U.S. Senate calls on Russia to release Oakmont teacher Marc Fogel
The U.S. Senate is officially calling for the release of Marc Fogel, an Oakmont teacher arrested nearly three years ago by Russian authorities for possessing medical marijuana. The Senate unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday calling for Fogel’s release and declaring that the Russian government gave him a disproportionate criminal sentence....
Student commencement speakers instill optimism in Hampton Class of ’24
Inspiration for commencement speeches can come from just about anywhere. For Hampton High School seniors who gave addresses on behalf of the Class of 2024, sources included the title of a English-Albanian singer’s latest album and a bird that decided to settle in a family garage. Shane Noone, Tiffany Habib...
Hampton High School graduates 246 students
Congratulations to the 246 graduates in Hampton High School’s Class of 2024: • A-B — Hope Allen, Paige Allen, Carter Anderson, Owen Anderson, Brady Andrews, Jason Andrews, McKenna Andrews, Alaina Appel, Gustavo Arias-González, Andrew Bagnato, Lydia Bailey, Jacob Baker, Keegan Baker, Nathan Baldwin, Braeden Ballintine, Jachelle Barnett, Kendra Bastin, Reagan...
New Kensington Council rejects liquor license for Valero gas station
New Kensington Council, citing concerns about crime, denied a liquor license transfer to a city gas station and convenience store. Council unanimously denied a license for the Valero at Seventh Street and Constitution Boulevard. It would have been transferred there from Guy’s Tavern in Avonmore. Council began a public hearing...
It’s golden: Fox Chapel senior earns highest honor in Girl Scouts
Eliza Davis got the gold. The soon-to-be Fox Chapel graduate earned the highest honor with the Girl Scouts — the Gold Award. In her project to earn the recognition she focused on harm reduction, a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use....
$47.6M New Kensington-Arnold School District budget approved with 1.5% tax increase
Property owners in the New Kensington-Arnold School District will see a 1.5% property tax increase in their school tax bill. The school board Tuesday approved the district’s $47.6 million budget for the 2024-25 school year that includes the tax hike. The district’s property tax rate will increase from 97.64 mills...
Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont to host Washington County crime novelist
As a fourth-generation resident of Washington County’s Smith Township, author Annette Dashofy has spent her whole life in Southwestern Pennsylvania. It should come as no surprise, then, that the region’s rolling hills and bucolic countryside have served as the setting for many of her books. The latest, “What Comes Around,”...
Arson suspected in 2 blazes at historic Beltzhoover school building, Pittsburgh councilman says
Two recent fires that damaged the former Beltzhoover Elementary School were likely arson, according to Pittsburgh City Councilman Bob Charland. Fires broke out Tuesday night and Saturday morning at the historic school on Cedarhurst Street in Pittsburgh’s Beltzhoover neighborhood. The building is currently vacant, but a project is underway to...
New Kensington Council declares 6 houses unsafe, orders demolitions
Four dilapidated houses in one New Kensington neighborhood are among the latest six the city is working to tear down. Three of the four houses are on Ross Avenue at 717, 1100 and 1150. The fourth is nearby at 1330 Forest Ave. All four are in the area above the...
Export officials on board with $5M-$10M Turtle Creek remediation project
Export officials voted unanimously Tuesday to grant a conservation easement to their neighbors in Murrysville, for the use of borough-owned property as part of a large-scale acid mine remediation project in the Turtle Creek watershed. Murrysville and Export are home to two of the largest mine-water sources in the Turtle...
Norwin OKs study for stadium project
The proposed Norwin Knights Stadium project to demolish home side grandstands and construct auxiliary facilities at the field took another step forward this week when the Norwin School Board awarded a contract to an engineering firm to conduct a project study. The school board awarded a $112,300 contract to Civil...
Pen, ink, pointillism featured in Monroeville library gallery
The Friends of the Monroeville Public Library are hosting a free public reception from 6 to 8 p.m. June 15 at the library titled “Dots: The pointillist art of Jack Puglisi.” Puglisi’s work is on display through June 25 in the library’s Elaine Biondi Gallery Space, 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd....
Morning Roundup: Fire breaks out at former Pittsburgh school
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, June 5: Fire breaks out at former historic Pittsburgh school The former Beltzhoover Elementary School was hit with a blaze Tuesday night, the second fire to hit the old school building in just a matter of days. TribLive...
Severe storms, tornadoes possible in Pittsburgh region
Gusty winds and heavy thunderstorms could strike the Pittsburgh region beginning Wednesday afternoon, according to forecasts. Meteorologists are even warning of the chance of isolated tornadoes. TribLive news partner WTAE has designated Wednesday as a Severe Weather Alert Day in Southwest Pennsylvania, with strong storms likely to start as early...
Westmoreland happenings: turkey dinner, art exhibit, strawberry festivals, more
Art • Greensburg Art Center will host an exhibition, “From Hands and Hearts,” by featuring the works of Debbie King and Jeanne Siecinski beginning June 8 at the center, 230 Todd School Road, Hempfield. An opening reception will be from 2 to 4 p.m. June 8. Details: 724-837-6791. Church News...
The Stroller, June 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. Walk with naturalist planned in Freeport Community Park The Audubon Society...
Kinloch residents press Lower Burrell Council on blight, public safety issues in their neighborhood
Residents of Lower Burrell’s Kinloch neighborhood are demanding answers from city officials about what’s being done to address property and public safety issues they say are being neglected. “There’s something wrong,” said Kinloch resident John Walter, referencing what he said are a lack of police patrols and properties in poor...
Former ‘Survivor’ contestant raises Texas Longhorn cattle as ‘pasture ornaments’Video
Allegheny Township farmer Chet Welch received a gift on his 50th birthday that keeps on giving. “I got my dream farm,” said Welch, a former contestant on the CBS series “Survivor,” describing his beloved historic Tunnel Hill Farm in Allegheny Township he co-owns with Bob Cherry, his partner of 16...
More work needed to help bees in Pennsylvania, experts say
Things are looking brighter in the bee business. But maintaining healthy and productive hives keeps people like Drew Johnson as busy as a you-know-what. Environmental challenges, including climate change, a lack of native plants and dwindling foraging and shelter, have made the world less bee-friendly. Recent years have seen increased...
Fire levels McKeesport house
A Grover Street house in McKeeport was burned to the ground by a fast-moving fire on Tuesday evening. Fire crews were called to the 2700 block of Grover Street just before 7 p.m., according to an Allegheny County 911 supervisor. McKeesport firefighters said no one was injured....
Prosecutors: Arnold man’s murder a robbery gone bad
Westmoreland County prosecutors said DNA evidence will prove a New Kensington man attempted to rob and kill an Arnold man in a vacant parking lot more than four years ago. “Anthone Williams was set up by the defendant to be robbed of drugs and money. At an abandoned projects, there...
Man gets 3 to 6 years in prison for stabbing two in racially motivated attack Downtown
A man accused of stabbing two Black people in downtown Pittsburgh last year in a racially motivated attack will serve at least three years in prison. Chris Boswell, 38, pleaded guilty to two counts of ethnic intimidation, two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon on Tuesday stemming...
Fire at Pittsburgh homeless shelter displaces 175 people, injures 6
Nearly 200 homeless people will be housed temporarily at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center after a fire Tuesday afternoon displaced them from the Second Avenue Commons shelter in Downtown Pittsburgh. Four firefighters and two civilians were injured in the afternoon blaze at the shelter, Emily Bourne, a public safety...
Event organizers accuse Pittsburgh of sitting on federal covid relief funds
When the covid-19 pandemic struck, local event organizers like Dena Stanley were left scrambling to find ways to keep their celebrations alive. Stanley, co-founder of Pittsburgh Pride Group, said the organization couldn’t put its annual Pride parade and festival together during the pandemic because of a lack of funding. The...
Bridge rehab work set to start on Parkway East between Monroeville and Churchill
UPDATE (10:15 a.m. Saturday): PennDOT officials announced Saturday morning that this weekend’s work has been completed ahead of schedule, and the Parkway East has fully reopened to traffic in the work zone. Work on a nearly 5-mile stretch of the Parkway East will mean reducing highway traffic to a single...
