Jury finds Monessen man not guilty of rape, sex assault charges
A Monessen man was acquitted of sexual assault charges on Wednesday. After nearly two hours of deliberations by a Westmoreland County jury, Jerry Francis Griest, 63, was found not guilty of three charges in connection with allegations made by an autistic woman who claimed she was raped after she rejected...
Pittsburgh to settle 2 lawsuits over South Side bar brawl involving cops, PagansVideo
The City of Pittsburgh will pay $170,001 to settle two of four lawsuits against it stemming from a brawl at Kopy’s bar on the South Side six years ago between members of the Pagan motorcycle gang and several drunk, undercover police officers, according to an attorney. Two remaining plaintiffs will...
Defense claims Mt. Pleasant woman’s drinking not the cause of crash that injured pedestrians
Westmoreland County prosecutors contend a Mt. Pleasant woman was severely drunk when she drove her sports utility vehicle off the road and struck two pedestrians in early July 2020. Assistant District Attorney Theresa Miller-Sporrer told jurors on Wednesday that Elizabeth Sirianni’s decision to drive home after drinking at two local...
Trial begins for brother accused of ordering gunfire that started Jeannette shootout
Terra Dudley knew her son was in trouble but hesitated when she pulled out a gun to defend him as he fled from a barrage of bullets. She then fired at the teenage boy who had taken aim at her 17-year-old son, James Sanders. “My heart broke. I had just...
Former Pine-Richland trainer accused of filming boys in locker rooms
A former Pine-Richland School District athletic trainer has been charged with secretly filming male students in locker rooms and bathrooms, according to state police. Samuel Elliot Fischer, 34, faces child pornography charges for the allegations in connection with Pine-Richland and other school districts. He recorded boys in locker rooms in...
Phipps Conservatory’s cafe, catering workers fear for their jobs amid vendor switch
Meredith Raubaugh doesn’t know what she’ll do for work after her gig as a catering server and cafe cashier at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens ends next week. She and about 30 others who work in the the Pittsburgh conservatory’s cafe and catering departments are expected to lose their jobs...
Medical examiner IDs man found dead on Wilkinsburg sidewalk
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office Wednesday identified the man authorities found dead last weekend on a Wilkinsburg sidewalk as Dorrel Ferguson, 19. Police were dispatched at 8:25 p.m. Saturday to the 1000 block of Ross Avenue, where the unidentified man, later identified as Ferguson, was found dead on the...
Podcast: Biden blocks the sale of U.S. Steel, lawsuits follow
Citing national security concerns, President Joe Biden blocked the $15 billion international sale of U.S. Steel to Japanese company Nippon Steel on Jan. 3, 2025. In a joint statement after the announcement U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel called Biden’s action political. The companies then filed a federal lawsuit against the...
Former Derry Area Aqua Club president accused of stealing $24K from organization
The former president of the Derry Area Aqua Club was jailed Wednesday on police accusations that she used money from the organization to pay for gambling and sports betting, according to court papers. Josie Faye Ruffner, 35, of Latrobe, is charged by Westmoreland County detectives with dealing in proceeds of...
Westmoreland happenings: turkey dinner, more
Fundraisers • Jeannette Knights of Columbus hosts bingo at 7 p.m. Fridays in Mersinger Hall at Ascension Church, 615 Division St., Jeannette. Doors open at 6 p.m. and early birds begin at 6:30 p.m. Players younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Smoke-free venue. Food will be available...
Dick’s Sporting Goods construction begins at The Waterworks
The new Dick’s Sporting Goods store at The Waterworks near Aspinwall is expected to open this summer. The new store is located in the shopping center’s former Walmart anchor space. It is unclear what that means for the Dick’s store at the Pittsburgh Mills mall — just nine miles away...
Attorney for Jeannette officer seeks probationary program in case of false traffic stop reports
The attorney representing a Jeannette police officer accused of falsifying reports related to traffic stops said he hopes to get his client into a probationary program. Matthew S. Painter, 40, of Penn Township, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday on 18 misdemeanor counts. There was no agreement struck...
‘I Voted’ sticker contest voting opens in Allegheny County
Are you tired of receiving the generic American flag “I Voted” sticker that’s given out during elections? Well, you now have a chance to provide input for the design of the Allegheny County “I Voted” sticker that will be used in the upcoming primary and general elections. Voting is open...
Lower Drennen slide repairs eyed by Upper Burrell officials
Upper Burrell plans to move forward with slide repairs on Lower Drennen Road. Supervisors authorized the township’s engineer, Michael Moore of Bankson Engineers, to prepare bid documents for repairing two slides along the road. “We’re going to get that fixed, finally,” said supervisors Chairman Ross G. Walker III. According to...
‘He seems genuine’: Potential Allegheny County jail warden draws praise from skeptics
Trevor Wingard was serving as the superintendent at SCI Somerset in January 2017 when he learned his prison had been chosen by the state secretary for a two-day meeting of corrections leaders from across Pennsylvania. Although the training schedule was aggressive, Wingard was given a one-hour window to show off...
Sam DeMarco leaving Allegheny County Council for role in Sen. Dave McCormick’s office
Sam DeMarco is leaving his posts as an at-large Allegheny County councilman and chair of the Republican Committee of Allegheny County for a position in newly elected U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick’s office. DeMarco told TribLive he will serve as Southwest Regional director for McCormick’s office. In that position, DeMarco will...
2 people killed in Aliquippa fire
Two people have died following an RV fire in Aliquippa on Tuesday morning. Authorities responded to 622 Sohn St. at 5:57 a.m. Tuesday for an active fire, according to a report from Pennsylvania State Police. Police identified the two victims as David Bosh, 54, of Aliquippa, and Jenny Bosh, 28,...
Morning Roundup: Garbage truck crashes into Butler credit union; boy injured when sled hits car
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Jan. 8: Garbage truck crashes into Butler credit union One person was taken to the hospital after a garbage truck crashed into a building in Butler on Tuesday morning, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. The crash happened...
The Stroller, Jan. 8, 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. Free advice available for...
Then and Now: Casile’s Courtesy Corner in Aspinwall still a gem of a location — now for jewelry store
People who travel along Freeport Road in Aspinwall are likely familiar with Chapel Hills Jewelry, the upscale shop at the intersection of Virginia Avenue. It’s been a staple more than three decades, opened by Jack and Tina Tesauro in 1989. Previously, the corner was a mainstay for residents and those...
Valley High School set to reopen after broken boiler fixed
Students are expected to return to classes at Valley High School on Wednesday after the New Kensington school was closed for the past two days. While the New Kensington-Arnold School District was among many across the Pittsburgh region that closed Monday because of the threat of significant snow, its high...
Solar power company wins zoning approval in North Huntingdon
A clean energy company was given the green light Tuesday to proceed with plans for a solar power system it wants to build on a North Huntingdon farm, a first step in a long approval process that could take three years before producing electricity, a company official said. The five-member...
Report: 3 dead, 2 injured following possible gas leak in Butler County
Three people are dead and two injured after a reported carbon monoxide leak in Butler. Butler County emergency officials said Peoples Gas and emergency responders were called to the 100 block of College Street on Tuesday evening, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. Officials told WTAE that three people were...
Ligonier Township supervisor suing Ligonier Valley Police joins force oversight board
A man who is suing the Ligonier Valley Police and has approved litigation against the commission that oversees the force is now serving on that same commission. Erik Ross, who has taken over as chairman of the Ligonier Township supervisors, has replaced Stephanie Verna as a representative of the supervisors...
Peters Township native Christian Humphreys leaves Michigan to play in OHL
Forward Christian Humphreys, a native of Peters Township, has joined the Ontario Hockey League’s Kitchener Rangers. That team announced it signed Humphreys to an OHL scholarship and development agreement Tuesday. Humphreys, 18, began the season at the NCAA level with Michigan. Appearing in 10 of a possible 19 games with...
