Western PA Local News category, Page 2174
Land donation from conservation group increases size of Hampton portion of North ParkVideo
About 20 acres of woodlands consisting of three plots is being added to the section of North Park in Hampton Township through a donation by the Allegheny Land Trust, according to officials with the nonprofit conservation group. The land being added to the park was purchased by the Land Trust...
Icy stream along Wildwood Road in Hampton fits the bill for birds seeking food, fun
A gaggle of geese congregated in a shallow tributary of Pine Creek along Wildwood Road in Hampton on Tuesday, Feb. 2. Many of the geese were busy dipping their bills into the partially frozen stream in search of food while others were content to spend the morning bathing and splashing...
Pittsburgh councilman moves to declare ‘state of educational emergency’ in the city
A Pittsburgh councilman is moving forward with an effort to address what he terms “a state of emergency” in the public school system. “We need to have a joint response to react to this emergency,” Councilman Ricky Burgess of North Point Breeze said Tuesday. “It’s going to take all of...
Monroeville man pleads not guilty in animal fighting case
A Monroeville man is heading to county court facing 28 charges related to dog fighting. Davon Carter “Big Boy” Williams, 32, pleaded not guilty during a preliminary hearing Jan. 25, according to a transcript of the event. The charges stem from three separate dog fights that Monroeville and Allegheny County...
National Alliance on Mental Illness will host youth-focused virtual conference Friday
As Christine Michaels, CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ Keystone Pennsylvania chapter, prepares for the group’s first virtual conference on Friday, she can’t help but think of her own family. This year’s conference, “Closing the Gap: Prioritizing the Needs of Traumatized Youth,” will focus on the impact that...
Pittsburgh police: Man found dead in Downtown alley after falling from building
Updated: Police on Thursday identified the man as Howard Letcher, 45, of Espyville. Authorities are investigating after police say a man fell off a building at about noon Tuesday in Downtown Pittsburgh. Police and paramedics responded to the call at about 12:15 p.m. for a man who had fallen several...
Penn-Trafford-Jeannette covid cases tallied for week of Feb. 2, 2021
Covid cases in the Penn-Trafford-Jeannette area continued to drop over the last week, with 27 new cases in the seven-day period ending Feb. 2, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Since the pandemic began in March, the six ZIP codes covering most of the three communities have...
Covid figures tallied for the week of Feb. 2, 2021, for Murrysville area
The most recent data from the state Department of Health shows 1,171 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Murrysville area since the pandemic started in March. Of those positive results, 65 cases were reported in the past seven days. The health department on Monday released figures for the three ZIP...
Loyalhanna Township man charged with possessing child pornography
Working on a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, state police troopers seized a Loyalhanna Township man’s cell phone and arrested him Monday on child pornography charges, according to court records. John E. Zanandrea, 56, was arraigned on charges of criminal use of a communication facility,...
Millions of dollars earmarked to help renters in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County
Help is in the works for the thousands of households in Allegheny County that can’t afford to pay rent because of the covid-19 pandemic. “People continue to struggle,” Action Housing general counsel Kyle Webster said Tuesday, when Pittsburgh City Council took the first step toward establishing a program to help....
Lawsuit alleges prison guards sexually abused Fayette County inmate
An inmate at SCI Fayette is suing five officers, alleging they sexually abused him and then forced him to cut off his dreadlocks in retaliation when he complained. Abdul Murray, 40, has been at the state prison in La Belle since June 2015 and served as a block worker and...
Westmoreland County nears 25,000 covid cases with Tuesday’s additions
Westmoreland County had an additional 117 covid cases Tuesday, according to the state Department of Health. The newly reported cases continue a recent trend in the county. In the past 14 days, Westmoreland County has seen seven days with newly reported cases below 100, and seven days with more than...
Allegheny County reports 8 covid deaths, including a person in their 20s
Allegheny County reported eight additional covid deaths Tuesday, one of which was an individual in their 20s, according to the county Health Department. In addition to the person in their 20s, the age breakdown of new covid-related deaths was a person in their 50s, two in their 60s, two in...
Bradshaw, Bettis attempt Immaculate Reception for Super Bowl commercialVideo
It looks like the Steelers made it to Super Bowl LV after all. Well, a couple of former Steelers at least. Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw and Jerome Bettis are among a bevy of former NFL stars making up the large ensemble cast of a Frito-Lay commercial premiering during Sunday’s...
National mask mandate that covers public transportation goes into effect
If you’re not wearing a mask, you’re not going to be able use public transportation or fly out of Pittsburgh International Airport, under an executive order President Biden issued that goes into effect today. Wearing masks as a protective measure during the coronavirus pandemic has been required since May 2020...
Animal Friends has 2 new Humane Society police officers
Two Humane Society police officers, Justin Galvin and Krista Koontz, were officially sworn in as Allegheny County Humane Society police officers on Jan. 25, according to a release from Animal Friends. Koontz and Galvin will serve Allegheny County as members of Animal Friends’ Humane Investigations team. Among the many programs...
Artist Baron Batch selected as resident artist to new gallery in SouthSide Works
Artist Baron Batch will bring his works to life on Pittsburgh’s South Side. Batch has teamed with SomeraRoad, the ownership group redeveloping the SouthSide Works, to be the artist for “The Residency,” an initiative that features an interactive gallery with a focus on community programming. The gallery is expected to...
Longtime member Jeff Stephens takes reins at Blawnox Volunteer Fire Company
As the Blawnox Volunteer Fire Company nears its 100th anniversary, members have elected a new chief — one who has served nearly half of the department’s existence. Jeff Stephens, a 42-year member, was elected in January to a two-year term after longtime head George McBriar retired. “I would like to...
Sharpsburg considering volunteer litter program to beautify streets
Sharpsburg councilman Jon Jaso wants residents to walk the walk when it comes to keeping the borough clean. He is spearheading an Adopt-a-Street program where volunteers would pledge to rid litter from a section of borough roads. “They would have to do a cleanup once a quarter, or more if...
Pittsburgh Public Schools eyes closure of schools as it reassesses footprint
Pittsburgh Public Schools announced Monday that it is recommending the closure of seven schools and six buildings, along with the creation of two new schools. The schools that could close are: Miller PreK-5 in the Hill District, Fulton PreK-5 in Highland Park, Woolslair PreK-5 and Arsenal 6-8 in Lawrenceville and...
Police log: Theft, trespassing, drug possession among recent charges filed in Monroeville
Monroeville police filed the following charges recently with District Judge Jeffrey L. Herbst. Charges were filed by Monroeville police unless otherwise noted: • Jennifer Harshman, 33, with resisting arrest, defiant trespassing and possession of drug paraphernalia. Charges were filed Dec. 25 in connection with an incident along the 2700 block...
Cases of child corruption handled by District Judge Regis Welsh in Sharpsburg
The following cases were handled recently by District Judge Regis Welsh in Sharpsburg: • Kelshon Lovelace, 19, of Pittsburgh waived to court charges of corruption of minors. The charges were filed Dec. 14 by O’Hara police. • Shaylon Pinkston, 21, of Pittsburgh was held for court on charges of corruption...
Fleeing, escape, DUIs among charges recently handled by Monroeville judge Jeffrey Herbst
Monroeville District Court Judge Jeffrey Herbst handled these cases recently. Defendants will have court dates set in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Charges were filed by Monroeville police unless otherwise noted. Held for court • Shaquawn Cole, 24, of Rankin on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude...
The Stroller, Feb. 2, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Stroller is compiling a list of fish fries taking place Ash Wednesday and/or Fridays during Lent. To your non-profit’s fish fry listed in the paper and online, send complete information in writing to Carol Pinto-Smith, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum, PA 15084 or email cpinto-smith@triblive.com. HOPE Center...
George Romero documentary to debut Thursday
Zombies are as much a part of Pittsburgh’s cultural cachet as the Steelers and Primanti’s sandwiches. And we have George Romero to thank for that. The father of the modern zombie film, who began creating his horror classics in the Steel City in the late 1960s, is the subject of...
