The Stroller, Dec. 28, 2025: 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. MyHeritage research database available...
AI prompts increased human interaction at this cyber security company
In an age of artificial intelligence, Dennis Underwood is working it “old school.” He is prioritizing face time. Underwood is CEO of Cyber Crucible, a cybersecurity software company in Fox Chapel that focuses on preventing data theft, identity theft and ransomware. He said the introduction of mainstream AI in the...
18-year-old accused of shooting his parents in Greene County apprehended in West Virginia
An 18-year-old Greene County man accused fatally shooting his mother and wounding his father on Friday was apprehended in West Virginia, according to Pennsylvania State Police. West Virginia State Police arrested Jarrod Noll without incident Saturday, Pennsylvania State Police said. Pennsylvania State Police said Noll had fled on foot after...
Judge blocks access to UPMC transgender care records
A federal judge in Pittsburgh cited the government’s own “inflammatory” rhetoric on gender-affirming care in blocking the Department of Justice’s effort to get patients’ personal information from UPMC. In her six-page order, Chief Judge Cathy Bissoon of the Western District of Pennsylvania cited decisions by five fellow judges in similar...
West Mifflin police find missing teen
West Mifflin police say a teenage girl has been found safe after being reported missing early Saturday. The borough’s police posted to its Facebook page, asking the public for information regarding Angelina Hall, 16. Police later reported Angelina was found safe....
Suspect at large after attempted stabbing, vehicle theft at Tarentum gas station
A Lower Burrell man is accused of trying to stab a man at the Marathon gas station in Tarentum before stealing his minivan early Friday morning, according to police. In court records, Tarentum police say they were able to identify Robert Matthew Harmon, 35, as the accused assailant because a...
Suspect in Shadyside shooting told victim he wanted to kill himself, police say
A man accused of assaulting a woman outside a Shadyside apartment building and shooting her dog on Friday had told the woman earlier in the day that he wanted to kill himself, Allegheny County Police say in court records. County police say Lamar Reddick, 38, of Pittsburgh also brandished and...
Driver flees after crashing into Penn Hills home
Police are investigating after a vehicle crashed Friday into a Penn Hills home and the driver fled the scene, authorities said. Emergency crews were called at about 5:15 a.m. to a home in the 7900 block of Aber Road, where they found an unoccupied vehicle that had struck the corner...
1 injured in Market Square shooting
A man is recovering after being shot in the leg early Saturday at Market Square in Pittsburgh, authorities said. Police were called at about 12:15 a.m. after reports of a fight that led to a shooting. Officers found the victim on the sidewalk, conscious and alert, with a gunshot wound,...
The Stroller, Dec. 27, 2025: 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. Bingo bash planned in...
Pa. reports record high monthly gambling revenue, citing rise in sports wagering income
Anthony Procida enjoys betting on his favorite sports teams — namely the Minnesota Vikings and Penn State Nittany Lions. But Procida, 35, of Irwin said he knows himself too well to try out online sportsbooks, which accounted for 95% of sports bets in 2024, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control...
Communities reap millions from Pennsylvania casino revenue
State-mandated distribution of revenue from the state’s casinos has paid off for Western Pennsylvania municipalities. More than $60 million in grants was distributed in 2025 to municipalities through a state program that allocates tax revenue collected from casinos to pay for economic development projects, infrastructure upgrades, public safety and equipment...
Majority of job hunters turn to AI to help land next gig
Mallory Helbling turned to her own professional advice when she found herself laid off in December 2024. Among them: using artificial intelligence tools to assist in her job search as a career coach. “I was able to get my first contract role in February 2025,” said Helbling, 37, of Sharpsburg,...
Police identify suspect they say shot at woman and her dog during domestic incident in Shadyside
Police have released the name of the man who arrested Friday in connection with a violent domestic incident in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood after, police say, he fired shots at a woman, her dog and an employee of a nearby business who had confronted him. Allegheny County Police filed several charges...
Westmoreland judge rejects battered woman appeal in decades-old murder case
A Westmoreland County judge has rejected a claim that a battered woman defense should have been used in the trial of a woman serving life in prison for a murder in Manor nearly two decades ago. Jennifer Vinsek, 44, of Greensburg, was one of five people convicted in the 2006...
Environmental groups call $135,000 fine for U.S. Steel oil spills ‘laughable’
A six-figure expense is a big deal for a lot of businesses. Less so for U.S. Steel, a massive manufacturer with more than $15 billion in annual revenue. That’s why clean water advocates argue the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection missed the mark last month by fining U.S. Steel $135,000...
Man charged with attempted homicide after Homestead shooting
An argument that started Friday morning in a Homestead store ended with one man being shot in the leg and the other being taken to jail. Homestead police were dispatched shortly before 11 a.m. to the 100 block of East 8th Avenue after several 911 callers reported that a man...
Hempfield woman charged in Christmas stabbing
A Hempfield woman is charged with aggravated assault and child endangerment after state police say she stabbed a man during an argument on Christmas. Mia Lou Riser, 26, was involved in a dispute with a man at a Hempfield apartment around 6 p.m. Thursday, according to a criminal affidavit. The...
Water main break repaired at Winfield mobile home park after persistent issues
A “boil water advisory” has been lifted for residents of Bernie’s Mobile Home Park in Winfield after a six-day repair period for a broken water main. Park management and the state Department of Environmental Protection both confirmed the advisory was lifted on Tuesday. In a statement sent to residents, park...
Bitty & Beau’s, coffee shop known for inclusive hiring, quietly closes Strip District store
A coffee shop chain staffed by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a group dramatically underemployed nationwide, has permanently shuttered its only Pittsburgh-area location. Bitty & Beau’s Coffee on Tuesday closed the doors on its shop in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. “Unsustainable financial loss” led to the shutdown, according to a...
7 Brew Coffee finalizing plans for Harrison shop
A coffee shop with a drive-through only concept appears to be moving forward in Harrison. 7 Brew, a popular caffeine stop with nearly 600 locations across the country, is seeking to open along Freeport Road. The township’s planning commission approved a move by parent company, WhoBrew LLC, to consolidate three...
Verona’s 2026 budget includes 9% tax increase
In a slim majority, Verona council approved a 2026 budget that includes a 9% tax increase for residents. The budget passed in a 4-3 vote during the borough’s December council meeting. The budget includes a 1-mill tax hike, increasing borough millage to 11.7 mills. People with a median assessed property...
Verona hires 2 officers, thanks outside support
Verona welcomed two police officers to its force earlier this month. Officers Jordan Brasile and Jonathan Preece were sworn in during the council’s December meeting, marking the latest move by the borough to bolster its police department. “We appreciate you coming to work in Verona,” said Verona Mayor David Ricupero....
Sharpsburg library officials to revisit courtyard project after bids come in over budget
A courtyard renovation project at Sharpsburg Community Library is being sent back to the drawing board after contract bids for the work came in over budget. Council unanimously voted Dec. 18 to reject the bids. The vote was needed because the borough owns the building. However, the project is being...
Allegheny River’s only floating Airbnb of its kind is in Blawnox
Full-time Pittsburgh River Rescue diver Greg Tersine spends much of his time in and around water, so building a floating house on the Allegheny River felt natural for the water-loving Blawnox resident. “I grew up on the rivers,” said Tersine, a homeowner in Blawnox and Squirrel Hill. “I was looking...
