Pine-Richland graduates honored
Two recent Pine-Richland High School graduates received honors recently. Jack Nolin won the Brighter Financial Futures Personal Budgeting Challenge for Westmoreland, Fayette, Washington, Allegheny and Greene counties. Guided by teacher Courtney Kronk-Love, Jack amassed over 71,000 points in the simulation, 12,000-plus more than the second-place contestant. The Personal Budgeting Challenge...
Heinz History Center ‘dill-ighted’ giant ketchup bottle can stay put
Pittsburgh city officials have released a giant Heinz ketchup bottle from its grip. After the Heinz History Center placed the 35-foot bottle outside its building late last year, the city demanded the institution seek a zoning variance because it was a sign and too tall for existing regulations. The city’s...
Penn Township approves new turnpike maintenance facility; details of interchange still up in air
Penn Township commissioners approved the preliminary development plan for a new Pennsylvania Turnpike maintenance complex featuring nearly 8 acres of solar panels. The complex — which will contain an office space, truck and maintenance garages and a salt storage building — will be located on a nearly 42-acre property with...
North Huntingdon tightens rules on backyard chickens
North Huntingdon officials hope the long debate over backyard chickens has gone to roost. A new ordinance prohibits chickens from being kept in a zoned residential neighborhood on less than one acre of property. The commissioners Wednesday voted 6-1 to adopt the new rules. Commissioner Eric Gass, who cast the...
Ukrainian soldier-musicians bring goodwill concerts to PittsburghVideo
A literal band of brothers will be performing next week in the Pittsburgh area. The performers are members of the Ukrainian armed forces and its nonprofit Cultural Forces organization that has hosted more than 4,500 concerts on the front lines since Russia invaded in February 2022. “One guy is an...
Jeannette woman accused of running over former girlfriend
A Jeannette woman was jailed Thursday in connection with police accusations that she hit a woman with her SUV. Jenna Ann Pippins, 23, is charged with aggravated assault by vehicle, reckless endangerment and related offenses in the Sunday incident. Jeannette police said in court papers that the injured woman, who...
Police: North Carolina man followed traffic laws, but wouldn’t pull over for 12 miles on Route 30
A North Carolina man was pursued by police for about 12 miles on Route 30 Wednesday morning, according to court papers. Ligonier Valley police said Eric W. Horsfield, 70, drove at a safe speed and stopped for all red lights while police cars with their lights flashing followed between Ligonier...
Burrell School District budget raises taxes 5.8%
Burrell School District officials say the district is suffering from stagnant property value growth, and taxpayers will foot the bill for it. The district’s final 2024-25 budget of $36.6 million includes a 5.8% property tax hike. The 6.5-mill increase will bring the district’s millage rate to 117.5, the highest of...
Here are 5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: June 21-23
It’s been a scorcher of a week but you can cool down with some fun things to do both inside and outside this weekend. Inside Ligonier Valley: A Home Tour The 18th Inside Ligonier Valley home tour will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour is...
‘We’re on our knees’: Family continues to push government to help bring Marc Fogel home
The family now has three goals, and each one leads to the next. Force those in power to say Marc Fogel’s name. Have the U.S. State Department designate him as wrongfully detained. Bring the Oakmont teacher home from Russia, where he has been held for nearly three years. “We don’t...
North Allegheny reduces number of bus stops
Reducing the number of bus stops in North Allegheny School District for 2024-25 should result in shorter travel times and cost savings for the district, according to discussion at the June 12 school board meeting. Parents were notified of the pending changes via a June 13 email from Scott Mergen,...
2 grenades confiscated at Pittsburgh airport checkpoint
Bombs away, indeed. TSA has confirmed that its security officers stopped two passengers on Wednesday from smuggling grenades onto flights leaving Pittsburgh International Airport. TSA intercepted a “smoke grenade” from one traveler’s carry-on bag, TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. A more iconic, circular grenade was discovered the same day at...
‘Summertime welcomes new life’ at North Park’s Latodami Nature Center
It’s hot and the convenience of air conditioning makes staying indoors alluring, but naturalists at the Latodami Nature Center in North Park may be able to top that. “Summertime welcomes new life and exciting opportunities to view animals, plants and fungus, and Latodami helps nature lovers explore these experiences,” said...
‘He was in amazing shape’: Central Catholic, cycling community remember Bob Anderson
Robert “Bob” Anderson gave 110% on everything he did. The North Hills man displayed the same passion for teaching physical education at Central Catholic High School as he did for biking in national competitions or just around the trails of Allegheny County’s nine parks. Fiercely dedicated to fitness and a...
Monroeville area: Summer concerts, festivals, community sale, more
Fourth of July parade The Monroeville Independence Day Parade will take place at 9 a.m. July 4. It will proceed west along Route 22 from the Miracle Mile Shopping Center to the Monroeville Convention Center. Business owners, organizations, bands and groups are invited to enter a float or participate in...
Richland hires new manager for 1st time since 1981
A Richland native is the new township manager. The board of supervisors on June 19 authorized the appointment of Brian O’Malley, a Pine-Richland High School graduate, as manager/secretary/treasurer, effective July 5 at an annual salary of $137,800. O’Malley started work in Richland on June 17, replacing Dean Bastianini, who was...
Monroeville singer to perform at women-led Babesburgh on North Shore
A Monroeville singer-songwriter will be among the featured acts at the first-ever Babesburgh celebration on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. Gabrielle Fike, 22, will perform at 4 p.m. at the June 29 festival, which will feature women-owned or women-led breweries, artists, farmers, health practitioners, performers and more. “This will be the biggest...
Chalfant Run remediation set as transformation of former Churchill Country Club continues
Acid mine drainage has long saturated Chalfant Run with chemicals, harming wildlife and not being particularly good for humans either. Newly flush with funding, the Allegheny Land Trust aims to turn this frothy stream into clear waters by installing a high calcite limestone filter at the Churchill Valley Greenway. “The...
Growing demand prompts $2.5M expansion at Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel
Books are still the star of the show at Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel, but the space draws a growing number of people for classes, programs and lending of nontraditional items. “Although the library offers a place for people and small groups to work or study in quiet, patrons...
Progress on Pennsylvania bridges could falter without money, report says
The condition of Pennsylvania’s bridges has improved in recent years, according to a new report, but that progress could be reversed without additional funding. TRIP, a Washington, D.C.-based national transportation research nonprofit, on Thursday released a study that commended the progress the commonwealth has made in repairing and maintaining its...
North Huntingdon commissioners want more time to consider natural gas lease
A majority of North Huntingdon commissioners decided this week they need more time to study a proposed lease to tap into a pocket of natural gas trapped in a 4½-acre parcel of township land and possibly extract a better deal from the drilling company. Commissioners on Wednesday voted 5-2 to...
Fete-Fete’s Reset invites Black entrepreneurs to explore movement as a form of liberation
The midweek has become a little more relaxing thanks to Jacquelin Walker, a yoga facilitator and founder of Fete-Fete. Fete-Fete, founded in Brooklyn and based in Pittsburgh, is an organization centered around art, life and culture. It hosts Reset at Emerald City on Smithfield Street. Reset is a community movement...
Remaining power outages drop as region’s heat wave continues
Power outages are gradually decreasing in the wake of this week’s powerful storms that toppled trees and downed electric lines. As of 11 a.m. Thursday, Duquesne Light had about 750 customers still waiting to have power restored. That compares to about 4,600 customers affected by outages Wednesday afternoon and 85,000...
4 suspects in custody after leading Monroeville police on car, foot chase
Four suspects were taken into custody after Monroeville police said they led them on a car and foot chase Wednesday evening. A Penn Hills man and three associates were arrested after the man allegedly threatened people inside a Monroeville home then attempted to flee police. Monroeville police Chief Doug Cole...
Hippie Town dispensary battles with residents, Pittsburgh officials over product legality
Christopher Younger lacked a suit, a tie and a law degree as he strode into Pittsburgh Municipal Court, preparing to represent himself against charges that he illegally sold marijuana at his Pittsburgh vape shops. The 42-year-old Hippie Town store owner sported a white T-shirt and blue sweatpants, his white socks...
