North Huntington police say Duquesne man tried to sell 970 stamp bags of heroin/fentanyl
A 30-year-old Duquesne man is accused of having 970 stamp bags of suspected heroin and fentanyl that he allegedly intended to sell in North Huntingdon, township police said. However, the buyer was an undercover police officer, authorities said. The suspect, Larnell D. “Rock” Jones III, of Seward Street, was arrested...
Plum volunteer firefighters begin training sessions at former borough building
Plum’s volunteer firefighters began using the borough’s former municipal building for training Tuesday night. Firefighters from the Holiday Park, Logans Ferry, Renton and Unity departments were expected to start by practicing forceful entry, wall breaching, large room searches and long hallway searches in the building. The building is slated for...
Runway RePurposed: Pine-Richland students turn old into new for Salvation Army fundraiser
Here’s an idea: Use something old to create something new. And fashionable. That’s the concept behind Runway RePurposed, the May 22 fundraiser benefiting the Salvation Army Family Caring Center in East Liberty. Plus it’s a pursuit on which Erika Graham, who chairs Pine-Richland’s family and consumer science department, embarked quite...
Yough art students brighten West Newton windows in preparation for annual flag display
The West Newton Avenue of Flags celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. As part of the display, Yough High School art students painted multiple downtown windows Tuesday. The annual display of 385 American flags in the West Newton Cemetery will be raised beginning at 9 a.m. May 11. Volunteers are...
Penn Hills man convicted of drug, firearms crimes by federal jury faces up to 40 years in prison
After deliberating for less than two hours, a federal jury on April 18 found a Penn Hills man guilty of three counts of violating federal drug and firearms laws. According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Harry Duncan, 36, was convicted...
Vandergrift man sentenced to prison for sex assaults of children
A Vandergrift man will serve at least 16 years in prison for the sexual assault of two children. Timothy Johnson, 38, was convicted by a Westmoreland County jury in February in two separate cases in which he was convicted of 12 counts. Those included involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, conspiracy, indecent...
New sidewalk, commercial corridor regulations approved in Hempfield
Hempfield officials are hopeful that new rules regarding sidewalks and commercial corridors will help create a more connected community. Township supervisors approved the two ordinance revisions on Monday. Sidewalks will now be required in new residential or commercial developments. Revised standards were also approved for new construction along the township’s...
Frazer in no hurry to appoint police chief
It may be some time before Frazer has a new, permanent police chief. Supervisors will not vote at their meeting Tuesday to appoint a new chief, and there is no timeline for doing so, said Lori Ziencik, board member and township secretary. “That takes time,” she said. “We haven’t really...
Weak evidence dooms case against Hazelwood driver who killed 6-year-old
Charges against a Hazelwood woman whose vehicle struck and killed a 6-year-old boy riding his bicycle in Glen Hazel nearly two years ago were dismissed on Tuesday after the prosecution conceded it could not prove her guilt at trial. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Alexander P. Bicket granted a defense...
Look up! Weekend peak of Eta Aquarid meteor shower expected
Stargazers this month could be in for a celestial display. The Eta Aquarid meteor shower, which lasts until May 27, is expected to peak on Sunday and Monday nights, according to Space.com. The best time to view it is during the pre-dawn hours, according to WTAE meteorologist Jill Szwed. All...
Eden Christian Academy hosts 1st Community Day on Ohio Township campus
A special guest made an appearance midway through Eden Christian Academy’s inaugural Community Day: The sun. As youngsters participated in a home run derby as a featured event activity, the school’s newly turfed baseball field lit up with a warm glow that quickly made everyone forget about the earlier cloudy...
Updated greenhouses will be dream come true for Derry Area agriculture teacher
After a decade leading Derry Area High School’s agriculture/horticulture program, Carly Rippole’s looking forward to summer. The school’s two greenhouses are slated to get an update that includes new panels and technology that will allow Rippole and her students to monitor and control the greenhouse environment remotely. “I’m excited to...
Assault, harassment charges against suspended Pa. trooper held for court
Simple assault and harassment charges against a suspended state trooper were held for court Tuesday. Senior District Judge Charles R. Conway made the decision at the end of a preliminary hearing during which the accuser testified Nicholas E. Hood, 31, of Derry Township assaulted her during an argument Aug. 26...
Southern Armstrong Regional police add e-bikes for trail patrols, events
New trails in the Alle-Kiski Valley mean new areas for police to patrol. The Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department added two electric bikes to its vehicle fleet in mid-April, weeks after the opening of a 10-mile trail section that runs through Ford City and Gilpin. The department purchased them from...
Birds of prey: Audubon Society presentation highlights Earth Day event in Bradford Woods
Be careful with those apple cores. “If I just throw it out my window, sure, it’s going to degrade. It’s going to decompose,” wildlife habitat educator Nick Stahlman said. “But what’s most likely to happen before that happens is some sort of animal is going to come investigate it and...
Pa. auditor general visits Westmoreland County Community College to tout new hiring practicesVideo
Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor knows the value of a community college education. It’s where he got his start on the road to becoming a state official. “We’re here to support you,” DeFoor told a group of Westmoreland County Community College students and staff Tuesday morning at the college’s Youngwood...
Encampment is gone from Schenley Plaza in Oakland
Protest signs and tents that had punctuated Schenley Plaza were gone by Tuesday, as pro-Palestinian demonstrators ended a weeklong encampment there and briefly on the University of Pittsburgh campus. Since last Tuesday, Pitt students and others had occupied the city-owned Plaza located in the shadow of the Cathedral of Learning,...
Upper Burrell teen developing Holocaust education patch for Girl Scouts
Lily Sassani learned about the Holocaust through her studies in the Burrell School District. But the 17-year-old Girl Scout from Upper Burrell never knew about the role of Girl Guides in World War II until her mother, Rachel, gave her a book on the topic. Now, she is expanding on...
2 arrested in drug buy from confidential informant in North Huntingdon
Two men were arrested Monday in connection with a drug bust in North Huntingdon. An undercover police officer set up a drug buy with Larnell D. Jones III, 30, of Rankin, for $3,300 worth of heroin/fentanyl and crack cocaine, according to court papers. Jones met up with the officer and...
Leechburg Area welcomes new middle and high school principal, a district graduate
Students in the Leechburg Area middle and high schools might be meeting their new principal for the first time, but, for Tyler Vargo, he’s coming home. The Leechburg Area alum not only graduated from the high school but taught social studies there for nine years before heading to Knoch School...
Missing dog may have motivated man to shoot at car in Hecla, police say
A man escaped injury Sunday after state police said his vehicle was shot at five times on Hecla Road. Troopers arrested William K. Dodrill, 44, of Mt. Pleasant Township, on charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault and related offenses in connection with the shooting. Police reported in court papers that...
Morning Roundup: Police say Homewood man robbed same Family Dollar store 3 times
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, April 30. Police say Homewood man robbed same Family Dollar store 3 times Pittsburgh police said they jailed a Homewood man who they say robbed a Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar dollar store three times in eight days, making his get-away each...
3 A-K Valley communities seek joint trash-hauling contract
Refuse-hauling contractors got an extra week to submit proposals for a joint contract covering Cheswick, Springdale and Springdale Township. Contractors have until 3 p.m. Thursday to submit bids, according to Springdale Township Solicitor Craig Alexander. Bids will be opened Monday. The communities have contracts that expire at the end of...
Johnstown man killed in motorcycle crash in Derry Township
A 39-year-old man was killed in a motorcycle crash in Derry Township, Westmoreland County, on Monday afternoon, the county coroner announced. Shawn Michael Pynos of Johnstown was driving alone on his Yamaha motorcycle west on Route 30 when he left the road and was ejected from his vehicle, Coroner Tim...
New location for 9th annual Spin Your Wheels fundraiser nets more participants, opportunities
Fox Chapel resident Gina Johnson knew when she walked through the doors of the Lauri Ann West Community Center the last Saturday in April that it was going to be for more than a routine workout. The fitness enthusiast took part in a circuit class and wellness activities that day...
