Western PA Local News category, Page 818
Girl Scout cookies cost more dough this year
Girl Scout cookies are back, but they’ll take a bigger bite out of your pocketbook this year. Boxes cost $6, up from $5 last year. The cookies will be available until March 24. Emily Ruffing, public relations and marketing coordinator for Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania, said the price increase will...
Latrobe consultant to create plan for possible walking, biking improvements in Greensburg
Gibson-Thomas Engineering will work with a steering committee to study Greensburg’s environment for walkers and bicyclists, among others. The city council on Monday selected the Latrobe firm as its consultant for developing an active transportation plan. Such a plan emphasizes forms of mobility including “walking, biking, using a wheelchair, connecting...
Age no barrier for newly elected female mayor in Leechburg
Doreen Smeal of Leechburg received a unique gift on her 70th birthday. A mayoral title. She was sworn in Dec. 29 as the second female mayor of the borough she has called home her entire life. “I live in my late grandfather’s house,” Smeal said Monday while stopping by the...
Plum honors Rustic Ridge resident for heroism, elevates interim manager
Plum has honored a man for his heroism in the aftermath of the Rustic Ridge explosion, while also taking a step to help the borough’s government move forward from the August catastrophe that left six dead. Greg Renko, president of the Rustic Ridge homeowners association, received a proclamation honoring him...
Faulty valve, ruptured tank thwart ‘soft landing’ on moon for Astrobotic’s PeregrineVideo
Pittsburgh-based space company Astrobotic theorized Tuesday that its lunar mission was undone by a malfunction in the lander’s propulsion equipment. Astrobotic sought to make history with the first commercial lunar landing, but a fuel leak on the spacecraft after launch scuttled any possibility of that. The lander, dubbed Peregrine, has...
Survey seeks input from young adults with disabilities
Young adults who have disabilities are being asked to participate in a survey being conducted by the Westmoreland County Department of Human Services. The survey is aimed at finding out what resources are helpful and where additional assistance might be needed. Its target audience is for young adults who have...
Police accuse Parks Township man of stealing thousands from relatives’ bank account
A Parks Township man is accused of stealing more than $9,000 from his parents’ bank account, police said. Brandon Watterson, 52, was charged via summons Friday by state police with six felony counts, including theft, theft by deception and access device fraud. Watterson faces a preliminary hearing March 28 before...
Brighton Heights woman charged with killing man over drugs, sex, money
A Brighton Heights woman was jailed Tuesday on charges that she fatally shot an Arlington man last month in a confrontation that police said revolved around illicit drugs, sex and a $700 CashApp payment. Jaelyn Nowlin, 20, is charged with killing Grant Gibeault, 25, in his apartment in the 2200...
Unity man arrested after robbery at Sugar Shack pizza shop
A Unity man is behind bars after state police said he robbed a pizza and pastry shop with a knife on Monday. Austin Miles Lewis, 23, had about $150 when troopers apprehended him near his home, according to court papers. Troopers were called to The Sugar Shack Pizza & Pastry...
Hempfield interim superintendent to remain in role for 3 more months
Hempfield Area Superintendent Tammy Wolicki will remain on a leave for another three months for unspecified reasons, school board members said Monday. The board approved interim superintendent Kimberlie Rieffannacht to remain in her role while Wolicki is off. Rieffannacht is the assistant superintendent for elementary education in the district. Her...
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...
