No tax increase 6 of past 10 years contributes to Plum School District’s 6.2% proposed hike
Plum School Board members say they can’t afford to continue putting off raising property taxes. The board has opted not to boost taxes for six of the past 10 years. Some board members say that’s one reason why district property owners are facing a hefty increase now. The board is...
Panel discussion on book ban impact to be held at Greensburg YWCA
Community organization Voice of Westmoreland will hold a panel discussion on the impact of book bans and challenges both locally and nationally at the Greensburg YWCA on Thursday. Titled “What Do We Lose By Banning Books,” the event runs from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Founders Room at 424...
Price tag for Franklin Regional’s Heritage Elementary demolition edges upward
The cost for the demolition of Franklin Regional’s Heritage Elementary School is going up after more asbestos was found that needs to be removed. In 2022, the cost of the project jumped from an estimated $400,000 to more than $1 million following the discovery of asbestos in the original roof...
Bolivar man subdued after courtroom suicide threat following sexual assault conviction
Just moments after a jury convicted a Bolivar man of sexual assault on Wednesday he threatened to kill himself and lunged toward the windows of a second-floor courtroom in the Westmoreland County Courthouse. He was quickly tackled by two deputy sheriffs. Deputies spent more than a minute attempting to subdue...
Frazer Olive Garden to pay $30,000 to settle disability discrimination claim
The parent company of the Olive Garden at the Pittsburgh Mills complex in Frazer will pay $30,000 to settle a federal lawsuit that alleged the restaurant’s management discriminated against a man by not hiring him because of his disability. GMRI, operator of the Olive Garden at Pittsburgh Mills, and the...
Year of firsts for Hampton Odyssey of the Mind
This year represents several firsts for Hampton Township School District’s Odyssey of the Mind students. At the April 9 school board meeting, co-coordinator Colleen Turcsanyi presented an overview of successes by participants in the international problem-solving program. “This is the first time Hampton has been represented in every problem category...
Slain Brackenridge police chief, McKeesport officer to be included on Washington, D.C., memorial
Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire will be memorialized this month in Washington, D.C., with a bittersweet honor for fallen officers. “We remember him and carry him in our hearts every day,” Mayor Lindsay Fraser said. “We memorialize Chief McIntire in how we can and do treat each other and in...
Pittsburgh lauds Steelers’ Cameron Heyward, NFL Man of the Year, for serving city ‘with distinction’
Pittsburgh Steelers star Cameron Heyward was recognized Wednesday by city leaders after he won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, considered the league’s highest honor. Appearing during a City Council meeting Downtown, Mayor Ed Gainey said he wanted to recognize the towering defensive lineman for “serving Pittsburgh...
Jeannette mulls paying for repairs to damaged ladder truck to keep insurance rates in check
Jeannette is considering dipping into its budget to cover at least $20,000 in repairs to the city ladder truck damaged by heat responding to a March 20 fire that killed five people. “That’s better than having a higher insurance deductible or insurance premium,” said City Manager Ethan Keedy. The ladder...
Fox Chapel Area School Board seeking member after Kimberly Andrews resigns
Fox Chapel Area School Board member Kimberly Andrews said she’ll take away nothing but pride from her nearly three years spent serving the district. The Aspinwall resident resigned Monday after announcing she would be returning to her native North Carolina. “I have been honored to sit on the board and...
What’s the ‘Coolest Thing Made in PA?’ Cast your vote
What’s the coolest thing made in Pennsylvania? You can cast your vote starting at noon on Wednesday. The final two contestants — the Pittsburgh-based Primanti Bros. sandwich and Hershey-based Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups — will duke it out in the last round of voting. Run by the Pennsylvania Chamber of...
Women’s Board hosts Safari Sunset to help underserved children
Sail into the Safari Sunset, all for a good cause, when the Women’s Board of Pittsburgh hosts its annual benefit to support children. “This exciting annual fundraiser, always a sold-out event, has enabled the Women’s Board to give more than $1.4 million to area nonprofits that support underserved children in...
Plum recruits young officer to fill police ranks
Cristina Sargent showed interest in police work from a young age. Her father said she would watch “America’s Most Wanted” when she was 4 years old. But White Oak police Chief Mark Sargent, who has been chief for six years and with his department for more than 30 years, didn’t...
River Road reopened in Parks Township
Route 66/River Road in Parks Township reopened Wednesday morning when crews completed cleanup of a mudslide, according to PennDOT. A portion of the road between Vandergrift and Leechburg closed April 3 because of the slide, caused by days of heavy rain that led to flooding throughout the region. Crews will...
Morning Roundup: Sudden Little Thrills music festival coming; Irish Festival lineup announced; Steel City Duck Derby details
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, April 10: Sudden Little Thrills music festival being held in Pittsburgh The Sudden Little Thrills music festival announced that they were coming to Pittsburgh this fall. The new festival, from producers of big-name music events like Lollapalooza and...
Penn State New Kensington students show off skills, network with future employers
Bryce Eddy knew the New Kensington cat rescue Frankie’s Friends often takes in lots of cats rescued from poor conditions. So, to take some pressure off Frankie’s team of volunteers, the Harrison native and his Penn State New Kensington classmates James Matus and Heather Shultz decided to put their skills...
You’ve got court: Text messaging is latest tool in effort to reduce warrants for missed hearings
Westmoreland County Special Courts Administrator Christopher Haidze used to get a call every few months from District Judge Charles Conway, asking for a way to send digital reminders to defendants about their court dates. “My answer was always the same: ‘They’re working on it,’ ” Haidze said. Conway retired last...
Seton Hill University plans lecture with Georgetown theologian, publisher
Jim Wallis, founding director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice, will present a lecture at Seton Hill University on April 18. The 2024 Sister Mary Schmidt Lecture presentation will be held at 7 p.m. in Cecilian Hall in the administration building at Seton Hill. Wallis will discuss...
The Stroller, April 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. Memorial service scheduled at Good Samaritan Hospice Good Samaritan Hospice, a...
Greensburg Sheetz reopens after major remodeling
Following a months-long closure for remodeling, the Sheetz on Harvey Avenue in Greensburg reopened Tuesday. The gas station and convenience store, located near Lynch Field, closed Oct. 1 for a major remodeling. Employees worked at other Sheetz stores during the renovations. Natawsja Sosnak, hospitality assistant manager at the Greensburg store,...
Duquesne, Waynesburg men sentenced to 30 years and 10 years, respectively, for sexual exploitation of minors
A Duquesne and a Waynesburg resident were found guilty this week for sexual exploitation of minors, U.S. Attorney Eric Olshan said. George Cobbs, 41, of Duquesne was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing and attempting to produce material depicting a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. U.S....
Man transported to hospital with significant injuries following Richland Township crash
A man was transported to a hospital with significant injuries Tuesday following a vehicle crash at the intersection of Gibsonia and Benedict Road in Richland Township. Police and EMS responded to Gibsonia Road near the intersection with Route 8 around 7:10 p.m., according to an Allegheny County 911 dispatcher. Northern...
Ligonier Valley Police Commission receives proposal for new station location; anonymous donor would foot $1.8 million of the bill
The Ligonier Valley Police Commission is mulling a proposal for a new $2 million police station that apparently would be funded largely through a donation. Ligonier Township resident Greg Sullenberger, who said he is a former state trooper, presented a general proposal for constructing a new police station near the...
Police arrest 2 in Sewickley torture case they say was triggered by hunt for gold Rolex
A hunt for a gold Rolex watch led two gun-wielding men to storm a Sewickley home Sunday and torture the man who lived there for more than five hours — gluing his eyes shut, burning him with lit cigarettes and urinating on him, police said Wednesday. “I’m here for my...
Defense lawyer says Jeannette man is a scapegoat for key witness in fatal overdose
The lawyer for a Jeannette man told a jury that prosecutors are seeking to convict the wrong man for the sale of a fatal dose of fentanyl-laced heroin to a Unity man who died in 2021 of an overdose. Defense attorney Tim Dawson said the case against Andrey Young is...
