Pittsburgh voters to decide referendums on Israel ties and water privatization
Pittsburghers will see at least three referendum questions on their ballots this spring, with two aimed at ensuring the city isn’t forced to divest from companies with ties to Israel and a third asking voters to bar the city from privatizing its water and sewer infrastructure. City Council on Tuesday...
DEP, environmental contractors continue cleanup after Braeburn hydraulic spill
Cleanup continued Tuesday at the site of a hydraulic fluid spill into the Allegheny River in Lower Burrell. The state Department of Environmental Protection is overseeing work at the Braeburn Alloy Steel facility, where the fluid leaked from a containment area at the plant and into the river Monday afternoon....
Millvale’s Medicap Pharmacy wins ‘Most Transformed’ award
Medicap Pharmacy, a longtime Millvale enterprise, was named the “most transformed” pharmacy of 2024 by the Flip the Pharmacy organization. The organization, which focuses on steering pharmacies toward more clinical care rather than solely filling prescriptions, awarded Medicap for several recent changes in care options. Elaine Trapani, who started the...
3rd time’s the charm for future Huston Middle School building plan
Just when Burrell School District officials thought they had a building plan at Huston Middle School to accommodate an additional grade level there next year, a dry run two weeks ago led them to reconsider. A maintenance issue at Stewart Elementary School on Jan. 23 had its fifth graders spend...
Seton Hill to honor MLK through speaker, day of service
Seton Hill University in Greensburg will honor Martin Luther King Jr. with its annual educational program and day of service. The program will feature speaker Don C. Sawyer III, Fairfield University’s first vice president for diversity, inclusion and belonging. An associate professor in the university’s department of sociology and anthropology,...
Walmart is new owner of Monroeville Mall; interested in presence at redeveloped site
Walmart’s purchase and intent to redevelop Monroeville Mall echoes similar projects completed in Westmoreland County in the early 2000s and in Wisconsin just a few years ago. No specific plans for the 186-acre Monroeville site have been released, said Mark Rickel, director of corporate communications for Walmart. “Walmart did purchase...
Morning Roundup: No injuries reported in shooting near Rankin apartment building
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025: Shooting at Rankin apartment building Allegheny County Police are investigating a shooting reported early Tuesday at a Rankin apartment building. Police said they were dispatched for a report of gunshots about 1:35 a.m. to Palisades...
Love or not, there’s a pizza for you in Leechburg this Valentine’s Day
Steve Senjan and his wife, Jamie, never really liked Valentine’s Day. “You shouldn’t need a special day to show someone you love them or do something nice for them,” Senjan said. “You should be doing it a little more often than that.” Then it’s no surprise that, after opening the...
The Stroller, Feb. 4, 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. Golf bash fundraiser planned...
Penn-Trafford student, inspired by 8-year-old cancer survivor, aims to raise $10K for nonprofit
Penn-Trafford sophomore Abby Rayman is on a mission to raise $10,000 to support children diagnosed with leukemia and lymphoma. It’s part of a challenge posed by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a national nonprofit with a branch on Pittsburgh’s South Side. As a candidate for the society’s Student Visionary of...
Student news: A roundup of accolades
• Madeline Kasunich was named to the dean’s list at Bucknell University for the fall 2024 semester. • Aeliana Ackison was named to the chancellor’s list at Western Carolina University for the fall 2024 semester. • Emilie Whitewolf participated in Wig and Buckle Theater Company’s recent production of “Nightfall” at...
Penn Hills Library, less spry than it once was, could see renovations
The Penn Hills Library might get a refresh as it nears the end of its second decade along Stotler Road. Organization leaders recently met with several design firms that specialize in libraries and plan to meet with several more in the coming weeks to hash out the basics of a...
Hydraulic fluid leak at Lower Burrell steel plant sends slick down Allegheny River
Hydraulic fluid was released into the Allegheny River from Braeburn Alloy Steel in Lower Burrell on Monday afternoon, prompting warnings to downriver water suppliers, according to emergency officials. Two passersby reported seeing the sheen along the Westmoreland shore of the river, and Lower Burrell firefighters responded around 3 p.m., fire...
Teen pleads guilty in Arnold street shooting
An Arnold teenager who has been in jail for the past three years as he awaited trial for the attempted murder of five people in 2021 pleaded guilty Monday to lesser charges. Ikquan Hassain Amid Lynn, 18, told a Westmoreland County judge it was in his best interest to admit...
U.S. Steel, Nippon argue in court for new federal merger review
U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel laid out their case Monday that then-President Joe Biden hamstrung a national security review to justify blocking the companies’ merger. An opening brief filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia claimed the companies had their due process rights violated when...
Aide at Quality Life Services accused of stealing patient’s debit card
A traveling health care worker from Louisiana who police said has a history of theft is accused by Washington Township authorities of stealing a debit card belonging to a patient and using it at a grocery store, according to court papers. Family members of the patient at Quality Life Services,...
At the library: Here are some upcoming programs at Northland Public Library
Tickets available for annual Garden Gala Tickets are now on sale for the 2025 Garden Gala: Down the Rabbit Hole on April 26 at Northland Public Library, 300 Cumberland Road. The annual 21-and-older fundraiser is hosted by the Northland Public Library Foundation. According to the foundation, Northland Public Library is...
Trial opens in slaying of Uber driver, mom of 4, in Monroeville
Brandon Marto thought he and the woman he considered to be his wife had taken every safety measure. When Christi Spicuzza went out to drive for Uber, she would call or text him at least once an hour, he told a jury Monday. He installed a dashboard camera — with...
Firefighters remind residents about staying safe during winter months
The wildfires in California may be a sobering reminder of the importance of fire safety locally, especially in the dry winter months. Generally speaking, there does seem to be more fire-related incidents during the winter, said Ingomar Volunteer Fire Company Chief Greg Quatchak. “We also see an increase in the...
Texas real estate firm takes lead in ‘major redevelopment’ of Monroeville Mall
A Texas-based real estate firm says the 186-acre Monroeville Mall property is well suited for a major redevelopment, and all options are on the table. “I think we’re all aware that the current use isn’t the highest and best use for the property,” said Chris Maguire, CEO of Dallas-based Cypress...
Pittsburgh notches 7th straight crown as best city for football fans
The Pittsburgh Steelers closed 2024 with a five-game losing skid and a humbling early exit from the playoffs. The City of Champions, however, did manage to clinch its Stairway to Seven this winter in at least one way. For the seventh year in a row, a national poll ranked Pittsburgh...
Academic achievement priority for new Chartiers Valley Superintendent Daniel Castagna
Chartiers Valley’s new superintendent has his sights set on bolstering the district’s academic repertoire. In fact, he thinks the district could be one of Allegheny County’s top academically performing districts in three years. “We have the foundation necessary to grow a much stronger academic program than we’ve ever built before,”...
In brief: Plum, Oakmont area news, events for the week of Feb. 3, 2025
Plum approves 2025-26 school year calendar The Plum School Board has approved the district’s calendar for the 2025-26 school year. The first day of school will be Aug. 20 and the last day will be May 29. Graduation is tentatively set for May 27. Before classes begin, “Meet the Teacher”...
In brief: Penn Hills and Verona area happenings, week of Feb. 3, 2025
Valentine’s Bingo to benefit firefighters Penn Hills No. 7 Volunteer Fire Department, 125 Universal Road, is hosting a Valentine’s Bingo fundraiser on Feb. 15 with a $1,000 jackpot. Doors open at 4 p.m., and bingo starts at 5:30. Tickets cost $20 and includes one sheet (six cards) per regular game,...
The Stroller, Feb. 3, 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. Night at the Races...