Western PA Local News category, Page 69
Snowstorm highlights staffing struggles of Southwestern Pa. home care agencies
Perhaps no part of the health care system in Southwestern Pennsylvania faced greater challenges during Sunday’s snowstorm than already understaffed home care agencies. Their task was monumental: Keep hundreds of group homes and thousands more personal residences in the region staffed with caregivers, even as much of their workforce got...
Code Orange air quality warning issued for Mon Valley
An air quality action day has been issued for five communities in the Monongahela Valley because of an increase in particulate matter pollution, according to the state’s Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP issued a Code Orange Air Quality Day on Saturday for Clairton, and Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln and Port...
ICE operation in Oakmont leads to local father’s arrestVideo
Hariett Flores thought Thursday was going to be like any other day. She and her husband, Jose, were getting ready for work as their 8-year-old daughter, Lily, prepared for school in their Oakmont home. Then, when Jose and Lily left the house on their way to Lily’s school, everything changed....
‘He cared’: Eugene Khorey, 1st principal of Brashear High School, dies
When Brashear High School first opened in 1976 — uniting racially diverse students in the Pittsburgh Public School District — Eugene Khorey was at the helm as its first principal. Just two months short of turning 100 years old, Khorey, of Munhall, who was known as “Gene,” died on Jan....
New Pitt institute looks to space for insight on earthly illnesses
A trip to outer space can wreak havoc on the human body. Muscles atrophy, bones become porous and immune systems degrade in low gravity. These effects, as frightening as they may sound, tend to be temporary. Astronauts returning from extended stays at the International Space Station mostly recover within a...
McCandless Polar Plunge rescheduled because of extreme cold
Because of the extremely cold temperatures, the McCandless Polar Plunge has been rescheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. March 20 at North Allegheny High School off Perry Highway. It will take place in collaboration with North Allegheny’s Unified Bocce team. The event, benefiting Special Olympics, originally was scheduled for Feb....
Murrysville receives funds for Route 22 signal, bridge replacement projectsVideo
Murrysville officials have sizable projects to begin under their 2026 capital improvements plan, but having $1.4 million in state funding in hand will help smooth the way. The first is replacing the adaptive traffic signal system along the stretch of Route 22 that runs through Murrysville, along with the traffic...
Westmoreland judge weighs extension of decade-long stay for former LECOM student
A former medical student convicted nine years ago of sexually assaulting a Seton Hill University student is seeking to extend a nearly decade-long delay in his sentence. Jerry Chai’s attorney told a Westmoreland County judge Friday that the 2017 sentence violates his client’s constitutional rights. The defense argues that the...
‘We go in the snow’: First responders in North Hills remain ready for emergencies
Preparation is key for emergency crews in the North Hills during extreme weather patterns. First responders are ready for action during the cold spell and will continue the same practices as harsh conditions continue or if they return in the coming months. “We go in the snow,” was Chief Chris...
Classic arcade gallery opens in former Duquesne church
Pittsburgh’s retro gamers have a new place to play as The Church Arcade in Duquesne will open its doors on Saturday for a two-day grand opening featuring tournaments, craft beers, food trucks, music and of course, arcade games. Operated by the Pittsburgh Arcade Collective – a group of classic arcade...
Pittsburgh businesses support National Shutdown protest but remain open
Activists across the nation have called for a general strike Friday as part of a show of solidarity for those in Minneapolis and in protest of ICE’s actions there. The National Shutdown protest calls for an economic blackout, and celebrities such as Natalie Portman, Pedro Pascal, Billie Eilish and Hannah...
Former youth football director charged with taking more than $227K in league funds
The former director for the Western Pennsylvania Youth Football League who resigned suddenly a little more than a year ago is charged with taking more than $227,000 in league funds. Bill E. Spencer, 57, of Washington is accused of using the money to pay bills, make payments on a Honda...
Proposed ban on cellphones in school gains traction across the state
Bipartisan proposals to ban cellphones in the state’s public schools are gaining steam. State Reps. Mandy Steele, D-Fox Chapel, and Jill Cooper, R-Murrysville, are among those spearheading House Bill 1814 to restrict cellphones in classrooms. The move would protect children, streamline policies, reduce burden on staff and minimize disruptions, they...
Deadline for 2026 health insurance through Pennie is almost here
Pennsylvanians still searching for a 2026 health insurance plan are running out of time to secure it through the Affordable Care Act. Open enrollment on Pennie, the state’s Obamacare marketplace, ends just before midnight Jan. 31. Pennie officials had extended the deadline from an original cutoff of Jan. 15. The...
Police say SUV in fatal Monongahela River wreck plunged 120 feet into water
A woman who died Thursday after her SUV plunged into the icy Monongahela River from the Parkway East lost control of the vehicle, struck a snowbank and plummeted 120 feet into the water, police said. Jacinta Stevens, 31, veered across three lanes of traffic as she was driving outbound on...
Fundraisers organized for victims of separate North Huntingdon fires
Fundraisers have been organized on a crowdfunding platform to help two North Huntingdon families who were victims of fires this month — one family who lost their home and another whose dog kennel was destroyed. A GoFundMe page for Regina and Charles Bazala Sr. has raised $22,100 of a $28,000...
How cold is it? Pittsburgh is breaking records
It was as cold as it’s ever been on this date in Pittsburgh Friday morning. Temperatures sank to minus 6 degrees around 7:50 a.m. at the National Weather Service’s offices in Moon, according to meteorologist Jason Frazier. That slightly edges out today’s previous record low of minus 5, set in...
Faces of the Valley: PR director leaves Allegheny Valley School District after 3 decades
To Jan Zastawniak, it’s a great thing to be a Dynamo. The Springdale alumna and longtime borough resident retired in December from Allegheny Valley School District, where she worked as public relations director for more than 30 years. But Zastawniak was never lacking for other responsibilities at Allegheny Valley. She...
North Huntingdon gets state grant for Indian Lake rehab project
The state is offering to pour $665,200 into a major rehabilitation project at North Huntingdon’s 16-acre Indian Lake Park. The fish in the lake must be relocated so it can be drained, dredged and the Kenda Dam repaired over the next few years. In return for the money from the...
Pa. turnpike drug bust nets 40,000 stamp bags of suspected fentanyl worth $80K, police say
A New Jersey man is behind bars after state police said he was transporting approximately 40,000 stamp bags of suspected fentanyl on the Pennsylvania Turnpike through Westmoreland County, according to court papers. Troopers said they pulled over a westbound Honda SUV in Hempfield at 2 a.m. Thursday after noticing multiple...
Retired Fox Chapel attorney ranks 3rd in nation for niche sport of stair climbing
Retired Fox Chapel attorney Harrison Lauer is at the top of his game — literally. A long-time runner, Lauer hung up his shoes after a knee injury in 2020 but decided it was a detour, not a full stop. The 68-year-old turned to stair climbing, or tower running, which while...
Sweetwater Center for the Arts to celebrate Folk February with 2 musical performances
Sweetwater Center for the Arts is celebrating Folk February with two concerts celebrating folk and Americana music. Pittsburgh-based Buffalo Rose returns to Sweetwater for a three-peat performance Feb. 6. The band will bring its six-piece “Theater Kid Americana” sound, featuring strong vocal harmonies, mandolin and acoustic instrumentation in an energetic,...
PNC Foundation to give Pittsburgh $2M for snow removal equipment
As Pittsburgh crews struggle to plow and salt roads after a massive snowstorm, officials Thursday announced the PNC Foundation will give the city $2 million to buy new snow removal equipment. The foundation’s contribution will fund 15 new vehicles this year for the city’s Department of Public Works. “Last weekend’s...
Brackenridge Salvation Army weekly free lunches to continue
Free hot meals will continue to be distributed at the Brackenridge Salvation Army this year. The site on Brackenridge Avenue hosts a community lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays, with baked fish, turkey breast and sloppy Joe’s on the homemade menu. Up to 100 people are served. Captain...
Franklin Regional grad completes 1st short film through University of Pittsburgh fellowshipVideo
Gigi Vitolo has always loved storytelling. The Murrysville native has had an interest in theater and performing since middle school. But while she was majoring in business and literature at the University of Pittsburgh, she found herself searching for a creative outlet. When she was awarded the school’s David C....
