Fire destroys Avalon home, damages others
A fire destroyed one home and badly damaged several others Friday morning in Avalon. “It was a very hard fire,” said Avalon Volunteer Fire Company Chief Dave Meyer. The blaze was reported about 5:30 a.m. in the 200 block of McKinley Avenue. A lack of water pressure presented a challenge,...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: May 10-12
Craving music? Good food? Some shopping? Don’t let the weekend go to waste. Here are a handful of fun things to do in Pittsburgh. Pittonkatonk Get ready to enjoy some free live music without boundaries. Starting at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Vietnam Veterans Pavilion in Schenley Park, Pittonkatonk is...
Solution to Oakmont flooding years in the making for some residents
Anne Alcorn loves her neighbors, her 7-year-old son’s school and the safety of the Oakmont Commons. There’s only one thing she’d change about her home. The flooding. Since moving there in 2016, Alcorn, 38, has had an issue with her backyard flooding during rainstorms. On multiple occasions, water has come...
The Stroller, May 10, 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. Kiski Area jazz camp accepting registrations The Kiski Area Summer Jazz...
Freeport Borough fills vacant council seat
Kimberly Barr has been a reliable sight at Freeport Council meetings since moving to the borough in 2021. Now, she’ll help call the shots. On Monday, council appointed Barr as its seventh member, rounding out the ranks of a group that’s seen remarkable turnover since last year. All but one...
Records: Former Greensburg cop received $5K pension payment on day she pleaded guilty to drug charges
Retired Greensburg police Officer Regina McAtee collected a $5,160 pension payment the day she pleaded guilty in federal court to engaging in a methamphetamine distribution operation with the former city police chief. McAtee, 51, of New Kensington has received about $51,400 in pension payments from the city since Aug. 1,...
Jeannette residents, officials hear report on plans to demolish former Fort Pitt Brewery
The impending demolition of the former Fort Pitt Brewery in West Jeannette will be bittersweet for Colleen Ott. She’s wistful because of memories she has of hitting tennis balls off a wall at the complex decades ago with her siblings. But she’s also happy because she and her husband, Chris,...
URA OKs $2 million in federal funding to build affordable housing across Pittsburgh
More than $2 million in federal grants will help build for-sale affordable housing in eight Pittsburgh neighborhoods. The Urban Redevelopment Authority board on Thursday approved money to help build and rehabilitate 13 single-family homes through OwnPGH Construction Grants, using American Rescue Plan Act dollars. The homes will ultimately be sold...
Kiski Area School District administrative reorganization taking shape
Several key hires are in place for the Kiski Area School District administrative reorganization set to take effect July 1. Four administrators were appointed to new or modified roles by the school board on Wednesday: • Chad Roland to assistant to the superintendent for K-12 education and safety at $158,190...
Removal options vary for embattled Westmoreland register of wills
Efforts to remove Westmoreland County Register of Wills Sherry Magretti Hamilton from office could come down to three words: “Misbehavior in office.” Duquesne University School of Law Professor Bruce Ledewitz said judges could make that finding as part of a sentence imposed next month for contempt of court that allows...
New McCandless bike rental charged up for customers
ASR North, located near the East Ingomar Road entrance to North Park, is slightly switching gears on bike rentals and bait. The shop rents, sells and services electric bikes in addition to renting and servicing regular bikes. Adam Rossi and Jeff Blood opened the store at the start of May...
Sewickley Township woman convicted in fatal head-on Arona Road crash
Dawn Coyne’s two daughters embraced outside of a Westmoreland County courtroom Thursday after the woman police said caused the crash that resulted their mother’s death was convicted of vehicular homicide and 16 other charges. Ahna L. Malik, 44, of Sewickley Township was handcuffed and taken to prison to await a...
Ecotone Renewables turns food waste into gold with Soil Sauce
Banana peels and thrown-away leftovers can hold surprising value. Ecotone Renewables, for example, takes food waste and transforms it into Soil Sauce, a plant fertilizer. While composting often is the first solution that comes to mind for food waste, Ecotone aims higher. The partially Black-owned company’s goal is to divert...
Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services to host Junior Fire Camp to recruit young members
Joining the Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Department at 14 is a move that benefited Jean Daniher far beyond learning rescue skills. She was able to earn an associate degree and a registered nurse’s license for free through the Community College of Allegheny County solely because of her status as an active...
Pine seeks recreation grants from state
As part of their mission to enhance Pine Community Park, township supervisors approved two resolutions to apply for grants to fund recreation projects. The board voted May 6 to apply for a state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant for the Pine Athletic Complex concession stand and bathroom project....
Islamic center eyes purchase of former Holy Family church in East Deer
A potential buyer for the shuttered Holy Family Church in East Deer appears to be another religious organization. Alfatimiah of Pittsburgh, a group that describes itself as operating “under the teachings of Islam,” is eyeing the site at 787 Freeport Road, according to East Deer officials. However, the group will...
Some residents shocked by news of potential closing of Stewart Elementary
Sharon Nealer’s jaw dropped Thursday when she heard the news that Stewart Elementary School in Lower Burrell might close. “I’m shocked. I think it looks perfect the way it is,” said Nealer, who was shopping along Leechburg Road just a few blocks from the school. Burrell School District officials have...
North Allegheny mock crash demonstrates dangers of impaired driving
At least one person died and several others had major injuries as a result of an accident involving impaired driving on May 9 at North Allegheny Senior High School. Actually, that was the scenario portrayed by student actors in a mock crash aimed at the 2024 graduating, in the hopes...
Pittsburgh man charged in $25,000 regional theft scheme at Lowe’s stores
A Pittsburgh man was arrested Thursday in connection with what state police described as an organized retail theft scheme involving $24,800 worth of merchandise from Lowe’s stores in Westmoreland, Butler and Allegheny counties. Jesus A. Serna-Real, 38, of the city’s Knoxville neighborhood, is accused in a number of retail thefts...
Applications sought for Jeannette improvement grants
Applications open Monday for grants being awarded by the Jeannette Initiative. Vice president/secretary Kristina Rugh said $4,000 will be available for any nonprofit located or operating in Jeannette. Organizations or businesses that aren’t nonprofits can apply with a nonprofit partner, she said. Grants will be awarded in increments of up...
Shapiro announces investment in Hempfield site, touts proposed program expansion
As he looked over a former mining and industrial site in the Bovard section of Hempfield, Gov. Josh Shapiro saw much more than just a faded field. “I see real possibility in this dirt, and in this old slab of concrete,” Shapiro said Thursday. “There is real promise in this...
Pine Township Youth Council works toward a better future
Members of a forward-looking group of students continue to work toward a better future. The Pine Township Youth Council was founded in 2022 by Udi Akolkar, now a Pine-Richland High School senior. The group has the purpose of giving students an understanding of the function of local government while advancing...
Route 711 bridge to be named for 2 Ligonier-area Medal of Honor recipients
Two Ligonier-area soldiers from different centuries received the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery in battle, and both will be recognized again when a local bridge is named for them. Officials will gather at 11 a.m. Saturday in Ligonier Township to dedicate the span that carries Route 711 over Loyalhanna...
Suspect in Mount Oliver drug deal shooting arrested in Plum
A Clairton man accused of shooting a person during a drug deal in Mount Oliver in April was arrested Wednesday night in Plum. Plum police arrested Dorian Randell Ingram, 29, after an anonymous woman said she saw him at a residence in the 100 block of Unity Center Road. The...
Amazon gives inside look of distribution warehouse in North VersaillesVideo
Walking into Amazon’s 140,000-square-foot distribution center in North Versailles on Thursday was a bit of a “full-circle” moment for Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. “When I was growing up, we had the Eastland Mall here, which was a leader in its time,” said Davis, a native of nearby McKeesport. “It...
