Local category, Page 2992
Paul O’Neill awarded medal for public service by President Ford foundation
Former Treasurer Secretary Paul H. O’Neill is the 2019 recipient of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Public Service. O’Neill, 83, of Pittsburgh, was awarded the medal because of his “demonstrated personal and professional qualities,” according to President Ford’s son Mike, who serves as chairman of the...
‘By Land Cleanup’ along Kiski River set for June 15
The Kiski Watershed Association will hold a “By Land Cleanup” on June 15 from 8 a.m. to noon, starting at the River’s Edge Canoe & Kayak, 3158 River Road in Gilpin. The cleanup along the river will be coordinated with the larger River Sweep, a region-wide cleanup along the banks...
5 Western Pennsylvania nursing homes among the nation’s most troubled
What regulators called a “persistent record of poor care” landed two Westmoreland County nursing homes and a third in Allegheny County on a waiting list as candidates for special government oversight reserved for the nation’s worst skilled care centers. The Special Focus Facility program, which scrutinizes some of the nation’s...
School bus, vehicle collide in Indiana County
A vehicle and a school bus collided on Ben Franklin Road in White Township, Indiana County, on Tuesday afternoon, according to state police. There were no students in the bus. Police said it was not immediately clear if anyone was hurt. INDIANA COUNTY: Traffic Alert. Troopers on-scene at 2-vehicle crash...
Rescue divers recover severed fingers from Jefferson Hills swimming accident
Murrysville Medic One’s dive team spent Monday afternoon searching for something rather unique: fingers. The team was requested by Allegheny County officials to respond to the Jefferson Hills area following a swimming accident in which a swimmer had four fingers severed. “It had something to do with a rope swing,...
Washington Township man loses 4th appeal in child sex assault conviction
A Washington Township man serving a 16-year prison sentence for the sexual assault of a young child lost another appeal. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rita Hathaway, in a ruling released Tuesday, said the fourth appeal filed since 2016 by Paul Frank Katonka, who acted as his own lawyer,...
Judge denies UPMC’s attempt to block Highmark from hearing
Highmark’s attorneys will be allowed a seat alongside Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s legal team during next week’s Commonwealth Court showdown with UPMC, a judge ruled Tuesday. Highmark — which sides with Shapiro in his broader quest to force UPMC to contract with any willing competitor — seeks to testify...
Lane closures to begin on Hite Road in Springdale Township, Harmar
Traffic along Hite Road in Springdale and Harmar townships will be reduced to a single lane in each direction beginning at a 7 a.m. Wednesday as crews start a bridge repair project, PennDOT said. Crews will do demolition work, deck replacement and road reconstruction through late August on one side...
Trial begins for Hyde Park man accused of molesting teen
A trial that had been delayed for more than a year against a Hyde Park man accused of molesting a 13-year-old girl from Vandergrift got underway Tuesday in Westmoreland County Court. Assistant District Attorney Judy Petrush told jurors that Larry Lee Redmond, 40, had sexual contact with the girl on...
Kittanning state trooper lauded for anti-drugged driving work
If you drive while under the influence of drugs, you’re likely to meet Chris Robbins. It won’t turn out well for you. A state trooper from the Kittanning station, Cpl. Chris Robbins is one of fewer than 200 police officers in Pennsylvania certified as drug-recognition experts. In other words, he’s...
Yough High School: Class of 2019
Here is a list of the 2019 graduates of Yough High School: Sidney Marie Albers Kenneth Jarett Bach** Laurel L. Bachy** Corey Baldwin Autumn Kylee Baumeister Dylan Biagini Meg L Bieranowski Dominic C. Bonari Codey W. Bonsell Jada Marie Brown Madison G. Brown* Mason James Brunson * Peyton Sierra Buglar*...
Rabid baby raccoon dropped off at Penn Hills rescue center
A baby raccoon dropped off at the Humane Animal Rescue Wildlife Center in Penn Hills last week has tested positive for rabies, the Allegheny Health Department said Tuesday. The health department is urging the person who dropped the raccoon off to call the department at 412-687-2243 as soon as possible...
Jury convicts East Hills mom in toddler’s death from ingesting fentanyl from sippy cup
A jury on Tuesday convicted a Pittsburgh mom of involuntary manslaughter for the 2018 death of her toddler from an overdose of fentanyl in her sippy cup. Jurors deliberated for about a day Tuesday before finding Jhenea Pratt, 23, guilty. Pratt’s 17-month-old daughter, Charlette Napper-Talley, was pronounced dead April 5,...
Pennsylvania’s new class of drug recognition experts hopes to make roads safer
Years of responding to deadly crashes along Route 28 spurred O’Hara patrolman Benjamin Wolfson to seek additional training in the hope it might help save lives. “Almost all of (the deadly crashes) had some type of driving-under-the-influence cause,” Wolfson said, adding that PennDOT statistics show nearly half of all crashes...
Former Derry mayor accused of pointing gun at kids in park wants charges dismissed
Derry Borough’s former mayor contends allegations he pointed a loaded gun at children in a local playground do not constitute an assault. In court documents filed Tuesday, defense attorney for Kevin Gross, 38, asked for a dismissal of aggravated assault charges filed in connection with an incident April 14 in...
Wesley Family Services to start $18.2M project in New Kensington
Work is set to start this month on a long-awaited complex in New Kensington that will provide affordable housing and behavioral health services under one roof. The Pioneer Apartments is being built by Wesley Family Services on a former parking lot between 10th and 11th streets and Fourth Avenue and...
UPMC partners with local institutions to offer classes for minority business owners
UPMC announced Tuesday it’s launching a Diverse Business Education and Development Program aimed at helping companies run by minorities, women, the disabled and other diverse groups do business with the hospital and health care group. The program is designed to give diverse businesses equal access to the health system’s opportunities....
1 Allegheny vote changes Norwin election results again
For those who doubt the importance of one vote, let the Norwin School Board race in the GOP primary serve as an educational moment. One vote from the sliver of Allegheny County located in the Norwin School District — which has 30 voters on two streets in White Oak and...
TV home makeover star Ty Pennington appearing at McCandless book shop; Construction Junction
Ty Pennington, the Emmy Award winning star of the shows “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and “Trading Spaces,” will be appearing at Riverstone Books in McCandless from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday to talk about his new book “Life to the Extreme.” Pennington also will be appearing at the Construction Junction...
Hempfield man again accused of threatening a Penn Township church, pastor
A Hempfield man wanted by police on ethnic intimidation charges since May 24 in connection with threatening messages left for the pastor of a Penn Township church is being held in Westmoreland County Prison. Mark Eugene Ray, 59, fled last month as Westmoreland County police tried to arrest him on...
Pittsburgh council approves $410,000 self-driving education grant
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday authorized acceptance of a grant that has drawn criticism from some residents over the use self-driving vehicles in the city. The $410,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is aimed at educating residents about autonomous vehicles. Residents and local activists lined...
Woodland Hills proposed budget could cut more than 60 staff
Staff in the Woodland Hills School District are pushing back against proposed cuts to personnel across the district. At least 60 positions, including 15 teaching positions from kindergarten to sixth grade, 10 secondary teaching positions, five special education positions and two guidance counselor positions could be eliminated, according to the...
Wilkinsburg man pleads guilty to child porn charges
A Wilkinsburg man pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Pittsburgh to having child pornography, prosecutors said. U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said Tuesday that Jason Gerade Harris, Jr., 25, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. Prosecutors said FBI agents got a tip from a Minnesota...
Police: 2nd car involved in fatal Penn Hills hit and run
Investigators said Tuesday they believe a second car was involved in the April hit and run in Penn Hills that killed a man as he walked home from work. Prosecutors said in a bond hearing for suspect Surron Burch that they do not believe Burch drove the vehicle that dragged...
Staff shortage keeps some rides closed during opening days at Kennywood
It’s been a bumpy opening for Kennywood Park this year. First they changed the cheese that tops the Potato Patch fries. Then, word spread the park switched ketchup brands — from Heinz to Hunt’s. Now, visitors to the West Mifflin amusement park are less than amused by rides and attractions...
