Brian Leri, longtime chef at Hoffstot’s Cafe Monaco, remembered for devotion to restaurant, customers
Brian Leri, 51, of Natrona Heights, the longtime executive chef at Hoffstot’s Cafe Monaco in Oakmont, died Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. Leri spent 30 years at the eatery after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., in 1994. He became the restaurant’s executive chef in 2002....
Charah subsidiary sues demolition contractors over Springdale chimney, boiler house implosions
The June 2023 implosion of two chimneys at the former power plant in Springdale, and the lawsuit that followed, now has the plant’s property owner and its demolition contractors at odds legally. Attorneys representing Cheswick Plant Environmental Redevelopment Group — a subsidiary of Charah Solutions — filed the lawsuit Monday...
Judge denies bond for man accused in Parkway West road rage shooting
A McKeesport man accused of shooting another in the face during an alleged road rage incident on the Parkway West this summer will remain in jail pending trial. Rashawn Hall, 22, asked the court earlier this month to reconsider his request to be released on bond, arguing that he has...
Record number of travelers expected to take to skies, roads over Thanksgiving holidayVideo
Annette Santilli was pleasantly surprised when she arrived at Pittsburgh International Airport early Tuesday. With some forecasts calling for a record number of travelers over the Thanksgiving holiday, Santilli, 62, of Clarksburg, W.Va., had expected to see long lines at the Findlay airport. Instead, Santilli and her 20-year-old daughter, Stephanie...
Vandergrift man sentenced to up to 24 years for shooting at homes in 2021
A Vandergrift man was sentenced Friday to 12 to 24 years in a state prison for firing more than a dozen shots into three occupied homes in 2021. Javon Michael Thorn Lambert, 25, entered a general plea Friday to 17 charges against him, which included aggravated assault, discharge of a...
Pittsburgh officials to tear down homeless camp under 16th Street Bridge
Pittsburgh officials plan to tear down a homeless camp under the 16th Street Bridge at the border of the city’s North Shore and Troy Hill neighborhoods. City officials on signs posted around the encampment said the decision to remove the camp was based on concerns at the site, including “evidence...
Highmark posts $529 million profit in 3rd quarter
One of Pittsburgh’s health giants has continued its turnaround from the pandemic, posting $529 million in profit through the first nine months of 2024. Pittsburgh-based Highmark Health reported its multi-million profit Tuesday. The $529 million mark for the first nine months of this year is just a tick below the...
What stores are open on Thanksgiving?
The National Retail Federation believes 34.3 million Americans may spend part of Thanksgiving shopping. Those in Southwestern Pennsylvania who choose to make purchases in person instead of online will find options limited, as many major retailers are planning to keep their doors closed on Thanksgiving Day. That includes Target, Walmart,...
New Kensington woman accused of striking woman with SUV in Giant Eagle parking lot
A New Kensington woman is accused of hitting another woman with her SUV on Monday after arguing in the Giant Eagle parking lot. New Kensington police charged Tyonna Lashay Kirk, 29, with felony counts of aggravated assault, aggravated assault by vehicle and accidents involving death or personal injury. She also...
No property tax hike planned for North Apollo
North Apollo’s proposed budget for 2025, if passed, would come with no increase to real estate taxes. The millage rate would remain at 12.09 mills, meaning the owner of a home with the median assessed property value of $25,000 would continue to pay $302 a year to the borough. Expenses...
Bishop T.D. Jakes sues Homestead pastor, alleges extortion attempt
The founder of a Dallas megachurch is suing a former Homestead pastor convicted of sex assault for libel, accusing him of making false claims in an online podcast and attempting to extort him out of millions of dollars. Bishop T.D. Jakes, also renown as a motivational speaker and author, filed...
Lower Burrell man accused of shooting at neighbors through apartment wall
A Lower Burrell man is behind bars after police accused him of shooting through his apartment wall at his neighbors early Saturday. Lower Burrell police charged Khalil Shawn Pryor, 23, with attempted homicide, four counts of aggravated assault, two counts each of recklessly endangering another person and simple assault, and...
Man claims he shot another in Strip District club after hearing girlfriend’s plea for help
A man told police he heard his girlfriend call for his help before shooting and critically injuring a man early Friday inside a Strip District club, according to court records. Officers went to Club Pittsburgh in the 1100 block of Penn Avenue shortly after 2 a.m. in response to a...
North Apollo mayor quits as the borough’s police options dwindle
North Apollo may have no choice but to stick with Kiski Township for police coverage as alternatives dwindle and the force’s leading critic, former Mayor June Kilgore, leaves office following her resignation. Since September, Kilgore has been asking council to consider another option for police coverage, when she raised doubts...
Harrison expects nearly 10% tax increase; no paving budgeted in 2025
It’s been a tough budget season, according to Harrison officials. Ongoing tax assessment appeals are expected to result in a 10% dip in real estate revenue while commissioners are tasked with crucial expenses next year that include new police hires and EMS funding. “This challenge is compounded by the fact...
Morning Roundup: Paving to restrict, close Route 910 in Harmar; Allegheny Township bridge restricted
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024: Paving to restrict, close Route 910 in Harmar Traffic on part of Route 910 in Harmar will be restricted during the day Tuesday ahead of an overnight closure for paving, PennDOT announced. Traffic will be...
Trib Total Media accepting applications for scholarship opportunities
Trib Total Media is accepting applications for three scholarships, which provide students an opportunity to gain experience in reporting, business and marketing. Recipients will receive scholarships and annual internships. Those who complete the program are offered full-time jobs upon graduation. The Jim Borden Memorial Scholarship, which launched in 2019, honors...
The Stroller, Nov. 26, 2024: 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. Cub Scouts collecting items...
Western Pa. communities use Facebook as integral tool to connect with residents
Tom Bell starts his shift at 4:30 a.m. each day as Greensburg’s streets superintendent. While most people take the same route to work, Bell takes a different way almost daily. Instead of listening to music or the morning news, he logs onto the public works department’s Facebook page to record...
Westmoreland County expands, refocuses veterans affairs office
Westmoreland County’s veterans affairs department will be expanding to provide additional access to services for former military members and their families. The five-person office will be renamed the Division of Veterans Affairs and Services and is expected to enhance service coordination, improve transportation to clinics in the Pittsburgh region and...
Drought to blame for murky Latrobe water, authority says. It remains safe to drink
Many Latrobe Municipal Authority customers are coping with discolored water while authority officials try to compensate for elevated sediment levels resulting from drought conditions in the region. Authority chairperson Ellen Keefe said Monday the yellow- or brown-tinged water may not be appealing but remains drinkable. “The water is still potable,”...
Quaker Valley inks new pact with food service, buildings and grounds workers that includes 4.5% yearly raises through 2030
Quaker Valley School District recently approved a new contract with its buildings and grounds and food service workers that will cover employees into the next decade. The collective bargaining agreement with the district’s Unit 2 impacts 47 professionals. School board members unanimously voted Nov. 16 to approve the six-year contract....
John McCain, Tom Hanks and Taylor Swift get votes for president in Westmoreland County’s official election results
The Westmoreland County Election Board on Monday unanimously approved the final certification of the Nov. 5 election results. “It’s a wrap,” Election Bureau Director Greg McCloskey said. The certification included all races that appeared on the ballot, including the closely contested election that saw Republican Dave McCormick oust three-term incumbent...
Market events continue into winter at Bethel Park Community Center
More than two dozen vendors were on site to fulfill shoppers’ wish lists during the Holiday Market on Nov. 19 inside the Bethel Park Community Center. The event represents a seasonal extension of the farmers’ market that takes place each Tuesday from spring through fall and is among the most...
Defense says police ruse invalidates confession in sex assault case
The lawyer for an Erie man accused of sex offenses claimed his client’s confession should be barred from evidence at an upcoming trial because police lied about the circumstances of the interrogation. Timothy Colcombe, 37, was charged in January with felony counts in connection to allegations that he attempted to...
