Burning bans lifted in Derry, Unity townships
Recent bans on burning in Derry and Unity townships will be lifted beginning Saturday , according to officials in the municipalities. The bans were put in place following a stretch of dry weather in the area. Several rainstorms have provided some relief this week. Burning of paper, cardboard and yard...
Hunker woman is latest to sue county over Giant Slide safety concerns at Mammoth Park
A Hunker woman, who says she was injured in February on the Giant Slide in Mammoth Park, claims in a lawsuit filed this week that the 100-foot amusement ride is unsafe. Ashley M. Coonelly says that she traveled down the slide at a high rate of speed and was unable...
Flights, county fair coincide with Westmoreland Airshow this year
Zachary Stull spent Friday morning at the auto shop, preparing his car for a 15-hour drive from Westmoreland County to Orlando, Fla. Stull, 43, of Bolivar, scheduled a trip to Disney with his wife and their 6-year-old son months ago. He realized only four days ago that the Spirit Airlines...
Barrel & Flow beer fest ‘making a real impact’ on the Black brewing experience
A few days before the Barrel & Flow festival, the event “Welcome to Pittsburgh: A Celebration of Black Culture,” presented by Crafted for Action and Velum Fermentation on the South Side, generated excitement. Day Bracey, founder of Barrel & Flow, describes the festival as both a community and a movement....
North Huntingdon police accuse 2 of using credit card skimmer
Two men already accused of stealing customers’ credit card information using a skimmer device at supermarkets in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, are also accused of using a device to steal the identity of customers at a North Huntingdon supermarket, according to township police. Thomas Fuchs, 34, of Pittsburgh and Alexandru...
Allegheny County has 90 days to green-light Brackenridge’s public works facility
Brackenridge Council will learn within 90 days whether it can move forward with construction of a $1.1 million public works building. Allegheny County hosted a Zoom meeting Thursday to review the preliminary land development application to replace the current facility that’s nearly 125 years old. The county oversaw the process...
Parts of former Sheetz in Plum demolished; property for lease
While work is underway at the site of a former Sheetz on Plum’s Golden Mile Highway, the future of the property is unclear. Crews were seen this week dismantling and removing the last pieces of the canopy of the shuttered convenience store and gas station. Sheetz closed the location at...
Calling all Penn Hills grads: All-years class reunion picnic encourages community, good times
Lee Adams graduated from Penn Hills in 1975 alongside more than 1,300 students. Four years ago, when it came time to host another reunion, there already were so many people that he and his former classmate, Cindy Fazio-Merola, thought, “Why not just include everybody?” “It’s been really interesting how it’s...
Concordia of Franklin Park resident celebrates 100th birthday
During World War II, with many of their male counterparts away from home serving the military, a group of young women formed what they simply called the club. “The girls did not have much to do so they started meeting to pass the time,” Marshall resident Carolyn Redfoot reported. “These...
‘Keeping their memories alive’: Cemetery volunteers to lead workshop on cleaning, resetting fallen headstones
For the past two years, Bill Bray has been on a mission to restore abandoned cemeteries. Bray, 57, of Penn Township, has cleaned headstones covered in years of mold, moss and lichen and reset stones that tipped over or sunk into the earth. The Army veteran has replaced nearly 75...
Community fruit grove on ATI property proposed for Brackenridge
In the coming years, Brackenridge residents might be able to walk to a community fruit grove and pluck an apple or plum from a tree along Stieren Avenue. Councilman Dino Lopreiato is working to turn a vacant gravel lot into a hub for health and socialization. As head of the...
Plum man, 61, accused of sexually assaulting 14-year-old girl he met outside a borough bar
A 61-year-old Plum man is accused of taking two underage teen girls he met outside a bar to his home and giving them marijuana before having sex with one of them. Plum police say John Dale Vorous admitted to taking the girls, ages 14 and 15, to his Francis Road...
Wooden footbridge in Brackenridge will connect sections of Three Rivers Heritage Trail
A wooden footbridge is coming to First Avenue in Brackenridge to connect the borough’s two sections of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. It will span a water intake well near Morgan Street and provide a link in the borough’s walking trail, which was partially constructed last year. “The (well) structure...
La Vigneta Winery expanding operations in Buffalo Township
A Buffalo Township winemaker is pouring her entrepreneurial energy into expanding the family winery. Francesca Howden is the petite Italian force behind the 12-year success of La Vigneta Winery in Buffalo Township. “My parents always made wine when I was growing up. Dad always made it in the basement,” Howden...
Fire-damaged Second Avenue Commons homeless shelter on track to partly reopen in November
After a June fire displaced about 175 homeless people staying at Second Avenue Commons in Downtown Pittsburgh, officials are hopeful the five-story shelter will reopen in time for winter. The first three floors are on track to restart services in November, when winter shelters typically open to provide added indoor...
Former Catholic church, 10-bedroom rectory on the market in Duquesne
A former church and rectory previously owned by the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is for sale in Duquesne. The former Holy Name Church, located at 32 S. First St., is listed by Nicholas Haller of Agresti Real Estate, based in Erie, for $349,900. The current asking price has been slashed...
Best Buddies part of Quaker Valley High School’s football team
On a recent steamy Sunday evening in July, Bradley Herrmann maneuvered his power chair onto the sideline to capture some video. The same evening, John Lytle carried a bag with water bottles, Willy Winnowski checked to make sure the tee was set up for kickoffs, Brody Holles stood ready to...
Morning roundup: Pittsburgh police raid homeless encampment; bridge closes in Forward Township
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Aug. 9: Pittsburgh police serve search warrants for encampment policy violations Police said detectives seized quantities of crack cocaine and lorazepam pills believed to be intended for sale from two tents located on Grant Street between First Avenue...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Aug. 9-11
After a long, rainy week, it’s time to relax and enjoy some downtime. From performances to parties, from celebrity appearances to festivals, Pittsburgh is jumping this weekend. Join in the fun with these events. Idina Menzel at the Benedum Center Broadway legend — and real-life Disney princess — Idina Menzel...
The Stroller, Aug. 9, 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. Western Pa. toy run to benefit children’s charities The 33rd annual...
Alle-Kiski High School Reunion News — Aug. 9, 2024
Publicize your class’s high school reunion announcement. Send information as soon as possible to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum, PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. • Ken High Class of 1958 will have a reunion Sept. 19 at Hill Crest Country Club, Lower Burrell. Classmates...
School start dates getting earlier in some districts
If it seems like the first day of school is getting earlier each year, you might not be too far off. It just depends on which district you live in. An analysis of the first day of school for students found some have inched up the start date over the...
Inaugural Iron City Car Cruise at East Deer brewery could feature almost 800 vehicles
An epic car cruise is brewing next Saturday in East Deer, Pittsburgh Brewing Co. and MaxMotive officials say. The two landmark businesses have paired up for the Iron City Car Cruise on Aug. 17 at the brewery. The event already has 650 car registrations, said Rachel Semelbauer, brewery spokeswoman. The...
$21.5M in upgrades proposed at Greater Latrobe high school campus
Greater Latrobe School District is mulling over a consultant’s proposal for updating aging climate control systems, lighting and other equipment at the senior high and junior high at a projected cost of $21.5 million. Siemens representatives presented the proposal at this week’s school board meeting, citing an estimated $8.2 million...
Jeannette residents pack council chambers to support police dog program that was recently scrapped
Jeannette residents pleaded with council members Thursday to rethink a decision to end the city’s police dog program, while criticizing the move that has put two canines out of work. “We just cut eight feet out of that police unit,” resident Kathie Tanyer said. “Those dogs are invaluable.” A police...
