Western PA Local News category, Page 685
Kiski Area School Board approves $25M middle school renovation project
One of four contractors chosen for Kiski Area School District’s $25 million middle school renovation project has drawn opposition from two school board members. School board members Amy Halter and Dawn Mellinger voted against paying $14.6 million to general contractor Liokareas Construction. The company served in the same role for...
Penn-Trafford eyes property tax increase, but some board members opposed
Property taxes will jump about 2% in Penn-Trafford School District unless school board members revise a preliminary 2024-2025 budget approved last week. The proposed $68.9 million spending plan is supported by a 91.75 mill tax levy in Westmoreland County, a 2-mill increase over the current tax rate of 89.75 mills....
The Stroller, May 14, 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. June 1 5k/10k to benefit Freeport Area HS cross country team...
Westmoreland students explore health care career paths at Independence fair
Tenth grade Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center student Zoey Wilders carefully stuffed gauze into a simulated wound to staunch the bleeding. A few feet away, nurse and emergency room educator Kelly Bedner cheered her on. “You’re saving that life,” Bedner said, ushering more students to try their hand at...
Man critically hurt in West Deer hit-and-run
A man was critically wounded Monday night after a vehicle crashed into a dirt bike on Saxonburg Boulevard in West Deer, Allegheny County police said. The vehicle involved in the collision drove away and the man driving the dirt bike was flown to a hospital for treatment. Both vehicles were...
Aspinwall extends garbage contract, appoints new zoning board members
Aspinwall has extended its garbage collection contract with Shank Waste as it pursues other contract and vendor options. Council voted to approve the extension with the Lower Burrell-based hauler on May 8. The contract now runs through June 30. The borough was in its final year of a three-year contract...
Red Line T cars derail in Castle Shannon, transit officials say
Pittsburgh Regional Transit officials said about 15 people were on board two rail cars when they derailed Monday afternoon. It happened at about 4 p.m. while they were traveling inbound on the outbound tracks along the Red Line at Willow Station in Castle Shannon, PRT said via X, formerly Twitter....
Health, wellness and fun promoted during Fox Chapel Area School District safety event
Rain did not dampen the spirits of Fox Chapel Area School District families as dozens of them participated in the annual safety, health and wellness day in Aspinwall. The borough parking lot along Commercial Avenue was packed with first responders from district municipalities and school resource officers for the May...
Former Leetsdale victory gardens spot memorialized as part of junior council project
Reagan Fowler wanted to dig deep into his hometown’s history. Growing up on Washington Street in Leetsdale, about a block or so away from Kohlmeyer Community Park, the Quaker Valley junior spent the past few months researching what his part of the borough was in the early 1900s. His efforts...
‘I have received forgiveness and so I offer it to you,’ father of crash victim tells Mt. Lebanon man given plea deal
Just minutes after Hampartsoum “Henry” Nazarian pleaded guilty to striking their son on the side of the road and killing him, David and Heidi Drake were in the courthouse hallway hugging him. “The accident was not an intentional thing to try to hurt us or Tyler,” Heidi Drake said in...
Pittsburgh controller probes $18K in payments to ex-city worker
Pittsburgh’s top fiscal watchdog has launched an investigation into more than $18,000 in payments made by the city to a former employee turned contractor. Controller Rachael Heisler said Monday that she was looking into possible violations of the state ethics law and, more broadly, rules governing the use of city...
Court names Greensburg attorney to oversee Westmoreland register of wills office
Greensburg attorney James Antoniono will oversee the Westmoreland County Register of Wills Office, effective May 28, according to a court order issued Monday. The county’s elected register of wills, Sherry Magretti Hamilton, “has forfeited her role as the sole and chief administrator of the office by being derelict in her...
West Newton Bridge rehab among projects eyed with $300M in funding
The West Newton Bridge is among a list of projects that could be brought to life with $300 million in road, transit and bridge improvement funds that Westmoreland County is slated to receive as part of regional infrastructure work. The metal truss bridge, built in 1909, carries about 6,500 vehicles...
‘You have to be transparent’: Wilkinsburg police getting body cameras for cops
Police officers in Wilkinsburg will soon have new body cameras through $514,000 in federal funds. Wilkinsburg borough officials held a press conference Monday morning at the police station where they were presented with a check for the cameras. Police Chief Ophelia “Cookie” Coleman said the money will pay for 24...
New Kensington-Arnold 5th graders spend morning fishing at Valley High School
Fifth grade students in the New Kensington-Arnold School District enjoyed a morning of fishing Monday at Valley High School. Little Pucketa Creek was stocked with trout just before students began casting their lines, with the help of high school students. The fifth graders are students at Roy A. Hunt Elementary...
Local parks could see projects completed through Pennsylvania Parks Fund
A new grant program from the Pennsylvania Parks Fund could provide some TLC to local spaces. The program provides participating parks with a grant up to $50,000, said PPF Project Director Justin Spencer. Participating parks submitted a grant proposal which can be found online at PennsylvaniaParks.org. Spencer said PPF created...
Lower Burrell man accused of shooting Mogie’s owner not competent, lawyers say
A Lower Burrell man accused of fatally shooting restaurant owner David “Mogie” Magill is not mentally competent to help attorneys prepare for his homicide trial, according to a petition filed in Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court. Attorney Daniel Joseph wrote in the petition that he and co-counsel Duke George have...
Carnegie Mellon grad aims to make West African cuisine more accessible
Ozioma Aniagu sits in her Downtown Pittsburgh apartment, beaming with excitement over her upcoming achievement — she’s one day away from becoming an alumna of Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. Her box braids are styled in a bun secured by a wax print scarf, and she wears a...
Judge acquits man who claimed self-defense in Carrick fatal bar shooting
A Pittsburgh man who claimed self-defense was found not guilty on Monday in a fatal shooting at a Carrick bar in December. Corey Rall, 26, of Carrick was charged with criminal homicide in the shooting death of Cole Kerns, 28, of East McKeesport on Dec. 3 at Sophie’s Saloon on...
Export Historical Society moves ahead with plans to stabilize old mine entrance
What began as a teenage Eagle Scout’s effort to clean up an overgrown hillside has become a full-scale mining operation for the Export Historical Society. That’s an exaggeration, but not by much. In 2018, Troy Florian’s Eagle project was clearing brush, vegetation and dirt atop an old Westmoreland Coal Co....
In brief: Penn Hills and Verona area happenings, week of May 13, 2024
Members sought for various boards, commissions Some of Penn Hills’ boards, committees and commissions are in need of new members. Opportunities may or soon could be available on the Planning Commission, Shade Tree Commission, Traffic Safety Committee, Zoning Hearing Board, Recreation Advisory Board, Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority, Personnel Board and...
CV middle school teachers get free car washes for teacher appreciation week
Teachers at Chartiers Valley Middle School left work Wednesday, May 8 with clean cars thanks to students in the National Junior Honor Society. “When students were asked about doing a service project for Teacher Appreciation Week, they thought of washing the teachers’ cars during their free periods,” said Dina Roberts,...
In brief: Herald area events for the week of May 13, 2024
Fox Chapel police to host 3rd Bicycle Rodeo The Fox Chapel Police Department is gearing up for its third annual Bicycle Rodeo for children from 5 to 7 p.m. May 28 in the parking lot of Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, 384 Fox Chapel Road. Children should bring their bicycles to...
Burrell gets $582K to upgrade security at Bon Air Elementary, boost kids’ mental health
The state is giving Burrell School District more than half a million dollars to replace the “antiquated” security systems at Bon Air Elementary School and boost the mental health and physical safety of students. Of Westmoreland County’s school districts, Burrell received the most funding. Superintendent Shannon Wagner said state police’s...
South Hills Interfaith Movement nears completion of Bethel Park renovation
In 2009, the nonprofit assistance organization then known as South Hills Interfaith Ministries moved into its Bethel Park center on South Park Road. “We knew then there were issues with the building that we wanted to address at some point going forward,” executive director Jim Guffey recalled. Improvements such as...
