New Kensington man credits God, family for helping him reach 100 years old
Dan Hawkins credited God and his family for helping him live to 100. After turning 100 on Thursday, Hawkins, who lives in New Kensington, celebrated the milestone birthday with friends and family on Saturday. He said it felt like “magic” to celebrate the occasion with loved ones. “I just can’t...
Steelers fans have mixed reactions to shifting playoff game to Monday but express confidence in team’s chances
For Rick Porrado of Murrysville, the Steelers playoff game shifting to Monday afternoon means a lot more than just a change in his viewing schedule. Porrado owns Rick’s Sports Bar in Murrysville — and he usually isn’t even open on Monday nights. By early Saturday afternoon, he was beginning to...
Latrobe native chosen to lead Michigan State UniversityVideo
The Spartans are getting a Wildcat in the administration. Michigan State University officials announced recently that Greater Latrobe High School alum Kevin Guskiewicz was elected to serve as the university’s next president. Guskiewicz, a 1984 Wildcat graduate, will begin his term in early March, university officials said. The university’s board...
District attorney: Arnold shooting victim was 1 of 3 people who broke into Fourth Avenue home
A Pittsburgh man who was shot and killed Friday night was one of three people who police said broke into an Arnold home just before the shooting took place. Allen L. Austin Jr., 29, was pronounced dead after being found about 6 p.m. Friday in the 1600 block of Cherry...
Pittsburghers, punk fans celebrate Erik Bauer’s book documenting 25 years of shows
The crowd that packed a Point Breeze bookshop Friday to celebrate a book release by Pittsburgh-bred photographer Erik Bauer could’ve been pulled right out of a 1981 punk show at Oakland’s now-shuttered Electric Banana. Or cheering on The Bats, a local post-punk outfit led in May ‘84 by Pulitzer Prize-winning...
Few power outages reported Saturday evening after heavy winds wreaked havoc earlier
With a heavy wind advisory in effect through Sunday across Southwestern Pennsylvania, plenty of residents are waking up to news of a downed tree in their area. As of 8:30 a.m., PennDOT officials in Westmoreland County were reporting several downed trees either blocking the road or laying on utility wires...
Landslide closes Beaver Grade Road in Moon
State transportation officials announced that Beaver Grade Road in Moon would be closed Saturday morning due to a landslide. PennDOT officials made the announcement just after midnight Saturday morning. A portion of the road between Duckhorn and Montour Run roads will be closed until further notice. The detour from south...
Injured Citizens Hose EMT Kelly Jackson on the road to recovery
Injured Citizens Hose emergency medical technician Kelly Jackson is coming home — or at least closer to it. After nearly a week in a Pittsburgh hospital, the Tarentum woman was transferred late Thursday to Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison to continue physical therapy. “She’s doing pretty good,” said Lori Miller,...
Allegheny-Kiski Health Foundation offering free EMT training
In an ongoing bid to thwart the nationwide trend of dwindling first responders, the Allegheny-Kiski Health Foundation has announced its fourth round of free emergency medical technician training. Classes are expected to begin in March at the facility on Acee Drive. “We’re all so short-handed,” Citizens Hose Supervisor Jim Erb...
The Stroller, Jan. 13, 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. Who Knew? program to discuss extreme winter weather The Who Knew?...
East Deer commissioners mull water rate increase
While believing the township is being overcharged on water rates, the East Deer commissioners will consider a rate adjustment at their February meeting to brace for an increase from Tarentum Borough, its water supplier. During a Thursday meeting, commissioners Chairman Tony Taliani gave his colleagues information on what Tarentum currently...
Court-appointed defense lawyers costs nearly doubled in 2023
A change implemented last year in how Westmoreland County pays defense lawyers appointed by judges to represent indigent criminal defendants nearly doubled costs for the program in 2023. Faced with opposition from the pool of lawyers who sought
higher pay, the county in June shifted back to a system where...
Westmoreland square dancers, rabbits, cheese recognized at state farm show
Fancy footwork and big ears were behind some of the prizes awarded to Westmoreland County residents at this week’s Pennsylvania State Farm Show. Two teams from the Westmoreland Squares 4-H Club earned blue ribbons for taking all the right steps in their square dancing performances. And a North Huntingdon girl...
Housing authority sets construction goals for 2024
Tenants could begin moving into the Westmoreland County Housing Authority’s newest facility as early as May, officials said Friday. Construction of the 50-unit Grand View Senior Residences development in North Huntingdon started last year and is expected to be completed this spring, according to housing authority Executive Director Michael Washowich....
Officials identify 2 men found dead in vehicle in Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood
Officials have identified two men who on Friday were found dead in their vehicle after it crashed into a structure in Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood, Pittsburgh police said. Police said that first responders found two unconscious men in the vehicle that had crashed in the 200 block of Carver Street. Both...
Police investigate fatal shooting in Arnold; victim identified
A man was found fatally shot in Arnold early Friday evening, a Westmoreland County Public Safety supervisor said. The victim was found dead by an Arnold police officer about 6 p.m. in the 1600 block of Cherry Alley, authorities said. Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson identified the victim as Allen...
Police arrest Pittsburgh man in baby’s death
A Pittsburgh man has been arrested in connection with the death of a 5-day-old infant last month, Pittsburgh police said Friday. The suspect, Shawn Martin, 30, who was accused of the death on Dec. 16 of Jah’Shawn O. Martin, was arrested in the city’s Brookline neighborhood on Friday by Pittsburgh...
Court again rejects cyanide killer Ferrante’s appeal, upholds murder conviction
The Pennsylvania Superior Court on Friday again affirmed the murder conviction of a former University of Pittsburgh neuroresearcher imprisoned for fatally poisoning his wife, a renowned neurologist. Robert Ferrante, 75, is being held in the State Correctional Institution at Houtzdale, where he is serving a mandatory life sentence for the...
Union workers contend bankrupt Latrobe plastics company conducted unfair labor practices
A small group of union workers at a bankrupt Latrobe plastics company have been picketing outside the plastics plant the past few days to protest the firm’s failure to recall them back to their jobs. Westmoreland Plastics Inc. laid off its union workforce of about 14 workers in December when...
McDonald’s employee celebrates retirement after 45 years
Dorothy “Dot” Sharp took her last order Friday — an Egg McMuffin meal — after 45 years of working at McDonald’s. The final customer? Her granddaughter. “It’s very sad for me to do this, but I figured it was time,” said Sharp, 84, of Hampton. Sharp’s tenure at the chain...
Greensburg Art Center to showcase members’ work, teach window screen painting
The Greensburg Art Center will host its annual member artwork showcase and teach a Cafe Art class on a unique painting method. About 100 people are submitting about 200 pieces of art to the free showcase — including photography, pottery, sculptures and painting. The event will run from Jan. 20...
Delmont starts calculating how to implement stormwater authority fees
Delmont officials were already behind the eight ball a bit when it came to stormwater. The borough is a party to two state consent orders, one that specifically addresses stormwater making its way into the borough’s sewage system. In addition, its status as a borough meant there were some extra...
Parkway East ramp at Forest Hills reopens after tractor-trailer overturned
The Parkway East ramp from Forest Hills/Route 30 to westbound Interstate 376 has reopened after being forced to closed due to an overturned tractor-trailer, PennDOT announced. The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. Friday. It is unclear what caused the crash. No injuries were reported....
After a rough week, Astrobotic finds silver lining in Peregrine mission
After a disastrous wave of setbacks, Pittsburgh space company Astrobotic is seeing things through a new lens. Astrobotic confirmed Wednesday that an image of a curved sliver in space taken from its Peregrine lander was Earth viewed from tens of thousands of miles away. That photo seemed to turn spirits...
Volunteering is a rewarding way of life for area seniors, retirees
Helping others runs in the family for twin sisters Martha Koval of Delmont and Jane Szczygiel of Hempfield. Volunteerism was instilled by their parents, Mary and George Zimmerman, as they were growing up in Delmont. It’s how they’ve continued to direct their talents now that they’ve reached their golden years,...
