Saxonburg borough secretary accused of shooting dog, tossing it in dumpster
Saxonburg’s borough secretary has been charged with fatally shooting his neighbor’s dog in Buffalo Township and tossing the dead animal’s carcass into a dumpster outside the municipal building where he works. Steven Thomas May, 43, of the 200 block of Goldscheitter Road was charged Wednesday with a felony count of...
The Stroller, Dec. 21, 2023: 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 Leechburg PATH program The Leechburg Food Bank and...
‘Together now’: New Kensington couple, both on life support, die on same day
The family of Gerald and Nancy Stadterman takes comfort in believing the New Kensington husband and wife are together again. In a tragic turn of events, both died on the same day last week after being removed from life support at separate hospitals. Gerald Robert Stadterman and Nancy Jean Stadterman,...
Westmoreland commissioners expected to pass 32.5% tax hike
Westmoreland commissioners are expected to implement the largest county property tax increase in more than two decades when they meet Thursday morning to approve the 2024 operating budget. The proposal calls for taxpayers to see a 32.5% increase next year through two separate levies, one that will fund general government...
Man killed in Derry Township crash
A man was killed Wednesday afternoon in a one-vehicle crash in Derry Township, the Westmoreland County coroner said. Derek W. Skillings, 40, of the township, died of blunt force injuries when his southbound Dodge Caliber hit a tree after leaving the right side of Pandora Road at 2:20 p.m., Coroner...
Western Pa. faithful react to Pope’s same-sex couples edict — could bring ‘new era of openness’
For Donna Fischer, Pope Francis’ statement permitting priests to bless same-sex couples is a step in the right direction for the LGBTQ community. The Vatican released a document Monday elaborating on a letter Francis wrote to two cardinals that was published in October. The document affirms that priests can bless...
Unity man in cryptocurrency theft to lose house, begin 3-year prison sentence in January
A Unity man who is to start serving a three-year prison sentence Jan. 2 after pleading guilty to being part of a California cryptocurrency theft ring, may need a new home when he gets out of jail. The federal government intends to sell the house he purchased for $942,500 in...
Loyalhanna house gutted by fire, family left homeless right before Christmas
A Loyalhanna family of four was left homeless Wednesday afternoon by a fire that caused extensive damage to their two-story house, a fire official said. No one was injured in the accidental fire that appeared to start in the living room of the two-story Stewart Avenue home, Saltsburg Assistant Fire...
Giant Eagle to move headquarters to Cranberry
Giant Eagle plans to move its headquarters from the RIDC Park in O’Hara to Cranberry. Officials said Wednesday the company signed a long-term lease on a four-story, 100,000-square-foot building at 700 Cranberry Woods Drive in the Cranberry Woods Business Park. It declined to renew its lease at 701 Alpha Drive...
Does Colorado ruling open door for more states to bar Trump from ballots?
Experts in constitutional law believe the Colorado Supreme Court decision barring former President Donald Trump from the primary ballot in the 2024 election likely will result in similar challenges in state and federal courts across the country. “It is the quintessential example of how state courts are becoming our new...
Shrinking resource: Customers heed conservation order but Beaver Run Reservoir continues drop toward record-low level
When Barb Daugherty drives on Story Road to and from her home in Slickville, she often glances over at the Beaver Run Reservoir. The water levels for the last few months have been concerning. “It has been the lowest I have ever seen it,” she said. Daugherty feels the pinch...
Export teen sentenced to prison term for Jeannette shooting
An Export man pleaded guilty Wednesday to shooting two men in a Jeannette home in October 2020. Khalil Myers, 19, was originally charged with attempted homicide and aggravated assault in connection with a shooting that injured two men at a South Third Street home. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge...
White supremacist from W.Va. sentenced for threatening jury and witnesses at synagogue shooter’s trial
WHEELING, W.Va. — A self-proclaimed white supremacist was sentenced to more than six years in federal prison Wednesday for making online threats toward the jury and witnesses at the trial of a man who killed 11 congregants at a Pittsburgh synagogue. Hardy Carroll Lloyd, 45, of Follansbee, West Virginia, was...
Leechburg Area School District staff serves students during Christmas-themed lunch
Leechburg Area School District employees and administrators dressed up as holiday characters Wednesday to serve a Christmas-themed lunch to students. “This is the first year that we’re dressing up and spreading holiday cheer,” Superintendent Tiffany Nix said. “The joy on the students’ faces was priceless.” Nix, dressed as Olaf from...
Clairton man headed to court on charges of shooting Monroeville police officer in Allegheny Township
A Clairton man on Wednesday waived to court charges of attempted homicide after being accused of shooting a Monroeville police officer during a November car chase through Allegheny Township. Bruce Alvarado, 39, of Toman Avenue was scheduled for a preliminary hearing at Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec’s office for charges that...
Christmas tree recycling programs open drop-off sites
Pittsburgh and Allegheny County officials are encouraging residents not to let their live Christmas trees end up in a landfill after the holidays. Both the city and the county launched their annual recycling programs on Tuesday. Pittsburgh’s program allows people to drop off trees at one of 11 drop-off sites...
Judge denies bond for driver in crash that killed Serra Catholic student
An Allegheny County judge on Wednesday denied bond for the man accused of killing a 15-year-old Serra Catholic student in a crash as she was on her way to school in September, writing that he found him to be a risk to the community. William Soliday II, 43, of North...
Charges dropped against Parks man accused of shooting at woman while family was arranging funeral
Charges were withdrawn on Tuesday against a Parks Township man accused of firing a shot at a woman who was with a group of family members gathering to make funeral arrangements for his father. State police charged Jeffrey Lynn Walker, 38, of the 1200 block of Ridge Road with a...
Rescue Plan Act comes to the aid of Tarentum’s failing water system, other area projects
Tarentum officials were praying for a miracle to salvage the borough’s failing water distribution system. On Tuesday, they got one. The borough is among 15 Alle-Kiski Valley municipalities and water authorities to split nearly $7 million in federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act. “We believe that access to...
Hempfield Area students plead guilty to weapons charges
Three teens charged in juvenile court were admonished by a judge Wednesday after they agreed to plead guilty to possessing guns at Hempfield Area High School in October. Earl Aughinbaugh, 15, pleaded guilty to nine criminal counts including multiple felony charges of theft, possessing a gun on school property, illegal...
Pittsburgh’s space company Astrobotic sets new lunar launch date
After its first scheduled launch for Christmas Eve was canceled, Pittsburgh space company Astrobotic has set a new date to send their lunar lander to the moon. Astrobotic announced this past week that its Peregrine lunar lander will launch Jan. 8, 2024. The company said the lander completed all integration...
Judge overturns citations issued to ex-Fawn supervisor accused of harassing officer at his new job
A former Fawn supervisor who was found guilty in October of harassing a police officer in Armstrong County and following his vehicle too closely has had both convictions overturned. David A. Montanari, 64, of the 1600 block of Bull Creek Road in Fawn was issued a citation by Manor Township...
Westmoreland happenings: Christmas candlelight service, Zumba party, senior news, more
Church news • Community Church of Hecla, 537 Hecla Road, Mt. Pleasant Township, will have a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7 p.m. Dec. 24. Details: 724-396-8065 or 724-244-2586. Fundraiser • Lincoln Heights Civic Association will have bingo from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 21 at the center, 42 Millersdale...
News helicopter crashes in N.J. forest, killing pilot and photographer
PHILADELPHIA — A news helicopter has crashed in a forest in New Jersey, killing the pilot and photographer on board, the television station said. “A pilot and a photographer from our news team were in the helicopter when it went down while returning from an assignment at the Jersey Shore”...
Nearly 20 tons of ice cream spills on I-80
Rolled ice cream got a whole new meaning in an incident about 90 minutes from Pittsburgh. A tractor-trailer carrying 39,000 pounds of ice cream overturned early Wednesday morning in a crash on Interstate 80 in Clarion County. The big rig rolled onto the interstate near the Emlenton Bridge in Northwest...
