Western PA Local News category, Page 477
1 killed, 1 wounded in Penn Hills shooting
One man was killed and another is in stable condition following a shooting late Thursday night in Penn Hills, police said. First responders were called to the 200 block of Universal Road shortly before midnight and arrived to find Vanderlee Stevenson, 21, of Penn Hills with multiple gunshot wounds, according...
Condition of New Kensington-Arnold schools feeds need for comprehensive plan
The New Kensington-Arnold School District has potentially millions of dollars’ worth of maintenance and repairs needed at its buildings but no plan, yet, on how to get the work done. Officials want to devise a five-year plan for buildings and grounds. It could include projects ranging from remodeling a loading...
Arnold man impaired by alcohol, marijuana in crash that seriously hurt 2 in New Kensington, police say
An Arnold man had a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit and tested positive for marijuana after a crash in New Kensington in which two people in another vehicle were seriously hurt, according to New Kensington police. Police charged Brett Matthew Hedeen, 32, on Thursday with felony aggravated...
Westmoreland’s preservationists receive kudos from historical society
Two organizations and three people were honored recently by the Westmoreland County Historical Society’s 2024 Arthur St. Clair Historic Preservation Awards. The awards are presented annually to people, organizations, businesses or educational institutions that have contributed to the preservation of Westmoreland County’s historic places, documents, records or stories. The awards...
Northern Lights, trains, kayaker among prize-winning images in Go Laurel Highlands contest
Keeping her sights aimed sky-high earned Scottdale resident Christina Stoner two prizes in this year’s Go Laurel Highlands photo contest. Stoner won second place in the contest’s “nature” category with her image of the Northern Lights, captured over Acme Lake. Her photo of a fireworks display lighting the sky above...
Lt. Governor Davis to highlight health insurance deadline during Greensburg stop
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis is scheduled to visit Greensburg on Monday afternoon to remind Pennsylvania residents to sign up for medical coverage through Pennie, the state’s official health insurance marketplace. Davis is slated to make an appearance at Adagio Health with Pennie Executive Director Devon Trolley and Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner...
Testimony in 2nd day of Jordan Brown civil case recounts crime scene, police interviews
When state trooper Harry Gustafson arrived at the Lawrence County farmhouse early Feb. 20, 2009, he spotted a 4-year-old girl standing in the front doorway, crying. “I bent down to her, and she said, ‘My mommy’s dead. My mommy’s dead.’” Gustafson picked her up, put her on the couch in...
Man hospitalized after being shot in the face in Clairton
A man was recovering Thursday after being shot in the face in Clairton. Allegheny County Police said officers were dispatched around 1:35 p.m. to the 300 block of New York Avenue for a shooting at the City of Prayer. First responders found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to...
WESA, WYEP staff ratify 1st union contract
The journalists and content creators at Pittsburgh’s nonprofit radio stations WESA and WYEP finalized their first collective bargaining agreement Thursday. Over two dozen staffers unionized with the SAG-AFTRA labor union two years ago, and, according to a press release, have bargained in good faith with Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting, which operates...
Family holds out hope as search continues for missing Unity woman at sinkhole site
More than 72 hours have passed since authorities believe Elizabeth Pollard vanished into a sinkhole above an abandoned mine in Unity, yet her family remains hopeful that she will be found alive. Her niece, Tabitha Pollard, relayed a message Thursday on behalf of Pollard’s husband and son. “They are still...
Upper Burrell fire hydrant fee to jump slightly next year
Most Upper Burrell property owners will pay a few dollars more next year for fire hydrants. Township supervisors approved the municipality’s 2025 budget by a 2-0 vote, with Ken Slahtovsky absent, on Wednesday night. It keeps property taxes at 12 mills, but increases its fire hydrant fee by 0.01 mill....
Pa. pledges $3.4 million to upgrade Point State Park ahead of 2026 NFL Draft
A $3.4 million state investment will help upgrade amenities, walkways and lighting at Point State Park ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. The sprucing-up project, announced Thursday by the state, will include improvements to lighting at the park’s iconic fountain, which sits in Downtown Pittsburgh at the confluence...
Audit flags Pittsburgh Public Schools for issuing employees too many credit cards
City Controller Rachael Heisler is urging Pittsburgh Public Schools officials to cut back on the millions of dollars charged each year to hundreds of district credit cards for business expenses, warning of the potential for abuse. From January 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024, there were 59,936 credit card transactions...
Woman killed in hit-and-run while crossing Oakland street is identified
Pittsburgh police have found the driver of a vehicle believed to have struck and killed a woman early Thursday in a hit-and-run crash in Oakland. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Jessie Maroney, 37, of South Park. Police said Maroney was crossing Darragh Street in a...
Ohio man charged with stalking 1 day after release on similar charge
Hours after being released from jail Monday for stalking singer Lacey Sturm in Murrysville, an Ohio man was back behind bars after he showed up at the woman’s home, according to court papers. Anthony A. Carpenter, 43, arrived at the house at 9:45 p.m. Tuesday in a flat bed truck,...
‘Justice was served’: Killer of off-duty cop slain in Blawnox gets maximum prison time
A judge Thursday sentenced a Pittsburgh man to 20 to 40 years in prison for killing an off-duty Oakdale police officer during a road-rage incident. Kevin McSwiggen, 42, of the city’s Greenfield neighborhood was convicted in July by a jury of third-degree murder in the July 3, 2022, shooting death...
Murrysville area: East Suburban Artists League reception, holiday events and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. East Suburban Artists League exhibit The East Suburban Artists League invites the public to a Dec. 14 reception for its exhibit at Gallery Space in the Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard. It will be from 6-8 p.m. and will showcase...
Oakmont residents have new communication route
There’s a new way for Oakmont residents to contact elected leaders, borough departments, community groups and administration. On Tuesday, Dec. 3, council Vice President Amanda Pagnotta introduced an updated communication form on the borough’s website for resident use. Borough officials have been receiving a large number of messages from residents,...
Plum School District expects to keep property tax increase within state inflation limit
Plum School District will be able to balance its 2025-26 budget without raising property taxes beyond its state-imposed limit of 5.3%, according to the district’s business manager. School districts across Pennsylvania are required by Jan. 30 to declare that they won’t raise taxes beyond their state limit or else make...
Market Square facelift pitched by urban design group behind NYC’s High Line
A proposal to reimagine Market Square, a hub of Downtown Pittsburgh since the 1700s, would limit vehicle traffic, add more greenery and seating and install a semi-circular trellis canopy under which events could take place throughout the year. The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership pitched the plans to the city’s Historic Review...
Plum School Board slated to move O’Block building project, electric bus purchase forward
The Plum School Board is expected to advance two multimillion-dollar projects this month. The board will vote to approve the next phase of design work for an addition and renovations at O’Block Elementary School and a purchase order agreement for 25 electric buses during its Dec. 17 meeting. The district...
1,000 UPMC nurses sign open letter urging hiring, raises, more time off
Nurse Kelly Poholsky has worked at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital for 36 years. All that time, she has felt the hospital in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood needed more nurses. Poholsky, 61, of Penn Township is one of more than 1,000 nurses throughout the sprawling UPMC network who have signed an open letter...
Franklin Park adopts budget with tax increase
A real estate rate tax increase of 0.3 mills, raising it to 1.59 mills, was approved at a special Franklin Park Council meeting on Dec. 4 as part of the 2025 budget. This will help fund the expenses that were projected to exceed revenues, listed at $15,266,800 and $14,059,400, respectively,...
Then and Now: Longtime bank landmark now prominent retail/office space
A prominent building in the Aspinwall business section has been drawing people to the corner of First Street and Brilliant Avenue for nearly 100 years. The red-brick building is a well-recognized cornerstone, initially home to financial institutions before transforming into a retail hub. Known originally as the Bank of Aspinwall,...
North Allegheny School Board president, vice president reelected
Elizabeth Warner will continue to serve as North Allegheny School Board president for another year, after being unanimously approved by her colleagues at the Dec. 4 reorganization meeting. Paige Hardy will continue as vice president, after a 5 to 3 vote. School board director Michael Weniger was also nominated for...
