Police: Shooter fired 3 times, beat up man dating his estranged wife outside East Huntingdon fitness center
A man accused in a shooting in an East Huntingdon plaza Tuesday afternoon fired a handgun three times, beat up his target and then walked to his pickup truck before driving 8 miles to Connellsville, according to Trooper Steve Limani. The wounded man has been dating 38-year-old Steven Heald’s estranged...
Fox Chapel traffic signal upgrade replaces obsolete equipment
Traffic is expected to be flowing more safely near a major Fox Chapel traffic intersection. A $300,000 project to modernize the traffic signals at Fox Chapel and Field Club roads wrapped up in December, following several months of work. The equipment replaces original signals that were obsolete, borough Manager Julie...
New Carnegie mayor is youngest in borough’s history
Carnegie’s newest mayor is also its youngest. Sam Bigham was 23 when he was sworn in by District Judge Jack Kobistek on Jan. 5 in council chambers. “I want to be able to inspire people and get more people involved,” he said. “I believe in Carnegie.” Despite his young age,...
Plum man identified as pedestrian killed by vehicle in Lower Burrell
Police are investigating the death of a pedestrian who was struck and killed by a vehicle on Greensburg Road in Lower Burrell. Harry J. Thomas, 62, of Plum was walking west on Greensburg Road when he was hit by a vehicle, according to Westmoreland County Coroner John Ackerman. The incident...
PNC mandates 5-day office work week for all employees
PNC said today that all employees will return to the office five days a week starting May 4. In a memo sent Wednesday morning, Chairman and CEO Bill Demchak said PNC has “always been an in-office company. “It’s not just how we operate — it’s part of our culture,” he...
Plans for $500M Bakery Square expansion retooled by Walnut Capital
Dwindling demand for office space has forced a developer to rethink a major expansion of its sprawling Bakery Square development in Pittsburgh’s East End and focus on retail and housing instead of office space. Pittsburgh-based developer Walnut Capital for years has been eyeing a 14-acre, $500 million extension of its...
Millvale man accused of firing shotgun, threatening to kill woman with school bus nearby
An incident in Millvale where a man pointed a shotgun at a woman and fired a round into the air in the middle of a weekday afternoon could have turned out much worse if not for a rapid police response, borough police Chief Tim Komoroski said. Komoroski said the accused...
New Kensington-Arnold reaches early-bird contract agreement with teachers
New Kensington-Arnold School District and its teachers union have agreed on a new contract that will increase teachers’ pay by an average of 3.5% and have them paying more gradually for healthcare. School directors voted 8-0 to approve the collective bargaining agreement between the district and the New Kensington-Arnold Education...
North Hills School District announces key dates for students, job fair to fill 15 teaching positions
At its Jan. 8 meeting, the North Hills School Board announced high school Vice Principal Kevin Sheridan was named one of 15 local winners of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ annual Most Valuable Principal program, which recognizes school principals who go above and beyond. “Sheridan will be recognized at an upcoming game...
Pennsylvania health care professionals react to NYC nurses strike
Nearly 15,000 nurses from New York City’s top hospitals entered their second day striking on Tuesday, in what could be one of the largest labor clashes in the city’s health care industry in decades – and Pittsburgh’s health care workers are showing their support. The New York State Nursing Association,...
Harrison Hills to spruce up park, playgrounds
Playgrounds are getting an upgrade at Harrison Hills Park. The Allegheny County-owned facility in Harrison will see several projects this year, including new walkways, play equipment with safety surfaces, landscaping, signs and items to help with accessibility. Harrison Hills encompasses more than 500 acres of woods, streams, waterfalls and ponds....
Portion of walking trail closed at O’Hara Community Park
Walkers who use the trail at O’Hara Township Community Park will be forced to detour for a couple of months. A portion of the trail is closed through at least early March. It is necessary for work to be done on a Sycamore Run retaining wall, which supports the upper...
Blawnox man sentenced for child sexual assault
A Blawnox man was sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection with the sexual exploitation of a minor. James W. Muir, 60, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Pennsylvania. Judge...
EMS authority meeting postponed for Harrison, Tarentum, Brackenridge
A special meeting scheduled tonight to form a paid ambulance authority in Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge is postponed. Eureka Fire-Rescue personnel posted to Facebook, apologizing for the short notice....
Plum begins vast addition, renovation project at O’Block Elementary
A few months from now, Plum’s O’Block Elementary is set to look much different. The building, which houses kindergarten through fourth grade, will receive a large addition and major renovations throughout its interior and exterior. District officials, together with a half dozen O’Block students, held a groundbreaking ceremony at the...
Greensburg OKs plan for Sheetz at East Pittsburgh Street
A subdivision and land development plan for a long-awaited Sheetz in Greensburg was approved by council Monday and officials said traffic calming measures will be added to allay concerns. Mayor Robb Bell said he felt comfortable approving the plan after having a conference call with Sheetz officials last week. He...
Attorney: New Florence murder suspect expected to testify for prosecution
One of three people accused in the murder of a New Florence grandmother will be tried separately from his two co-defendants, signaling a potential agreement to cooperate with prosecutors, an attorney said Tuesday. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio pushed back the first-degree murder case against Robert Patrick Jack,...
Arnold inks contract with public works employees
Arnold’s new contract with its public works employees calls for small raises over the next three years. The deal, reached by council and the public works union last week, calls for a 75-cent hourly wage increase this year, an 80-cent increase next year and an 85-cent jump in 2028. With...
Shaler-area municipalities reorganize following November election
Municipalities in the Shaler Journal’s coverage area reorganized in January following November’s general election. That included reelected and newly elected officials taking their offices, the selection of leadership and setting regular meeting dates for the year. Etna Seven officials, six elected and one appointed, have taken office on Etna Council....
More Parkway East traffic stoppages planned
Motorists should expect intermittent traffic stoppages Wednesday morning on the Parkway East (Interstate 376) westbound, near the entrance of the Squirrel Hill tunnel, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said in a news release. The stoppages — lasting about 15 minutes or less — are expected to take place between 10...
Police investigate fatal shooting in Wilkinsburg
A man was fatally shot Tuesday night in Wilkinsburg, Allegheny County police said. Dispatchers were called shortly before 9 p.m. to the 700 block of South Avenue, where first responders found an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, according to an Allegheny County alert. The victim...
1 dead, 1 injured in Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar house fire
A man died early Wednesday morning following a house fire in Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighborhood. Firefighters were dispatched to the 6600 block of Apple Street around 2 a.m., according to a Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire social post. Upon arrival firefighters could see heavy smoke coming from all three floors of the...
‘We want to be thoughtful’: New Kensington-Arnold to consider realigning grades
Primary school buildings in the New Kensington-Arnold School District could look different in two years. According to Superintendent Christopher Sefcheck, the school board’s Education Committee will meet next week to consider a plan that would place: • kindergarten and first grade at Martin Elementary; • second and third grades at...
‘Irritated’ Etna resident Dave Becki celebrated as dedicated public servant after 36 years as councilman
Mary Ellen Ramage knew Dave Becki as an Etna resident who was “quite irritated” when he was first elected to the borough’s council in 1989. And Becki was indeed irritated after the home he moved to in 1984 was flooded in 1986 and almost flooded a second time a year...
Building the Valley: Family creates cozy country charm with Bear Roots cafe in Washington Township
Giggles filled the air at Bear Roots cafe in Washington Township as Chrissy Klingensmith pushed her 1-year-old future granddaughter, Hadley, through the shop in a wheeled office chair. It was a small moment, but one that perfectly captured the family spirit behind the business. The cafe, which opened last March,...
