Western PA Local News category, Page 527
Antique wooden bar stolen from vandalized Donegal Township B&B
A business agreement for the takeover of a Donegal Township bed and breakfast went south when police said the prospective owners ransacked the interior, shot up glassware and disappeared, taking the establishment’s antique bar with them. State police are looking for a Kentucky woman who they believe scammed the co-owners...
Gainey pitches vision of Downtown Pittsburgh as entertainment, residential hub
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey made a pitch Wednesday for his vision of Downtown as a vibrant residential neighborhood that serves as a hub of art, culture and entertainment. During a forum on development held at Point Park University, Gainey trumpeted progress in revitalizing the Golden Triangle and painted a rosy...
EXPlore: Pittsburgh Tech Week kicks off with diversity in AI discussion
People of color make up about 37% of the tech industry, while white people account for a little over 60%, according to a 2023 Techreport. Intersectionality of AI & Inclusion was the topic of discussion on the opening day of the EXPlore: Pittsburgh Tech Week on Monday at Google’s Bakery...
Unpasteurized apple cider could cause health risks
Is that apple cider pasteurized? Your health might depend on it. Drinking unpasteurized glasses of apple cider could cause health risks, the Washington Post reported. Though most juice sold in the United States has been pasteurized, unpasteurized apple cider is more common at orchards and farmers markets, which are popular...
Tribute bands take Western Pennsylvania by storm
These days, it’s easy to book the Beatles for a wedding, go to a local bar and see Queen or score inexpensive tickets to see Motley Crue. As long as you’re okay with a different band lineup, that is. Tribute bands — groups of musicians who play sets imitating big-name...
New Kensington Democrat seeks to unseat Murrysville’s Jill Cooper in 55th State House race
In a divisive political atmosphere both locally and nationally, Democrat Davon Magwood is proud to be running a race against incumbent state Rep. Jill Cooper that puts negativity aside. “I love that we’re running campaigns where we’re not attacking one another,” said Magwood, 38, of New Kensington, who has worked...
Buffalo Township Sheetz closure imminent ahead of 6-month rebuild
The Sheetz location in Buffalo Township will be torn down and rebuilt much sooner than at least one township official expected. The gas station and convenience store along Route 356 will close Oct. 27, with an anticipated reopening sometime in April, Sheetz confirmed. Workers will be offered other jobs with...
Democratic state rep, Republican newcomer vie to replace retiring state Sen. Brewster in 45th District
Voters in the 45th state Senate race will choose between a two-term state representative from West Mifflin and a political newcomer from Plum who are vying to replace a retiring state senator. State Rep. Nick Pisciottano, 34, of West Mifflin won the Democratic primary over Makenzie White of Brentwood while...
Trafford man accused of numerous drug deals with undercover officer
The amount of money and drugs being exchanged by an undercover North Huntingdon officer and a Trafford man increased over seven controlled buys between August and Tuesday, according to court papers. At their first meeting Aug. 19, Vondae Duane Freeman, 38, is accused of giving the undercover officer a few...
Bear hunting season opens across state this month
Bear hunting season is underway in Pennsylvania with more than 200,000 hunters expected in the field this year, though the state game commission expects just 3% of them will come home with a bear. Archery hunting has started in specific regions and will continue through Nov. 29, including two Sundays,...
Veterans court offers redemption chance for former service members
John Novotnak knew he needed help. The U.S. Army serviceman whose eight-year career included a tour of duty in Iraq, struggled after he was discharged from the military in 2008. Novotnak, 43, of North Huntingdon was charged in 2022 for the second time with drunken driving when he finally concluded...
Greensburg names Baltzer Meyer the city’s official historical society
Greensburg named Hempfield-based Baltzer Meyer the city’s official historical society Monday. The Baltzer Meyer Historical Society has collected records and artifacts from communities across Westmoreland County for more than three decades, said Vice President Franny Petras — including Greensburg. “We have military records. We have family trees. We have research...
Hempfield reviews visions for high school renovation project after construction stalled last year
More than a year after halting a high school renovation that came in over budget, Hempfield Area School District is getting back on track with the project. Architect Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates laid out visions for the project during a school board meeting this week, touching on improvement priorities and...
Pittsburgh Public Schools unveils plan to consolidate, reconfigure facilities
A plan to reduce the footprint of Pittsburgh Public Schools from 54 to 42 schools was introduced Tuesday. Education Resource Strategies suggests closing 14 schools and 10 facilities, reconfiguring 12 schools and opening three new schools. The consultant was hired by the district and examined community feedback and a variety...
Video, witnesses lead to suspect’s arrest in fatal Homewood stabbing
Surveillance video and witness statements helped Pittsburgh police piece together what they believe happened in the early morning hours Monday leading to a fatal stabbing in Homewood, according to court papers. Detectives said Raniesha Scott, 27, and Maurissa L. Plummer, 21, both of Homewood, had been arguing for hours when...
Morning Roundup: Fire at Downtown Pittsburgh apartment building; TSA at Pittsburgh airport finds 35th gun of 2024
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Oct. 16: Residents return to apartments after Downtown Pittsburgh fire Residents were allowed to return to Midtown Towers in Downtown Pittsburgh after a fire Tuesday evening, according to city police. Firefighters were called to the Liberty Avenue apartment...
Retired teacher keeps feeding Deer Lakes students
Retired Deer Lakes teacher Carol McCaskey was tired of seeing students come to school with a stomachache. “Us teachers knew the truth. We knew it was because they didn’t have food at home,” said McCaskey, who spent nearly three decades at East Union Intermediate Center and, before that, several years...
The Stroller, Oct. 16, 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. Free rides available to...
Couple, pet rescued from house fire in Unity
A couple and their pet dog were rescued by a neighbor when fire broke out in their Unity home Tuesday night. A smoke alarm awakened the pair as they were sleeping on the first floor of their Dos Drive home, according to Tom Schultheis, township emergency management coordinator. Blocked by...
Lane restrictions set for I-70, Route 51 as interchange revamp proceeds, old bridge is razed
Overnight single-lane restrictions will be in place for several days on a section of Interstate 70 as crews demolish the bridge that used to carry Route 51 over the interstate in Rostraver. The bridge is being replaced by a more complex crossing as part of a $120.7 million project to...
Hay smolders days after Hempfield barn fire, sparks concern for residents
A fire that destroyed a storage barn Saturday afternoon at Westmoreland Equestrian Center in Hempfield left behind a field of hay that is continuing to smolder and smoke, sparking concerns from nearby respiratory-challenged residents. As of Tuesday, it wasn’t clear how much longer the smoldering may continue at the site...
Pittsburgh seeks early end to $24M tax break for Squirrel Hill parcel
A formerly blighted parcel of land in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood that enjoyed a 20-year tax break to spur development could return to the tax rolls next year — nearly a decade earlier than expected. If City Council agrees, Pittsburgh, its school district and Allegheny County will see estimated total...
Judge rejects prosecutor’s request for lengthy sentence for Delmont man
A Westmoreland County prosecutor said rehabilitation was not a viable option for a Delmont man convicted this year of the attempted sexual assault of a woman. Assistant District Attorney Mike Pacek, during a sentencing hearing Tuesday for Brandon J. Pyle, 28, argued that his lengthy history of inappropriate and criminal...
Seward man pleads guilty to attempted child rape
A Seward man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges relating to attempted sex with an underage girl. Anthony Ronald Laughard, 43, was charged last year following an undercover sting operation conducted by the state police. According to court records, Laughard made contact with a person through online communication he believed to...
Pittsburgh to clear Downtown homeless camp due to drug problems
Pittsburgh officials are clearing out a Downtown homeless camp after reports of drug use there, Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt said Tuesday. The camp sits next to the Fort Pitt Commons office building off Grant Street and Fort Pitt Boulevard. People living at the camp will be offered shelter elsewhere...
