Western PA Local News category, Page 2477
Heinz Ketchup jigsaw puzzle might leave one seeing red
Kraft Heinz released a limited number of 570-piece, single-color puzzles to help fans around the world pass the time during the pandemic. Puzzle people spent many hours trying to complete them because all of the pieces were red. The 570 is a nod to the number 57 on the iconic...
Police: 3-year-old girl in critical condition after hit and run in Carrick
A child was taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle in the city’s Carrick neighborhood. Authorities said the sedan struck the 3-year-old girl at the intersection of Edgar Street and Biscayne Avenue around 12:35 p.m. Tuesday. The vehicle was traveling north...
Kitten rescued from engine after 4-mile ride to Leechburg
Sue Wadsworth got a furry surprise Tuesday morning. A 1-pound kitten managed to get inside the engine of her SUV and take a four-mile ride from Allegheny Township to Leechburg, where it was pulled out unharmed after an hourlong rescue effort. “It was so cute,” Wadsworth said of the kitten....
Westmoreland restaurants report confusion in reporting positive coronavirus tests
Hempfield restaurant owner Greg Cammerata was shocked when he learned he had to close his business for two weeks after an employee tested positive for the coronavirus. “People were coming out; everything was great,” the IronRock Tap House owner said, noting the restaurant was open for dine-in services for only...
Pittsburgh ordinance would force police officers to cooperate with review board investigations
A Pittsburgh agency that investigates complaints of improper police conduct would have more power to force officer cooperation, under new legislation proposed Tuesday. The bill introduced during a city council meeting by Councilman Ricky Burgess requires an amendment to Pittsburgh’s Home Rule Charter and approval by city voters. It would...
2nd worker at Westmoreland Manor tests positive for covid-19
At least one worker at Westmoreland Manor has tested positive for the coronavirus as state-mandated testing at the county-owned nursing home started this week. Officials said the employee, who was not identified, does not provide direct care of residents at the Hempfield facility. Westmoreland Manor management “immediately implemented steps to...
Monroeville’s Northern Pike to reopen in both directions
Northern Pike in Monroeville will reopen to traffic in both directions beginning this week, PennDOT announced Tuesday. The road will reopen at 6 a.m. Wednesday, along with renewed access to Abers Creek Road. Northern Pike has been closed between Abers Creek Road and Valerie Circle since April 13. Allison Park...
Pittsburgh council wants to make Juneteenth an annual city holiday
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday asked Mayor Bill Peduto to declare June 19 — a commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States — an annual city holiday, starting in 2021. Council President Theresa Kail-Smith sponsored the “will of council” request, which will be sent to the Mayor’s...
Pittsburgh Professional Women helps businesses through pandemic
For 15 years, the organization Pittsburgh Professional Women has been dedicated to helping women excel in business. This year, it set its sights on helping them get through the coronavirus pandemic. “Anytime you find yourself in a frustrating situation where you have no control, you just have to look at...
Post your content on the Trib’s Neighborhood News Network sites
Welcome to the Neighborhood News Network. The purpose of this network is to deliver the neighborhood news you need and want in a new and engaging format. We will continue to provide the great local coverage that you have come to expect but we also encourage you to share your...
Queen of Angels Catholic School in North Huntingdon hires new principal
Jennifer Filak will return to Queen of Angels Catholic School in North Huntingdon as the principal, succeeding Sandra Stonebraker, effective July 1. Filak, of Pittsburgh, began her Catholic education career at Queen of Angels in 1999 as a kindergarten and first-grade teacher. For the past 14 years, she was a...
Ross Township restaurant closing temporarily after worker tests positive for covid-19
The Wheelfish restaurant on Sangree Road in Ross Township is closing temporarily after an employee tested positive for covid-19. The employee, who has not worked at the restaurant since last week, was tested “to protect vulnerable members of their household and family” after traveling outside the area, company officials wrote...
Wilkins Township immigration office employees face furloughs
Up to 25 people working in the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) field office in Wilkins could be furloughed if the federal agency does not receive congressional funding, a union representative said. Tom Vacca has worked at the USCIS field office for 16 years. He is a steward...
Youngwood firefighters plan Community Night Out instead of carnival
The Youngwood Volunteer Fire Department will host a Community Night Out, a three-day event planned in place of its canceled week-long carnival. Set for July 9-11 at the fire hall, the event will focus on outdoor activities, save for a socially distanced bingo to be held inside. “We have space...
Highlands School Board approves $48.5M budget with no tax increase
Highlands School Board has approved a $48.5 million budget for the 2020-21 school year that leaves the district’s property tax rate unchanged. The district’s property tax rate remains 24.88 mills. The annual school tax bill on a home assessed at $100,000 would stay at $2,488. Administrators whittled down the budget...
Pittsburgh in line for more than $600K in federal coronavirus relief funding
The U.S. Justice Department has approved a $676,895 grant to help Pittsburgh offset some Public Safety Department costs during the coronavirus pandemic. The grant would help pay for personal protective equipment, overtime for paramedics and disinfecting public safety buildings and vehicles, according to the city. Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday...
Pitt survey gauges Western Pa. family needs during covid-19
The University of Pittsburgh Department of Pediatrics is spearheading a survey to recognize and respond to family needs during the covid-19 pandemic. The Family Strengths Survey is an anonymous survey designed to improve covid-19 response efforts. A new version of the survey launches every Friday. People are encouraged to take...
Pittsburgh plans to add 120 miles of bike lanes, trails over next 10 years
A 10-year plan aimed at making bicycling safer and accessible across Pittsburgh includes the addition of 120 miles of new trails, bicycle lanes and other street improvements. The plan, announced Tuesday, is five years in the making, and it is geared toward not only traditional bikes but also motorized scooters,...
Southwestern Pa. high school seniors granted Comcast scholarships
More than 20 Southwestern Pennsylvania high school seniors received $2,500 scholarships from Comcast NBC Universal. The Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship program awarded $187,500 to 75 Pennsylvania high school seniors. The program honors students for their community service, academic performance and leadership skills. “We are honored to recognize the amazing...
510 new coronavirus cases, 38 additional deaths reported in Pa.
There were 38 new covid-19 deaths and 510 new cases reported Tuesday by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The statewide total is now 82,696 cases and 6,464 deaths, with 631 patients considered probable cases. According to the Department of Health, the most severe cases are seen in patients 65 or...
6 new cases of covid-19 reported in Westmoreland County
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Tuesday reported six new covid-19 cases and no additional deaths in Westmoreland County. This brings the county case total to 552, with 38 deaths. In Westmoreland, 14,648 people have tested negative for the virus. There have been 82,696 covid-19 cases and 6,464 deaths statewide,...
Saxonburg Road closed in Fawn
A section of Saxonburg Road in Fawn was closed to traffic early Tuesday. The road was closed in both directions between Route 908 in Fawn and Freeport Road in Harrison, PennDOT said. PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said crews were assessing the situation. “We are not sure what the issue is...
Historic 1763 Bushy Run battle re-enactment canceled
Chalk up another cancellation of a popular event to covid-19. The Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society has canceled its annual re-enactment of the 1763 battle between Native Americans and British and colonial forces during Pontiac’s War in what is now Penn Township. “There is no way we could put this...
Carnegie Mellon appointment of ex-Trump cabinet member Richard Grenell draws criticism from faculty, staff
More than 200 Carnegie Mellon University faculty, staff and students have signed on to an open letter rebuffing the appointment of a former ambassador and Trump administration cabinet member as a senior fellow at the university’s Institute for Politics and Strategy. Richard Grenell, the former U.S. ambassador to Germany who...
Jeannette City School District holds the line on property taxes
Jeannette City school directors unanimously approved a 2020-21 budget Monday that does not raise property taxes. The $19.8 million budget includes about $139,000 from the district’s fund balance. The board voted 8-0 with Director Tim Carney absent. The property tax rate will remain at 88 mills. The budget includes hiring...
