Western PA Local News category, Page 2703
The Stroller, Jan. 24, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Fundraiser to aid Humane Society of Westmoreland County The fourth annual Festival of Love Family Dinner will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 14 at Salem Lutheran Church, 301 E Pittsburgh St., Delmont. The menu includes spaghetti, tossed salad and bread. Those attending are asked to bring a dessert to share....
Pittsburgh man pleads guilty to dealing heroin while on probation for drug trafficking
A Pittsburgh man already serving probation for a drug trafficking conviction pleaded guilty to heroin distribution charges, federal prosecutors said. Davee Ward, 29, who has ties to Mt. Oliver, admitted to possessing and intending to distribute heroin in July 2016 — when he was on supervised release from a prior...
Pastor vows to rebuild after fire destroys Homestead church
A Homestead church was destroyed by fire Thursday evening. The fire at the Prayers and Deliverance Church on Amity Street in Homestead was reported at 6 p.m. Thursday, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV. The church’s pastor Bernard Marabel told WPXI he knew something wasn’t right when he arrived on...
2 Pittsburgh men plead guilty to selling heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine
A pair of Pittsburgh men pleaded guilty to scheming to sell fentanyl and heroin in the region, federal prosecutors said Thursday. John Burton, 31, and Nico Nixon, 29, were convicted in federal court in Pittsburgh following guilty pleas to drug trafficking and firearm crimes after their trials last year, U.S....
Route 56 in Allegheny Township closed for a time after wreck
A 25-year-old Vandergrift man was driving a van Thursday night along Route 56 in Allegheny Township when he suffered a medical episode, lost control and crashed into a hillside, police said. Allegheny Township police Sgt. Dan Uncapher said the accident occurred at about 9:45 p.m. at 6473 Route 56, near...
Downed wires block Route 30 in East McKeesport
A section of Route 30 in East McKeesport was closed around 7 p.m. Thursday because a truck pulled down fiber-optic wires in the area of Fifth Avenue, the Allegheny County Public Safety Department said. Police and fire units responded to the scene, the county said. The road reopened by 9:30...
Turtle Creek man pleads guilty to fentanyl, heroin and cocaine conspiracy
A Turtle Creek man charged in connection with a heroin and cocaine conspiracy allegedly with his two sisters admitted to the crime in federal court Thursday. Jerry Coker, 28, pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin. Authorities said his...
Photos: Cirque du Soleil’s OVO opens at PPG Paints ArenaVideo
Cirque du Soleil’s OVO, a colorful exploration of a day in the life of insects, opened at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday. The show, which will conclude on Sunday, premiered in 2009 and was written by Brazilian Deborah Colker. It features foot juggling, slack wire walking, trampolining, and more. The...
Should Pennsylvanians worry about deadly coronavirus?
Health officials say Pennsylvanians have little to fear so far from a deadly respiratory illness spreading across Southeast Asia. The coronavirus, which presents itself with symptoms similar to a common cold or the flu, has killed at least 18 people, mainly in China, and has sickened people in Taiwan, Japan,...
Parkway East restrictions planned for Saturday in Pittsburgh
The Parkway East (I-376) will be reduced to a single-lane in each direction Saturday between the Fort Pitt Bridge and the Squirrel Hill Tunnel. Crews will conduct barrier repairs and pavement inspections in various spots from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Work will accommodate major events occurring in Pittsburgh. Motorists...
Clairton and West Jefferson Hills school districts among nation’s starkest economic divides
Three school districts in Western Pennsylvania were identified on a national report showing stark economic differences between neighboring districts. ”Fault Lines,” released Thursday by the nonprofit EdBuild, named America’s 50 “most segregating school district borders” — defined as neighboring districts with strong differences in student poverty rates and resources allocated...
Former South Greensburg secretary gets more jail time in borough theft case
Convicted in the theft of more than $110,000 in public money, South Greensburg’s former borough secretary was ordered to serve an additional year in jail on Thursday. Dennis Lee Kunkle Jr., 55, originally pleaded guilty in October 2018 to six counts for embezzling government funds for his personal use and...
Alle-Kiski Arts Consortium shows work of local art teachers
For Teresa Emeroff, the “Practice What We Teach” exhibit was the chance to finish some of her own work and experience the joy of sharing it. An art teacher at Highlands High School, she said she doesn’t get to do that very often. “I start projects all the time at...
Westmoreland Dems seeking new leadership for party committee
Westmoreland County Democrats will have new leadership in this presidential election year after the party committee’s top two officials resigned in the last month. Party chairwoman Rachel Shaw notified committee members this week she will step down Jan. 27 for professional reasons. The committee’s vice chairman Paul Adams resigned in...
Oklahoma Borough man dies 2 days after being accused of indecent assault
Authorities withdrew charges against an Oklahoma Borough man accused of sexually assaulting a mentally disabled man because the suspect died two days after being arraigned, court records show. Brian K. Ferguson, 52, was charged Jan. 16 with indecent assault of a person with a mental disability and unlawful restraint in...
City of Pittsburgh pays tribute to Negro League baseball
A collection of photos, artifacts and memorabilia showcasing Pittsburgh’s rich Negro League baseball history will be displayed throughout February as part of Black History Month. The exhibit will be in the lobby of the City-County Building and will honor Pittsburgh’s many Negro League Hall of Famers by spotlighting individual players,...
Unity man pleads guilty to supplying lethal drugs in 2 overdose deaths
A Unity man pleaded guilty Thursday to charges he provided the drugs used by two men who fatally overdosed more than two years ago in Derry and Hempfield. Police said Jesse Hudspath, 27, shared 50 bags of fentanyl-laced heroin with two friends who died in their homes. Malachai E. Mundorff,...
Western Pa. pro-life activists excited for Trump appearance at March for Life
Pro-life activists say they feel energized about Friday’s 47th annual March for Life as they await the first-ever appearance by a sitting U.S. president. President Trump announced this week that he plans to make a personal appearance at the annual event, which marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade —...
Victim, alleged target in Wilkinsburg mass shooting jailed on material witness warrant
A victim and alleged target in the 2016 Wilkinsburg mass shooting is in custody while a judge considers the likelihood of him showing up to court to testify. Lamont Powell, 28, is alleged to have been the target of the shooting that killed three of his siblings, a cousin, a...
Good Samaritan helps troopers ID suspected meth users in New Alexandria
A Good Samaritan who expressed concern over the safety of Route 22 motorists telephoned state troopers Wednesday to report two men parked outside a Sheetz store in New Alexandria who were allegedly using drugs. Troopers subsequently arrested Travis D. Teets, 35, and Adam J. Dewitt, 34, both of Preston, W.Va.,...
Local schools receive PASmart grants
Eight school districts in the area will receive money through the PASmart program, an initiative that equips underrepresented populations with technology for educational purposes, said Sen. Jim Brewster. The following districts will each receive $35,000 from the program: • Brentwood Borough School District • Clairton City School District • Gateway...
Brashear staffer on leave as authorities probe ‘inappropriate’ social media video
Authorities in Washington County are investigating the circumstances surrounding a video posted to a social media site earlier this month by a staffer of Pittsburgh’s Brashear High School. The staff member was placed on leave after the post was reported Jan. 13, according to Pittsburgh Public Schools spokeswoman Ebony Pugh....
Police: Missouri man arrested at Pittsburgh airport with loaded gun didn’t have permit
A Missouri man was arrested at Pittsburgh International Airport after TSA officers found a loaded handgun in his carry-on bag at the security checkpoint, according to the Transportation Security Administration. Donnell Whitcancek, 59, of Garden City, was arrested and charged with a firearms violation because he didn’t have a valid...
McClellan Elementary paraprofessional becomes U.S. Citizen
Shevan Abdulla sits on the floor inside a first-grade classroom at McClellan Elementary School constructing a colorful tower alongside student Santino Civitello. “Higher,” Santino states, as Abdulla, a paraprofessional at the school, adds more blocks to the structure and begins quizzing the young boy on his spelling words. It’s business...
Should Pennsylvanians worry about deadly coronavirus?
Health officials say Pennsylvanians have little to fear so far from a deadly respiratory illness spreading across Southeast Asia. The coronavirus, which presents itself with symptoms similar to a common cold or the flu, has so far killed 18 people, mainly in China, and has sickened people in Taiwan, Japan,...
