Local category, Page 2551
Sewickley halts township-related activities; Manor and Penn Township close offices; Jeannette, Hempfield and North Huntingdon declare emergencies
In an attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that causes covid-19, several municipalities in Westmoreland County are closing offices or municipal-related activities, while others are asking that residents interact with office personnel only when necessary. Sewickley Township canceled all activities, gatherings and events affiliated with the township, as...
John Oyler: Merchant Marine casualties in World War II
This week’s column is based on my brother Joe’s latest project, a commemoration of local men who served in the Merchant Marine in World War II. The loss of men from our neighborhood who perished while serving in the military during World War II and the Korean War left a...
Allegheny County ordered to stop dine-in service at restaurants and barsVideo
Gov. Tom Wolf on Sunday ordered Allegheny County bars and restaurants to stop dine-in service for 14 days to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. The order, which goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday, came on the same night Allegheny County officials urged all non-essential businesses to close...
Pittsburgh Public Schools activates emergency response plan amid school closures
Pittsburgh Public Schools has activated its emergency response plan because of the state-ordered closure during the covid-19 outbreak, the district announced Sunday. “As a large urban district, we have to be prepared for any public safety crisis. Fortunately, significant planning has been underway in anticipation of the need to close...
Pittsburgh Diocese cancels all Masses to help slow spread of coronavirus
The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh has canceled all weekday and Sunday Masses starting Monday to prevent the spread of covid-19. “Although in many ways it saddens me to make this decision, given the best advice from health experts on federal, state and local levels, I feel it is a necessary...
PennDOT asks Homeland Security to extend Real ID deadline amid coronavirus pandemic
PennDOT is asking federal officials to extend the Oct. 1 Real ID enforcement deadline in light of the coronavirus outbreak. Acting PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to extend the Oct. 1 Real ID enforcement deadline as facilities close due to the coronavirus. To control...
Pitt, Duquesne go online only for rest of semester; Duquesne closes dorms
The University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University announced Sunday that they have committed to online-only classes for the remainder of the semester amid the coronavirus pandemic. Duquesne also announced it is closing dorms for the rest of the semester and asked students living on campus to return home. “We have...
Planes on time, few lines, facilities clean at Pittsburgh airport, travelers say
Jackie Whitaker and her husband didn’t have much trouble traveling Sunday afternoon from Phoenix to Pittsburgh, but the Elk County woman said at least one thing was striking: The planes and airports have never looked cleaner. “Even as we were still getting off the plane, they were wiping off the...
Several shops in Ross Park Mall close, modify hours due to coronavirus
Wayne Christ, 79, sat alone in the food court of Ross Park Mall. Christ, who lives in Ross, said he’s been keeping his distance from others and frequently washing his hands. But he still came to the mall — he didn’t want to halt his entire life because of the...
Friends of Murrysville Parks founder has love of natureVideo
Every morning as a child, Pia van de Venne would look out the window of her home in Vught, Netherlands, and marvel at the trees. She does the same now in her Murrysville home — that is, when she is not spending her time working in the township’s parks. Van...
Port Authority light rail line officially renamed Silver Line Library
The Port Authority of Allegheny County has officially changed the name of one of its light rail routes. The Blue Line Library route is now known as the Silver Line Library route, effective Sunday. The Port Authority had announced the change Feb. 18. The Blue Line Library is now officially...
Pittsburgh’s paid sick leave requirement goes into effect
An ordinance requiring employers in Pittsburgh to provide paid sick leave went into effect Sunday, guaranteeing many employees who work within city limits will still get paid and accrue sick time as coronavirus cases continue to grow. Under the ordinance, employers with 15 or more employees must give them up...
Firefighters practice rescues from confined spaces in JeannetteVideo
The victim: a 180-pound dummy dressed in firefighter gear trapped underneath Fifth Street in Jeannette. The mission: squeeze through a manhole and a few feet of old brick street for a rescue. “One patient down, unconscious,” Penn Township medical rescue technician Bobby Scott said through a radio after he touched...
Here’s how Western Pa. schools plan to feed students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches
School districts started announcing how they would get food to students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunches amid a statewide public school shutdown over the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday ordered all Pennsylvania K-12 schools to close for two weeks in an effort to stem the spread...
Pittsburgh police investigating after man jumped, assaulted in Oakland
Pittsburgh police are investigating the alleged assault of a man early Saturday in Oakland. Emergency responders were called to the scene of a reported assault on the 300 block of Atwood Street around 3 a.m. When they arrived, they found an unconscious man lying on the sidewalk. Witnesses told investigators...
Norwin School Board cancels meeting
The Norwin School Board has cancelled its meeting that was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, because the school district is closed for two weeks as a result of the governor’s orders to combat the spread of the coronavirus that causes covid-19. The school district has yet to reschedule the meeting,...
Western Pa. restaurants offer free lunches to schoolkids during hiatus over coronavirus fearsVideo
School lunches are getting an upgrade from restaurants around the area that are offering free mid-day meals to children in light of a two-week shutdown of schools amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Many owners said they felt the need to help after Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday ordered all...
Amid pandemic, Pittsburgh parishioners attend Mass for ‘reassurance of faith’
The sign in front of Sacred Heart church in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood pointed out the canceled fish fry, but parishioners still attended Mass Sunday morning. During exchange of Sign of Peace, some waved, others held up two fingers rather than shaking hands. “We woke up and we wanted to go,”...
Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium to close temporarily over coronavirus fears
The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is shuttering operations because of concerns over the coronavirus. The zoo on Sunday announced that it will be temporarily closed to the public until further notice starting Monday. All scheduled events, programs and classes will be canceled. “Our dedicated caretakers and veterinarians will continue...
ICYMI: Non-coronavirus news you may have missed
There’s no doubt the vast majority of the news cycle these past few days has been focused around the coronavirus. Because of that, stories not having to do with the virus may have escaped your view. Here’s a roundup of non-coronavirus news worth noting. PennDOT warns of month-long restrictions on...
6 arrested during Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day celebrationsVideo
Six people were arrested Saturday in Pittsburgh’s South Side during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Public Safety spokesman Chris Togneri said in a news release that a public works employee was uninjured when he was struck by a car at East Carson and 17th streets by a restaurant employee who was...
Washington man killed in crash
A Washington man was killed early Sunday in a one-vehicle crash, according to Washington County Coroner Tim Warco. Michael D. Slider Sr., 56, of Washington, was driving on Woodland Avenue in Canton Township at 12:30 a.m. when authorities said he lost control and the vehicle rolled onto its side. Slider...
The Stroller, March 15, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Stroller is your go-to place for local meeting notices, charitable events and volunteer opportunities. Information for The Stroller may be dropped off or mailed at least a week in advance to: The Stroller, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084, email vndnews@tribweb.com or fax 724-226-4677. Girl Scouts...
58th state House candidates swap negative ads, complain of inaccuracy
Candidates for the vacant 58th District state House seat in Tuesday’s special election are spending the final days of the campaign responding to the flurry of what they called inaccurate negative ads. Both major party candidates, Democrat Robert Prah Jr. and Republican Eric Davanzo, said high-volume mailings, television and online...
Greensburg police searching for missing mother and son
Greensburg police are searching for a mother and her 1-year-old son. Aziyza King, 37, and Zayn went missing March 6. They were last seen leaving their residence on Grove Street. According to a police department Facebook post, King had told a neighbor she would be walking to the Dollar General...
