Western PA Local News category, Page 2326
Preliminary hearing scheduled for Hampton woman accused of sexually assaulting 2 children
A Hampton woman accused late last year of sexually abusing two children starting when they were 7 and 8 years old is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing next month, court records show. Iris Schmidt, 21, is free on $25,000 bond while awaiting a preliminary hearing on charges of...
Westmoreland jail virus outbreak explodes
The coronavirus outbreak at Westmoreland County Prison continued to grow over the Columbus Day weekend and, on Tuesday, officials said the number of cases could result in overcrowding at the Hempfield lockup. Another 33 inmates and two more guards tested positive for the virus since late last week, county commissioners...
2 coronavirus cases reported in Belle Vernon Area School District
Two cases of coronavirus were reported Tuesday in the Belle Vernon Area School District, according to a letter to parents from Superintendent Michele Dowell. The cases were from the same household, one in the high school and the other at the middle school, she said. Contact tracing was not necessary...
Experts: Rise of covid cases in Western Pennsylvania not surprising
Westmoreland County’s rate of positive coronavirus tests remained high Tuesday, but health experts said the increase is no surprise. “Covid-19, not unlike other previous viral pandemics, came here and will have ebb and flow to it,” said Dr. Don Yealy, UPMC’s chair of emergency medicine. Yealy cited the virus’ trajectory...
East Deer replaces garbage hauler in deal that will save township $80K
East Deer has replaced the company that has been its garbage hauler for about a decade in a move that will save the township nearly $80,000 over four years. Commissioners voted to hire Bankosh Sanitation of Loyalhanna Township, one of two companies that bid for the East Deer contract running...
Man charged in Arnold shooting accused of asking inmate to deny his involvement
A Somerset man is accused by police of asking a fellow inmate to claim that someone else was involved in the 2018 shooting of an Arnold man during a robbery, according to court papers. Nicholas J. Haynes, 24, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of criminal solicitation and attempted fabrication of...
Allegheny County reports no new covid-19 deaths for 4th day
Allegheny County reported 74 new covid-19 cases Tuesday. There were seven new hospitalizations and no new coronavirus-related deaths reported. Total cases in the county are now 13,436. Total hospitalizations are now 1,293 and the death toll remains at 397. Allegheny County coronavirus by dayInfogram There has not been a new...
Allegheny County Judge John A. Zottola, creator of Veterans Court program, dies
Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge John A. Zottola, who founded the Veterans Court program and was revered for his compassion, died on Monday. Zottola was 63 and lived in Fox Chapel. A graduate of Central Catholic High School who earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh, Zottola also...
Allegheny County council president wants Columbus statue to remain
Allegheny County Council President Pat Catena on Tuesday called on local leaders to reconsider removing a controversial statue of Christopher Columbus from Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park. Last week, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto echoed the recommendation of the Pittsburgh Art Commission to remove the statue. He directed the statue be displayed on...
Female inmate at Westmoreland County prison accused of assaulting 3 guards
A female inmate in the Westmoreland County Prison was arraigned Tuesday on nine criminal counts for allegedly assaulting three guards who were attempting to search her cell last month. Kara Rose Guy, 22, of Swissvale, was charged with six counts of aggravated assault and three counts of simple assault by...
Landlord, packaging firm argue over stench left by Jeannette hemp drying operation
Herzl Real Estate should not be held liable for damages a Jeannette packaging company claims were the result of odors from a hemp drying outfit just because it leased space to both groups, attorney Derek Mayhugh argued Tuesday. Herzl Real Estate was “merely the landlord” and not responsible for the...
2 Mon Valley men jailed, accused of threatening man with stolen handgun
Two Mon Valley men were ordered to jail in lieu of $100,000 bond each after allegedly threatening a Monessen man with a stolen 9 mm handgun and then trying to hide it from city police. Micah A. Craig, 23, of Charleroi, and Aliziah I. Feliberty, 20, of Monessen, were arrested...
Lower Burrell suspends rentals of Burrell Lake’s Fisher Hall because of covid-19 restrictions
Lower Burrell Council has suspended rentals of Burrell Lake’s Fisher Hall for October, and possibly longer, because of covid-19 restrictions. The closure is part of a string of shutterings of some venues across the country for weddings, showers and other events. While a number of facilities remain open, shifting state...
Westmoreland County sets record for covid-19 case average, 7-day total
Westmoreland County added 89 new covid-19 cases Tuesday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. There were no new coronavirus-related deaths reported. Cases now near the 3,000-mark with 2,993 total cases as of Tuesday. The death total remains at 64. Westmoreland County coronavirus by dayInfogram In the county, there are...
Westmoreland mail-in ballots on their way to voters; drop boxes to be availableVideo
Westmoreland County officials said mailing out the first batch of 50,000 mail-in ballots was completed Tuesday as elections staff and the Ohio-based private company hired to oversee the process catch up after technical problems caused a weeklong delay. So far, about 60,000 mail-in ballot applications have been approved in the...
Conservation projects in Shaler, Ross among state grant recipients
A river conservation plan is underway for Girty’s Run Watershed thanks to a state grant awarded in early October. The plan was among environmental projects funded by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), which also included stream restoration work in Ross. Girty’s Run Watershed, which encompasses 13.4 square...
McCandless launches new interactive website to engage with residents
McCandless has created a new way for residents to communicate with town officials and get up-to-date information about local issues. Dubbed McCandless and Me, the new website is aimed at providing an alternative to attending public meetings or sending written requests for information, which officials say can be time-consuming, inconvenient...
Norwin reports 3 more covid-19 cases; schools reopen
Norwin School District on Tuesday reported three more students — two at the middle school and one at Sunset Valley Elementary School — tested positive for coronavirus. The students have not attended school for several days and will not return to school until they have completed isolation procedures for the...
The Palace Theatre’s new livestream system will bring arts into homes
While audiences are unable to come to The Palace Theatre, Westmoreland Cultural Trust will bring programming to audiences with a new livestreaming service. “Livestreaming will allow us to bring back much-needed entertainment and cultural experiences that have been missing since the pandemic began,” said April Kopas, CEO of Westmoreland Cultural...
North Hills ‘DAR’ chapter announces Constitution Day contest winners
To commemorate Constitution Week 2020, the Kushkushkee Trail Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution partnered with Northland Public Library for the seventh annual Constitution Day activities. As part of the celebration, local elementary-aged children were invited to participate in a poster contest titled “We the People...
Fox Chapel Area School Board approves 5-day in-person class for elementary students
Fox Chapel Area elementary students will return to the classroom full-time in November, while those in middle school and high school will continue hybrid and remote learning models for at least the next nine weeks. The school board on Monday night voted 7-2 to give kindergarten through fifth-grade students the...
Assault, drug cases among those recently handled in Judge Zucco’s Plum court
Plum District Court Judge Linda Zucco handled these cases recently. Defendants will have court dates set in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Charges were filed by Plum police unless otherwise noted. Held for court • Paul McClain, 39, of Strabane on charges of false imprisonment, aggravated assault, unlawful...
Mail carrier suspended after ballot request, political ads allegedly found in trash
A mail carrier has been placed on unpaid leave after federal agents found mail in a trash can that was supposed to be delivered to homes and businesses in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood. The items the carrier allegedly tossed away included “several different classes of mail, including one ballot request and...
The Stroller, Oct. 13, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Valley News Dispatch is compiling a list of autumn events and Halloween parades, parties and trick-or-treat nights. Send information to cpinto-smith@triblive.com. New Ken/Arnold Band Blast to raise funds for park upkeep New Ken/Arnold Social in the Park will host a benefit concert, “Band Blast,” from noon to 8 p.m....
Oakmont officials discuss next year’s budget; trying for no tax increase
Oakmont officials hope to hold the line on real estate taxes in next year’s spending plan. Council had its first 2021 budget meeting Monday night at the borough building. Discussions focused on the general fund with expenses and revenues estimated at $4.8 million, about $100,000 less compared to the current...
