Local category, Page 2547
Man struck by car in New Kensington hospitalized
A man hit by a car Tuesday on Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington apparently stepped into the road before the crash, said police Chief Bob Deringer. “No charges will be filed against the driver at this time,” Deringer said Wednesday, but that the investigation is continuing. Deringer said the...
Health official: 40% to 60% of Allegheny County adults could get infected with covid-19Video
Forty percent to 60% of Western Pennsylvanian adults could get infected with covid-19 before the coronavirus pandemic winds down, Allegheny County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen said Tuesday. “Most people who get the virus will actually do fine,” Bogen said. “The whole point of everything we are doing is to...
Nobody hurt in rollover crash in Hempfield
Nobody was hurt when a vehicle flipped and landed between two homes in Hempfield Township Tuesday evening, according to Westmoreland County 911. The single-vehicle crash happened at 8:19 p.m. on the 1000 block of Carbon Road, a dispatcher said. The SUV was coming around a curve when it lost control...
National Park Service closes Western Pennsylvania visitor centers
The National Park Service on Tuesday closed visitor centers at its Western Pennsylvania sites until further notice to promote social distancing as part of coronavirus-related precautions. Restrooms and trails remain open to the public at all locations, including Friendship Hill National Historic Site. The following features also are open: •...
State, federal prosecutors announce fraud crackdowns amid coronovirus crisis
Federal and state prosecutors are cracking down to stop those trying to use schemes to fraudulently profit from the coronavirus outbreak. U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady named Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaun Sweeney, a senior litigation counsel, the covid-19 fraud coordinator. Sweeney will lead the prosecution of scammers who may be...
Highmark says seniors who left over UPMC feud ‘returning home,’ reports $18B in 2019 revenue
Nearly 8 out of 10 seniors who left their Highmark insurance plans last year because they feared losing access to UPMC hospitals and doctors have since switched back, Highmark Health CFO Saurabh Tripathi said. “A majority of our customers came back to us; we are seeing really good growth in...
Port Authority to offer credit to riders with time-based ConnectCards
People who have bought time-based passes to use the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s bus and light rail system can be reimbursed for the unused value on their card. They won’t receive cash, but the Port Authority will use a pro-rated schedule to transfer the unused value of the card...
Influenza deaths increase in history-setting season, state reports
Ten more people died from influenza in Pennsylvania in the last week, increasing the total number of flu deaths this season to 93, the state Department of Health reported Tuesday. As of the week ending March 14, most of the people who died — 64 — were 65 or older....
Some voters brave coronavirus warnings for special election in House 58th DistrictVideo
As Ann McWilliams walked in to the Rillton Volunteer Fire Hall to vote in Tuesday’s special election, her husband sat outside in the car — unsure his wife’s decision to cast her ballot was the safe choice. “I don’t want to get the virus. I’m scared,” said Jack McWilliams, 82....
Cheswick borough office closed but services still available
Cheswick has closed its borough offices for visits from residents because of coronavirus concerns, but residents can reach out to the borough by telephone and email, officials said. Office staff can be reached during normal business hours by calling 724-274-5125 or sending an email to boroughsecretary@cheswick.us or assistantsecretary@cheswick.us. Residents can...
Zappala: DA’s Office won’t oppose release of nonviolent inmates at high risk for coronavirus
The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office won’t opposed the release of nonviolent inmates deemed to be at high risk of contracting the coronavirus from the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh, a spokesman for the office said . Mike Manko, spokesman for District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr., said his office...
Westmoreland municipal authority to meet via telephone
The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County board will meet as scheduled Wednesday, but just how that will be done will be a bit unusual in these unusual times. Agency Solicitor Scott Avolio said board members will call in from home or other locations to allow the water and sewer utility...
Highlands accepting emails for vacant school board seat
Highlands School District will now accept applications for a vacant school board seat via email. The district had previously specifically prohibited people from submitting application electronically. The Region 2 seat became vacant when Misty Chybrzynski, former board president, resigned after moving out of the district. Region 2 covers Brackenridge and...
Greensburg closes all municipal facilities to public to prevent coronavirus spread
Greensburg will close all city facilities to the public “until further notice” effective Wednesday, though some city employees will report to work as usual and the rest will work from home, officials said. City leaders decided on the policy after meeting with county health officials and representatives from Excela Health...
First responders offered free meals at Arnold Palmer airport amid coronavirus precautionsVideo
Some businesses and organizations have shut down or curtailed operations as part of Pennsylvania’s coronavirus precautions, but that’s not the case for police, paramedics and firefighters. So, the Westmoreland County Airport Authority joined forces with DeNunzio’s Italian Chophouse to help on-duty first responders get access to meals during the suspension...
Enclosed portion of Pittsburgh Mills mall closes indefinitely over coronavirus outbreak
The Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills will close at 6 p.m. Tuesday and remain closed “until further notice,” the mall announced on its Facebook page. The closure applies to the enclosed mall only. The mall advised shoppers to check with other stores outside the mall about their status. “In response to...
Enjoying great outdoors tougher at some Western Pa. parks
Enjoying the great outdoors is getting more difficult at some public parks as organizations are closing some park facilities, canceling events and making some parks off-limits altogether because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has closed facilities including restrooms and buildings at all 121...
Coronavirus temporarily halts volunteers helping at trout stockings statewide
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission continued stocking trout this week, but without the help of volunteers. “We realize that many of our stocking volunteers look forward to helping us, but we must take these necessary precautions to ensure public safety during this vital period,” said the commission’s Executive Director...
Alle-Kiski Valley police begin responding to some calls by phone
Some police departments in the Alle-Kiski Valley will be responding to some nonemergency calls over the phone. New Kensington officers “will use their discretion” in deciding if a nonemergency call can be handled with a phone call or if they need to respond to the scene, police Chief Robert Deringer...
Pitt postpones spring commencement ceremonies
The University of Pittsburgh has postponed all in-person spring commencement ceremonies at the main campus in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher announced Tuesday. “This decision was not made lightly,” Gallagher said in a statement. “We know this news will be upsetting both to graduates, who have worked so hard...
Pittsburgh Brookline, Milliones schools to get deep cleaning after possible exposure
Pittsburgh Brookline and Milliones schools will receive deep cleaning this week after the district announced students at the school may have come in contact with the coronavirus. A relative of students who attend Pittsburgh Brookline is believed to have covid-19, Pittsburgh Public Schools announced Tuesday. The district notified families of...
Board approves over $433,000 roof restoration on Hempfield elementary school
Hempfield Area School Board members are planning a third roof restoration project, this time at West Hempfield Elementary School. School board members approved the project during Monday’s meeting. According to Superintendent Tammy Wolicki, the project will begin at the end of the school year and is expected to be finished...
UPMC shuns health experts’ calls to cancel elective surgeriesVideo
Pittsburgh-based health giant UPMC on Tuesday rejected calls from county and state health experts to stop doing elective surgeries at its hospitals. While acknowledging that some elective surgeries can be postponed, UPMC said they “cannot be delayed for long.” “This is not the time for UPMC to diminish services to...
Pittsburgh police make arrest in February Beltzhoover homicide
A Pittsburgh man is charged with homicide in a case from February. Daniel Miles, 31, is accused of fatally shooting Robert Fulton, 33, in Pittsburgh’s Beltzhoover neighborhood, according to city police. Fulton died in the emergency room of UPMC Mercy Feb. 26 after being shot while in the 200 block...
Gun sales soar as threat of coronavirus spreads across Western Pa.
In 100 years, the Army Navy & Indoor Pistol Range in Latrobe has seen just about everything, said owner Mark Boerio. But nothing like coronavirus. Boerio is not planning to close the store as the virus spreads across Western Pennsylvania. As of Tuesday, Allegheny County reported seven confirmed cases while...
