Local category, Page 2125
New Kensington-Arnold considers property tax increase to address ‘bleak’ financial picture
New Kensington-Arnold School District’s financial picture for the coming school year looks “bleak,” with officials considering raising taxes and burning through the district’s reserves but still facing a deficit, according to Acting Superintendent Jon Banko. “We’ve been about as fiscally responsible as we possibly could be,” Banko said. “We closed...
Vandals damage Biden, Black Lives Matter signs in GreensburgVideo
Barbara Mabry pulled back the curtain in the front window of her Greensburg home after a car stopped early Thursday and watched as someone vandalized a Black Lives Matter sign in her yard. The person used orange spray paint to mark Xs on both sides of the sign that has...
New Kensington man accused of sexually assaulting 9-year-old girl
A New Kensington man was arraigned this week on charges accusing him of sexually assaulting a girl when she was 9 years old. New Kensington police said Chester Elmer Green Jr., 61, has “vehemently denied” the allegations. He faces felony charges of aggravated indecent assault of a child and corruption...
Delmont library’s ‘soft’ grand opening continues through SaturdayVideo
The new Delmont Public Library building is a tribute to the people who helped build its past and a monument to future possibilities. The library began the first day of a three-day soft grand opening Thursday, spreading out the celebration in light of health and safety concerns over covid-19. Grand...
Free mobile covid testing draws scores of people to North Park swimming pool lotVideo
Scores of people took advantage of Thursday’s sunny, milder weather to get a free covid-19 screening at North Park. The mobile testing site providing free coronavirus screenings was set up in the swimming pool parking lot from 1 to 4 p.m. on Jan. 21. The screenings were done by Curative,...
Norwin-area happenings, Jan. 21 and beyond
Police cars purchased North Huntingdon police will be getting two new police cars this year. Township commissioners approved a payment of $33,185 each for two 2021 Ford police Interceptor Pursuit all-wheel-drive vehicles from Jim Shorkey Auto Group of North Huntingdon. North Huntingdon is buying the cars through the state’s cooperative...
Events in the Murrysville area, Jan. 21 and beyond
Here are news briefs and event listings for the Murrysville Star’s coverage area. Submit an event or a news brief by emailing pvarine@triblive.com. Delmont library to host French program The Delmont Public Library will host a “Love My Library” program on Feb. 13. Or, as the French would say —...
West Leechburg program to honor veterans with Main Street banners
Excitement over an anticipated homecoming reunion turned to horror for West Leechburg’s Natalie Schmidt when she received life-changing news in 2012. Her husband, Army Staff Sgt. Jonathan Schmidt, was killed in action while serving in Afghanistan five days before their 3-year-old son Aiden’s birthday. Jonathan Schmidt, then 28, had been...
Food Podcast: Pittsburgh food bank’s Denny McManus discusses food assistant programs
As the Government Affairs Director for Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Denny McManus has interacted with dozens of elected officials throughout the years. “Oftentimes, government is fairly complicated,” he said. “We can help to simplify those things.” McManus oversees the impact of governmental food assistance programs including The Emergency Food...
Rostraver man charged with attempting to touch police officer with bloody bandage in jail
A Rostraver man was arrested Thursday, charged with trying to touch an officer with a bloody bandage while being dropped off at the Westmoreland County Prison last month, according to court papers. Thomas Welch, 58, whose last known address is in Van Meter, is charged with aggravated harassment by a...
Latrobe sewage rate hike could add to Unity authority customer bills in 2022
Unity Township Municipal Authority will pay more for sewage it sends to Latrobe for treatment. The authority expects it will be able to handle that unanticipated expense this year, but it could affect a rate hike being eyed for Unity customers in 2022. Like other customers whose sewage is treated...
Gateway School Board vows to continue diversity training through district’s equity committee
The Gateway School Board approved a resolution Jan. 19 that urges members to engage in diversity training. The resolution, approved 6-1 with board member Mary Beth Cirucci abstaining, was drafted by board member Scott Gallagher. He said he hopes it will lead to better interaction with the district’s equity committee...
Pittsburgh’s Peduto among mayors asking new administration for financial relief
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto is among the more than 280 mayors calling on congressional leaders to “take immediate action” on coronavirus relief legislation proposed by President Joe Biden. The legislation, called the American Rescue Plan, would provide $350 billion to state and local governments. “Providing direct, flexible aid to cities...
Hempfield Area School District to create educational equity committeeVideo
The Hempfield Area School District plans to establish an educational equity committee to address gaps in student achievement. The committee will have two main goals: Identify and address barriers that impede student achievement or opportunity gaps and address explicit or implicit bias that impacts educational achievement, according to Superintendent Tammy...
Highlands agrees to state cap on any property tax increase
Highlands School District will not increase its property tax rate by more than its state-imposed limit for next school year. The school board certified this week that the district will not increase property taxes by more than 4.3%, the inflation limit set for the district by the state under Act...
New Kensington police say man seen driving stolen car threatened to kill officers, their families
A man from Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood was sent to Westmoreland County Prison without bail Wednesday because police said he threatened to kill police officers and their families as soon as he gets out of jail. New Kensington police said they arrested Daevar Lamont Stevens, 21, about 7 p.m. Tuesday after...
Charges filed in Penn-Trafford area, week of Jan. 18
Charges filed with Penn Township District Judge Helen Kistler. All persons charged have the right to a preliminary hearing and are innocent until proven guilty or pleading guilty before a judge in the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas. • Michael D. McNeely, 48, of Pittsburgh, by Penn Township police...
On 6th go round, Pine supervisors reappoint Dennehy as board chairman
It took two meetings and half a dozen roll call votes, but Pine’s board of supervisors have elected a chairman. Supervisor Michael Dennehy was re-elected unanimously to a one-year term in the leadership position during the Jan. 20 board meeting. Dennehy began serving on the board in 2000 and has...
Westmoreland County adds 107 covid cases, 4 deaths
Westmoreland County on Thursday added 107 additional covid cases and four deaths, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported. The newly-reported deaths now bring the county’s death toll to 557. There have been 134 deaths attributed to the disease reported this month in the county. The total number of cases in...
Wendy Bell headed back to radio on WJAS Pittsburgh
Wendy Bell, the radio host let go by KDKA last fall, is joining WJAS Pittsburgh. She announced her new position in a Facebook post Wednesday. “America needs common-sense conservatism,” she wrote. JD Turco, senior vice president at St. Barnabas Broadcasting, which bought WJAS in November, confirmed Thursday that Bell will...
As covid crisis deepens, opioid crisis continues in the background
As President Joe Biden settles into office amid the coronavirus pandemic, nonprofits and organizations battling drug addiction are urging the new administration not to lose sight of the national opioid crisis that predates covid-19 and has not slowed. “At the same time the coronavirus death toll grows, there is another...
Shapiro: Stimulus payments delayed for those who used tax preparation companies
Pennsylvania residents who had their federal income tax returns prepared by a company may see a delay in receiving their stimulus checks. Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Thursday that when companies like H&R Block and Intuit prepare a person’s taxes, they use temporary bank accounts. This caused a problem in...
Woman in critical condition after Stowe shooting
A woman was shot in the head Thursday morning in Stowe, according to police. A 911 call around 8:16 a.m. led police to an alley behind Broadway Avenue, where they found a woman who’d been shot in the head, according to Allegheny County police. The woman, who authorities did not...
Fox Chapel residents affected by ‘Squaw’ road name changes will be compensated
Fox Chapel residents who are impacted by the impending name change of Squaw Run Road and Squaw Run East will get $250 from borough tax dollars to offset costs and compensate them for inconveniences. Council on Jan. 18 approved the stipend, saying anyone who can prove financial hardship will be...
Bernie Sanders memes take over the internet during, after inauguration
Bernie Sanders may not have stolen the show during Wednesday’s presidential inauguration. But he clearly won the internet. At President Joe Biden’s inauguration, a few moments stood out among the festivities: the poem recited by 22-year-old Amanda Gorman, the collage of colorful coats worn by all the women involved in...
