John ‘Butch’ Liput: Voice of the Burrell Bucs, Alle-Kiski Valley hall-of-famer, aluminum bat pioneer, dies
John “Butch” Liput Jr. of Lower Burrell, was the “Voice of the Burrell Bucs” for more than four decades and one of the most recognizable voices in Lower Burrell sports history. Liput, who had been around Burrell football as the public address announcer at Buccaneer Stadium, died Friday at age...
Body found in Ohio River in April 2023 just identified as Wilkins teen
Authorities have identified the body found in April 2023 along the Ohio River some 60 miles from Pittsburgh as a Wilkins Township teenager who had been reported missing in February 2023, according to Tribune-Review news partner WTAE-TV. The body of the missing teenager, JayShawn Fountain, 17, was found along the...
Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival offers 380 booths, nonstop entertainment
The Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival continues through Sunday at Twin Lakes Park, east of Greensburg. Drawing participants from across the country and around the world, the annual event includes 380 booths across 8 acres and nonstop entertainment acts on three stages. Admission is free, and many nonprofits and museums...
LGBTQ landmark Brewers Bar up for sale in Lawrenceville
Brewers Bar in Lawrenceville — Pittsburgh’s oldest gay bar — is up for sale for $1.2 million. Owner Carol Held said she’s ready to retire and spend more time with her grandkids. “After covid, it just kind of hit a point — the business just changed,” said Held, 57, of...
Penn Township teen killed in storm cleanup accident was Eagle Scout
The Penn Township teenager who died Thursday after a tree fell on him was an Eagle Scout known for his volunteerism, friends and family members said. Jacob Lazar, 18, was killed about 11:30 a.m. at the Trafford Sportsman’s Club along Winchester Road, according to Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson. Lazar...
Calif. Gov. Newsom stumps for Biden in Castle Shannon, warns of Trump peril
California Gov. Gavin Newsom rallied the Democratic troops Friday at a new Biden campaign office opening in Castle Shannon, warning liberal supporters of the damage a second Trump presidency could do and encouraging them to get to work to defeat the former president. Newsom, a Democrat and one of President...
‘It’s a loss for the entire community’: LGBTQ advocates mourn killing, dismemberment of Mercer County teen
As authorities work to recover the remains of a transgender Mercer County teen and determine the circumstances that led up to her death, Shenango Valley residents are banding together to support the family. Pauly Likens, 14, was found dismembered Wednesday on the shore of Shenango River Lake in Clark. Pam...
Kiski Township erred in withholding details of police chief’s severance, legal expert says
The Kiski Township Board of Supervisors accepted Lee Bartolicius’ resignation as police chief Wednesday night, but residents — and even some officials — still are in the dark about the circumstances of his departure, including severance pay. That made informed public comment at the meeting difficult, possibly spelling legal trouble...
Longtime Lower Burrell employee Nita Serene recognized with 1-day employment offer
Nita Serene can now say she’s worked for every mayor in Lower Burrell history. Serene, who retired in March 2023 after working as the city’s administrative assistant since 1974, was given a one-day employment offer this week, at a compensation of $1, under the administration of Mayor Chris Fabry, who...
Police: Fayette City man was driving 118 mph before fatal I-70 crash in Rostraver
A Fayette City man was driving more than twice the speed limit on Interstate 70 in Rostraver when he caused a crash that killed another motorist, according to court papers. State police said Jacob M. Posey, 23, was driving 118 mph when his Ram 2500 pickup slammed into a Toyota...
Defense attorney questions assault charge in Murrysville drug case that sickened trooper
Defense attorney Kenneth Haber said he plans to challenge an aggravated assault charge against his client that stems from a state trooper reportedly receiving Narcan while investigating a drug case. “I’m confident that charge is not really applicable here,” he said. Haber is representing Robert M. Whitley Jr., 25, who...
After tornadoes, Trafford, Irwin, North Irwin looking to band together for future emergencies
The tornado that whipped through parts of Trafford and Penn Township on June 26 prompted Trafford, Irwin and North Irwin to consider uniting to provide assistance in the case of another natural disaster, local officials said. “It will get everything on the radar, in terms of resource sharing,” said Jaime...
‘It’s no way to live,’ judge tells Jeannette man during sentencing for drug convictions
A Westmoreland County judge on Friday implored a Jeannette man convicted in a drug case to use a state prison sentence as a way to turn his life around. “You don’t have to live this way. This can be the last time,” Judge Timothy Krieger said. “It’s the last time...
Rising Latino population drives economic growth in Western Pennsylvania
New Spanish grocery stores are opening, adding a fresh flavor to the city. Amid the usual Pittsburgh traffic noise, reggaeton now pulses from car speakers, and local restaurants are featuring horchata on their menus. The face of Western Pennsylvania is changing. According to the 2022 Allegheny County Latinx Needs Assessment...
Motorcyclist flown from Hempfield crash on Route 136
A motorcyclist was flown to an area trauma center following a two-vehicle crash Friday morning in Hempfield. A passenger vehicle also was involved in the wreck reported shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Route 136 at Bus Garage Road, according to a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher. Route 136 was closed to...
110 years of soot scrubbed from stained glass at Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum
The sun will be shining more brightly on parishioners at Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum. Eleven enormous stained-glass windows, removed and boarded in 2022, are being reinstalled this week after a meticulous project that took hundreds of hours to clean and restore them. “It’s not just the color that’s brighter,”...
S.C. man visiting Pittsburgh for furry convention charged in hotel sword attack
A South Carolina man in Pittsburgh for the Anthrocon convention has been charged with attacking a friend with a sword Thursday inside a Downtown hotel room. Officers were dispatched to the Wyndham Grand Hotel on Commonwealth Place across from Point State Park at 1 a.m. Thursday for reports of a...
Scattered showers today, potential for stronger storms this evening
Those with outdoor plans today may have to dodge raindrops, and stronger storms may roll through tonight, local weather experts warn. The stronger thunderstorms could blow in after 6 p.m., according to meteorologist Brian Hutton Jr. of TribLive news partner WTAE. “(The storms) could produce some damaging wind gusts and...
Closures slated for road work in Mt. Pleasant Borough, Township
PennDOT on Monday, July 8 plans to close a section of Route 981 in Mt. Pleasant Township as work continues on the Laurel Valley Transportation Improvement Project. The closure — between Fox Run and Hecla roads — and a resulting detour are expected to be in place until late July....
Tarentum boutique, 4 His Glory, strives to boost women’s confidence
After working as an aide for people with autism for more than 40 years, New Kensington resident Judy Leonard’s post-retirement plans were to travel and relax. God, she said, had another plans. “When I retired, I was trying to see what I was going to do with my life,” Leonard...
Living in the city: Embracing the lifestyle of Downtown Pittsburgh
Adele Morelli’s morning commute to work is seven minutes — on foot. Morelli is the owner of Boutique La Passerelle on Wood Street, a European fashion boutique in Downtown Pittsburgh. She resides a few blocks away. “It’s definitely a lifestyle,” Morelli said on a recent Thursday evening during a Pittsburgh...
Morning Roundup: 3 shot in Canonsburg; Liberty Tunnel crash injures 3
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, July 5: 3 shot in Canonsburg Three people were shot in Canonsburg overnight, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. The shooting happened just before midnight on Blaine Avenue, WTAE reported. Three people were taken to the hospital. Their...
Police: Second man found dead in pool in Pine Township on Thursday has been identified
The second of two men who were found dead in a swimming pool in Pine Township on Thursday afternoon has been identified. Officers were dispatched at 6:18 p.m. Thursday to the 200 block of Whetherburn Drive for a welfare check, according to Allegheny County Police. First responders found two men...
The Stroller, July 5, 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. Benefit concert to aid Tarentum Police Department Kaley’s Kops, 423 Productions...
Retired engineer puts tinkering skills to good use at Fox Chapel church
Retired Acutronic electrical engineer Howard Havlicsek spent his career testing navigational systems for aircraft and missiles but always found time to put his talents to good use on the ground. He’s been the go-to “Mr. Fix-It” at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church since joining in 1979. For 45 years, the O’Hara...
