Western PA Local News category, Page 2531
Irwin man sentenced to jail after being found with almost 30 pounds of marijuana
Saying he was a danger to the community, a Westmoreland County judge on Monday ordered an Irwin drug dealer to serve at least six months in jail for possession of nearly 30 pounds of marijuana. Zachary Morton, 33, was sentenced to serve up 23 months behind bars and an additional...
Apollo swears in 2 new council members following resignations
Two people have been sworn in to fill Apollo Council seats vacated by members who resigned over differences with council’s leadership. Councilwomen Ashley Stiffy and Nancy Walker resigned in April over a number of issues, including the removal of Stiffy from the public safety committee over hiring procedures for part-time...
Flags stolen from veterans’ graves in Leechburg, mayor offers reward for information
Leechburg Mayor Wayne Dobos wants to know who stole dozens of flags from veterans’ graves at Leechburg Cemetery. Dobos, a Vietnam veteran, is offering a $100 reward for information leading to the prosecution of the person who did it. And other people have offered to contribute to the reward fund....
Westmoreland swamped with mail-in ballots
The action on primary day won’t just be at the polls. Westmoreland County elections officials on Tuesday morning will start counting what could be more than 40,000 mail-in ballots sent in advance of the primary. Republican and Democratic voters will nominate candidates for U.S. president, Congress, state attorney general, auditor...
Diver: Grass at bottom of Unity lake possibly contributed to drowning
Divers involved in a 9-hour search for a Unity man, who drowned while swimming late Saturday in a private lake near Pleasant Unity, say grass growing on the lake bottom may have contributed to his death. “I know at one point one of the boat rescue teams assisting divers at...
Downtown Pittsburgh business owners clean up, try to comprehend riot damage
Josephine Sanchez understands why people are demonstrating to protest the death of George Floyd. What she can’t comprehend is the rioting and looting that happened in Pittsburgh on Saturday. Protesters smashed through windows of Cardamone’s Hair Salon owned by Sanchez and partner Joe Cardamone, and broke into the store at...
Mayor Peduto, Public Safety chief defend how Pittsburgh police handled weekend protestsVideo
Pittsburgh police and city officials on Monday rejected claims they left officers vulnerable during weekend protests and that they trampled protesters’ rights. The peaceful protest, hijacked by a smaller group of instigators, could have been worse, officials said. Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said there is “concerning information” indicating the...
Pace of gas price increases, tied to coronavirus recovery, slows
The average price of gasoline in the Pittsburgh area didn’t budge over the past week after several weeks of increases, according to the price-tracking service GasBuddy. The average price on Monday remained $2.33 a gallon, the same as it was a week ago, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations....
Westmoreland to get millions through the CARES Act, but it won’t be enough
Westmoreland County expects to receive $31.5 million in federal funding for coronavirus relief efforts, but local officials said the cash won’t help ease a budget crunch exasperated by costs associated with the pandemic. The grant money is part of a $625 million allocation through the state from money received via...
Diaper giveaway at PPG Paints Arena postponed
The Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank will be hosting a diaper giveaway for families facing financial hardships, just a few weeks later than expected. Originally scheduled for June 5 at PPG Paints Arena, the drive has been postponed. It will be rescheduled, and a new date will be announced soon. Participants...
20 arrested as protests turn violent in East Liberty, ShadysideVideo
Peaceful protests Monday in Pittsburgh ended in smoke, violence and confusion for the second time in three days, with police and city officials blaming small groups of instigators and saying they had no choice but to use force to disperse the crowd. For hours, the protesters — nearly a thousand...
Pastors, hundreds gather in Hill District for peaceful George Floyd protest
Hundreds of people from varied faiths gathered at Freedom Corner in Pittsburgh’s Hill District for about 90 minutes of prayers and speeches as the nation reels from the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “Enough is enough,” the Rev. Glenn Grayson told the crowd that gathered at noon...
Catholic worshippers return as Diocese of Greensburg resumes public Masses
Before the covid-19 shutdown, Ruth Morelli on three or four days a week found her way to weekday Mass at St. James Roman Catholic Church in New Alexandria. “It really is my second family,” the Blairsville resident said. “After things closed, my husband and I would watch Mass online most...
Shady Side Academy celebrates the class of 2020
It was a far cry from the traditional pomp and circumstance that typically envelopes a Shady Side Academy commencement, but the Class of 2020 was treated to a celebratory drive-through on the Fox Chapel campus Friday, an event still filled with cheers and tears from graduates, family and faculty. Scheduled...
Top stories around Fox Chapel for the week of May 25Video
Here are some of the top news stories this week: - Fox Chapel Area school taxes could increase. - Developers propose six new homes in Fox Chapel. - Children can get free summer meals in Sharpsburg. - St. Juan Diego food pantry shares part of $1 million grant....
Vandergrift councilwoman sues fellow borough officials
A Vandergrift councilwoman is suing the borough in federal court, accusing five council members, the mayor and two police officers of a long list of infractions. Councilwoman Karen McClarnon filed the civil lawsuit Friday morning through attorney William Lafferty. In addition to the borough, defendants listed in the suit include...
Authorities investigating suspicious package left in Mt. Lebanon
Authorities are investigating substancesin a package left in Mt. Lebanon over the weekend by three men who participated in the protest in Downtown Pittsburgh, police said. Mt. Lebanon police said they received a call around 7:30 p.m. Saturday from a resident who reported seeing someone leave a vehicle and place...
Deer Lakes’ preliminary budget includes no tax increase
Deer Lakes School District has approved a $38.9 million preliminary budget for the 2020-2021 school year that includes no increase in property taxes. The tax rate remains 21.953 mills in the preliminary budget. A homeowner with a property assessed at $107,493 would continue to owe $2,359 in taxes. “The school...
No new coronavirus cases, deaths reported in Westmoreland County
No new covid-19 cases or deaths were reported Monday in Westmoreland County. The countywide case total remains 449, with 38 deaths, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Westmoreland County Coroner Kenneth Bacha has reported 32 coronavirus deaths, less than the state’s reported 38. Bacha’s office has not updated its...
Laurelville Retreat Center pool will open to the public
With many pools remaining closed this summer, swimmers will have one more option for water fun. The new pool at Laurelville Retreat Center in Mt. Pleasant Township will open to the public by June 15 for two daily swim sessions. The pool will operate with limited crowd capacities and distancing...
Hempfield firefighters free man’s leg pinned by concrete slab, dispatchers say
Hempfield firefighters responded Monday to rescue a man whose leg was pinned by a concrete slab, according to Westmoreland County 911 dispatchers. The incident occurred at 11 a.m. at a residence in the 1900 block of Clawson Avenue, the dispatcher said. Firefighters from Midway-St. Clair were called to free the...
Man accused of leading troopers on 100 mph chase in Hempfield, Unity
A Ligonier Township man is accused of leading state troopers on a chase exceeding 100 mph for several miles along Route 30 in Hempfield and Unity and intentionally crashing into three state police patrol cars. Robbie T. Saunders, 56, is charged with attempted homicide of a police officer and aggravated...
Overnight roadwork taking place on Route 28 near Millvale, Highland Park Bridge
Motorists who travel along Route 28 through O’Hara, Shaler and Sharpsburg might encounter slight overnight delays during an $11.5 million paving project. Construction will happen in both directions between Millvale and the Highland Park Bridge, PennDOT announced. Work will be done from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. and cause single-lane...
8 new coronavirus cases in Allegheny County; state reports 1 new death
Allegheny County reported eight new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing the total count to 1,919. The county has reported a total of 151 deaths, including one new death. That lags behind the state count of 164. County officials have said that the reason for the different death count is the...
Police: Shaler man linked to violence at Pittsburgh protest turns self in
A half-dozen cans of spray paint and a distinct black hoodie linked a Shaler man to the destruction of a Pittsburgh police car in Uptown on Saturday, the riotous spark that touched off hours of violence and marred what was meant to be a peaceful protest, according to police. Brian...
