Western PA Local News category, Page 349
East Deer man charged with animal cruelty, neglect of 3 dogs
An East Deer man was arrested Monday by the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office and was charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty and neglect, according to court papers. A deputy from the sheriff’s office discovered three dogs while executing an eviction order around 10:30 a.m. April 17 at the residence...
The Stroller, April 23, 2025: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Tea party to celebrate...
Work set to start on site for long-awaited Oakmont parking lot
Construction on a long-awaited parking lot designed to alleviate traffic congestion in part of Oakmont’s business district is set to begin. Oakmont Community Foundation president Ray Rogers said work should be underway at the lot along Allegheny Avenue by the end of April. Those passing through Oakmont along Allegheny Avenue...
Teen recounts 100-foot fall in Harrison Hills Park that left her with broken ankle, back
Star Henwood admits she likes to take risks. Her thrill-seeking tendencies landed her in trouble — and the hospital — last week when she plunged about 100 feet down a hillside in Harrison Hills Park, leading to a two-hour effort by first responders to hoist her back to safety. She...
Pittsburgh metro area air among worst in country, study says
The Pittsburgh region’s air is among the most polluted in the country, according to a study by the American Lung Association. The Pittsburgh-Weirton-Steubenville metro area ranked 16th worst in the nation for daily particle pollution and 12th worst for year-round particle pollution, the report found. Kevin Stewart, director of environmental...
African Ancestry Co. founder coming to Heinz History Center for National DNA Day
Dr. Gina Paige, co-founder of African Ancestry, is giving African Americans the pathway to connect further with their identity and heritage. Paige will be at the Heinz History Center on Saturday, April 26 at 11 a.m. for the “Discovering Your African Roots,” an African American Genealogy Workshop. Her appearance is...
3rd person pleads guilty in Monroeville rental-car scam
A third person has pleaded guilty to involvement in a credit-card fraud scheme which cost a regional car-rental company more than $500,000. Tai Jauna L. Jones, 29, of Pittsburgh pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, after prosecutors said she provided credit...
Gainey, O’Connor take mayoral debate stage once againVideo
With the primary election just under a month away, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor took the debate stage once again — reiterating major campaign plans related to city policing, federal funding, affordable housing and more. The hourlong debate took place Tuesday night live on WTAE-TV,...
Judge rules pretrial challenge filed too late in attempted murder case in New Kensington
A defense effort to have attempted murder charges dismissed against a former Ohio man accused in a New Kensington shooting last year cannot be argued before a pending trial, a judge ruled Tuesday. The lawyer for Iven Cashua Miller Jr., 38, contended the case against his client has substantially changed...
McCandless Township Sanitary Authority celebrates Earth Day, upgrades to Pine Creek treatment facility
Flushing the potty will never be the same for 7-year-old Aria St. Onge. Aria and her dad, Joseph St. Onge of Richland, were among residents, officials and authority members who celebrated Earth Day on April 22 with a tour of McCandless Township Sanitary Authority’s Pine Creek wastewater treatment facility. “She...
Police confrontation in Lower Burrell ends with no arrests
After a brief confrontation on Tuesday, Lower Burrell police detained four people from a home on Vance Drive before later releasing them. Lower Burrell Detective Steve Aulerich said no arrests were made, but police continue to investigate. He would not give a reason for the warrant’s execution. Upon arrival, the...
Charges upheld against Rostraver man accused in rape of unconscious woman
A Westmoreland County judge on Tuesday rejected a defense bid to dismiss charges against a Rostraver man accused of using a date rape drug to sexually assault an unconscious woman in her home last year. Nathaniel Tire Johnston, 34, is charged with rape and other offenses based on allegations made...
Hillandale Farms, giant egg producer, sells for $1.1B
Hillandale Farms, among the nation’s top egg producers with a corporate office in Hempfield, was sold last month for $1.1 billion to a Luxembourg-based company. Hillandale Farms, founded by Orland Bethel in 1958, sold its 20-million chicken operations in late March to Global Eggs, according to news reports. Hillandale Farms...
Westmoreland judge schedules 2 oldest criminal cases for September
A trial date was set Tuesday for the capital murder case against a New Kensington man charged with the beating death of a toddler in 2020. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Scott Mears ordered the case against Keith Dale Lilly Jr., 36, to begin in September. In doing so he...
Work on Youghiogheny River bridge to restrict traffic on I-70
Motorists on Interstate 70 can expect to encounter daytime lane restrictions in Rostraver and South Huntingdon beginning Wednesday, as work continues on reconstruction of the Route 51 interchange and improvement of an adjoining section of the interstate. Single-lane restrictions for both eastbound and westbound traffic are planned between the Route...
Tax hike expected for Gateway School District property owners
Property owners in the Gateway School District will pay more in real estate taxes if the tentative 2025-26 budget is approved. School directors Monday voted to move forward with a $98.6 million spending plan for next school year, a 4.8% increase over this year’s budget. The tentative budget includes a...
Harrison officials investigate after partial building collapse
No injuries were reported after a 125-year-old building partially collapsed Monday in Harrison’s Natrona neighborbood. The abandoned apartment building at 91 Oak St. started to fall just after 7 p.m. Portions of the rear roof started to cave in, along with sections of the interior. “That building has been vacant...
Work progresses on new Salina Bridge
Workers have begun to place girders on the new Salina Bridge, which crosses the Kiski River to connect Bell and Kiski townships. The new bridge is being built 100 feet downstream from its nearly 120-year-old counterpart. According to PennDOT assistant construction engineer Mark Kmetz, crews will begin pouring the bridge’s...
Plum youth baseball and softball teams kick off season with 1st games
The Plum Baseball and Softball Association held its first games of the season on Monday, April 21 at the Plum Creek Municipal Ballfields after a day of rainy weather. Though the games unofficially kicked off the season, more formal opening day celebrations will be held Sunday, May 4, which will...
Pine-Richland School Board majority, administration differ on increasing property taxes
A majority of the Pine-Richland School Board does not want to consider increasing the district’s property tax rate, despite administrators’ recommendation that they should. Superintendent Brian Miller said the administration is recommending a 2.1% property tax increase. Administrators also have recommended cutting 9.5 positions, including 3.5 teachers, through attrition, as...
Burrell superintendent recognized with award for leadership
Shannon Wagner, superintendent of the Burrell School District, is the winner of the 2025 Dr. Jean E. Winsand Distinguished Woman in Education Award. According to the University of Pittsburgh website, the award is presented to a woman who has made a “significant impact and positive difference” throughout her career. It...
Hempfield Area faces $5.1M budget deficit for 2025-26 school year
Rising charter school payments and growing retirement costs have Hempfield Area school officials exploring how to offset a 2025-26 budget deficit that stands at more than $5 million. District business manager Paul Schott said expenditures for next year are up by nearly $7.3 million over 2024-25. “Without the impact of...
Meet the candidates for Chartiers Valley School Board
Editor’s note: The Signal Item is only spotlighting contested races in the primary election. Candidates for Chartiers Valley School Board have an array of answers as to how they’d lead the district into the future. In the May 20 primary election, incumbents Mitch Montani, Herb Ohliger, Megan Sexton and Lisa...
Plans for Greensburg Amtrak station include new doors, restrooms for handicapped access
Amtrak is looking to make improvements to its station at Greensburg beginning in 2026, while upgrades at the Latrobe station are set to get underway this year. The station projects, which include improved features for handicapped accessibility, come as Amtrak is planning to expand its passenger service between Pittsburgh and...
Morning Roundup: Police find teen shot in East Liberty; threat investigated at Chartiers Valley
Here are some of the latest news items for this morning, Tuesday, April 22: Teen found shot in East Liberty A teenage boy was shot in the head early Tuesday morning in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety. Police were dispatched to the intersection of North Euclid...
