Forbes Road students take cybersecurity presentation to national business competition
This time last year, Forbes Road Career & Technology Center teacher George Karnbauer was keeping an eye on three of his students as they gave a cybersecurity presentation, making sure to jump in if he felt like something needed clarified or explained. Last month, Karnbauer sat in the audience as...
Gateway student project honors police officers
For Gateway High School’s Spring Impact Project, students of the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy wanted to show their appreciation to local police departments. “We want the officers to know that they are supported and appreciated,” said adviser Marci Klinger, adding that the students believe it’s their duty to give back to...
NEED awards scholarships, honors community members
The 61st annual Negro Emergency Education Drive scholarship awards dinner was held May 3 at the Wyndham Grand in downtown Pittsburgh. This year’s theme was “We Are Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams!” The Negro Emergency Education Drive, or NEED, was established in 1963. In addition to scholarships, the nonprofit college access...
Natural gas well fracking plans on hold in Indiana Township
A decision regarding a rezoning request in Indiana Township that could pave the way for new gas well construction won’t come for two months. The township’s planning commission voted 4-0 Wednesday night, May 22 before an overflow crowd to postpone its decision on a proposal
by Cranberry-based MPF Management for...
Experts encourage property reassessment at Allegheny County public hearing
Allegheny County could be on a collision course with a countywide property reassessment, and experts at a Wednesday public hearing encouraged the county to take that step. Several public school districts across Allegheny County have voiced support of a countywide reassessment, and Pittsburgh Public School district has actually sued to...
‘I was afraid of dying’: Trooper defends killing knife-wielding Washington County man
Pennsylvania State Trooper Chad Weaver said that in the moment before he shot Anthony Gallo 10 times with his AR-15 rifle in a Washington County trailer, the suspect, just 2 feet away, took a step toward him and tried to stab him. “Anthony Gallo didn’t comply with my commands, and...
Dueling Pittsburgh Juneteenth celebrations spark controversy, criticism of Gainey
The longtime organizer of Pittsburgh’s most well-known Juneteenth festival harshly condemned Mayor Ed Gainey on Wednesday after learning that the city will not fund his event but will instead pay for a separate celebration of the federal holiday by a different promoter. The move marks a shift by Pittsburgh, which...
Alleged victim takes stand in Homewood school sex assault case
A jury trial opened Wednesday for a former Pittsburgh Faison School fourth-grade teacher who authorities allege sexually assaulted a student multiple times when the pair were alone. Police arrested James Zeigler, 42, of Pittsburgh, last year on six criminal charges — including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, and...
‘It’s a Small World’: Project brings Pine-Richland students postcards from around globe
Given today’s technology, the concept of sending a “wish you were here”-type correspondence by so-called snail mail may seem rather quaint. But consider the reaction of certain Pine-Richland students on the receiving end. “It’s like that scene from ‘Willie Wonka’ where he has the golden ticket,” Alexandra Batouyios said. “They’re...
Judge sets $250K bond for Jeannette man facing child porn charges
A Jeannette man charged this month with possessing and distributing images of sexual assaults against infants and toddlers can pay a $250,000 cash bond to be released from jail as he awaits trial, a Westmoreland County judge ruled Wednesday. Anthony Cortazzo IV, 38, was charged May 8 by Greensburg police...
‘It’s such a big event’: North Shore businesses excited for NFL Draft in Pittsburgh
The phone calls to the Hyatt Place hotel on the North Shore began almost as soon as the NFL announced Pittsburgh as its 2026 draft location. Excited football fans were ready to book rooms for the three-day party. “We’ve had to just tell everyone we are just finding out as...
McCandless town manager resigns
McCandless Town Manager Brian O’Malley will be stepping down June 14, with town council voting to accept his resignation at the council meeting on May 20. “After much reflection and consideration, I believe this is the right step for both personal and professional reasons,” O’Malley said. O’Malley started at McCandless...
Norwin board grapples with covering $7.8M deficit
Even with a 6.8% property tax increase, Norwin School District will have to use $4.8 million of its reserves to balance a proposed $91 million budget for the 2024-2025 school year. If it foregoes the tax hike, the district would deplete its reserves from $9.7 million to $1.9 million to...
Hempfield moving forward with part of $16M municipal complex, park project
Hempfield supervisors are revising some of their plans for a proposed municipal complex and park to try to lower the project’s price tag and attract additional bidders for the work. The board this week approved bids related to site development for the municipal complex and for a multipurpose building but...
Development featuring $2M homes proposed near Murrysville Community Park
Murrysville council is considering a developer’s proposal to build 24 luxury homes with an average price of about $2 million just south of Wiestertown and Hilty roads. Paul Fischione initially approached the municipality with a request to rezone about 55 acres near Murrysville Community Park to create 28 large single-family...
Murrysville mulls options to fix weight-reduced bridge on Old William Penn Highway
Murrysville council appears to be leaning toward closing part of Old William Penn Highway this summer in order to repair a small bridge that has been subject to two weight restrictions in recent years. The bridge carrying Old William Penn over Turtle Creek, just west of Export, had its weight...
Greater Latrobe School District revises revenue projections, expects to hold line on taxes
Greater Latrobe School Board this week unanimously approved a proposed $66.67 million budget for the 2024-25 school year that calls for no increase in the district real estate tax. Business administrator Dan Watson presented revised figures that allow for a balanced budget, wiping out a potential revenue shortfall of about...
Memory of slain police chief sparks project to line Arnold, New Kensington road with flags
When Raymond Laughlin watched the funeral procession for Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire make its way along Freeport Road in New Kensington more than a year ago, it occurred to him that lining the road with American flags would have been a fitting tribute to McIntire. Thus was born the...
Westmoreland happenings: Brass concert, summer reading program, more
Fundraisers • Olive Branch Baptist Church, 296 Route 981, Rostraver, will host its monthly clothing sale from 9:30 to 11 a.m. June 1 at the church. Donations of clean, used clothing in plastic bags are welcome and can be placed on the porch at the rear of the building. Profits...
18-year-old from Woodland Hills district fatally shot in North Braddock
An 18-year-old student in the Woodland Hills school district was shot and killed Tuesday night in North Braddock. Nevaeh Leeha Howard of Rankin was in her senior year at Woodland Hills Online Academy, school superintendent Dan Castagna said. The academy is a cyber-school serving district students in kindergarten through 12th...
Student project brings shuttered Mt. Pleasant glass plant back to virtual life
When Sandy Spence was a young girl, she would visit Mt. Pleasant’s L.E. Smith Glass plant, where her father, Cedric Spence Jr., began work as a foreman in 1946. On Monday evening, she traveled from her current home in Lewes, Del., to revisit the site virtually. Donning virtual reality goggles,...
The Stroller, May 22, 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. Fridays on Fifth event to feature food, music and more The...
Morning Roundup: Severe weather in forecast; Pittsburgh Zoo seeks aid after tornado
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, May 22: Severe weather forecast in Southwestern Pa. Severe weather is possible in Southwestern Pennsylvania this afternoon and evening, according to the National Weather Service. The region, along with parts of northwest West Virginia and eastern Ohio, is...
Gun thefts from cars surge; police urge owners to secure firearms
The rate of guns being stolen from cars has tripled over the past decade, and in many cases the thieves didn’t have to work very hard to get their hands on another person’s weapon, officials say. Often, they’re swiping firearms from unlocked vehicles parked just outside gun owners’ homes. “Such...
Renfrew man charged with bringing gun to airport
Allegheny County Police charged a Renfrew man with firearms violations for allegedly bringing a gun to Pittsburgh International Airport. TSA officers observed a handgun within a passenger’s backpack at the main security checkpoint of the airport around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to the police report. Police identified the passenger as...
