North Huntingdon plans 3.5-mill tax hike
North Huntingdon officials plan to raise real estate taxes by 3.5 mills in 2026 to balance a general fund budget of $15.8 million, a tax increase they said is necessary to fund ongoing operations and projects now that federal covid funds have been exhausted. Without the tax hike, the township would...
Pine celebrates SilverSneakers instructor for being named a finalist for national award
Pine Township’s SilverSneakers instructor Leslie Basilone was honored for being named a finalist for the SilverSneakers Member of the Year Inspiration Award in a ceremony Nov. 7 at the Pine Community Center. SilverSneakers, a leading fitness program for older adults, established the Inspiration Award to celebrate individuals who demonstrate perseverance,...
Swung vases see upswing in value among fans of mid-century modern collectiblesVideo
If someone admires your nubby butt, don’t take it personally — but do take it as a compliment. Chances are, they’re among enthusiasts who are paying as much as four figures for swung vases. Available in a variety of colors, this elongated style of handmade glassware first gained popularity in...
Westmoreland happenings: Light Up Latrobe, blood drive, Christmas market, more
Christmas event • The annual Light Up Latrobe and Holiday Night Market will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4 in James H. Rogers Memorial Park, behind the Latrobe Art Center. There will be a holiday trolley, arts and crafts, carolers and a tree lighting ceremony at 7 p.m....
Vaccination rates in schools cause concern for parents, medical professionals
Lucas James relies on others to be vaccinated because, for now, he can’t be. A leukemia patient and stem cell transplant recipient, Lucas, 16, of Hempfield receives intravenous antibody treatments to help him rebuild his immune system. “(Doctors) said he may never be able to be vaccinated again if his...
Firearm deer season opens in the state, hunters flock to new Indiana Township game lands
Planning, preparation and patience are keys to a successful hunt, according to outdoorsman Greg Luce. A little luck doesn’t hurt either, as Luce proved on Saturday. Hunting in the recently opened state game lands in Indiana Township, Luce found himself about 30 yards from a large doe, roughly 160 pounds....
More than 2,000 turn out for Pine’s annual Holiday Dazzle festivities
The Pine Community Center was packed on Nov. 15 forthe township’s annual Holiday Dazzle celebration. The family-friendly event kicked off the holiday season with festive lights, live entertainment and activities for all ages. More than 2,000 attendees joined the festivities. Families enjoyed everything from train rides and horse-drawn carriage rides...
Richland taxes remain unchanged in proposed 2026 budget
Richland residents will see their property taxes hold steady for another year, according to the proposed 2026 budget. The township’s supervisors are scheduled to vote on it at their Dec. 17 meeting. For 2026, a millage rate of 2.696 mills is levied on all commercial, residential and nonexempt real property....
Westmoreland hunters find success in woods on opening day of rifle season
Just before 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Don Henry heard branches cracking near his hunting blinds in the woods near New Alexandria. Henry, 46, of Unity had spooked about a half-dozen doe. “I didn’t have long to shoot,” he said. But Henry managed to fell one of the largest of the group...
Elizabeth Twp. fire chief: ‘We need to know the hydrants are going to work.’ Firefighters battle house fire despite hydrant failure
Firefighters in Elizabeth Township say they spent more than four hours at the scene of a house fire in the township after a nearby hydrant experienced a “catastrophic failure.” Crews were dispatched to the fire at the 900 block of Dillon Road just before 4 p.m. Friday, according to a...
Late night police chase and extended manhunt in New Kensington leads to arrest in woods
New Kensington police say a man led them on an extended chase Friday night in which he allegedly drove head-on at a city police car, ending with his arrest in a drain tunnel in a wooded section of the city. Leonard Hayden Jr., 25, of New Kensington is charged with...
Why your electric bill is rising this winter and how to prepare
As residents in Western Pennsylvania finish hanging their holiday lights, electric companies warn that an estimated 1.3 million customers will be hit with higher bills and should prepare accordingly. This week, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission announced forthcoming adjustments to energy supply rates for all state-regulated electric utilities in December. Among...
The Stroller, Nov. 29, 2025: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Free groceries available for...
Police continue to seek information in 2019 death of North Huntingdon chiropractor
Memories of David Bailey come up in conversations frequently. His family remembers how entertaining and generous the North Huntingdon chiropractor was and how others were drawn to him because of those qualities, his wife, Cheryl Bailey, said. “He was that person people wanted to be around,” she said. “There’s no...
Penn Hills High School student dies on Thanksgiving, district officials report
Penn Hills School District is mourning the loss of one of its high school students. Sophomore Victor Adeleke died on Thanksgiving, according to a post on the district’s official Facebook page. “Our entire school community is heartbroken by this tragic loss,” the Friday evening post read. “We extend our deepest...
Rostraver police report icy conditions led to short series of minor crashes, 1 person hospitalized
One person was hospitalized after multi-vehicle collision Friday evening in Rostraver. Westmoreland Public Safety said the crash occurred shortly after 6 p.m. along the 900 block of Rostraver Road. That’s near the Interstate 70 underpass. Township police said it was not a major pileup, but a short series of minor...
Though not uncommon, hoarding ‘multiplies’ danger for fire crews
When New Kensington Fire Chief Ed Saliba responded Wednesday to a house fire on Richdale Drive, he said, he’d never seen so much packed into a structure in his more than 40 years as a firefighter. “I’ve never seen anything like that — in that amount — before,” Saliba said....
Community, routine spur gym-goers to work out after the holiday
Judy Sproat of Buffalo Township is no stranger to working hard during the holiday season. “I worked as a nurse all my life. I always worked holidays and the day after,” she said. “I don’t take a day off.” Sproat, 75, brought the post-holiday habit into her retirement as she...
Restitution, prison time set for North Huntingdon Aldi break-in
A man accused of breaking into a North Huntingdon Aldi grocery store was sentenced this week to seven months to four years in a state prison, according to a court order. Angel E. Ortega-Yanez, 32, pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal mischief, theft, possession of an instrument of crime and propelling...
After 2-year vacancy, Rustic Ridge lot could see new home built next year
Builders may soon build a new home on one of the plots left vacant for two years after a 2023 Rustic Ridge house explosion in Plum that left six people dead. The land formerly occupied by the home at 143 Rustic Ridge Drive, which was leveled after sustaining enormous damage...
Pittsburgh Mills shoppers take comfort after initial road paving projects
Taylor Harris, 29, was pleasantly surprised when she arrived at the Walmart at the Pittsburgh Mills shopping complex Friday morning. “I think not ripping the bottom of my car out makes it easier to spend money,” Harris said. The New Kensington woman took an Uber to the store out of...
Mall traffic sees boost as shoppers turn out for traditional Black Friday
Black Friday bargains no longer tempt people to leave Thanksgiving tables for midnight mall runs. Brawls in store aisles over toys and TVs with limited-time discounts are spectacles of holidays past. Online shopping and retailers launching discounts weeks before the turkey feast subdued that kind of fervor. But the sales...
Charges dismissed for man with ‘severe mental health issues’
A judge dismissed charges against a Jeannette man accused of breaking into a county detective’s home last year and assaulting him. Judge Timothy Krieger ruled earlier this month that “there’s no probability that the defendant can be restored to competency at now or at any time in the future,” according...
Hempfield man receives prison time for spitting on EMTs
A Hempfield man was sentenced to state prison for spitting on two emergency medical technicians as they tried to take him to a hospital for treatment. Anthony Michael Flowers, 33, was sentenced earlier this month to two to five years behind bars, according to a court order. Flowers was convicted...
Unseasonably cold weather to persist in Southwestern Pa.
Get cozy, because frigid temperatures are here to stay in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The National Weather Service expects the cold weather that rolled into the region Wednesday to bring weeks of highs mostly hovering in the 30s. Friday’s forecasted high is 35 degrees. Sunday could offer a short respite, with temperatures...
