Western PA Local News category, Page 2370
Greensburg Salem Education Foundation provides $26,300 in ‘crisis funds’ for teachers
Greensburg Salem School District teachers will have some extra help during the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to a “crisis grant” from the nonprofit Greensburg Salem Education Foundation. The foundation is made up of community members, teachers and school officials. It issues grants to help fund programs, tools and materials for schools...
Rillton man accused of fighting with state agents, police serving search warrant
A Rillton man who blamed a 2015 bank robbery on a heroin addiction was jailed Thursday on $100,000 bond after allegedly fighting with police and state narcotics agents serving a search warrant at his home. Justin W. Buckholz, 31, was arraigned on three counts of possession of a controlled substance...
Lower Burrell firefighters could soon be eligible for $300 tax credit
Lower Burrell is getting closer to establishing an earned income tax credit of up to $300 for volunteer firefighters that officials hope will help the city’s two fire companies retain volunteers and attract new ones. City Council is working to finalize legal paperwork related to the proposed tax credit, which...
Although at odds, Duquesne president and Jaylen Brown’s mother hope for peace, closureVideo
Dannielle Brown and Duquesne University President Ken Gormley appear to want, in principle, the same resolution to Brown’s two-month hunger strike: to keep students safe and to find closure surrounding the 2018 death of Marquis Jaylen Brown. In practice, the two — one a grieving mother and the other an...
Greensburg YMCA announces temporary closure of gym and pool, citing pandemic
The Greensburg YMCA will close its doors to members for at least six months, though it will continue to operate its other programs, officials announced Friday. The gym and pool will close Sept. 30. Child care programs, the Y’s adult training facility, after-school programs and youth sports will continue as...
Neighbors concerned about traffic, blasting at proposed Unity limestone quarryVideo
Nearby Unity residents let Hanson Aggregates know they’re concerned about the heavy truck traffic and blasting that would be associated with a limestone quarry the company hopes to develop. The Connellsville company is seeking township approval of a site development plan as well as state permits for operating on underground...
Westmoreland tax delinquent property sale expected to be very different this year
Hundreds of tax delinquent properties could be auctioned off Monday as part of Westmoreland County’s annual sale, but this year’s event will look different in the age of the coronavirus pandemic. The tax sale will be conducted at Science Innovation Center Theater in Science Hall on the Youngwood campus of...
At least 1 injured in crash involving car, tractor-trailer in Buffalo
At least one person was injured Friday afternoon in a crash that involved a tractor-trailer and a car in Buffalo Township. The crash was reported at 1:16 p.m. on Sarver Road, according to a Butler County 911 dispatcher. The person in the car was temporarily trapped in the vehicle. That...
‘Orange sky made me want to go back’: Ligonier man home after battling Calif. wildfires
Many people viewing the startling images of wildfires ravaging millions of acres in California might shy away from an opportunity to get in the middle of a dry-season inferno. Not Joshua Derk, a state-certified wildland firefighter and second lieutenant with Ligonier’s Valley Hose Co. Derk, 30, returned Tuesday from Point...
Landmark train caboose moves to new home along Butler-Freeport Community Trail
The caboose that stood outside of the former landmark Cooper Station Restaurant in Winfield moved to a new home along the Butler-Freeport Community Trail on Friday. The caboose had been at the restaurant since 1994, according to Chris Ziegler, president of the Butler-Freeport Community Trail Council. The restaurant closed early...
Small breweries take advantage of liquor laws to create ‘Pennsylvania Loophole’ beer
Small breweries, like so many other businesses, have been hit hard by the health and safety restrictions of the covid-19 pandemic. Those who don’t have the means of selling their beer beyond pints and growlers are in an especially difficult position. “We’re just a small, family-owned brewery with a two-barrel...
Shaler woman offers free weekly yoga at Sharpsburg’s Kennedy ParkVideo
Francine Porter twisted her right leg high into the air, balanced on her left and stood still in the center of Sharpsburg’s Kennedy Park, exhaling away the day’s worries. “We want to concentrate on our breathing to wash away everyday stresses and feel relaxed, strong and peaceful,” said the Sharpsburg...
Export Maker Space will feature a blend of old-school, modern technologyVideo
If someone in Export has a good idea for a project, Tom Spears wants to give them the tools to make it happen. “We want to hit all the ‘maker’ markets,” said Spears, who will open the Export Maker Space on Kennedy Avenue in the fall. Spears has taken the...
North Huntingdon commissioners debate fine points of noise ordinance
As they develop a township noise ordinance, North Huntingdon commissioners this week focused on what should be considered quiet hours. “I think the hardest thing to consider is what we designate as ‘quiet hours,’” said Commissioner Brian Blasko, who said he felt 7 a.m. was early enough to allow construction...
North Huntingdon commissioners agree to consider special-use permit for chickens
North Huntingdon commissioners may be at odds over allowing residents to keep chickens, but they did come to a consensus on how to move forward in updating the existing ordinance. Board members Thursday agreed to take a look at President Zachary Haigis’ suggestion of requiring a special-use variance to keep...
Man charged in connection with fatal Wilkinsburg shooting
Allegheny County police arrested a man Friday morning in connection with a deadly July shooting in Wilkinsburg that left another man dead, authorities said. Jordan Cobb, 23, of Pittsburgh, is charged with homicide, tampering with evidence and firearms violations. A criminal complaint against Cobb was not immediately available. The late-morning...
Westmoreland County reports 20 additional coronavirus cases
Westmoreland County on Friday reported 20 new cases of covid-19, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The county’s total case count now stands at 1,945. Of the new cases, 19 are reported as confirmed and one is probable. Westmoreland County coronavirus by dayInfogram With no new deaths reported Friday,...
Tarentum planning alternatives to canceled Halloween, Christmas events
Tarentum is planning alternatives for two seasonal events that have been canceled because of the covid-19 pandemic. Tarentum canceled its annual Boo Fest, which would have been held Oct. 17. The borough and Brackenridge also called off their annual joint Christmas parade, which had been scheduled for Nov. 21. The...
Allegheny County reports triple-digit new covid-19 cases for 2nd time this month
Allegheny County on Friday reported 100 new cases of coronavirus out of 1,134 tests. The highest number of cases reported this month was 105 on Sept. 3, which was the only other day so far this month with 100 or more cases. The lowest reported number of new cases was...
Plans fall through for new playground at Shalercrest Apartment Complex
A playground that was planned for construction this summer at the historical Shalercrest Apartment Complex is now most likely moving to Greenville, Mercer County, about an hour-and-a-half away. Andrew Weckman, the project’s developer, said the plans fell through because the homeowners association’s insurance company for the 251-apartment complex determined the...
Aspinwall approves nearly $57K in fall street paving
Aspinwall street paving is expected to begin in early October. Council on Sept. 9 awarded a nearly $57,000 contract to A. Folino Construction for work on five streets. They include Loop Street from Brilliant to Emerson avenues, Alley F, East 8th Street, Alley I and Waterworks Drive. Manager Melissa Lang-O’Malley...
With Carnegie Mellon’s stages shut down, students create front porch venue for live theater
For the seniors involved in Carnegie Mellon University’s esteemed drama program, this was a year they had been looking forward to — years of study culminating in an entire season of 22 stage shows over the course of the school year. For now, the entire first semester of shows has...
Monroeville battling nearly $1M in pandemic-related lost revenue
Monroeville will face a nearly $900,000 loss in revenue from tax and other fees when it comes time to pass a balanced budget in a couple of months, according to a chart on a municipal document outlining tax revenues from January through August. Manager Tim Little provided an update on...
Remembering Flight 93: ‘Their momentous deeds will outlive us all’Video
Calling the 40 people who died on Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001, “intrepid heroes,” President Donald Trump marked the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks at the national memorial to that flight in Somerset County. “On that September morning when America was under attack, the battle turned to the...
Jeannette council OKs new K-9 vehicle, seeks additional donations for program
A new police SUV for Jeannette’s K-9 funded solely by donations is closer to fruition, but the city still is short about $7,000. Council on Thursday approved the $47,611 purchase of a 2020 Ford Interceptor for Sgt. James Phillips and police dog Arees and accepted $41,000 in donations for it....
