Western PA Local News category, Page 2377
Westmoreland County adds 7 new coronavirus cases
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Saturday reported 7 new cases of covid-19 in Westmoreland County, continuing a week of relatively low case counts. No additional deaths were reported, leaving the death toll at 49 — where it has remained for 17 days. The county last reported a death from...
Plum stormwater task force to host first public meeting Sept. 12
Plum’s stormwater task force is set to have its first public meeting since being formed in January. Residents will have an opportunity to voice their flooding concerns and talk with task force members on Saturday. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon at the borough building, 4575 New...
Pittsburgh police say driver fled scene of head-on crash, abandoned 4-year-old inside; girl critical
The driver of a vehicle involved in a crash Friday night on Frankstown Road fled the scene, leaving a 4-year-old girl alone inside, according to Pittsburgh police. Police said two vehicles appeared to have crashed head-on near the 8500 block of Frankstown Road just after midnight. Officials said the child...
2 firefighters injured in early morning New Kensington house fire
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries battling an early morning residential fire in New Kensington. New Kensington fire Chief Ed Saliba Jr. said New Kensington police patrolling the neighborhood were alerted to a house in flames. Firefighters were dispatched to the home in the 500 block of Constitution Boulevard at 3:36...
Allegheny County announces 68 new coronavirus cases, 26 new hospitalizations
Allegheny County on Saturday recorded 68 new coronavirus cases and 26 new hospitalizations. The county now has a total of 10,709 cases of covid-19, according to data from the Allegheny County Health Department. The new hospitalizations bring that total to 1,026 since the virus was first reported in Allegheny County...
Invasive ‘rock snot’ algae found in Somerset County’s Quemahoning Creek
Quemahoning Creek in Somerset County has a “rock snot” problem. The invasive algae didymo, also known as “rock snot,” was recently discovered in the creek, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission announced Friday. Somerset Conservation District employees found the algae about two months ago in a section of stream used...
Pence to campaign in Westmoreland and Beaver counties Sept. 9
Vice President Mike Pence will campaign in Western Pennsylvania on Wednesday, as President Trump’s reelection effort continues its focus on swing state voters. Pence is scheduled to appear at events in Murrysville and New Sewickley in Beaver County. The two stops, less than a week after Trump’s rally at the...
Murrysville first responder injured in hit and run crash
A hit-and-run crash Friday night left a Murrysville Medic One crew member injured when a pick-up truck crossed the yellow line and struck an ambulance that was traveling on Sardis Road, near Hickory Hill Road, according to the ambulance service. A post on the Medic One Facebook page said the...
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra announces financial changes because of pandemic
In the wake of canceled concerts and postponed tours, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on Thursday announced a series of financial cutbacks to help sustain the organization through the pandemic. The 87 musicians have agreed to a 25% reduction in base salary. Additionally, 75% of the staff has been affected with...
VALarena in North Apollo plans to reopen, but owners want to sell and keep it a roller rinkVideo
Although the doors are closed, the disco ball still shimmers on the sky-blue cement floor of the VALarena roller rink in North Apollo. A recent Facebook post by the owners announcing their imminent retirement put the public in a tailspin. The post reached more than 17,000 people. Generations of roller...
Outer Banks sees low covid-19 numbers; remains popular vacation spot despite pandemic
Counties that make up the Outer Banks barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina have mostly been spared by the covid-19 pandemic, and Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday moved the state into the next phase of the tiered reopening plan. The next phase, beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, is...
The Stroller, Sept. 5, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Is your non-profit organization going to have a fundraiser? Send information to The Stroller at least a week in advance to vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on Twitter @VNDStroller for a daily link to The Stroller. Christopher’s Light charity accepting donations Children’s charity Christopher’s Light...
Lower Burrell councilman tapped for homeless veterans’ nonprofit with $4 million in grantsVideo
Lower Burrell Councilman Robert Hamilton has been named executive director of the Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard in East Liberty, an organization that helps homeless veterans. Hamilton, 32, said he has had a deep passion for helping at-risk veterans. Hamilton served in the National Guard as a military police officer....
Western Pa. veterans divided by report Trump disparaged military
Local veterans are divided in their reactions to a report President Trump disparaged fallen service members, with some defending the president’s record and others condemning his attitude toward the military. “If he said that, and I don’t know if it’s true or not, but if he said it he doesn’t...
Pa. to distribute $300 weekly jobless benefit checks next week
The state said it will start next week to distribute the $300 weekly checks the Trump administration approved as the replacement for the $600-a-week benefits the jobless received before that funding expired at the end of July. The money from the federal Lost Wages Assistance program will be distributed to...
Sheriff’s sale dashes Harrison woman’s plan for bakery, cafe in Natrona
Linda Gromley has operated her home business, “Fifty Shades of Cake,” out of her kitchen in Harrison’s Natrona section for two years, baking everything from pies and cookies to bread and, of course, cakes. She had hoped to grow beyond a home business by putting in a commercial kitchen and...
Scaffolding atop of Gulf Tower’s pyramid signals 2-year restoration will end soonVideo
Plenty of people driving past the Gulf Tower are wondering what’s going on at the tippy-top of the pyramid crowning the 44-story skyscraper in Downtown Pittsburgh. Scaffolding is obscuring the view of the top of the stepped pyramid during the day and altering the look of the colored LED lights...
Vandergrift councilwoman continuing with lawsuit against borough, 5 colleagues
The legal battle among members of Vandergrift Council continues. Recent case filings show a back-and-forth between Councilwoman Karen McClarnon and her peers, and a refusal to drop a civil lawsuit filed in late May. The defendants, five other council members and other officials, filed to dismiss the suit in late...
Oakmont family to stand trial in toddler’s death
The last months of 3-year-old Bella Seachrist’s life were spent stationary, allegedly forced to sit for so long on her training potty that her feet became swollen and purple, detectives testified Friday at a preliminary hearing for the three adults charged with her homicide. The girl’s father, Jose Salazar-Ortiz, his...
Here is covid-19 data from Western Pa. colleges
Western Pennsylvania is home to several colleges and universities, attracting students from around the state and country. During the coronavirus pandemic, many are tracking the number of positive covid-19 cases as they emerge on campus. University of Pittsburgh Enrollment: Approximately 35,000 students Number of new cases: There were 40 new...
Scottdale places shuttered swimming pool up for auction
A Scottdale landmark where generations of local kids learned to swim is on the auction block. Online bids are being accepted for the borough-owned swimming pool building through 4 p.m. Oct. 7, on the Municibid website. Constructed in the early 1970s by the local YMCA, the brick-and-block building is located...
Projects, big and small, help to revitalize Export
When Export lost its post office in 2008, more than 200 people packed a public meeting to appeal for its return, which never happened. It was largely seen as a bad sign for the small Westmoreland County borough, which was once home to Thomas Mellon, father of industrial giant and...
Westmoreland County hiring poll workers to handle heavy expected voter turnout
Westmoreland County will hire as many as 1,800 poll workers for election day. Elections Bureau Director JoAnn Sebastiani said recruiting has been underway for the last several weeks to have each of the county’s 307 voting precincts fully staffed on Nov. 3. “We’re going to take as many poll workers...
Multiple fire units dispatched to Youngwood house fire
Multiple crews were called to a dryer fire Friday in Youngwood that spread into the wall of a home, according to a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher. The fire on the 1000 block of Depot Street was reported at 2:25 p.m. No injuries were reported, the dispatcher said. Depot Street was...
Westmoreland controller’s office to put audits online
For the first time, audits from the Westmoreland County Controller’s Office are available online. Controller Jeffrey Balzer said financial reports compiled by his staff will be made public, a departure from past practices that required formal requests under the state’s open records laws to review the department findings. “I have...
