Local category, Page 3216
Man surrenders to Pittsburgh SWAT in Mount Washington house
A man allegedly took a vehicle without permission in the Mount Washington section of Pittsburgh at about 12:50 p.m. Saturday then jumped out and ran into a house and refused to come out, a police spokeswoman said. Officers surrounded the house along the 100 block of Secane Avenue. The man,...
Women’s club: Westmoreland County Prison has become home to more female inmates
Editor’s note: Renatta Signorini participated as a 2018 jails and justice reporting fellow through a program by the John Jay Center on Media, Crime and Justice in New York City. The fellowship program supported journalists in examining issues related to jails in small towns and rural communities. Signorini’s work will...
Westmoreland ax throwers sharpen skill for national tourney
Paul Wedge has been practicing morning, afternoon and evening for the national ax-throwing championships. The Westmoreland City man remembers how tough the competition was last year when he first qualified through Valhalla Indoor Axe Throwing in Hempfield. “This year, I’m a lot more mentally prepared and I know what to...
Pittsburgh water authority issues ‘flush and boil’ advisory for 3 neighborhoods
About 2,000 households in portions of Hazelwood, Swisshelm Park and Greenfield are under a flush and boil water advisory from Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority following a water main break Friday night. The precautionary advisory, which was posted to the PWSA website and social media late Saturday morning, was issued...
Route 48 reopens in Lincoln Borough, Elizabeth Township after downed trees are cleared
Route 48 from Mansfield Road in Lincoln Borough to Fey Road in Elizabeth Township reopened Saturday night after being closed for hours due to trees blocking the roadway, according to PennDOT. PennDOT worked throughout the afternoon to have the trees removed. A photo posted by the Elizabeth Township Police Department...
Coroner: Cambria Co. woman, 97, found dead in home died of hypothermia
PORTAGE, Pa. — A coroner says a woman found dead inside her western Pennsylvania home earlier in the week died of hypothermia. Cambria County Coroner Jeffrey Lees says 97-year-old Mary Sopata was found by a neighbor Tuesday in her Portage Township home. The (Johnstown) Tribune-Democrat reports that the home apparently...
Inbound Liberty Tunnel lanes reopened at 4 p.m. today
Both inbound Liberty Tunnel lanes reopened at about 4 p.m. Saturday after crews spent hours removing debris on McArdle Roadway, according to PennDOT. This was about an hour earlier than predicted by PennDOT. The road had been closed between the Liberty Bridge and Grandview Avenue, and traffic was reduced to...
Latrobe-area hotel to become a Hampton Inn in April
A plan to appeal more strongly to business travelers has prompted a renovation and re-branding effort by a Unity hotel. The former Wingate by Wyndham hotel, on Route 30 just east of Route 981, is slated to debut as a Hampton Inn in April. While an interior makeover continues, about...
Amateur radio society recruiting members young or old
Amateur radio operators relay radio messages during natural and man-made disasters and fun events like Pittsburgh’s Great Race. And they don’t get a dime. They can’t, according to Federal Communications Commission regulations. Instead, their noncommercial messages relay information — often when cellphone towers are damaged and unavailable, such as in...
Vincentian Academy set to perform ‘Annie’
According to director Dan Kirk, selecting the right show is often a balancing act between what will become a good draw at the box office, what will be fun for the students, what fits the actors and actresses you have, and what is appropriate for a given school or culture....
Navy veteran presents Legion centennial program at libraries in Herminie, Derry
Bob MacPherson, a retired Navy officer, will present a program at two Westmoreland County libraries on the history of the American Legion, the veterans organization that is marking its 100th year and has numbered MacPherson among its members for 43 years. His presentation, “The American Legion at 100,” is slated...
WPXI parent company Cox Media Group is being sold
An international company has reached a deal to purchase the majority interest of Cox Media Group, impacting 14 television stations, including Pittsburgh’s WPXI-TV. According to a release on Cox Enterprise’s website, Apollo Global Management, LLC, an alternative investment manager, will soon manage the stations along with Cox’s radio, newspaper and...
Hays bald eagles lay 2nd egg in Pittsburgh nest
The bald eagles in Pittsburgh’s Hays neighborhood laid their second egg of the season at their nest Friday. The Hays eagles, in their seventh season, generally lay two to three eggs in their nest overlooking the Monongahela River and the Pittsburgh skyline. The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, which operates...
Patagonia brings clothing repair roadshow to Seven Springs this weekendVideo
After years of hosting pop-up Worn Wear events, Patagonia on Friday brought its clothing repair and exchange program to Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion. The crew will remain at the resort, its last stop on the East Coast tour, through Sunday. Beyond repairing articles of clothing from any brand...
Kittanning police searching for missing woman, 27
Kittanning Borough police are getting tips about the whereabouts of a missing 27-year-old woman, but she was still missing as of 3 p.m. Saturday. Katie L. Stoner, 27, has been missing since 6:30 p.m. Thursday. “We’ve had some tips and we want others to call,” Officer Ken Bussard said. Police...
Westmoreland Conservation District will host Q&A sessions Tuesday, Wednesday
Last year, one of the Westmoreland Conservation District’s rain gauges measured 72 inches of total rainfall — far above the typical 40 to 45 inches that the region sees annually. “It really brought home the stormwater issues we have,” said Kathy Hamilton, stormwater technician and landscape architect at the conservation...
Picklesburgh needs your vote to be picked Best Specialty Food Festival
This is a really, really big dill. Picklesburgh has been nominated by USA Today as one of the best specialty food festivals in the country. The festival has been held on the Roberto Clemente Bridge. This free festival celebrates all things pickled, has attracted national attention that has included the...
What an assist! Penguins lend a hand for Valentine’s Day charity galaVideo
More than 800 fans spent Valentine’s Day with the hockey team they love. The second annual Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation’s “Night of Assists: The Sweetheart Swing” charity gala presented by Highmark took place Thursday at PPG Paints Arena. Penguins Coach Mike Sullivan, with wife Kate, called the event one of the...
Armed officers are a welcome sight for most Plum School District community members
Armed retired police officers have patrolled Plum schools for the past few months, and many students and parents believe their district is safer for it. “I have kids at Center and Holiday Park (elementary schools),” said parent Rebecca Wawrzyniak. “My children have both said they feel safe at school now....
Police: Worker failed to deposit $10,000 from Donegal McDonald’s
State police on Friday arrested a Cambria County woman on accusations she took $10,844 from a Westmoreland County McDonald’s restaurant where she worked, according to court papers. Cheryl Anne Dahmen, 33, is charged with two counts of theft. Troopers said the Donegal Township restaurant owner reported Jan. 24 that three...
Gateway elementary to host ‘Steam it Up Night’ on Feb. 27
University Park Elementary will host a science exhibition for its students on Feb. 27. The inaugural event that starts at 6:30 p.m. in the school’s All Purpose Room will feature projects of 55 students in kindergarten through fourth grades, said Gateway parent Janette Beighel. The event will showcase projects in...
Metal detectors to be installed in Gateway high, middle schools
Gateway High School’s large group instruction room was packed Feb. 12 for a Safe School community meeting, where administrators discussed new safety practices, including plans for utilizing metal detectors and an app that collates anonymous tips. Assistant Superintendent Dennis Chakey, who is part of the district’s five-person safety team, said...
Penn-Trafford cheerleaders earn top-10 finish at national competition
The Penn-Trafford high school cheerleading squad made its first-ever trip to the UCA National Competition, held in Florida, and finished among the top 10. Teams from 50 states and several international squads competed, showcasing group stunts and tumbling skills. The Penn-Trafford squad finished 10th in the competition’s Large Varsity Division...
Fox Chapel Area senior citizens get free showing of high school’s ‘Les Miserables’
Senior citizens in the Fox Chapel Area School District can get a sneak peek at the high school’s upcoming spring musical during a free dress rehearsal of “Les Misérables School Edition.” Students will perform the show at 3:45 p.m. March 12 in the auditorium. Refreshments will be served prior to...
Franklin Regional cheerleaders post top-20 finish at national competition
Franklin Regional varsity cheerleaders returned to the Universal Cheerleaders Association’s National Competition for the first time in the past three seasons this year, and coaches Courtney Shovel and Nikki Ziringer liked the results. “We set a pretty clear goal at the beginning of the season: qualify for nationals,” she said....
