Local category, Page 2581
Former Franklin Regional student to serve probation for cyber attack that crippled school, county computers
The lawyer for a former Franklin Regional High School student convicted of a cyberattack that disrupted more than a dozen computer systems throughout Westmoreland County in late 2016 told a judge it was all just a prank. Defense attorney Lyle Dresbold said Michaela G. King uploaded a computer program she...
Pittsburgh sommelier to discuss Australian wine, raise money for wildfire relief
Adam Knoerzer has been to Australia five times, tasting the wine in Victoria and enjoying the breathtaking scenery of the country. When he heard about the devastation from the recent wildfires – including some of the country’s vineyards — he wanted to help. A certified sommelier, he is teaching a...
Feds: Oakmont native kidnapped, killed Bethel Park woman in Nevada desert ‘for her money’
An Oakmont native who confessed to killing a Bethel Park woman in the Nevada desert now faces federal charges of kidnapping resulting in death, court records filed Monday show. John Matthew Chapman, who’s originally from Oakmont and more recently lived in Maryland, was arrested in connection with Jaime Feden’s disappearance...
$3.4 million sewer project underway in HempfieldVideo
A $3.4 million sewer project is underway in Hempfield. Located along Business Route 66, also known as Sheridan Road, the project to extend sewer lines along the highway started last week, said Brian Hohman, business manager at the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County. Crews have started work on a $3.4...
Chessie looks over renovations at Cheswick Pools and Patios, awaits makeover
Chessie isn’t going anywhere. Some people have been curious about the fate of the iconic purple elephant at Cheswick Pools and Patios as the pool display area outside the Pittsburgh Street business has been torn up. Owners Justin and Debbie Rushin said renovations at the business will continue through the...
Pittsburgh police trying to identify suspect in Sunoco robbery in Oakland
Pittsburgh police released photos of a man suspected in a Feb. 7 robbery at a Sunoco on Craft Avenue in Oakland. The robbery happened at about 11:45 p.m. when the man took cash from the register and attempted to leave the store. The cashier remotely locked the door and the...
Western Pennsylvania-filmed ‘I Am Not Okay With This’ debuts on Netflix
From the opening shot of the new Netflix series “I Am Not Okay With This,” the viewer will know that this is not an ordinary dark dramedy about high school kids dealing with teen angst. A young girl is seen walking down the street. She is soaked in blood as...
Leechburg Area Pool Board once again asks public to help keep pool open
The main message from Leechburg Area Pool officials at an emergency meeting Sunday night in Gilpin: We need help. “That’s what we’re here for, is to ask for help,” board member Dave Safranyos told a crowd of about 25 people who attended the meeting at the Gilpin municipal building. “We...
Mt. Pleasant man to serve 3 to 6 years for fatal hit-and-run crash
A Mt. Pleasant man was sentenced Monday to serve up to six years in prison for a hit-and-run crash last year that resulted in the death of an elderly Hempfield man. Jonathan A. McElroy, 43, pleaded guilty to charges of causing an accident involving death, tampering with evidence, making false...
Monongahela native, Purdue president wants civics test as graduation requirement
Let’s hope they paid attention in high school civics. If students at Purdue University didn’t master civics back then, they might find themselves in a bit of a bind. Inside Higher Ed, a publication that follows higher education, is reporting Purdue President Mitch Daniels wants to make a passing grade...
Penn Hills native hunkering down in Italy as coronavirus spreads
Penn Hills native James Zanella said he’s not overly concerned — yet — about living roughly 40 miles away from the epicenter of Italy’s coronavirus outbreak. What worries him most is that Italian police have locked down 10 towns in the Lombardy region, which borders the Trentino region. Zanella lives...
Family laments that Hempfield doctor avoided jail for their daughter’s fatal overdoseVideo
Don Howard pulled no punches Monday in a Westmoreland County courtroom as he called for his daughter’s former doctor to be sent to jail. “He’s nothing but a pill pusher, and I guess he doesn’t mean his Hippocratic oath,” Howard said during a hearing in which Dr. Edgar Peske, 81,...
Lackey’s Dairy Queen in North Apollo plans ‘Leap Day’ reopening
Lackey’s Dairy Queen in North Apollo is leaping into its season this year. Celebrating its 65th year in business, the popular seasonal ice cream destination usually opens in early March. But with 2020 being a leap year, it’s opening Saturday, Feb. 29, instead, said Matthew Spires of Washington Township, Lackey’s...
Work to remove Ohiopyle graffiti underwayVideo
Cleanup got under way Monday along the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle’s Ferncliff Peninsula Natural Area after an act of vandalism left spray-painted symbols and words on rocks just across from the visitors center. Four employees dragged a pressure washer and generator nearly 500 yards down a trail, hoping the high...
‘What a ride’: Wexford’s Christina Aguilera won Grammy for best new artist 20 years agoVideo
Wexford native Christina Aguilera’s wish came true 20 years ago after being dubbed Best New Artist at the 42nd Grammy Awards. The award, which came after the release of the single “Genie in a Bottle” and her first self-titled studio album, pitched her against other ’90s and early 2000s icons...
Sen. Casey asks AG Barr to end Pittsburgh’s involvement in Ukraine probe
Pennsylvania’s senior U.S. senator on Monday urged Attorney General William Barr to stop diverting law enforcement resources from the Pittsburgh region to vet information about Ukraine. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, wrote that he questions whether Barr and the Department of Justice’s leadership is more interested in helping the president’s...
East Carson Street construction project planned for April
A construction project along East Carson Street aimed at improving safety is scheduled to start in April. Crews are conducting preparatory work this week to get ready for the project, PennDOT announced Monday. The $16.31 million project targets a 2.5-mile stretch of East Carson Street in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood....
Pennsylvania launches webpages to school voters on new procedures
State officials are making good on a promise to get out the word about Pennsylvania’s new voting systems — at least online. On Monday, three weeks before the new date when voters may apply for a no-excuse absentee ballot, the Pennsylvania Department of State launched a new website (www.votespa.com/readytovote), complete...
Walmart training employees for in-home delivery at empty townhouse in SewickleyVideo
There is an empty townhome in Sewickley. No one lives there, but the fridge is stocked full of food and drinks. The home is one of a few in the country being rented by Walmart for the sole purpose of training employees for the company’s new in-home delivery service. Walmart...
Owner of 4 Shop ‘n Saves given probation for $300K coupon scheme
The owner of four North Hills grocery stores was sentenced Monday to four years of probation after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors for a long-running coupon scheme that bilked nearly $300,000 from manufacturers. Michael Mihelic, 60, of Franklin Park pleaded guilty to a single count of theft. “It was...
Amid lower natural gas prices, Chevron Appalachia to begin layoffs at Moon headquarters
Chevron Appalachia informed Pennsylvania it will begin layoffs at its regional headquarters in Moon. The layoffs, beginning April 6 and continuing through the end of the year, will affect 288 employees, according to a WARN notice filed with the state Department of Labor & Industry. The layoffs at the 700...
Slippery Rock student, Pittsburgh native survives 80-foot fall off cliff at McConnells Mill
A Slippery Rock University student survived an 80-foot fall off a cliff when she “slipped on some leaves” Sunday afternoon near a climbing area at McConnells Mill State Park. Jocie Van Kirk, 21, originally from Pittsburgh, was flown to a hospital around 3:30 p.m. Sunday to be treated for neck,...
6 accused in conspiracy to smuggle drugs into Westmoreland County Prison
A Cambria County woman is accused of working with four Westmoreland County Prison inmates in failed attempts to bring drugs into the jail, according to court papers. Matraca Lynn Vrana, 26, was arraigned Friday and jailed on $50,000 bail. She and five others, including the mother of one of the...
Waterline break prompts early dismissal at Highlands High School
Highlands High School dismissed students early Monday because of a waterline break outside the school. The high school closed at 11 a.m., according to a recorded phone call the district sent out to parents. School and district officials could not be reached for comment and did not respond to requests...
Crash on Route 28 snarls early-morning commute
A crash with multiple vehicles snarled traffic on inbound Route 28 on Monday morning, backing up traffic considerably just before the heart of rush hour. Several vehicles were involved in the crash near the former site of St. Nicholas Church between the 31st Street Bridge and East Ohio Street. The...
