Western PA Local News category, Page 711
State court sends Christopher Columbus statue removal debate back to Allegheny County Court, advocates react
The fate of the Christopher Columbus statue in Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park must once again be debated before an Allegheny County judge. A Commonwealth Court ruling last week, in its primary effect, reversed an Allegheny County Common Pleas judge’s dismissal of a lawsuit the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA)...
Hempfield man accused of seeking to pay to have his sister murdered
A Hempfield man is charged with attempting to hire someone to kill his sister, apparently motivated by a proposed change in the family estate. Westmoreland County detectives and sheriff’s deputies arrested Peter John Cute, 63, Friday afternoon after he met with a man that Cute allegedly offered to pay to...
Beaver County man gets 10-year prison term for severe abuse of disabled residents
A Beaver County man was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison Friday in Pittsburgh on federal hate crime charges stemming from severe abuse of disabled residents he was responsible for assisting at an in-patient health care facility in the county. U.S. District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the...
Most farmers don’t mind record-setting April rain
It’s been a soggy April. And it’s about to be the soggiest, according to the National Weather Service. “Prior to today, we’re 0.27 inches away from tying the wettest April on record,” said weather service Meteorologist Fred McMullen on Friday. What that means to local farms is highly dependent on...
Penn Hills health care facility owner indicted on federal charges
The owner of a Penn Hills facility that services people with intellectual disabilities faces a federal indictment on charges of health care fraud and other crimes. Kelley Oliver-Hollis, 59, of Pittsburgh faces 33 counts, including making false statements to health care matters and money laundering, federal officials announced. Oliver-Hollis is...
Leechburg police officer is issued citations stemming from alleged traffic incident
A Leechburg police officer has been issued two citations stemming from a traffic incident in Parks Township. Clarence Lee Schumaker was charged April 9 by state police for careless driving, obedience to a traffic control device warning of hazardous conditions and disorderly conduct. According to Leechburg police Chief Jason Schaeffer,...
Car crashes into Washington County reservoir; McMurray driver killed
A McMurray woman was killed Friday morning when the vehicle she was driving crashed and sank into a reservoir in Washington County, officials said. Washington County Coroner Tim Warco identified the driver as 44-year-old Jessica L. Williams. Williams was driving South on Sherwood Drive in Peters Township after 12:30 a.m....
Victim of Larimer shooting identified
Authorities have identified a 48-year-old man killed Friday inside a home in Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood. Nathaniel Walker of Pittsburgh died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. Pittsburgh police were called about 2 p.m. to the 500 block of Lowell Street, where Walker was found...
2 Pittsburgh women to face trial in shooting death of teen in Wilkinsburg
Two women charged in the shooting death last month of a 16-year-old boy in Wilkinsburg were held for trial Friday following a preliminary hearing in Pittsburgh Municipal Court. Kira Jackson, 23, and Alicia Johnson, 23, are charged with homicide and other offenses in the death of Kevin Wilson on March...
Latrobe man will serve at least 15 years in prison for Derry Township dagger, bat attack
A Latrobe man was ordered to serve 15 to 30 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges related to a brutal assault in Derry Township that left three people severely injured. Westmoreland County prosecutors say Nicholas McIntyre broke into the Fourth Street apartment where his former girlfriend and...
The Monongahela Incline is open again
The Monongahela Incline reopened Friday, six weeks after it was closed for repairs to its electrical system. Pittsburgh Regional Transit closed the nation’s oldest such incline on March 5, when a pair of resistors failed. That issue caused the brakes to engage when they weren’t supposed to, according to the...
Earth Day cleanup in Hempfield will accept spring-cleaning garbage
Anyone looking to do some spring cleaning can bring their garbage and scrap items to select Hempfield sites on Saturday for the township’s annual Earth Day “Hands On Hempfield” cleanup event. The disposal sites will accept household trash, tires, scrap metal, approved recyclable type 1 and 2 plastics, cardboard, paper,...
Greensburg man charged in connection with drug overdose death
A Greensburg man is facing charges in connection with a fatal drug overdose last year. City police charged Hugh J. Hawkey Jr., 48, on Friday with drug delivery resulting in death and related offenses. In a criminal complaint, police said they believe Hawkey is responsible for providing a fatal dose...
FBI investigates violent threats to Pittsburgh Diocese, Jewish community
The FBI’s Pittsburgh office is investigating violent threats made this week against religious schools and places of worship in Western Pennsylvania. They included two threatening emails sent to a Catholic school and a handful of antisemitic online messages sent to members of the Jewish community in the city. The Jewish...
Injunction sought against Post-Gazette for alleged labor violations
The National Labor Relations Board authorized a request this week to seek a temporary court injunction against the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for allegedly violating its workers labor rights. Union representatives said the move could put an end to the 19-month strike carried out by journalists and production workers at the paper....
Sellers Avenue, one of the bumpiest roads in Jeannette, to be repaved
A road that Jeannette city manager Ethan Keedy pegged as one of the worst in the city will be repaved. The entirety of Sellers Avenue — which Keedy described as one of the worst roads to drive on in Jeannette — will be resurfaced. That work will include Sellers Avenue/North...
Open mic nights in Jeannette to provide new outlet for local performers, artists
Performers looking to share their artistic craft are getting a chance through new monthly open mic nights in Jeannette. It’s an opportunity that hasn’t been regularly available in Jeannette since the Keynote Cafe, once a popular spot for local musicians, closed in 2019. Councilman Chad Krawtz said he hopes the...
New Kensington preparing for city’s 4th business-boosting Fridays on Fifth season
No matter how much baklava Amy Johnson makes, it’s never enough for some warm-weather Fridays in New Kensington. Johnson opened her specialty bakery, Sweet Tillies, in December 2020. It has been open for each of the city’s annual Fridays on Fifth events, which began in 2021 and launches its fourth...
Springdale to undergo water rate study
Springdale Council is taking a closer look at its water rates in the wake of the borough increasing rates by $1.25 per 1,000 gallons for all customers in this year’s budget. Council on Tuesday authorized a study into the rates at a cost not to exceed $18,500. Valuation and Rate,...
Turnpike closure scheduled between Pittsburgh, Irwin exits this weekend
Ten miles of the eastbound Pennsylvania Turnpike between the Pittsburgh and Irwin exits will close for six overnight hours Sunday. The closure will be from 12-6 a.m., weather permitting. During the closure, turnpike crews plan to do maintenance work such as drain cleaning, road sealing and sweeping. Traffic will be...
Take the TribLive weekly news quiz: April 19
The following is a new feature from TribLive: A weekly news quiz: 1. Pittsburgh-area river traffic resumed this week with a few restrictions when the barge operator and U.S. Coast Guard confirmed the location of a sunken barge on the Ohio River. The sunken barge was one of how many...
Mock crash teaches Valley High students dangers of distracted driving
A mock crash Friday morning outside Valley High School in New Kensington was meant to teach students about the dangers of distracted driving. The district staged the crash for juniors and seniors with New Kensington police and several emergency service providers. A Life Flight helicopter was among the emergency vehicles...
Rostraver man killed in crash on I-70
A Rostraver man was killed Friday morning when his car crashed along Interstate 70 in Rostraver. State police said Joseph E. Troyer, 35, was pronounced dead at the scene after the eastbound Ford Focus he was driving struck a tree with its passenger side and flipped onto its roof, trapping...
Verona secures sidewalk funding for business district, key areas to boost walkability
Walking through Verona will become easier in the next few years. The borough will add or rehabilitate several stretches of sidewalk to better connect key destinations. Substantial portions of Center Avenue, Second Street, Wildwood Avenue, James Street, East Railroad Avenue, West Railroad Avenue and Grant Street will see sidewalk improvements...
Fairfield farm to host 2nd Ag Appreciation Day
Extended evening hours will offer more time on Saturday for visitors to take in the animals, machinery and products at the second annual Agricultural Appreciation Day hosted by Matson Farm in Fairfield. “We expanded the hours to see if that suits more people,” said Connie Matson, who owns the beef...
