Western PA Local News category, Page 2465
Westmoreland inmate files federal lawsuit over jail beating
A 33-year-old Westmoreland County Prison inmate who claims he was violently beaten by six guards earlier this year at the Hempfield lockup is seeking $225,000 in a federal lawsuit alleging his civil rights were violated. James Mapp, 33, of Roswell, N.M, filed the three-count civil lawsuit in U.S. District Court...
Westmoreland County sees 5th double-digit spike in covid-19 cases in 6 days
For the fifth time in six days, Westmoreland County’s new coronavirus case count is in the double digits. The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 33 new covid-19 cases and no additional deaths in Westmoreland County on Friday. This brings the case total to 744 and death total to 38 in...
Murrysville officials look at updating zoning to promote growth
Murrysville officials may look at updating their zoning laws to promote growth and provide housing opportunities for older residents looking to downsize. “I think that, generally, the philosophy in the past has been to have developers extend utility lines, have bigger lots, and I don’t want to say we were...
Allegheny County reports 177 new covid-19 cases, 5 new hospitalizations
Allegheny County Health officials reported 177 new covid-19 cases Friday, representing a slight dip after a record-setting 233 on Thursday, but still far above what the county was seeing just two weeks ago. Five more people were hospitalized since Thursday’s 11 a.m. data was released. The running county case-count stands...
Pine church sets up ‘blessing box’ to provide food, other items for struggling families
A North Hills church has set up an around-the-clock resource called a “blessing box” to help residents who need help with food and other essential items. “Our church leadership was desperate to do something helpful for people during the stay-at-home orders and subsequent time period,” said the Rev. Niki Atkinson,...
Tarentum board says zoning ordinance does not exclude billboards
Tarentum’s Zoning Hearing Board determined that the borough’s zoning ordinance does not, in effect, exclude billboards everywhere in town. The ruling is part of an ongoing debate regarding a request from America First Enterprises to install an LED billboard at 107 E. Fourth Ave. Elevated on a pole, it would...
Derry Township couple charged with trying to elude police
A Derry Township man is in the Westmoreland County Prison without bond after state police said he fled from troopers trying to arrest him on a parole warrant. Justin James Jones, 35, is charged with flight to avoid apprehension and disorderly conduct. Police said they saw Jill Cherie Kratzer, 37,...
U.S. Army Corps seeking input on Youghiogheny River Lake Master Plan
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District will hold a virtual public meeting 6 p.m. Wednesday to kick off the Youghiogheny River Lake Master Plan revision. The corps is seeking public input about environmental and recreational subjects to consider during the master plan revision process. The plan guides the...
Greensburg Fire Department to host milk giveaway
Need milk? Schneider’s Dairy, the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department and the American Dairy Association North East have a truckload to give away. The organizations will host a drive-through milk giveaway Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of Robert F. Nicely Elementary School in Greensburg. There...
Hempfield road to close for work on railroad crossing
A section of Keystone Road in Hempfield will close beginning Wednesday for maintenance of a railroad crossing. Crews from Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad are scheduled to begin work at 8:30 a.m. The closure, between Eckman Way and Huff Avenue, is expected to continue until 3:30 p.m. Aug. 3. PennDOT has designated...
Officials recover body of hiker who fell at McConnells Mill in May
The body of a man who fell into a creek while hiking in McConnells Mill State Park in early May has been recovered. Jeff Hanby II, 38, was found Thursday by search crews, according to a park official. Hanby fell into Slippery Rock Creek on May 2 while hiking along...
Graffiti on Beam Rocks in Forbes State Forest set to be cleaned up
Popular overlook Beam Rocks, which was defaced with graffiti in April, will return to its natural state later this summer. Fifteen volunteers were tapped to help clean the sandstone outcroppings on the border of Westmoreland and Somerset counties in Forbes State Forest. Bureau of Forestry environmental education specialist Rachael Mahony...
Fireworks to blame for overnight blaze at vacant school in Marshall-Shadeland
Pittsburgh firefighters spent nearly three hours battling a fire early Friday morning at the former Horace Mann School in the city’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood that authorities say likely was started by fireworks. Firefighters encountered heavy smoke coming from the roof of the vacant building on Shadeland Avenue when they arrived just...
2 pedestrians hit by vehicle in Mt. Pleasant Township, firefighters say
Two pedestrians were struck by a vehicle early Friday morning in Mt. Pleasant Township, according to firefighters who responded to the scene. The incident happened shortly after 2:30 a.m. along East Main Street near the intersections with Yoder Avenue and Maple Street, according to a state police dispatcher. One victim,...
The Stroller, July 3, 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 or The Stroller, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Freeport Theatre Festival to open 2020 season The Freeport Theatre...
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....
