Western PA Local News category, Page 642
Despite deaths, inquest jurors’ recommendations, whitewater in-boat rafting guides remain optional
Michele Yealy lost her only daughter to the rushing water of the Youghiogheny River. Andrea Yealy was 16 when she hopped in a two-person inflatable kayak rented by a friend’s family on Sept. 16, 2000, at Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County. They paddled without a guide down a 7-mile...
Jeannette Glass plant had a glimmer of hope in 1983
(Editor’s note: “From the archive” is a recurring series highlighting vintage photos submitted by community members or gathered from the Tribune-Review’s files. If you have a photo you would like to see featured here, please contact gtrcity@triblive.com.) It seemed as though the Jeannette Glass plant might restart four decades ago,...
Poison, deer prevention projects earn kudos for local Master Gardeners
Penn State Extension’s Westmoreland County contingent of Master Gardeners is planting more than just flower and vegetable seeds. For many years, the group also has instilled in local schoolchildren awareness to steer clear of pesticides and other poisonous household products. It’s an effort that now has earned them plaudits from...
Injured hiker rescued in South Buffalo Township
A hiker that was injured near Lock & Dam 6 on the Allegheny River in South Buffalo Township was rescued by firefighters Saturday afternoon. Two hikers were walking a trail in the Clinton area of South Buffalo near the lock when one hiker took a fall and was injured, according...
Back the Blue fundraiser in Lower Burrell expands in fifth year
The Alle-Kiski community came together on a blazing hot Saturday to honor the fallen officers and those who cared for them in what organizers said was the fundraiser’s biggest event ever. The annual Back the Blue police fundraiser was held at Mogie’s Irish Pub in Lower Burrell on Saturday afternoon...
2-year-old falls out of second-floor window in Hill District, police say
A toddler was sent to the hospital after falling to the ground from a second-floor window in Pittsburgh’s Hill District on Saturday morning. Pittsburgh Police were called to a home in the 2400 block of Bedford Avenue just after 8 a.m., responding to reports that a child had fallen out...
The art of soap making: Richland resident presents colorful creations
Maybe you grew up washing with the golden hue of Dial, the emerald green of Irish Spring or the snowy white of Ivory. Whatever the color of the brand at hand, a soap bar was a soap bar. Richland resident Laura Bogacz effectively takes the opposite approach with her business,...
Plum School Board advances $30M building project at O’Block Elementary, middle school
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that board member Michelle Stepnick’s vote was officially recorded as “yes,” although she said before and after the vote that her intent was to vote “no.” The Plum School Board is taking a next step toward a $30 million building project...
Manor to host expanded Community Day celebration in August
Manor is one step closer to making its Community Day celebration an annual tradition again. The festival was hosted by the local fire department every Labor Day for about 80 years before it ceased in 2002. The borough revived the tradition last year. Last year’s event drew about 1,000 people....
Murrysville police chief to retire after 40-plus years in law enforcementVideo
Tom Seefeld isn’t looking forward to waking up at 4:30 a.m. for no reason come July. “I’m a scheduled, structured person,” he said “I don’t know what it is to sleep in.” Seefeld, 65, will retire as chief of the Murrysville Police Department at the end of June, wrapping up...
Organizers of Arnold’s ‘Rockin’ Roosevelt,’ New Kensington’s ‘Band Blast’ look to hand off running of events
What started as an effort to get friends off social media and together in the real world birthed a concert series that has run for a decade in Arnold and New Kensington. But with their members moving away and getting older, those who remain of the New Ken/Arnold Social in...
Arrest made in Arlington Heights fatal shooting
Pittsburgh police arrested a suspect in last week’s fatal shooting of a man in Arlington Heights. Jason Ingram, 37, of Pittsburgh was taken into custody without incident Friday afternoon by detectives with the Pittsburgh Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the U.S. Marshals Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force. He was charged...
Parks Conservancy revitalizing Riverview Park’s Valley Refuge Shelter
One of Pittsburgh’s most popular and historic park shelters is set to get an upgrade next summer. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is spearheading an effort to revitalize Riverview Park’s Valley Refuge Shelter and improve accessibility at the site. The shelter is one of the most popular in the city, with...
The Stroller, June 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. T-shirt sale to benefit Avonmore fire victim Orders are being accepted...
AI, educator diversity and angry parents: National education conference comes to Pittsburgh
The use of AI in classrooms, the importance of educator diversity and dealing with angry parents are just a few of the topics that will be discussed at a national education conference in Pittsburgh beginning Sunday. More than 200 state government officials, representatives from educator preparation programs and school district...
Westmoreland transit authority votes to increase driver wages; eyes shared-ride fare increase
Residents who use the Westmoreland County Transit Authority’s shared-ride program will see a fare increase effective this fall following approval of the authority’s 2024-25 budget Thursday. Details of the fare increase will be presented at the authority’s board meeting in July, said Deputy Executive Director Ashley Cooper-Brounce. The shared-ride service...
Children more susceptible to health risks during heat wave, doctors say
Heat waves like the one sizzling across Western Pennsylvania are dangerous for everyone’s health, but young children are markedly more susceptible to hazards associated with prolonged exposure, experts say. “The younger the child is, the less likely they are going to be able to deal with the heat,” said Dr....
Firecracker 100 proves to be big draw for Lernerville SpeedwayVideo
The roar of dozens of engines was music to Buffalo Township native Tara Barthel’s ears. It was a familiar sound for her and several family members as they took in the sights and sounds of the 18th annual Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway. “It’s always been a family thing. We...
New Pitt officers’ salaries top out at $630K with a $50K signing bonus
The University of Pittsburgh on Friday set salaries ranging from $300,000 to $630,000 for three new officers hired under Chancellor Joan Gabel and approved a retention bonus for a fourth officer predating her tenure. Two of the new hires will start at pay levels topping their predecessors who served in...
Fire extinguished quickly at Monroeville TGIFriday’s
No injuries were reported during a brief fire at the TGIFriday’s in Monroeville, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. Part of the building was charred, leaving holes on the side of the building’s second floor. Employees told WTAE there wasn’t fire in the kitchen, but the building began filling with...
Long-delayed Pittsburgh park projects cause frustration
Carol Hardeman said she’s frustrated that the promised park projects in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood still haven’t started, years after residents hoped they would be done. Hardeman, who serves as executive director of the Hill District Consensus Group, said the lengthy delays to projects that were supposed to improve a...
Coach USA, parent company of Megabus, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
Coach USA, the parent company of Megabus, has voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The reason for the filing was to preserve jobs, ensure continued service and maximize the value of its businesses, Coach USA said in a news release. “U.S. Megabus operations will continue while the company pursues...
ScareHouse creeps out of Pittsburgh Mills, won’t open in 2024
Pittsburgh’s horror fans received a jumpscare earlier this week after finding out ScareHouse will not be returning to its Pittsburgh Mills location and will not open for the 2024 season. Pittsburgh Magazine reported on Monday that ScareHouse co-owner Scott Simmons announced the news last week in a private Facebook group...
Parrot Heads will have a place to dock at Iron City Brewing in time for Buffett tribute concert
Final preparations are underway at East Deer’s Pittsburgh Brewing Co. as a summer concert series kicks off next week. Crews will have installed a temporary boat dock behind the brewery before a Jimmy Buffett tribute band takes the stage June 29, said Todd Zwicker, Pittsburgh Brewing Co. president. “I work...
PennDOT plans multiple detours for Route 711 closure south of New Florence
A PennDOT bridge project is scheduled to close a section of Route 711 south of New Florence beginning Monday. The closure will be in place through early July between Creek Road in Fairfield, near Mirror Lake Campground, and Clark Hollow Road in St. Clair . A series of posted detours...
