Ex-Somerset County DA gets probation for no-contest plea to charge of assaulting wife
Former Somerset County District Attorney Jeffrey Thomas will serve two years of probation after pleading no contest to a charge that he assaulted his wife in 2021. The probation period will run concurrently with the 2½ -to-7-year prison term Thomas is serving for the sexual assault of a Windber woman,...
Indiana Township rezoning would accommodate fracking off Route 910
Indiana Township resident Michael Quinn is frustrated by thoughts of more fracking in his community. His home along Eisele Road sits not far from a gas well constructed in the past several years. “The noise is constant — a din — and the truck traffic is ridiculous,” Quinn said in...
Walk for Water: Pine-Richland students learn not to take access for granted
Instead of simply turning on the faucet, imagine hiking for several miles just to obtain water. That’s the reality for millions of people throughout the world, and that’s what a group of Pine-Richland High School students sort of experienced on the hot, cloudless afternoon of May 20. Forty-plus members of...
Defense seeks dismissal of charges for father charged with son’s murder in New Kensington
Lawyers for a Brackenridge man who faces a potential death penalty for the alleged murder of his 9-year-old son in New Kensington claim prosecutors violated the state’s standard for a speedy trial. They asked a Westmoreland County judge Tuesday to dismiss homicide and other related charges against Jean Charles, 44,...
Greensburg woman ordered to serve additional prison sentence for spouse’s overdose
A Greensburg woman was ordered Tuesday to serve up to an additional three years in prison for her role in the 2020 overdose of her spouse. Mary Crimboli-Baker, 37, has been in jail after her probation and parole were revoked in March for a series of violations that included repeated...
New Hempfield Area architect approaching high school project from the ground up
Hempfield Area School District’s new architect is beginning at square one as it takes over the district’s proposed multimillion-dollar high school renovation project. “While … being respectful of all the work that’s been done, we are still asking all the questions as if we’re starting from scratch, to make sure...
Ohio man charged with trespass, stalking at Murrysville home
An Ohio man described in court papers as an obsessed fan is accused of traveling across state lines to the Murrysville home of two rock musicians. Anthony A. Carpenter, 42, was arrested Tuesday by municipal police after he was seen outside the home in doorbell video footage, according to court...
Greensburg man arrested in connection with infant son’s 2023 death
A Southwest Greensburg man was arrested Tuesday in connection with his son’s July death at a Mt. Pleasant Township home. State police said Jason F. Ludwig, 38, concealed the 8-month-old boy’s death after apparently falling asleep with the child on a couch. The boy was identified in court papers as...
Athletes at Aquinas Academy in Hampton ready for collegiate level
Small, as they say, can be mighty. “I think it’s awesome that at a school of our size, with 154 high school students, six of our seniors are going to be playing college athletics,” Leslie Mitros said. She is head of school at Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh in Hampton, which...
EPA earmarks $2M to convert Pittsburgh slag heaps to solar farm
A former slag heap in Pittsburgh’s East End is one step closer to becoming a solar farm. The sprawling lot near the edge of Frick Park will soon be cleaned up to make way for a 15-acre solar farm and expansion of green space thanks to $2 million in federal...
Pittsburgh region nears record high temperatures
Temperatures are running higher than normal in the Pittsburgh region. “High temperatures since the weekend have been in the 80s,” said WTAE meteorologist Jill Szwed. “Normal high temperatures for the end of May are in the low/mid 70s.” Szwed said currently, the Pittsburgh area is running 10 to 15 degrees...
Fox Chapel Council approves new solar panel project for public works facility
Fox Chapel officials are continuing their efforts to improve energy efficiency through solar means. Council unanimously approved a $70,700 contract with Energy Independent Solutions to install solar panels at the public works operations facility behind the borough building along Fox Chapel Road. The vote took place May 20. EIS was...
Stay cool: Find your pool’s opening day and hours
Swimming pools across the region are set to open soon. Here’s when pools near you will open for the summer season: Allegheny County • Boyce Park Wave Pool, Monroeville: Opens June 1, 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily, weather permitting. For more information, visit alleghenycounty.us or call 724-325-4667. • Deer...
Pints in the Park kicks off seasonal events in Hampton
The tents and trucks were set up and ready to go. Mother Nature had other ideas. Hampton’s first Pints in the Park event of the season got off to a soaky start, with steady rain creating less-than-ideal conditions around 5 p.m. The precipitation eventually tailed off, giving guests an opportunity...
Shady Side Academy announces graduation plans
Shady Side Academy officials are getting ready to welcome families and friends of the graduating class of 2024. There is no limit to how many guests each of the 133 graduates can bring to commencement June 8 at Michael J. Farrell Stadium on the senior campus in Fox Chapel. The...
Huge raccoon mural on South Side promotes wildlife advocacy
A Pittsburgh nonprofit is using art to educate the public about wildlife. A mega-sized mural depicting a raccoon amid colorful flowers and butterflies, gazing over East Carson Street in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood, is the most recent creation of street artist and muralist Jeremy M. Raymer. The mural was commissioned...
Phipps Conservatory to buy Irish Centre in Squirrel Hill for $760K
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens said it has a deal to buy the long-vacant Irish Centre site in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood. The conservatory said this week that it will use the 4-acre site — tentatively dubbed the Phipps Program Staging Center — to host its Homegrown Edible Garden Program...
Latrobe firefighters serve up haluski, rides, games at First Ward carnival
A week of games and amusement rides is set for 6 to 10 p.m. each day this week, Tuesday through Saturday, at the Latrobe Fire Department Carnival. Patrons can come early, at 5 p.m., to get a taste of carnival fare when the food stand opens at the town’s First...
Record Memorial Day travel numbers projected
Nearly 44 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the Memorial Day travel period, AAA projects. That’s a 4% increase over last year and close to matching the record set in 2005. The Memorial Day holiday travel period is considered the five-day period from Thursday to...
Morning Roundup: 2 teens shot in Stowe; Man shot in Arnold
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, May 21: 2 teens shot in Stowe Two teens were in critical condition after a shooting late Monday night in Stowe, Allegheny County Police said. The shooting in the 800 block of Seventh Street was reported to Allegheny...
Seattle homebuilder offers home kits based on Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural principles
For the right price, you can stay in one of several homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, situated in Mt. Pleasant Township’s Polymath Park. But if you are so inclined, you could also have a similar design of your very own. Seattle-based Lindal Cedar Homes offers a line of Wright-inspired...
The Stroller, May 21, 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. Bereavement event for children planned Good Samaritan Hospice, a mission of...
84-year-old woman killed, husband injured in Bolivar house fire
An 84-year-old woman died and her husband was injured in a house fire in Bolivar early Tuesday. Bolivar Fire Chief John Speidel said firefighters extinguished a porch fire and found the two victims inside after a report of possible entrapment. The fire in the 800 block of McKinley Street was...
PennWest students on whirlwind storm-chasing trip
PennWest California student Jared Riley says he’s an adrenaline junkie who keeps a close eye on the weather. When he clambered out of the van he was sharing with classmates last week and saw a supercell thunderstorm up close, his excitement was palpable. Once he and his group drove close...
Many West Deer residents are calling for more stringent regulations on gas drilling
Ron Zielinski doesn’t want a gas well anywhere near his West Deer home. “I strongly oppose it because of the problems we could face in the future,” said the Bryson Road resident, who recently led a parade of residents complaining to supervisors about proposed changes to the township’s gas well...
