‘Michael did it’: Police say parents blame son for severely beating them in Crafton home
A Crafton man beat his parents so severely that he caused brain bleeds and broke one of their skulls before waiting with bloody hands and clothing to be arrested in the backyard of the home they all shared, police said. Two victims were rushed in critical condition to UPMC Mercy...
Judge blocks reinstatement of Pittsburgh cop fired in Jim Rogers Taser death
The Pittsburgh police officer fired for repeatedly using his Taser on a homeless man who died the next day cannot get his job back. A judge on Wednesday granted an appeal by the City of Pittsburgh of an arbitrator’s award earlier this year that reinstated Keith Edmonds to his position...
Apollo 5K aims to raise awareness of human trafficking
It might come as a surprise to many just how prevalent human trafficking is in Westmoreland County. The county is ninth in the state for human trafficking incidents, said Kristen Malone-Bodair, education outreach program manager for the Blackburn Center. The Blackburn Center coordinates the Westmoreland Human Trafficking Task Force, whose...
Police identify suspect in connection with East Huntingdon carjacking, missing dog
A Maryland man accused in an East Huntingdon car jacking this week — and Lucky, the dog that was inside the vehicle — could be anywhere. But there was a glimmer of hope in surveillance video from a Walmart store just outside Connellsville, said state Trooper Steve Limani. Kenneth Wilson...
Ex-Greensburg hospital employee accused of locking special needs co-worker in freezer
A former Westmoreland Hospital employee is accused of locking a female co-worker who has special needs in a walk-in freezer when they were employed in the dietary department at Westmoreland Hospital. Greensburg police said Nick V. Casper, 25, of South Greensburg admitted in an email to his supervisor that he...
Route 28 closure caused by downed power line
A downed power line was to blame for traffic snarls late Wednesday morning along Route 28 and Freeport and Burtner roads in Harrison. The line was reported down across all lanes of the highway shortly after 11 a.m. State and local police had to close the highway between Burtner Road...
Westmoreland happenings: Harvest festival, hot dog sale, seminars, more
Festival • The Southwest Greensburg Harvest Festival will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sept. 28 in the Brandon Street parklet. There will be food, games, a basket raffle and more. Children can bring a candy bucket. Bring a lawn chair. Fundraisers • Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church will sell...
Cybersecurity system eyed for Springdale water treatment plant
In an effort to stave off cyberthreats to its water treatment plant, Springdale is considering the installation of a cybersecurity system. Dan Copeland presented fellow council members with two proposals from Gannett Fleming for a cybersecurity system at the water plant. One costs $11,500 and the other costs $19,000. “I...
Highlands threats lead to charges against juvenile, police say
A juvenile has been charged in connection with threats made against the Highlands School District on Tuesday, according to Harrison police. The threat, made on social media against the district, was investigated by Harrison police and deemed unfounded, according to the school district. Because the suspect is a juvenile, and...
County housing authority board OKs land purchase for 50-unit complex along Route 51 in Rostraver
With the population aging, Westmoreland County Housing Authority director Mike Washowich said he thinks a planned senior housing development in Rostraver will fill a need in that area. “There’s not anything else there,” he said. “We’re very excited about the location of the property.” That 6-acre location is near Willowbrook...
Morning Roundup: 2 women shot in Pittsburgh’s Allentown neighborhood
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Sept. 25: 2 women shot in Allentown Two women were wounded in a shooting Tuesday in Pittsburgh’s Allentown neighborhood. One of the women was shot in the arm, the other was shot in the abdomen, according to Pittsburgh...
Kamala Harris touts ‘the opportunity economy’ in speech at Carnegie Mellon UniversityVideo
Vice President Kamala Harris laid out her economic agenda Wednesday in Pittsburgh and placed a strong focus on cutting costs for middle-class families, boosting innovation and small business, and contrasting her plan with that of her rival, former President Donald Trump. Harris spoke for about 40 minutes on Wednesday afternoon...
The Stroller, Sept. 25, 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. Fridays on Fifth event...
With school threats increasing, school resource officers patrol the front lines
Rob Acquaviva has eyes all over Burrell School District. The five-year school resource officer serves the district’s four school buildings and works as a law enforcement officer, public safety educator and informal counselor/mentor to students. “The hope of the school resource officer is, if something were to happen, the kids...
Tributes to doughboy, fire department part of Mt. Pleasant Glass & Ethnic Festival
Erik Greenawalt plans to head to Mt. Pleasant on Friday, the first day of the town’s three-day Glass & Ethnic Festival, with colored chalk in hand. It’s the third time the North Huntingdon man known as The Chalking Dad will be part of the celebration, creating a sidewalk art image...
Pittsburgh man charged in attack on parents in Crafton
A Crafton couple were taken to a hospital in critical condition Tuesday and their son was charged with attempted homicide, accused of of beating them, Allegheny County police said. Authorities found a man and woman hurt inside the home and police said witnesses reported seeing a man, later identified as...
Hillandale Farms owner commits another $18.5M to Pitt for orthopedic-based biobank
It’s one thing to give $25 million to advance medicine, as Greensburg’s Orland Bethel and his family foundation did last year in helping to establish a new University of Pittsburgh center for musculoskeletal research. But Bethel, 88, founder of Hillandale Farms, didn’t stop at that. He and his family soon...
Hazelwood Green developer announces plans for 1st housing component
Hazelwood Green, Pittsburgh’s newest neighborhood, is on track for a long-awaited milestone: construction of its first housing development. New York-based developer Tishman Speyer announced plans Tuesday to build a 50-unit apartment building on the former brownfield by early 2027. The news marks a highly anticipated step toward combining dense tech...
Trump visit, interactions, security put Kittanning market in limelight
For about a week, Ryan Sprankle knew someone with former President Donald Trump’s campaign would be stopping by his supermarket in Kittanning — a state or local surrogate, he figured. Details were sparse after an initial text from a member of the local Republican committee. Trump staffers called Sprankle on...
Appeals court rules Washington County must notify mail-in voters of ballot errors
The Washington County Board of Elections must notify voters of mail-in ballot errors so they can vote provisionally, a Pennsylvania appellate court panel ruled Tuesday. The decision upheld a lower court ruling that a policy barring election workers from notifying voters about mail-in ballot errors was unconstitutional. “We do not...
Police: 2 former Westmoreland Hospital nurses took, shared inappropriate patient images
Two former Westmoreland Hospital nurses are accused of taking and sharing photos and making recordings of patients without their permission, including one instance where police say a suspect superimposed co-workers’ faces on a photo of a naked patient, court papers show. Greensburg police charged Peter Castellano, 36, of Pittsburgh and...
Apollo shooting injures 1, rattles neighborhood
Gayle Moore said her 15-year-old daughter woke her just before midnight Monday night to say she heard three gunshots near their Apollo home. Still half asleep, Moore told her daughter to go back to bed. About 15 minutes later, her daughter returned to Moore’s room and informed her the street...
Murrysville officials, consultant look at modifying business overlay district
Murrysville officials are working with a consultant to modify the municipality’s general business overlay, part of a larger examination of the town’s zoning. Overlays are used to add extra zoning controls in a specific area, to address special community needs or objectives. An example would be Murrysville’s gas recovery overlay...
Carlynton School Board votes to create school police officer position
A school police officer is slated to join the ranks of the Carlynton School District. The school board agreed to create the position during its meeting Sept. 17, said Superintendent John Kreider. “This is an important step in the district’s continued efforts to foster a safe, secure and positive learning...
Pine resident’s research at Carnegie Mellon earns him science association honor
Start a conversation with Pine resident Philip LeDuc, and you’re likely to discuss something like the Steelers’ quarterback situation. Then ask him about his work. As a professor in Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, LeDuc joins his students and colleagues in conducting research that has the potential to...
