Local category, Page 2661
20 years ago, Y2K became the crisis that wasn’t
The lights stayed on. The lines stayed open. And 1999 ended with a whimper rather than a bang. I wrote those words in a news story for the Tribune-Review at the end of my shift as the calendar turned from Dec. 31, 1999, to Jan. 1, 2000. It had been...
Alle-Kiski Valley top stories of 2019
The Alle-Kiski Valley’s biggest story of 2019 unfolded over less than two weeks in a Westmoreland County courtroom, with a jury of nine women and three men finding Rahmael Holt guilty of murdering New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw and then sentencing Holt to death. In other major stories, the...
A look at top stories from around Westmoreland County in 2019
Some of the biggest stories of 2019 in Westmoreland County and the region carried over from the last calendar year, including reconciliation efforts from the Catholic priest sex abuse scandal and the ongoing celebration of all things related to Fred Rogers. Here is a look at some of the stories...
Group seeks to bring outdoor climbing to Pittsburgh
Some might look at remnants of an old bridge as blight, cluttering the landscape. But when Todd McCormick looks out at the Mon Wharf, he sees potential in part of a deconstructed bridge on the bank of the Monongahela River. “We don’t want to get rid of it, we want...
Arnold auto technician’s passion for cars continues through the agesVideo
Editor’s note: Building the Valley tells stories of businesses big and small and the employees who make them special. If you know of any standout employees, bosses or companies with a great story to tell, contact reporter Madasyn Lee at mlee@tribweb.com. Steve Mike’s career as an automotive technician started at...
Food Truck-a-Palooza returns to Monroeville Convention Center
The fourth annual Food Truck-a-Palooza rolls into the Monroeville Convention Center Saturday. It’s presented by GoodTaste! Pittsburgh and set for noon to 5 p.m. at 209 Mall Plaza Blvd. About 30 food trucks of various types are expected to participate in what GoodTaste! calls Around the World in 30 Trucks....
Herminie VFW, Donegal eatery cited by state liquor agents
The Herminie Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and a Donegal restaurant were cited Monday for allegedly violating state liquor laws. The VFW at 501 Church St., was cited for allegedly failing to maintain complete records covering the operation of the business from Oct. 27, 2017, to Oct. 29, 2019. The...
Property tax hike needed to maintain services, New Kensington officials say
A property tax increase is needed for New Kensington to maintain its services, officials said as council unanimously approved the city’s 2020 budget and tax rate Monday. Police protection is among those services. The city hired five new officers this year, which accounts for much of the 3% increase in...
Noblestown Road Bridge reopens after seven-month closure
The bridge that carries Noblestown Road over Robinson Run in North Fayette reopened Monday after being closed for about seven months, PennDOT said. The bridge closed May 22, between Finks Run Road and Main Street. All traffic was detoured. PennDOT cited problems with the abutment — the concrete structure supporting...
Water main break in South Oakland won’t be repaired until Tuesday, says PWSA
Traffic on Second Avenue between Brady and Bates streets in Pittsburgh’s South Oakland neighborhood will be restricted to one lane in each direction until 4 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said. The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority said repairs on a 36-inch water main have resumed but the authority does not expect...
Inmate found dead at Allegheny County Jail
An Allegheny County Jail inmate died Monday morning, according to Warden Orlando Harper. Harper said a man was found unresponsive by corrections officers around 7:25 a.m. Officers and medical personnel performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but their life-saving measures were unsuccessful, Harper said. The man was pronounced dead about 20...
Parents charged after kids found in ‘uninhabitable conditions’ in Hempfield home
A Hempfield couple is accused of child endangerment and animal neglect by sheriff’s deputies who say they discovered the family living in “uninhabitable conditions” when they served a warrant at the home last week, according to court documents. Cloyd A. and Melissa S. Zimmerman, both 38, of North Drive each...
Looking back at the biggest Pittsburgh stories of 2019
Here’s a look look back at some of the biggest Pittsburgh news stories of 2019 as reported by the Tribune-Review. Michael Rosfeld verdict Former East Pittsburgh police officer Michael Rosfeld was acquitted in March in the shooting death of 17-year-old Antwon Rose II. Rosfeld was on trial for shooting Rose...
‘Piggyback’ flight of World War II bombers recalledVideo
After what he endured on Dec. 31, 1944, while under heavy attack during an ill-fated bombing mission over northern Germany, Glenn H. Rojohn had no interest in popping a bottle of champagne and ringing in the new year. “We never celebrated New Year’s Eve,” said his son, David Rojohn of...
J.V. Manufacturing founder John C. Vecchi dies at 96
When John C. Vecchi began his manufacturing career at Allegheny Ludlum Steel in Brackenridge nearly 80 years ago, he made history. While serving as a tool-and-die apprentice, Vecchi helped build the world’s first carbide progressive die, an integral part of a process in which coiled metal is used to produce...
Sinking ground under Emporio in Pine forces closure
A gourmet meatball restaurant in Pine was closed Monday after officials discovered the ground beneath the building was sinking. Dennis Blackwell, the attorney for Emporio: A Meatball Joint, said the decision to close was made for the safety of customers and staff. “We just decided to close it immediately, temporarily,...
Pittsburgh City Council lauds, roasts outgoing member Darlene HarrisVideo
Pittsburgh City Council proclaimed Monday Darlene Harris Day despite an ongoing police investigation into allegations that the departing councilwoman stole several curios that had been gifted to the city. Council honored Harris — its longest serving member — for more than a decade of service, including the salvation of an...
Smoke alarm helps mother, young son escape fire in Arnold
A smoke alarm helped a woman and her 4-year-old son safely escape a fire that heavily damaged a two-story duplex in Arnold on Monday afternoon. The fire in the 2000 block of Proctor Alley was reported around 2 p.m. Firefighters had it put out within about 30 minutes. Kayla Pirozzi...
Gas prices move higher, ending 7 weeks of drops
A seven-week streak of falling gasoline prices ended as prices rose nationally and in the Pittsburgh area over the past week, according to price-tracking service GasBuddy. The national average price of gasoline is up 1.6 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.57, according to GasBuddy. That’s 2 cents...
2 more stores close at Westmoreland Mall
While December brought droves of shoppers to Westmoreland Mall, one store has shut its doors and another has announced its impending closure. PacSun, also referred to as Pacific Sunwear, is slated to close, according to signs posted around the store. Based in Anaheim, Calif., the clothing store caters to teens...
Lawmakers want answers about future of Avonmore’s Akers plant
State lawmakers who represent Avonmore said Monday they are concerned that the new owners of the Akers National Roll plant haven’t been more forthcoming about their plans for the site. “Documentation shows that the plant was sold, but we are unsure who the new owners are and what they ultimately...
Children bring Hanukkah, songs to Squirrel Hill nursing home
Residents of the Charles Morris Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Squirrel Hill enjoyed the singing from children as they celebrated Hanukkah. It’s the third year the youngsters and their parents from Yeshiva Schools gathered at the facility, which is run by the Jewish Association on Aging, to bring the happiness...
Police: White Oak man confessed to killing 90-year-old in Greenfield
The niece of the 90-year-old Hazelwood man who was shot and killed Saturday morning in Pittsburgh’s Greenfield neighborhood said her uncle had a heart of gold. “It’s pathetic that a man lives to be 90 years old and has to die this way,” said Marlene Regan of Point Breeze. Samuel...
Former figure skater to speak at Monroeville event
The Chabad Jewish Center of Monroeville will host a former competitive figure skater for its Guest Lecture Series on Jan. 8. Mor Greenberg, who blogs at sugarfreecoating.com, will give a talk, “Journey on Thin Ice” about her life as a competitive figure skater who was born in Israel and grew...
Popular flea market for hunting, fishing, camping items returning to ArnoldVideo
Looking for a decades-old lure from the South Bend Bait Co. or a new handmade turkey caller? The Alle-Kiski Valley’s oldest and, perhaps only, fishing and sports flea market is set for January at the Arnold No. 2 Volunteer Fire Department social hall. The 15th annual Tri-County Trout Club Sports...
