Western PA Local News category, Page 2465
Idlewild & SoakZone set to reopen July 11
While Kennywood and Sandcastle park officials postponed reopenings due to the rise in positive coronavirus cases in Allegheny County, Idlewild & SoakZone in Ligonier Township will open its gates to the general public as scheduled on July 11. Jeff Croushore, director of marketing at Idlewild and SoakZone, said the park’s...
No license required: Free fishing day Saturday
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will hold its second free fishing day of the year Saturday when anyone can fish legally on waterways in the state without a license. However, they must still obey state fishing regulations. The commission offers these days on holiday weekends when many people are...
Richard King Mellon Foundation adds $10 million to its earlier $15 million commitment for covid-19 issues
The Richard King Mellon Foundation plans to add another $10 million to its earlier $15 million covid-19 response grant package, officials announced Thursday. The $25 million total commitment includes a new $2.5 million higher-education initiative, aimed at helping area colleges and universities safely reopen in the fall. “Education always is...
Kennywood, Sandcastle postpone openings
Kennywood and Sandcastle will postpone a planned reopening Monday, park officials announced Thursday. Allegheny County officials announced additional restrictions on businesses and public gatherings amid a weeklong spike in covid-19 cases. “While we are looking forward to the start of our summer season, we understand the reasoning behind the recent...
Delmont rec board reschedules first ‘Movies in the Park’ for July 11Video
Due to weather concerns, the Delmont Recreation Board will shift its first “Movies in the Park” series of the summer to July 11, with the addition of live music. It will be at 6 p.m. at Newhouse Park, featuring music from The Phisbins. Food will be available to purchase at...
3 workers test positive for covid-19 at Penn Hills Shop ‘n Save
Three employees at the Penn Hills Shop ‘n Save supermarket tested positive for covid-19 infections Tuesday and Wednesday, according to store officials. A representative said the store remains open for business while the staff has stepped up sanitizing procedures that already were in place. The three employees are quarantined at...
I-579 ramps to reopen Friday morning in Pittsburgh
There is good news for travelers who use the ramps impacted by the I-579 “Cap” Urban Connector project. The ramps from Seventh Avenue and Bedford Avenue to southbound I-579 will reopen to traffic at 6 a.m. Friday morning. The ramps have been closed since Jan. 4 to allow construction of...
Lower Burrell cancer, covid-19 survivor dies after cancer returns
A Lower Burrell man who survived four bouts of cancer and a lengthy fight against covid-19 passed away Wednesday night after a Hodgkin’s Lymphoma recurrence. Fred Szoch, 69, had recently spent 75 days in the hospital, including 21 days on a ventilator, battling covid-19. He hailed his recovery as a...
Levin to reopen some Western Pennsylvania stores Friday
Levin Furniture stores in Hempfield, Monroeville, Wexford, Curry Hollow and 13 other locations around Pittsburgh and Cleveland will reopen at 11 a.m. Friday with former owner Robert Levin at the helm. Levin sold his family’s chain of stores in 2017 to Art Van Furniture but later structured a $25.7 million...
Westmoreland County offices closed Friday
Westmoreland County government and court offices will be closed Friday in observance of the July 4 holiday. Federal and state offices are also closed on Friday. All courthouse operations and court proceedings will resume on Monday, July 6....
How to safely gather for July 4th during pandemic
This is anything but a normal Fourth of July holiday weekend. But there still are ways to safely gather with family and some — the operative word being some — friends while staying safe during the current spike in covid-19. “It is going to be a different holiday,” said Dr....
Riders of all ages enjoy new Giant Slide Complex at Mt. Pleasant Township’s Mammoth ParkVideo
Joe Theis, 67, proved Thursday he’s just a kid at heart. Theis, of New Stanton, arrived at Mammoth Park in Mt. Pleasant Township at 9:20 a.m., expecting a line for the inaugural rides on the county park’s newly opened Giant Slide Complex. But he was shocked to learn he was...
More than 10K sign up for Trump boat parade, rally in Pittsburgh, organizer says
Local supporters of President Trump are planning a boat parade and rally in Pittsburgh on Saturday, saying they are encouraging participants to wear masks and maintain social distance in response to a soaring covid-19 infection rate in Allegheny County. Tricia Cunningham of Washington Township, founder of the local grassroots group...
Allegheny County orders bars, restaurants to halt on-premises dining for a week
Bars, restaurants and casinos in Allegheny County must close for one week, under a new order from Health Director Debra Bogen. The order takes effect Friday. Takeout and delivery food orders are still permitted. The order, Bogen said, is meant to mitigate the rapid increase in coronavirus cases in the...
Attorney: Hempfield man who fatally beat elderly father believed 92-year-old was a vampireVideo
Douglas Novak’s mental illness was so pronounced that he beat his father to death and believed the 92-year-old Hempfield man was a vampire who needed to be staked through the heart to kill him, his attorney told a judge Thursday. Novak was off his medication when he used the wooden...
Public hearings scheduled via Zoom for proposed Columbia Gas bill hike
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania customers have the chance to speak publicly on a proposal that would raise monthly bills. The gas company in April asked to increase operating revenues by about $100.4 million, resulting in a 17.84% increase in customer bills. That means bills averaging $87.57 per month would rise...
Penn-Trafford School District announces school reopening plan
Penn-Trafford School District plans to reopen for all students when the school year begins, though distance learning will still be available for those who wish to stay home. The school board this week approved their reopening plan, though district leaders said they will remain flexible as the coronavirus pandemic continues....
Greensburg to launch grant program for local businesses hurt by coronavirus
Lisa Hegedus can’t wait to apply for a grant from the Greensburg Community Development Corporation’s new Covid-19 Relief Main Street Jump-Start Program. The new program, funded through a $150,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, is targeting small businesses in Greensburg that have suffered a financial hit from the...
Noose found hanging in Leechburg park
Police in Leechburg removed a rope that appeared to be tied into a noose hanging from a tree in the borough’s Riverfront Park. Leechburg Councilman Chuck Pascal posted a comment on Facebook saying there is reason to believe the noose was left as a message, as it wasn’t tied securely...
2 North Hills School District students test positive for covid-19 following hockey tryouts
Two North Hills School District students who participated in hockey tryouts Saturday have tested positive for covid-19, district officials said Thursday. The North Hills Hockey Club held the tryouts at the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center — tryouts that were not sanctioned by the school district, according to a...
Westmoreland has another double-digit spike in coronavirus cases, commissioners issue warning
For the fourth time in five days, Westmoreland County experienced a double-digit increase in the number of new coronavirus cases, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and officials say if the numbers continue to rise, the county risks additional restrictions. “We cannot stress the importance of being safe this...
Pa. reports 832 new covid-19 cases, tells residents to quarantine if visiting these 15 states
As Pennsylvania registered 832 additional covid-19 cases, state officials are telling residents to quarantine for 14 days if they are returning from recent pandemic hot spots such as Texas and Florida. There were 25 new covid-19 deaths and 832 new cases reported in the state by the Pennsylvania Department of...
Northland Library, Allegheny Land Trust offering online nature series
Northland Public Library in McCandless is teaming up with Allegheny Land Trust for an online Nature Discovery Series that will be held through July for kids three and older. The program will be conducted using the Zoom meeting app on Wednesdays, starting July 8. The 20-minute programs begin at 2...
Allegheny County tops 230 new coronavirus cases
Local health officials on Thursday reported 233 new cases of covid-19 in Allegheny County — more than doubling Wednesday’s case count, which had been a record high. There were four new hospitalizations and no deaths reported. Ages among the newly infected individuals range from 6 months old to 99 years...
‘It’s getting ridiculous,’ bar owner says of alcohol ban during Allegheny County protestVideo
About 50 people rallied in front of the Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon, protesting the newly imposed restriction on alcohol consumption in restaurants and bars. Many said the ban imposed by county Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen will cripple the industry. Three hours after the protest, the...
