Western PA Local News category, Page 2919
At the pickle farm in Gilpin, corn is kingVideo
Doris Myers of Gilpin had opinions as a young lady about who she would marry. “I always said I’d never marry a farmer,” she said. But, after 58 years of marriage to farmer Ralph Myers, Doris, 80, has embraced the rural lifestyle her husband always knew. Together, they own and...
Psychics investigate Tarentum fire hall on A&E Network showVideo
Things don’t go “bump in the night” at Summit Hose Fire Hall in Tarentum, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been some strange happenings there. Some of those strange things will be the focus of a TV show at 10 p.m. Wednesday on the A&E Network. “Just about everybody has...
Kitchen fire heavily damages home of New Kensington councilman
A father and his two daughters were outside on the front porch of their New Kensington home when they heard smoke alarms going off inside at 5 p.m. Sunday. “We were playing Legos, and the girls decided to go to the back porch. That’s when I heard the alarms,” city...
Family conducts final cemetery search for homicide victim Cassandra Gross
Searchers went into the woods one last time Sunday, looking for any sign of Cassandra Gross. “I’ll never give up hope, I’m just running out of places,” said Kathe Gross, whose daughter was last seen April 7, 2018. Kathe Gross wore a “Bring Cassie Home” T-shirt to Unity Cemetery on...
Traditional procession held at Bloomfield’s Little Italy DaysVideo
The tradition continued on Sunday. After an Italian Mass was celebrated at St. Maria Goretti Church in Bloomfield, the statue “The Madonna della Civita” was carried from that worship site to a sister church on Liberty Avenue. Members of the congregation formed a procession behind men carrying the statue of...
Owner of Pennsylvania Coach Lines responds to Elizabeth Forward lawsuit
The owner of a transportation company the Elizabeth Forward School District recently filed a lawsuit against for breach of contract said the district isn’t telling the whole story. The district filed an injunction on Thursday against Pennsylvania Coach Lines after, the district claims, the bus company breached their contract and...
Almost 80 displaced from West Oakland apartment building fire
People displaced by Saturday’s major apartment fire in West Oakland will continue to get temporary shelter at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center at least through Monday morning, according to the Red Cross. The fire at their apartment building at Deraud Street started just after 2 p.m and grew into...
Band Blast celebrates, benefits parks in New Kensington, Arnold
Hundreds of people turned out Sunday to hear all types of music from country to doo-wop at New Kensington Memorial Park as a way to support improvements at the park. The New Ken/Arnold Social in the Park group has hosted the “Band Blast” for six years as a way to...
Developer showcases former Alcoa research center that he spent years, millions to redo
Patti and Dominic Giordano have lived in New Kensington their whole lives, and they’re glad to see someone restoring one of the city’s most notable landmarks — the former Alcoa property. “This is a piece of New Kensington and Pennsylvania history,” Dominic Giordano said. “It’s nice he’s keeping it alive.”...
Severe thunderstorm warning until at least 3 p.m. Sunday
Conditions exit for severe thunderstorms to pop up in a huge part of the state from east of Pittsburgh to Bradford through this afternoon until 4:45 p.m. , according to the National Weather Service. Weather service meterologist Pat Will said a warning is in effect until 3 p.m. Westmoreland, Armstrong,...
Young competitors show off rabbits, goats at Westmoreland FairVideo
Pennsylvania’s Rabbit King held court at the Westmoreland Fair on Sunday morning. Zach Farlow, 18, of West Newton was awarded the title of this year’s Rabbit King by the Pennsylvania State Rabbit Breeder’s Association, and this week he and his award-winning lagomorphs are at the Westmoreland Fair hoping for more...
Demo derby part of the fabric of Westmoreland CountyVideo
Before they even knew how to drive, brothers Nick and Owen Patrick of Unity had attended the demolition derby series held every summer across Westmoreland County. “Mom would take us almost every weekend to the derbies,” said Owen Patrick. “Since we were probably five or six.” The pair have been...
Pa. Turnpike to close this weekend between New Stanton, Breezewood
A bridge removal project in Somerset will close an 86-mile stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in both directions for seven hours late tonight through Sunday morning between the New Stanton and Breezewood exits. The turnpike commission said that section will be closed starting at 11 p.m. tonight until about 6...
Microburst tears through Lawrenceville, MillvaleVideo
A microburst in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood heavily damaged two buildings, uprooted trees and left hundreds without power Saturday night, according to Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Safety. The National Weather Service said the winds caused some damage in Millvale, too. No one was hurt in the storm. In Lawrenceville, the top...
Pittsburgh police disperse large crowd on South Side, 2 officers injured
A driver ran over a Pittsburgh police officer’s foot and another officer injured his knee while trying to help his colleague as police dealt with a “large and disorderly” crowd on the South Side early Sunday morning,. Police were called to handle the crowd between the 1500 and 1700 blocks...
Town Talk: Carnegie couple marries in Colorado
Ashley Shiwarski and Andrew Rafalski were united in married Aug. 2 at Sapphire Pointe in Dillon, Colo. Ashley is the daughter of Debbie and Ron Shiwarski of Robinson Township and Andrew is the son of Linda and Ron Rafalski of Carnegie. The wedding was witnessed by an intimate gathering of...
Hempfield man among Terrible Towel twirlers for Steelers preseason game
George Muentzer was dressed in his finest black-and-gold regalia Saturday for his first foray onto Heinz Field for a Pittsburgh Steelers game. Attending 49 consecutive opening days of Steelers training camp were instantly worth it when the Hempfield man said he found out he was selected by the team to...
Dig at Indiana County ghost town unearths prehistoric pastVideo
The proof, it seems, was in the dirt. Fragments of tools and ceramic ware rested mere inches under the hillside cover where Native Americans scratched out a living until the 1820s in a village overlooking the Conemaugh River in Black Lick Township. This summer, 17 Indiana University of Pennsylvania archaeology...
Cost of library inventory project raises concerns at Highlands
Concerns about the cost of a project to inventory library books at elementary schools in the Highlands School District has administrators and school board members considering other options. At a board meeting Monday, a few residents said the more than $62,000 cost of the project with Follett School Solutions was...
Freeport Area gearing up for start of school year, enrollment up slightly
The Freeport Area School District is expected to welcome back just under 1,900 students for the school year that begins next Thursday. That’s an increase of 35 students over last school year. The number could increase if Freeport Area picks up students from the recently closed Evangel Heights School in...
Amtrak considers more Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg trains
Riders of Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian train between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg have long been limited to one morning and one evening train, but a hearing in Altoona on Aug. 28 is expected to explore the possibility of adding another train to the daily schedule. “If we can improve passenger service in Western...
North Huntingdon may ask Corps of Engineers to inspect flooded areas
North Huntingdon residents living along Brush Creek near the Irwin border are not optimistic that a tour of the creek by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will lead to any solution to their flooding problems. “I don’t think they are going to do anything,” said Janet Seman, whose Westmoreland...
St. Margaret Mary Festival proceeds to help ministries, Lower Burrell fire companiesVideo
The first night of St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church’s festival Friday was more like a vibrant community party in the heart of Lower Burrell. Sunny weather aided the parish’s biggest fundraiser to attract a huge crowd that was hungry for family fun for young to old, music and games, congenial...
Resident convinces Upper Burrell to reconsider street paving list
For those who think one person can’t affect local government decisions, Dan Myers is proof to the contrary. The Upper Burrell resident wasn’t happy when he heard township supervisors planned to seal-coat Chapeldale Drive. He said it didn’t make sense because he felt so many other township roads, including Turkey...
Ligonier Valley Historical Society looks to revive tours, programs at Kinsey Museum
A Ligonier Township museum that preserves a pioneer family’s legacy is getting a new lease on life through a partnership with a local historical society. Officials with the Ligonier Valley Historical Society, which operates Laughlintown’s historic Compass Inn, announced last week they have finalized an affiliation with the Kinsey Museum...
