No injuries reported in Lower Burrell school bus crash
No injuries were reported Tuesday morning when a school bus carrying students rear-ended a car in Lower Burrell. The fender bender occurred about 9:30 a.m. in the area of Puckety Church Road and Route 56. Police described the incident as minor. The Burrell School District was on a two-hour delay....
Penn-Trafford identifies buyer for former administration building
The former Penn-Trafford School District administration building on Harrison City-Export Road could be renovated for commercial or residential rental units. The district plans to finalize the sale of the building Feb. 6 to Rick Goga, owner of Artistic Pools on Route 130 in Penn Township, according to court documents. Since...
Fox Chapel Area School District officials approve new security upgrades
Fox Chapel Area School District officials are starting off the new year by spending nearly $379,000 on security upgrades. Board members unanimously voted Monday night to approve an approximately $254,900 proposal from Convergint Technologies and a five-year deal with AEC Group at a cost of about $123,700. The meeting agenda...
Scheme to collect false back taxes results in prison term for Jeannette man
A Jeannette man will spend 33 months in a federal prison in connection with his role in a scheme in which participants impersonated IRS officials who demanded immediate payment of fake back taxes. Ronnell Taylor, 41, of Jeannette, also was ordered to spend two years on supervised release after the...
Tech company Excelitas commits to moving global HQ to Pittsburgh’s Strip District
A tech company is poised to move its global headquarters to Pittsburgh’s Strip District, showcasing the region’s continuing success at attracting high-tech businesses. Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Tuesday that Excelitas Technologies has committed to occupying roughly 50,000 square feet of space at 2545 Railroad St. in the Strip. Excelitas, a...
2 tractor-trailers go over an embankment along Pa. Turnpike near Donegal
Two westbound tractor-trailers crashed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike between the Somerset and Donegal exits Tuesday morning, with the vehicles rolling over a snow-covered embankment. The crash happened about 9:15 a.m. near milepost 95, state police said. The turnpike passes over Route 130 in the area. Police said one of the...
Harrison police warn of attempted Kia, Hyundai thefts
Would-be thieves appear to be targeting Kias and Hyundais in Harrison, according to township police. Harrison police Chief Brian Turack said there has been an uptick in people trying to steal the two makes of vehicles over the past month, with at least five cases reported. “They both seem to...
Tree and shrub seedlings for sale through game commission
Tree and shrub seedlings are for sale through the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Howard Nursery. The nursery grows the seedlings for use on state game lands but any surplus is available to Pennsylvanians. Available this year are a variety of evergreens, deciduous trees and shrubs, the majority of which are native...
Morning Roundup: Detectives investigate East Carson vape shop robbery; Pittsburgh officer assaulted serving warrant
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Jan. 9: Detectives seek vape shop robbery suspects Pittsburgh’s Violent Crime Unit detectives are investigating a robbery that occurred in mid-December at a vape shop along East Carson Street in the city’s South Side. Two individuals were captured...
1 dead following fire in Shaler Township
Officials have identified the man who was killed Tuesday morning following a fire at a Shaler Township home. Scott Johnstone, 62, was pronounced dead at the scene along Beyrleye Avenue around 2:30, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner. Another resident was transported to a hospital the dispatcher said. Fire...
After morning snow, above average temperatures, rain forecast for Western Pa. region
After accumulations of snow this weekend and again Tuesday morning, the Western Pennsylvania region can expect rain and higher temperatures this week. Despite a morning that featured slick road conditions amid a mix of snow and rain, Tuesday’s forecast will see a high of 51 degrees, said John Darnley, observation...
The Stroller, Jan. 9, 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. Donations welcome for veterans canine support dogs Angels for Everyday Heroes,...
Failing to reach the moon isn’t a total failure for Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic
They call it a moonshot for a reason. It’s exceedingly difficult. Only about half of all lunar missions have been successful, according to NASA’s database on moon missions. Pittsburgh-based company Astrobotic was attempting to beat the odds Monday by sending its Peregrine lander to the moon to transport cargo for...
2 dead in South Fayette fire where ‘there was a hoarding situation’
Two people were found dead on the second floor of a home that burned Monday afternoon in South Fayette, Allegheny County police said. Residents Benito Bonilla, 81, and Barbara Bonilla, 75, were pronounced dead at the scene — Benito just before 7 p.m. and Barbara around 5:30 p.m. The fire...
Sewickley patrolman Mark Smilek remembered for dedication, bringing joy to others
A Sewickley police officer who died after battling leukemia the past seven years is being remembered as a protector who brought joy to many. Part-time Officer Mark Smilek was a former Pentagon police officer who was at the facility during the 9/11 attacks, with a law enforcement career that spanned...
McKeesport Area security guard accused of inappropriate relationship with student
A McKeesport Area School District security guard is facing charges after she was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old boy, police said. Alexis Brown, 24, of McKeesport, was arrested Monday after an investigation that started in December. She is accused of initiating a sexual relationship with a...
Case proceeds against man in North Side shooting where more than 30 shots were fired
A Pittsburgh man will be tried in Common Pleas court on charges stemming from an August shooting at a North Side afterhours club that left another man critically injured. Sheridan Marsh, 34, was arrested by Pittsburgh police and U.S. Marshals in October, two months after 34 rounds of gunfire were...
Government lawyer accuses Comprehensive Healthcare of shorting workers $20M
It wasn’t an isolated issue or the result of a good-faith mistake that employees at Comprehensive Healthcare’s 15 Western Pennsylvania facilities weren’t being paid for all the hours they worked. Instead, a lawyer with the U.S. Department of Labor told a federal judge Monday, it was part of the company’s...
DA drops alleged rape case after accuser declines to testify
Westmoreland County prosecutors on Monday dismissed rape and related charges against a Blairsville man who police claimed was linked to alleged sexual assaults through DNA evidence. Felony counts of rape, sexual assault, possession of child pornography and other offenses were dropped as jury selection in the case against Lawrence Paul...
Pitt names Ken Gabriel as BioForge CEO
The University of Pittsburgh‘s expansive BioForge initiative has hired its inaugural chief executive officer. Kaigham (Ken) J. Gabriel was appointed to the job, Anantha Shekhar, Pitt senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and medical school dean, announced Monday. Gabriel who already has begun his duties also will serve as...
Man arrested in connection with 2022 Clairton homicide
A 22-year-old man was arrested Monday in connection with the 2022 killing of a Clairton teenager. Daniel Kelly was arrested in connection with the death of Dorian Serrano, who was reported missing in July 2022. Serrano’s remains were found in November of that year near the Montour Trail in Jefferson...
‘He’s proven himself’: Steelers fans say Mason Rudolph should start playoff game
His beloved Pittsburgh Steelers may be serious underdogs heading into Buffalo for a playoff game against the Bills, but Tim Piett remains hopeful. “They have a few injuries like we do,” Piett said, “and I think we have more offensive power than they do.” A Pittsburgh Steelers fan for his...
Greensburg man pleads guilty to Hempfield bank robbery
A Greensburg man pleaded guilty Monday to the robbery of a Hempfield bank two years ago. Jonathan Smith Jr., 31, will remain free on $50,000 unsecured bond until he is sentenced in about three months. He pleaded guilty to charges of robbery, theft, receiving stolen property and making a terroristic...
Students await results of Paint the Plow contest
Students at five Westmoreland County high schools are hoping the snow plows they painted will win PennDOT’s annual Paint the Plow contest. Voting is open online for 10 plows in District 12 that followed the theme “seat belts are always in season.” The plows were painted by students at Albert...
Police kill knife-wielding Upper St. Clair man suffering mental health crisis
Officers from three South Hills police departments opened fire on an Upper St. Clair man having a mental health crisis late Sunday, killing him after he approached them outside his home with a knife, according to Allegheny County Police officials and court records. The man was identified in court records...
