Local category, Page 2502
Pitt plans for fall could include hybrid semester
University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Patrick Gallagher is broaching the possibility that Pitt, one of the region’s biggest universities and a major factor in the local economy, may not be able to reopen for business as usual this fall. Like schools across the nation, Pitt was forced to close its campuses...
Over 450 people benefit from free meals provided by Greensburg restaurant
Jim Bosco has lofty goals for his Greensburg restaurant, Major Stokes: provide 50 free meals to community members in five hours every day. “I’ve really seen, over the last several years, so much divisiveness and people not being engaged in the community anymore, not looking out for their friends and...
Westmoreland leaders ‘not giving up’ on trying to get more specific info on coronavirus cases
County officials’ hopes to share more details with the public about the locations of Westmoreland’s confirmed coronavirus cases are in limbo. Commissioner Sean Kertes said Friday that the nondisclosure agreement the state department of health is requiring in exchange for the information is a significant roadblock. “They’re making it almost...
Unity opera prodigy to enjoy national spotlight on ‘Little Big Shots’Video
Victory Brinker has appeared at Carnegie Hall and has hit her mark before the camera for three yet-to-be-released films. On Sunday evening, the 8-year-old soprano will display her talents for her largest audience yet, singing a German-language aria from the opera “The Magic Flute” for millions viewing NBC’s “Little Big...
Franklin Regional will implement pass/fail grading system for remainder of academic year
The Franklin Regional School District will implement a pass/fail grading system for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, but school board members had a lengthy discussion about its merits and shortcomings. “I would rather our teachers focus on creating assignments and lessons to engage students instead of focusing on...
Robert Morris students raise money for food bank with gaming marathon
A Robert Morris University student club is hosting a virtual gaming marathon this weekend to raise money for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Nearly 100 students and faculty will tune into the platforms Discord and Twitch to participate in the 48-hour marathon, playing a variety of games independently and...
Giant Eagle to convert Parkway Center store to curbside pickup, delivery only
Giant Eagle announced Friday that it will convert its Parkway Center Mall location near Green Tree into a curbside pickup center, allowing the grocery giant to increase pickup and delivery orders its employees fill. “As we’ve been piloting creative solutions to increase our curbside pickup and delivery capacity, we have...
5th Port Authority employee tests positive for coronavirus
A fifth Port Authority employee has tested positive for covid-19, officials said Friday. The employee works in maintenance at the authority’s garage in West Mifflin. The person, who was not identified, last worked on April 10 and has been in self-quarantine on paid leave since then. The Port Authority said...
Gateway cancels prom, plans later celebration
Gateway School District announced Friday its junior and senior prom, originally scheduled for May 8, has been canceled. Instead, the class of 2020 will have a “Celebration” on June 13. No details about the event were posted to the district’s website. The high school’s graduation ceremony date remains set for...
Ligonier native commands Navy patrol squadron for year
After a year of serving as commander for a Navy patrol squadron, a Ligonier native participated in a change of command ceremony Thursday, highlighting his time with the Mad Foxes. Carl E. White III relinquished his command of Patrol Squadron 5, or VP-5, to Cmdr. Ronald H. Rumfelt Jr. while...
Hempfield schools makes changes to meetings amid pandemicVideo
The Hempfield Area School Board is hosting a virtual meeting this month due to the coronavirus pandemic. Scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, the meeting can be accessed through the district’s website, hasdpa.net. A link will become active at 6:45 p.m. . Public comments will be accepted until 6 p.m. Monday....
Pittsburgh firefighter recovers from coronavirus, returns to work
The Pittsburgh firefighter who tested positive for covid-19 two weeks ago has recovered and returned to work, the city’s Public Safety department said Friday. The firefighter started having symptoms of the coronavirus on March 27 and immediately went into self-isolation. He tested positive April 1, but never required hospitalization, officials...
Arnold Council approves new, restricted handicapped parking regulations
Arnold Council approved new regulations governing handicapped parking at homes in the city. Under the ordinance, residents issued handicapped or severely disabled veteran license plates by the state are eligible to receive permits and have handicapped parking signs placed in front of their homes. The spaces would be solely for...
New Ken-Arnold School Board weighs options for roof work, paying for it
New Kensington-Arnold School District scrapped a proposal last week to award a $3.8 million contract for a roofing project because some board members raised concerns that bids were obtained by a Tennessee group purchasing company, not the district. Under the state’s School Code, districts are required to obtain sealed bids...
Westmoreland reports no new coronavirus deaths; total cases up to 249
Westmoreland County officials continued to report 19 coronavirus deaths on Friday as state data showed nine new cases across the county. The coroner’s website, last updated Thursday morning, showed 19 cases: 10 men and nine women. The oldest covid-19 victim in the county was 109 years old, and the youngest...
New Jeannette city clerk has an eventful first month on the job
Nathan Bish didn’t get to ease into his first day as Jeannette’s new city clerk. Instead, he and Mayor Curtis Antoniak declared a public health state of emergency in the city because of the coronavirus pandemic and shut down city hall and other facilities. The proclamation was the “first thing...
Grassroots efforts connect PPE donors to small health care providers during coronavirus pandemicVideo
Volunteer emergency and ambulance services and small health care facilities in Western Pennsylvania are turning to grassroots efforts to locate personal protective equipment. In the coronavirus pandemic, they find themselves in competition with large hospitals and health systems across the country for resources. At The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh, “we...
Leaders worried about maintaining momentum with talks of census being pushed to next year
Weeks after ensuring census numbers were on track to be delivered by the end of the year, bureau members are asking Congress for an extension on the once-a-decade survey after efforts were stalemated by the coronavirus pandemic. The move has left local leaders worried about maintaining momentum for an accurate...
IUP partners with Indiana hospital to provide same-day testing for covid-19
Indiana University of Pennsylvania is joining Indiana Regional Medical Center to bring same-day testing for covid-19 to the rural hospital. University officials said Dr. Narayanaswamy Bharathan, chairman of the biology department at IUP, will be working at the hospital to conduct covid-19 tests. Using equipment from his IUP laboratory, Bharathan...
Where to buy liquor legally in Pennsylvania
With state liquor stores open on a limited basis and the Liquor Control Board’s online service working slowly, Pennsylvanians in search of booze have been driving over state lines to shop. It is possible to buy Pennsylvania-made liquor, legally. Below is a list of distilleries operating online that will ship...
5 more coronavirus deaths reported in Allegheny County
Allegheny County reported 5 more deaths from the coronavirus Friday, bringing the countywide total to 43 deaths. The 43 people who have died ranged in age from 56 to 103 years, with the most deaths occurring in people over 70, county data show. The county also added 22 new cases...
How Pennsylvania residents continue to run for border to bootleg liquor
You’ve got a friend in Pennsylvania, as the old tourism slogan goes. Friendsville Discount Liquors didn’t know just how many until the past month. “I’m getting bombarded by people in PA. We’re the first liquor store from the border,” said Kim Spear, manager of the small beverage shop in the...
Pa. jobless rate jumps to 6% in March, expected to get much worse in April
Pennsylvania’s jobless rate jumped to 6% in March, up 1.3 percentage points from February, but a local economist believes it is just the tip of an iceberg of bad unemployment news. “It’s going to get a lot worse in April,” said Jake Haulk, an economist and president emeritus of the...
Kane Regional’s Glen Hazel nursing home sees spike in coronavirus cases
At least 50 residents and 23 employees at one Allegheny County-owned nursing home have coronavirus, and employees at other county nursing homes have also tested positive. Four residents at Kane Community Living Center’s Glen Hazel location have died from the virus, which first appeared in the facility in late March...
Tarentum woman recovering from crash injuries sews hundreds of masks for others
Dawn Galia hasn’t been able to work since being involved in a car crash that she said nearly killed her and her husband in 2018. But when someone she knows put out a request for face masks to help combat the spread of the coronavirus that causes covid-19, Galia knew...
