Western PA Local News category, Page 2793
Greensburg Salem approves 5-year teachers contract
Greensburg Salem’s teachers have reached a contract agreement with the district after months of negotiations. The deal would give teachers an average raise of 2.8% per year over the course of the five-year agreement. Teachers have been working without a contract since July as the Greensburg Salem Education Association negotiated...
Irwin cancer survivor drives patients to treatments, recovery through American Cancer SocietyVideo
Cheryl Kilroy admits she has followed the same road many Western Pennsylvanians regrettably are forced to take after a cancer diagnosis. A 16-year cancer survivor, the Irwin resident knows firsthand that one of the biggest roadblocks to treatment can be transportation. For the past 15 years, after her own treatment,...
Greater Latrobe adds curriculum, software support position
Greater Latrobe School District is looking to fill a newly created position in the central administration office. The school board this week approved creation of the role of curriculum and software services assistant, the latest move in a realignment of staff and shifting of workloads in the central office. In...
Train car derails, lands in creek in Fayette County
A train car derailed Thursday in Upper Tyrone, flipping off the track and landing in a small tributary of Jacobs Creek, according to Fayette County 911. No injuries were reported. An estimated few hundred gallons of a flammable industrial solvent, known as HF1000, leaked into the stream, according to Jim...
Witness: Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner grappled with Detroit cop
DETROIT — A security guard testified Thursday that Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner grappled with a Detroit police officer during an incident eight months ago at a hotel and warned him, “You don’t know who you’re messing with.” Wagner is accused of interfering with Detroit police officers March 6 as...
Ligonier Valley police seek attempted homicide suspect
Ligonier Valley police are looking for an Allegheny County man charged with attempted homicide for allegedly shooting at a woman in Ligonier Township on Monday. An arrest warrant has been issued for Michael J. Harris, 29, of Munhall, who police said directed the shots at the woman as she was...
Police: Unity man sexually assaulted teen girl, bought her heroin
A Unity Township man was jailed Thursday on state police allegations that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl and bought her drugs. Michael Alan Rager, 33, is charged with statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, child endangerment, corruption of minors and indecent assault. The girl told police she was...
Plum promotes epilepsy awareness
Plum Mayor Harry Schlegel was so inspired by a 5-year-old girl’s experience that he proclaimed this week that every November in the borough will be dedicated to raising awareness of epilepsy. Haley also inspired a state legislator to name a law after her. Haley’s Law would require Pennsylvania schools to...
Plum School District officials dedicate new high school vestibule, show other security upgradesVideo
Plum School District officials believe their new security vestibule will become the safety standard at other schools. “Sometimes they say the leading edge is the bleeding edge, but not in this case,” Superintendent Brendan Hyland said. “We’re leading, and I think you’re going to be very proud of the amount...
West Virginia woman caught with loaded gun at Pittsburgh International Airport
A West Virginia woman was stopped at a Pittsburgh International Airport security checkpoint Wednesday after the Transportation Security Administration discovered a loaded .380-caliber handgun in her carry-on. The gun was loaded with seven bullets, including one in the chamber, according to TSA. This was the 33rd firearm detected at Pittsburgh...
Peduto charts new economic development strategy for Pittsburgh with URA hiresVideo
Pittsburgh officials on Thursday hired a Kansas City economic development specialist to head the Urban Redevelopment Authority in a refocused effort to rebuild the city through neighborhood and workforce development, equity and affordable housing. Mayor Bill Peduto and URA board Chairman Sam Williamson announced the hiring of Greg Flisram, 57,...
Convicted cop killer Rahmael Holt sentenced to deathVideo
A Westmoreland County jury sentenced convicted cop killer Rahmael Holt to death after deliberating for less than three hours Thursday afternoon. The same jury on Tuesday convicted Holt, 31, of shooting and killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw after an attempted traffic stop two years ago. “One year, 11...
Police: Jeannette man wanted for cutting off court ankle bracelet had crack cocaine
A Jeannette man wanted for cutting off his court-ordered electronic monitoring ankle bracelet was found Wednesday with drugs and cash at his house, according to police. Jermayne Michael Ramsey, 24, is charged with flight to avoid apprehension and drug offenses. Jeannette police and agents from the state attorney general’s office...
Penn Hills Council to vote on code of ethics ordinance
Penn Hills Council is expected to vote on an ordinance that establishes a code of ethics for the municipality’s employees and elected and appointed officials. Outgoing Councilman Mark Brodnicki first introduced the ordinance in July, when he referenced wanting to model a Ross Township ordinance that limits elected and appointed...
Texas man accused of gun violations after arrest in Washington Township parking lot
A Texas man was being held in the Westmoreland County Prison without bail on gun violations after he was spotted in the parking lot of a Washington Township concrete supplier in the middle of the night, according to police. Bayron Ivan Lopez, 27, of Houston, was arrested at 12:35 a.m....
No tax increase anticipated in South Fayette budget
South Fayette Township administration presented a 2020 budget that calls for a $1 million increase in spending, but officials believe they can do it without a tax increase. Township Manager John Barrett said the township has been conservative with revenue projections in the past and he thinks administrators will hit...
Mt. Pleasant library earns educational designation through state program
The Mt. Pleasant Free Public Library recently was recognized as a PA Forward Star Library, joining a few others in Westmoreland County that have achieved the designation in the past. Mt. Pleasant library director Brian Dawson said officials there have been working toward the designation for awhile. “We are all...
Water main break closes Pittsburgh’s Spring Garden Early Childhood Center
Pittsburgh’s Spring Garden Early Childhood Center closed for the day Thursday because of a water main break. Pittsburgh Public Schools posted about the closing on social media just before 5:45 a.m. Pittsburgh Spring Garden Early Childhood Center is closed today, Thursday, November 14, 2019 due to a water main break....
John Oyler: The Whiskey Rebellion trial
Thanks to my friend, Gary Davis, I recently had the opportunity to participate in a workshop dedicated to the federal trials at the end of the Whiskey Rebellion. Gary is an attorney obligated to earning continuing education credits in jurisprudence each year in order to maintain his license to practice...
Police: Man apologizes for string of 9 robberies around Pittsburgh
A man implicated in a string of nine robberies between Oct. 18 and Nov. 11 in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas told police he was on a downward spiral and was sorry for committing the crimes, according to criminal complaints filed against him. Sean Randy Beach, 48, told Pittsburgh police he...
Police: 2 dead in Homewood shooting
Two people were fatally shot Wednesday night in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood, according to police. The woman who died was Kierra Eddisha Harris, 26, of McKees Rocks, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said Thursday. The medical examiner said Harris died of gunshot wounds to the neck and chest. Her death...
Westmoreland Historical Society unveils artifacts at new education centerVideo
Fashions, furniture and artifacts from the past are among items the public will get to explore Friday when the Westmoreland Historical Society holds an open house at its recently opened education center on the grounds of Historic Hanna’s Town. The center has been opening in phases at the Hempfield historical...
The Stroller, Nov. 14, 2019: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Burrell High School to perform, `Macbeth` The drama department at Burrell High School will present William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” at 7 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday in the high school auditorium, 1021 Puckety Church Road, Lower Burrell. Tickets are $10. For tickets, visit onthestage.com and search for Burrell High School, and...
Norwin area GOP dominates general election
The Norwin area Republican party exerted its dominance in the municipal and Norwin School Board races in Tuesday’s election as every candidate who only appeared on the Democratic ticket lost, according to unofficial results. “It all went along party lines. We are not voting for the candidates. We are voting...
Irwin police get new pact; 3%-4% raises
Irwin’s three full-time officers will get a 3% raise next year under a new contract that creates a chain of command by establishing the ranks of lieutenant, sergeant and corporal. The three-year contract that Irwin Council unanimously approved on Wednesday gives the full-time officers a 4% raise in both the...
