new confirmed cases in the four ZIP codes covering most...
