Local category, Page 2252
Allegheny County creates online search tool for incorrect ballots
Allegheny County voters can now go online to check if they’re among the nearly 29,000 voters who received the wrong ballot for the Nov. 3 election. County officials on Wednesday said they received word late last week that some voters received the wrong ballot. Midwest Direct, the company contracted to...
Monroeville faces $3.1 million shortfall in 2021 budget, plans are to fill gap without tax hike
Monroeville Council is faced with a $3.1 million shortfall in the municipality’s 2021 spending plan. The upcoming year’s budget stands at $36.5 million, which represents a 1.2% increase from 2020. Manager Tim Little said most communities across the country will experience losses in revenue because of the pandemic. “The good...
Former North Huntingdon banquet manager to serve jail time for theft
Ron Tarquinio’s business, like many others, is struggling to survive the coronavirus pandemic. He told a Westmoreland County judge on Thursday that his catering company, Banquets Unlimited in North Huntingdon, already was behind the eight-ball after his former business manager stole at least $8,000 and alienated a steady customer base....
Fox Chapel Area students bring ‘Lost in Yonkers’ to outdoor stage
They’ve rehearsed by Zoom and won’t be performing on a traditional stage, but Fox Chapel Area theater students are eager to bring the high school’s fall production to life. “It’s very uplifting to see how, despite everything that has happened (with covid-19), we can still have some normalcy during a...
Norwin-area happenings Oct. 24-Nov.6
Unwanted medications being collected North Huntingdon police are taking unwanted and old medications from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 24 at the lobby of the station, 12279 Center Highway, as part of the federal Drug Enforcement Agency’s Drug Take Back Program. Unwanted medications, old pills and capsules and liquids...
412 Food Rescue hosting virtual concert fundraiser with Wiz Khalifa
A virtual “Yinz Citizen” concert and fundraiser hosted by 412 Food Rescue and featuring appearances by Wiz Khalifa, Anti-Flag, The Commonheart, Joe Grushecky, Donnie Iris and others is set for Nov. 12. The event is designed to raise money for 412 Food Rescue’s work to combat hunger and food waste....
Police seize 2K stamp bags of suspected heroin, arrest suspect in South Greensburg
State police netted 2,050 stamp bags of suspected heroin and more than $2,100 in cash Wednesday in a South Greensburg bust that led to the arrest of one man. Chyrone Lamar Rodgers, 32, is charged with possession of and intent to deliver the controlled substance. He was arrested without incident...
Westmoreland Municipal Authority to upgrade McKeesport water intake
The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County will dam off a section of the Youghiogheny River next year and dig below the riverbed to install new pipes needed as part of a $7.8 million project to build an upgraded intake system in McKeesport. Authority board members this week approved the project,...
Murrysville-area emergency responders get more than $100,000 for covid-related expenses
Millions of dollars in grants are on the way for Pennsylvania’s fire departments and ambulance agencies struggling through the coronavirus pandemic. About 90 Westmoreland County fire departments are getting more than $2 million. Fourteen EMS agencies in the county are set to receive about $210,000 total. That includes Murrysville Medic...
Swissvale bar closed again for covid violations
A Swissvale bar is shut down for the second time for violating covid-19 restrictions meant to safeguard against the spread of the virus, Allegheny County records show. Wilson’s Nite Out, on Denniston Street, can reopen Friday if owners and management submit a covid-19 safety plan. Owners had previously submitted a...
New Kensington-Arnold superintendent acknowledges distancing problem in 3rd-grade classes
New Kensington-Arnold School District is working to fix a problem with reduced social distancing in some third-grade classes at Roy A. Hunt Elementary in Arnold, Acting Superintendent Jon Banko said. Distancing in three or four combination social studies/science classes in the grade is reduced from 6 feet to 5 feet...
South Buffalo fire department to host Kevin Haas memorial truck pull
The South Buffalo Volunteer Fire Department is hosting a truck and tractor pull to memorialize a friend. The Kevin Haas Memorial Truck and Tractor Pull will be held at the fire hall on Saturday. It’s a fitting tribute to Haas, who died in May, said Erin Pflueger, a member of...
Monroeville Public Library board asks council to reinstate 10 part-time employees
The Monroeville Public Library’s board of directors has asked council to reinstate 10 part-time employees to help the full-time employees keep up with a new, covid-19 workload. Board president Dave English and former board president Debbie Iszauk addressed council during its Oct. 13 meeting. They said the new guidelines the...
Restaurant, bakery expected to open in O’Hara’s RIDC Park in early 2021
A new restaurant and bakery is expected to open in the former Max & Erma’s in RIDC Park in early 2021. Periwinkle’s, an American-style eatery with burgers, soups and salads, will open at 900 Gamma Drive, O’Hara, just off the Allegheny Valley Expressway. The building and its 2.8-acre parcel were...
Allegheny Land Trust gets $1M boost for project at Churchill Valley Country Club site
Allegheny Land Trust announced Wednesday it received a $1 million boost from the state toward its effort to preserve the now-vacant 148 acres at the defunct Churchill Valley Country Club. The grant is coming from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “This is an enormous boost for the...
Pitt Law School adjunct teacher resigns after using racial slur
An adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law resigned Wednesday afternoon, after using a racial slur during a class discussion. Law students at the University of Pittsburgh were informed via email Wednesday evening. According to the email, the teacher, who was not named, used the N-word while...
Westmoreland County sees biggest jump in reported coronavirus cases
Westmoreland County saw its highest single-day spike in covid-19 cases Thursday adding 148 new cases, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The county also recorded one death. The county had not seen more than 90 cases reported in a single day, which happened Monday. Westmoreland County’s seven-day average is...
Details emerge on suspected Taco Bell bandit charged in Southwestern Pa. burglaries
An Ohio man accused of burglarizing more than 30 Taco Bells across four states now faces charges for similar crimes in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Joshua John Logue, of Columbus, Ohio, is accused of hitting Taco Bell restaurants in the Waterworks Mall complex, Scott and South Strabane in Washington County. All of...
Running group brings new life to North Park’s fading tree canopy
Traversing the trails of North Park nearly every day of the week has given members of the North Park Trail Runners group more than just the health and spiritual benefits of vigorous outdoor exercise. They have become attuned to an alarming environmental change occurring in the more than 3,000-acre Allegheny...
Army Corps of Engineers gives tour of Emsworth Locks and Dams in advance of major rehabilitation projectVideo
Army Corps of Engineers officials are inspecting the Emsworth Locks and Dams’ primary lock chamber as part of a major project at the 99-year-old site along the Ohio River. The 110-foot-wide and 600-foot-long chamber was recently dewatered, meaning about 14 million gallons of water was pumped out into the river...
Latrobe police get Taser, training funds, seek grant for body camerasVideo
Latrobe police are working to upgrade their equipment and training with the help of donations and grants. City council this week authorized application to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for a $33,530 grant to support purchase of body-worn cameras for the police department. City Manager Michael Gray said...
Allegheny County sees highest number of new coronavirus cases since July
Allegheny County on Thursday reported 139 new coronavirus cases with no new deaths. It’s the highest single-day report since July. The county’s total number of cases stands at 13,672 with 9,792 recoveries. According to the Allegheny County Health Department’s covid-19 dashboard, 196,641 individuals have been tested for the virus. The...
Fox Chapel Baseball Softball Association lands $200,000 state grant for field upgrades
Summer 2021 will bring renewed enthusiasm to the phrase ‘Play Ball’ for Fox Chapel Area School District youth who compete at Emmerling Park in Indiana Township. Fox Chapel Area Baseball Softball Association (FCBSA) was awarded $200,000 from a state gaming grant to upgrade two fields at the park off Route...
Widespread recalls affect popular diabetes medication Metformin
A common diabetes medication is in the midst of widespread national recalls after researchers found a contaminant that could potentially cause cancer, but local experts say there are plenty of alternative options available for those who take the drug. Metformin is used to control blood sugar levels in patients with...
CNN, New York Times spotlight Westmoreland County as key in presidential race
National media outlets are eyeing Westmoreland County as a key battleground in the looming presidential election. Both CNN and the New York Times this week spotlighted the county in reports, talking to residents and politicians about their efforts to swing the race in favor of either President Donald Trump or...
