Local category, Page 2698

An Ohio man wearing an elaborate mask to make him appear decades older slipped a note across a North Huntingdon restaurant counter Tuesday morning that warned of “an active shooter threat and multiple bombs” at Norwin and Jeannette high schools, authorities reported. The ruse by Luke J. Dell, 35, of...

Walking and biking trails developed along railroad rights-of-way contribute $930 million annually to Pennsylvania’s economy, and the regional Great Allegheny Passage trail is an important part of that figure, the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy estimates. According to the conservancy’s methodology, that estimate is on the low end of spending along the state’s...

An issue that caused about 400 Peoples Gas customers in Hempfield to lose service was corrected Tuesday morning, according to the utility. Crews started going door-to-door to make safety checks and relight appliances, the utility said in a message on its website posted at 10:15 a.m. Spokesman Barry Kukovich said...

The outdoor seating at the Square Cafe in Regent Square, once in jeopardy, can remain open year-round, borough council members decided during a Monday meeting. Edgewood Borough members unanimously voted in favor of an amendment to adjust some of the seating to allow sidewalk access, filed by the popular restaurant’s...

A project to restore a retaining wall along Oakmont’s Allegheny River Boulevard has been postponed. Jay Quade, senior inspector for Senate Engineering, said the contractor asked for the work to be postponed until spring because of low temperatures. Quade said paint and other materials being used on the project require...

The principal of Highlands Early Childhood Center abruptly stepped down Monday afternoon without a clear explanation, district officials said. Highlands School Board accepted the resignation of Heather Bigney during a public voting meeting Monday night, just a few hours after Bigney submitted her resignation around 4 p.m., according to board...

The only people ScareHouse managed to frighten this Halloween season are the haunted-house hopefuls worried about whether they’re getting their money back. ScareHouse will not be opening “The Scream District” attractions it’s been building in Pittsburgh’s Strip District since June in time for Halloween this year, officials confirmed Monday night...

Firefighters responded to a house fire in Fayette County’s Upper Tyrone around 7:30 p.m. Monday, according to an 911 dispatch supervisor. The supervisor said at least four fire companies from Fayette County and several others from neighboring Westmoreland County responded to the fire at a house in the 300 block...

Pittsburgh police are seeking the public’s help to track down a woman suspected of robbing a Mt. Washington convenience store last week. The robbery occurred around 11 p.m. Oct. 14 at the CoGo’s store at 20 Bailey Ave., according to police. The suspect told the cashier turn over all the...

Back in the 1960s, it was enough for Apollo Area Lions Club members to take their own lawnmowers to cut the grass at the old Apollo Cemetery. But not anymore. Old trees have been uprooting some tombstones and threatening to swallow up the ownerless but historic cemetery in Kiski Township....

The Deer Lakes School Board has scheduled a special meeting for Wednesday to discuss advanced refunding of the bond issue. The school board had hoped to formulate a resolution for advance refunding of its bond Tuesday night, but bond counsel Anthony Ditka of Dinsmore & Shohl erroneously submitted an old...

The bright lights of Hollywood will come to North Apollo in November, closing a nearly 1-mile stretch of Route 66 for a film shoot. Amazon Studios is scheduled to use the borough as a rural backdrop Nov. 6 and 7. PennDOT officials said three-quarters of a mile of Route 66...

Sewage customers will be getting a one-year reprieve from the Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority’s move toward revaluation of dwelling units. The authority said last week that proper calculation of how much sewerage the average household or business produces will be put off until January 2021. The authority board...

Census officials are gearing up hiring efforts before the 2020 survey, and recruiting efforts will take place across Westmoreland and Allegheny counties this week. Interested applicants can ask questions about available positions — which include census takers, recruiting assistants, and office and supervisory staff — and receive help submitting applications....

Jeannette schools will be the scene of critical incident drills Wednesday in which a combined evacuation and lockdown scenario will test the reactions of school officials and first responders. The school district, city police, fire department and Jeannette Emergency Medical Services will conduct the drill at 9:10 a.m. at the...

A portion of South 18th Street in Pittsburgh’s South Side Flats will close for a week in November so crews can lay new railroad tracks, the city announced Monday. The closure of South 18th Street at South Shore Court will take place from Nov. 4 through Nov. 8. During the...

The realities of natural gas drilling in a low-price market will be among the themes at this week’s Shale Insight 2019, the annual conference in Downtown Pittsburgh where President Trump is scheduled to appear Wednesday. Prices continued a downward trend in September, putting pressure on local producers such as Pittsburgh-based...

After rushing to assist a Delmont man who claimed to have been attacked by a woman wielding a hammer, police ended up arresting him on charges of rape and assault. Joseph P. Swisher, 49, is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison without bail. He is charged with rape, aggravated...

Members of Pittsburgh’s firefighters union have accused a city labor attorney of threatening a neutral arbitrator during negotiations over a new contract in an attempt to influence a decision in the city’s favor. The arbitration panel ultimately awarded Pittsburgh firefighters a new contract that includes raises totaling 20% over five...

Members of the South Fayette Township Police Department will participate in No-Shave November to help fight cancer. Police officers have special permission to break their dress code for the month to raise money for cancer research and education, treatment and prevention, according to a news release from the department. The...