Local category, Page 3124
Lower Burrell homeowners will soon pay about 20 percent more in sewage fees
Lower Burrell is raising its sewer rates by 21 percent. The new rates will be reflected in customers’ quarterly bills, which will arrive in the next few weeks, according to city officials. The average customer currently pays $81.81 per quarter. The same customer will now pay $98.71 per quarter. That’s...
Traffic impacts through mid-June for work near I-279 at Route 28
Major traffic restrictions are expected to begin today for Pittsburgh commuters. Reconstruction of East General Robinson Street near the northbound I-279 ramp to Route 28 is scheduled to kick-off, PennDOT announced. Work is part of the $87.9 million I-279 Parkway North Improvement Project and will target the area near Anderson...
Experts to gather at Saint Vincent College to explore hate crimes
Robin Valeri wasn’t surprised to learn that Robert Bowers, the man accused of gunning down 11 worshippers in Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue last fall, was active in online communities where hatred flowed freely. Valeri, a psychology professor at St. Bonaventure University in upstate New York, began studying cyber hate...
Western Pennsylvania police departments, part-time officers stretched thinVideo
Nick Bartoszewicz routinely finds himself working around the clock as a part-time police officer. Last Wednesday, Bartoszewicz, 26, started an eight-hour shift with the West Deer Police Department at 8 a.m. After going home for dinner and a few hours of sleep, he was back on the clock by 11...
Pittsburgh recognized as starting point for Lewis and Clark expedition
The federal government has recognized Pittsburgh as the starting point for the Lewis and Clark expedition. It was America’s first great effort to explore and chart the western United States and find a navigable water route across the continent to improve and increase commerce. The trip covered about 8,000 miles...
Women account for about a third of judges in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania courts
Women comprise 30 percent of the state’s judiciary, with the figure being slightly higher with the current makeup of the Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court bench. The county has three women judges — Rita Hathaway, Michele Bononi and Meagan Bilik-DeFazio — among the court’s nine working judges. There are two...
Chelsa Wagner, husband give their side in confrontation with Detroit police
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner and her husband on Saturday recounted their version of what happened early Wednesday during a confrontation with Detroit police. Their story contradicts the way Detroit police Chief James Craig characterized the encounter, in which Wagner’s husband, Khari Mosley, was handcuffed after being locked out of...
Allegheny County Jail hot water restored, normal operations, visitation resume
Visiting and normal operations will resume Sunday morning at the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh after repairs to the water tower were completed and hot water was restored to the facility. A problem with the jail’s water tower prompted a modified lockdown at the facility through Sunday, officials said. Fixing...
Police seeking information in death of Manor Township woman
State police are seeking information about the death of a 40-year-old Manor Township woman. Alyssa Rene Claypool was found dead in her home early Saturday afternoon. Upon arrival, police found several used and unused stamp bags. Toxicology tests and an autopsy are scheduled to be conducted Sunday. Anyone with information...
Spring forward — and clean out the medicine cabinet
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala, Jr. wants residents to consider cleaning out their medicine cabinets while they are setting their clocks ahead this weekend. He says it’s a good way for people to make their homes and the community safer. “The beginning of daylight saving time is the...
Somerset man arrested on drug charges after hiding in garage, police say
A Somerset man is in jail on a $50,000 bond after being arrested Thursday night on multiple drug charges, state police said. Christopher Beggs, 37, faces charges of use or possession of drug paraphernalia; manufacture, delivery or possession of a controlled substance; intent to possess a controlled substance; and resisting...
Cal U to hold annual wild game dinner March 23
For those who love to eat wild game like deer, elk and bear, California University of Pennsylvania’s will hold its 22nd annual Outdoor Bash and Wild Game Dinner March 23 at the Richeyville Volunteer Fire Department in Washington County. The student chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation is joining...
Hempfield engineering firm donates $4,215 to Habitat for Humanity
The employees of CME Engineering LP of Hempfield recently donated $4,215 to Central Westmoreland Habitat For Humanity in Hempfield. The donations were raised through CME Cares! — a program in which the CME employees come together to help others and give back to their communities. CME, a multi-faceted engineering consulting...
Stage Right selects ‘Children of Eden’ for record-setting attempt at the PalaceVideo
The Greensburg theater company Stage Right hopes that the controlled chaos of Saturday morning will transform into a complete production of the musical “Children of Eden” by Saturday night. If they want to break the Guinness record for the fastest staging of a musical production, they will have to cast,...
Some Peoples Gas customers in Moon might not get service back until Monday
Nearly 1,000 Peoples Gas customers in Moon lost service Saturday morning because of a gas leak, and it might not be restored until Monday morning. A leak at a meter on Western Avenue was repaired Saturday afternoon, Peoples spokeswoman Jackie Ziemianski said. But gas company workers must go to each...
Pittsburgh Parks Listening Tour to continue through April 29
Pittsburgh residents have through the end of April to comment on the state of the city parks in their neighborhoods and communities. City officials and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy are holding a Parks Listening Tour through April 29 to give the public a chance to weigh in on improvements they’d...
Boy, 16, wounded in overnight shooting in Wilkinsburg, police say
Allegheny County police are investigating an overnight shooting in Wilkinsburg that sent a 16-year-old boy to the hospital. The victim had multiple gunshot wounds but is in stable condition at a Pittsburgh hospital, police said. A 911 call shortly after midnight Saturday brought police to the 1500 block of Montier...
Pitt Cyber Institute plans seminar aimed to raise awareness about cyberbullying
A nationally known cyberbullying expert will lead a panel discussion on the topic later this month at the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Cyber Law, Policy, and Security. The March 27 panel discussion will feature Dr. Ellen Selkie, a University of Michigan lecturer in adolescent medicine. Her main areas of...
Harrold One Room Schoolhouse to open doors for events
It might not have a teacher standing in front of the chalkboard, but a historic school-turned-new event space promises to take guests back in time. The Harrold One Room Schoolhouse, which was built in 1881 and has recently been used by Hempfield Area School District students, is now opening its...
Banner Community designation won by 65 municipalities, 4 municipal authorities
Sixty-five Allegheny County municipalities and four municipal authorities were honored Friday by a Banner Community designation. The designation reflects a commitment to professional development, prudent fiscal management, transparency, accountability and proactive communications to engage community stakeholders, according to a statement released by Allegheny County. “I’m delighted to see the Banner...
North Allegheny students qualify for International Career Development Conference
Sixty-one North Allegheny DECA members competed at the 68th DECA State Career Development Conference held in Hershey in February. Twelve of these students qualified to compete at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC), which will be held April 26 through May 1 in Orlando, Fla. These students include:· Saif...
Brackenridge preparing to repair damaged memorial, but wants insurance info first
Brackenridge is getting prepared to restore the vandalized memorial monument at its community park. First, however, council wants to see how much of the damage is covered by the borough’s insurance carrier. The veterans memorial was damaged by vandals with silver spray paint in mid-February. For now, a group of...
4 Leechburg area churches held crafts, vendors festival for cancer research
An inaugural crafts and vendors festival held Saturday, March 9 in a Leechburg church is good clean fun with a serious purpose. All money raised at the festival, held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be donated to the Apollo Relay for Life anti-cancer program. Four Lutheran churches put...
Vandergrift awards contract for more than $180,000 to repave borough streets
A state grant will pay for repaving a number of Vandergrift streets this year. Vandergrift Council recently awarded a paving contract to A. Liberoni Inc. of Plum. Their price is a little more than $180,000. It was the lowest of nine bids received. According to the contract, 10 streets will...
Art Institute of Pittsburgh closes after attempt to sell it falls through
The hopes of keeping open the Art Institute of Pittsburgh were dashed Friday when the private school closed because its bankrupt owner had run out of money and a deal to sell the school fell through. The institute sent letters to students Friday announcing the closing, according to Tribune-Review news...
