Western PA Local News category, Page 2694
Jeannette grows its art scene, with more to come
Jill Urbani Sorrels has a vivid recollection of something her father said years ago about Jeannette’s future. It would take an entire generation for the city to bounce back from a decline, Urbani Sorrels remembers him saying. “ ‘It will come back through the eyes of the artists,’ ” she...
Gateway School District explores methods toward racial equity in schools
In an effort to close the achievement gap between its black and white students, Gateway School District officials are focusing on ideas like instructional and environmental inclusion and teaching about cultural figures and historical struggles. Those efforts, as well as a proposed mentoring program for fifth- through eighth-graders, were among...
Donora man killed in crash
A Donora man was killed Thursday night in a one-vehicle crash near the Donora-Monessen Bridge, according to the Washington County coroner. Derrick A. Dow, 41, lost control of the vehicle he was driving at the intersection of Route 837 and Donora Road at 8 p.m., Coroner Tim Warco said. Dow’s...
Penn Hills man caught with 36 bricks of heroin, fentanyl pleads guilty in federal court
A Penn Hills man caught last summer with 36 bricks of heroin and fentanyl at his residence pleaded guilty this week to federal drug and guns charges, prosecutors said Thursday. Antwon Shamar Bonner, 21, admitted as part of his guilty plea to possessing with the intent to sell large amounts...
New streets, bike lanes open at Hazelwood Green as development takes shape
Three newly paved public streets, freshly painted bike lanes and innovative landscaping features are among the latest visible signs of activity taking shape at Hazelwood Green, a 178-acre development along the Monongahela River that’s been in the works for nearly two decades. The infrastructure improvements, which took two years to...
Some bumps, but overall violent crime continues to fall in Pittsburgh
As violent crime fell slightly last year citywide, both violent crime in Downtown Pittsburgh and hate crimes citywide increased, according to data released Thursday by public safety officials. The combined number of homicides and non-fatal shootings dropped for the fourth year, to a combined 146 shootings — a drop of...
Former Pittsburgh resident indicted on drug charges linked to kidnapping case
A former Pittsburgh resident was formally indicted on drug charges stemming from a 2018 kidnapping case, according to federal prosecutors. A federal grand jury handed down a seven-count indictment against Kevin Harris, 37, formerly of Pittsburgh, according to U.S. Attorney Scott Brady’s office. According to the indictment, Harris allegedly conspired...
County begins treating Westmoreland Manor water sources
Westmoreland County has started treating water sources at its nursing home in Hempfield to remove what officials say is the likely presence of bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease. Preliminary tests revealed earlier this week the likely presence of the Legionella bacteria in water at Westmoreland Manor. Those tests were initiated...
Cheswick man sentenced for stealing stamps to pay drug debt
A former Cheswick resident was sentenced in federal court to 18 months in jail and ordered to pay $37,590 in restitution for a stamp theft scheme to pay a debt he owed to a drug dealer. U.S. District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on John Martell, 39. According...
Derry Township man to serve up to 10 years for assaults at eviction hearing
A Derry Township man will serve up to 10 years in prison for assaults against a lawyer and a witness during an eviction hearing more than two years ago. Kevin Cole, 34, pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts each of aggravated assault and simple assault in connection with allegations he...
Gina Cerilli says Doug Chew contradicts position on bidding Westmoreland County contracts
Westmoreland County Commissioner Gina Cerilli on Thursday accused a fellow commissioner of breaking a campaign promise less than one month into his first term in office. Cerilli, a two-term Democrat, said Republican Doug Chew’s vote to award seven contracts, to upgrade and install new air conditioning units at locations throughout...
Pittsburgh, UPMC providing free lifesaving trainingVideo
Minutes matter when it comes to saving a life during a catastrophic medical emergency. That’s why Pittsburgh and UPMC are partnering on a free program designed to educate the public on lifesaving techniques people can use in the minutes before medical help arrives. “Having the public be there when somebody...
Collier man sentenced to 12 years for heroin distribution
A Collier man was sentenced this week to 12 years in federal prison for having $376,000 worth of heroin in his Porsche SUV. The drugs were found by police after a high-speed chase on Route 28 five years ago, according to federal prosecutors. William Thompson, 37, previously pleaded guilty of...
Rahmael Holt’s mother convicted of hindering son’s arrest after he killed Brian Shaw
The mother of Rahmael Sal Holt, who was sentenced to death last year for shooting and killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw, was found guilty Thursday in Allegheny County of helping her son elude police after the 2017 shooting. In a nonjury trial, Judge Kevin G. Sasinoski found Sherry...
Unity eyes zoning changes for windmills, barns, Route 981 development
Nine additional properties along Route 981 near the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport are being targeted for rezoning from a residential classification to a regional commercial designation, as Unity Township looks to amend its zoning ordinance to support more development opportunities near the airport. The nine parcels, stretching northeast from the...
AHN Hempfield hospital set for opening, cancer center begins treatmentsVideo
AHN Hempfield — Neigborhood Hospital is set to open Monday after months of delays related to the state’s licensing process. The hospital at Route 30 and Agnew Road in Hempfield will start accepting patients at 8 a.m. Construction of the $30 million micro-hospital wrapped up in the fall and Allegheny...
Verona teen arrested, charged with attempted homicide in Wilkins shooting
A Verona teenager was arrested Thursday for allegedly shooting another teenager in Wilkins last week , Allegheny County Police said. Shawn Nazier Frye-Culbreth, 16, is charged as an adult with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, theft of a motor vehicle, theft, receiving stolen property, firearms violations and criminal conspiracy in connection...
Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park Skating Rink to reopen, celebrate 45 years
Sharpen those skates. The Schenley Park Skating Rink will reopen Friday night. After it closed in March for an overhaul, the rink is ready for skaters to glide across a new surface. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony by Pittsburgh officials at 6 p.m. followed by the first session of...
WCCC to host Greensburg Diocese’s men’s conference
Editor’s note: Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Diocese of Greensburg announced that “The Well” has been rescheduled for May 9, 2020. Six hundred Catholic men attended the Diocese of Greensburg’s 2019 men’s conference “The Well,” so local church leaders decided to hold another one. The second annual gathering, whose...
Veterans banners being sold to support restoration of Harrison memorial
Banners honoring Harrison’s military veterans are being sold to raise money for the restoration of the township’s World War II Honor Roll memorial. The 75-year-old sandstone memorial at Freeport and Springhill roads was partially restored last year. That work — which included stone repointing and repair, pressure washing, and patching...
Leechburg’s newest council members hope to bring fresh perspective to borough
Ruth Bender and Megan Goedicke love Leechburg. The two women have no prior political experience, but wanted to make a difference in their borough. So they ran for council and were elected. “I wanted to take a more active role in town,” Bender said. Both women ran unopposed in November’s...
Family demands charges against Wilkinsburg witness who allegedly confessed to toddler’s killing
An attorney for the family of a toddler killed in a drive-by shooting in 2013 demanded Thursday that the District Attorney’s Office file homicide charges against the jailhouse snitch who allegedly confessed to the slaying. The man alleged to have confessed is known only as Witness 3, and his purported...
Soldiers & Sailors unveils exhibit spotlighting Western Pa. Medal of Honor recipients
Clara Burns listened intently as her younger brother’s death was recounted Wednesday night at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum. Lance Cpl. William Prom, a machine gun leader in the 3rd Marines Division who grew up in Pittsburgh and Millvale, was marching alongside two platoons returning from a reconnaissance...
Pittsburgh prepping public safety personnel to identify signs of coronavirus
Pittsburgh Public Safety officials are taking steps to ensure that first responders are prepared in the event of a local outbreak of the deadly coronavirus. Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said Thursday he is more concerned about Allegheny County’s increasing flu deaths this year, but stressed that city paramedics, firefighters...
Winning Cash 5 tickets sold in New Ken, Pittsburgh; $400K jackpot will be split
There’s another lucky Pennsylvania Lottery winner in the Alle-Kiski Valley. One of two jackpot-winning Cash 5 tickets was sold at the Golden Dawn supermarket on Freeport Road in New Kensington, the Pennsylvania Lottery announced Thursday. The other ticket was sold at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood. The ticket...
