Local category, Page 3033
Monroeville pitches in to elementary’s food program
Educators at University Park Elementary noticed a trend among their students. “We were hearing more and more about kids, where they come to school out of the weekend still hungry,” said Principal Jennifer Hoffner. “Because of the sheer number of kids on free and reduced meals, we wanted to see...
Police: Ohio women shoplifted clothes at Pittsburgh Mills, sold them on Facebook
Two Akron, Ohio women are accused of driving to the Pittsburgh Mills and other Pennsylvania malls almost daily to shoplift clothing later sold on Facebook, Frazer police Chief Terry Kuhns said. Ocean Rain McDay, 22, and Stasha Lashell Heller, 23, are accused of stealing clothing from Victoria’s Secret and JCPenney...
Health department orders PGH Crepes trailer to close
The PGH Crepes Trailer, a food cart operating in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, was ordered to close Thursday after Allegheny County Health Department inspectors found that foods were not being stored and prepared properly. Refrigerator and freezer items were not stored at cool enough temperatures, while other food, like eggs and...
Woman accused of peddling fake Magic: The Gathering cards at Greensburg storeVideo
Jillian Noel Yohe visited Pop! Culture Connection in Greensburg just before it closed Friday to sell some Magic: The Gathering cards, according to police. Owner Jeremy Fairgrieve paid her $1,000 despite some reservations about their authenticity. A nagging gut feeling prompted Fairgrieve to look a little closer at the potentially...
Volunteers sought for Beechwood Farms Earth Day clean-up
Beechwood Farms in Fox Chapel is seeking volunteers to roll up their sleeves and help with a clean-up on Saturday. Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, headquartered at Beechwood, is hosting a Day of Service to celebrate Earth Day. The clean-up will be 9 a.m. to noon at the site, 614...
Jeannette man accused of shoplifting at Greensburg Shop ‘n Save
A Jeannette man is charged with stealing deli items from a Greensburg supermarket Wednesday and struggling with store security. Steve Simile, 32, was arraigned Thursday afternoon on charges of robbery, theft and disorderly conduct, stemming from the incident at the Shop ‘n Save store on East Pittsburgh Street. He was...
Pittsburgh Zoo’s new clouded leopard cub getting strongerVideo
The Pittsburgh Zoo’s newest addition — a 4-week-old clouded leopard cub — is getting stronger and sassier by the day. But the first few days of the pint-sized feline’s life weren’t so easy, her handlers said. The new cub is the daughter of parents Saya and Pi, both full-grown clouded...
Pittsburgh police post policies online to increase transparency
Pittsburgh police policies can now be found online, a move that police brass said is an effort to promote departmental transparency. “Police are here to serve and protect the public, and they do so on a daily basis,” said Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich. “Transparency is a key component of...
Kiski Area School District inks new 5-year deal with secretaries
Kiski Area School District and its secretaries have a new, 5-year contract calling for average 2.35 percent raises over the life of the contract, according to Peggy Gillespie, the district’s assistant to the superintendent for finance and operations. The new contract takes effect July 1 and covers 19 secretaries represented...
Jeannette man stopped with loaded gun at Arnold Palmer airport checkpoint
A Jeannette man was stopped at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport’s security checkpoint over the weekend while trying to board a flight to Orlando with a loaded handgun, TSA officials announced Thursday. A .380-caliber handgun loaded with six bullets was detected in the man’s carry-on bag, according to the Transportation Security...
Spraying to control black flies to begin along Pennsylvania waterways
State officials are hoping the buzz of helicopters will prevent the buzz of black flies around area waterways. Within the week, the state Department of Environmental Protection will start aerial and backpack spraying to control black flies on about 1,700 miles of waterways in 35 counties, including Armstrong and Westmoreland....
Edgewood man turns himself in, charged with killing his daughter
A father charged with homicide 14 years after he shook his infant daughter turned himself in to Allegheny County police Thursday, authorities said. Ariden Jackson, 37, of Edgewood served 10 years in prison for assaulting his then-4-week-old daughter in May 2005. The child died earlier this year, and her death...
Alcohol played a role in fatal Apollo crash in February, coroner says
Alcohol played a role in the Feb. 27 death of a North Apollo woman whose car crashed into a utility pole in Apollo and flipped over several times, according to the Armstrong County Coroner. Jacqueline C. Hellein, 64, was alone in the car and died at the scene. She was...
Even fish are enjoying Pittsburgh’s new North Side fountain
The sparkling new fountain in Allegheny Commons Park is already becoming a popular photo destination. Professional dog walker Wes Oliver this week couldn’t resist posing Winne, the pooch he was walking, with the fountain in the background. “The (dog) owner is a doctor here in the hospital,” he said, pointing...
Springdale mulls battery back-ups for new traffic signals
Springdale officials want to make sure their soon-to-be-installed traffic signals continue operating during a power outage. The borough received grants through PennDOT’s Green Light Go Program for traffic signals to be installed on Pittsburgh Street, at the intersections with Butler Street and Colfax Street. Gordon Taylor, the borough engineer, was...
Clean up, beautification days coming to Vandergrift
Plans are underway to paint the pavilion in Vandergrift’s Franklin Park as part of a beautification day May 19, according to the nonprofit Vandergrift Parent Project. The group said it is looking for volunteers and donations of money and supplies for the beautification day, which also will include installing a...
Derry mayor resigns amid allegations of pointing gun at children
Derry Mayor Kevin M. Gross has resigned in the wake of allegations he pointed a gun at four children in a park on Sunday, his attorney said Thursday night. Gross, who could not be reached for comment, believes that he is unable to accomplish what he wants to do to...
Penn Hills financial crisis inspires bill aimed at keeping districts from similar fate
A state lawmaker presented a bill package April 17 that seeks to avoid school district financial crises and allows for greater punishment of school officials if poor decisions are made. State Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-Allegheny, along with state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, unveiled the bill package, dubbed “School Board and...
New Dominion Energy HQ gets ‘green building’ rating
The new Western Area Headquarters for Dominion Energy Transmission Inc. has achieved the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, rating, the natural gas company said. The silver-level certification rating means the Salem Township building meets environmentally stringent requirements developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED measures energy...
Competency evaluation ordered for New Stanton teen accused of killing mom, brother
A New Stanton teenager accused of killing his mother and younger brother will undergo a competency evaluation to determine if he is able to stand trial, a judge ruled Thursday. Defense attorney Wayne McGrew requested the evaluation for Jacob Remaley, 17. “My client suffers under some mental health issues and...
Brew review: Prantl’s Burnt Almond Torte
It smelled like Prantl’s famous cake when I opened the can. I am one of the lucky ones who scored a can of Torte, a beer inspired by Prantl’s Burnt Almond Torte and brewed by Cleveland-based Platform Beer Co. The beer is selling out in stores across Western Pennsylvania. The...
Route 30 eastbound reopens in North Huntingdon after crash, 1 hurt
An unloaded school bus was involved in a crash on Route 30 in North Huntingdon Thursday afternoon that briefly closed both eastbound lanes of the highway, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. The collision between a bus and a couple of passenger vehicles left one person injured, the dispatcher said....
Fox Chapel Area students tout diversity with ‘Be the Change’ workshop
Two Fox Chapel Area sophomores rallied their peers from across the region for a workshop aimed at promoting social justice. Students Abigail Rickin-Marks and Suparna Agrawal hosted a half-day workshop April 14 titled “Be the Change: Fight Discrimination in School.” The free program was held at the Jewish Community Center...
‘Horizons’ brings dance companies together at Byham Theater
Two dance companies will collaborate to present “Horizons” on April 26 and 27 at the Byham Theater in downtown Pittsburgh. Bodiography Contemporary Ballet and the world-renowned Martha Graham Contemporary Dance Company will join forces to feature work by Martha Graham and Bodiography founder/artistic director Maria Caruso. Dancer Carrie Ellmore-Tallitsch will...
Sold out: Prantl’s Burnt Almond Torte beer by Platform a hot itemVideo
There’s no beer here. Demand for Cleveland-based Platform Beer Co.’s new blonde ale based on the delectable burnt almond torte cake from Prantl’s Bakery is a big hit with Pittsburgh-area customers — if they can find the brew. Platform rolled out the beer for sale Monday, but finding it is...
