Western PA Local News category, Page 821
‘Violence can’t be the answer’: Pittsburghers with Palestinian roots reflect as war in Gaza enters 4th month
Pittsburgher Ahmed Arafat grew up in Gaza under the specter of war. Then on Dec. 24, Israel Defense Forces fatally shot his cousin while his cousin’s children watched. The man was waving a white flag at the time, trying to evacuate his home, Arafat said. But Arafat, a tech worker...
Realtors see rebound for housing market in 2024, spurred by lower interest rates
Western Pennsylvania’s housing market took a hit last year that real estate agents attributed to higher mortgage rates that priced some buyers out of the market and fewer homes being available for those ready to make a move. “All the companies were down about 131⁄2%,” said Dennis A. Cestra Jr.,...
Innovative Polish Hill company looks to future of robotics, technology
Need a robot that can crawl up a metal wall? How about one with suction cup legs that can go almost anywhere? It won’t be long until robots with those abilities and more become common. In fact, you can see them now in Pittsburgh’s Polish Hill neighborhood. HEBI Robotics is...
Orthodox Christian churches celebrate Christmas, Theophany this weekend
On a blustery, snowy Saturday afternoon at Twin Lakes Park east of Greensburg, a little over a dozen people huddled in a semicircle, singing hymns and watching intently for the Rev. David Hyatt to give his signal. After leading the group in prayer and calling for blessings, Hyatt made his...
Ruby, milk glassware, images from past recall defunct Westmoreland Glass plant
The abandoned Westmoreland Glass Co. plant in Hempfield has deteriorated into a shadow of its former self, but the varieties of glassware produced at the site for nearly a century have not lost their luster for collectors and local historians. “They made high quality white milk glass, and they painted...
What’s that? Robot stands guard at Hempfield concrete business
Editor’s note: “What’s That?” is a recurring feature in the Tribune-Review’s Westmoreland Plus edition. If there’s something you’d like to see explored here, send an email to gtrcity@tribweb.com. A 10-foot statue may surprise some motorists as they pass by the front entrance to a Hempfield concrete company. The steel creation...
Friends remember late Lower Burrell bar owner ‘Mogie’ Magill as loving, passionate
Hundreds of people attended a celebration of life Saturday for David “Mogie” Magill, a popular Lower Burrell restaurant owner who was shot and killed a little over two weeks ago. And as family members and friends remembered of Magill, 64, it was clear to see what prompted the large turnout...
Emergency medical technician struck by sliding car on icy hill in Harrison
What started as a routine traffic control call on Saturday afternoon escalated when an emergency medical technician was hit by a car in Harrison. The EMT was taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, where she was reported to be in stable condition, according to authorities. As wintry weather hit...
Fans celebrate the return of PiratesFest
A sea of black and gold flooded the third floor of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon as fans attended the annual PiratesFest. The event was last held in 2019 at PNC Park. The announcement of its long-awaited return caused quite the excitement and...
Greensburg Community Development Corp. looks to hire events staffer, join forces with SummerSounds
Greensburg Community Development Corp. is looking to hire an events manager, a new position that will be key in the organization’s plan to collaborate with Greensburg’s seasonal SummerSounds concert series. The events manager will be the nonprofit’s second full-time staff member, joining executive director Alec Italiano. According to the online...
Pittsburgh’s autonomous tech will take the stage at annual CES convention in Las Vegas
Autonomous technology in Pittsburgh will be the focus, at least for an afternoon, this week at the world’s largest annual tech event. Members of four Pittsburgh-area companies will step onto a Las Vegas showroom stage Tuesday at the 2024 International CES for a panel discussion on “Building Approachable Autonomous Technology...
East Deer to discuss 5% amusement tax this week; decision could come as early as next month
An amusement tax in East Deer could be enacted as soon as February. The township commissioners Thursday discussed the idea of establishing an amusement tax, in light of scheduled events at the Pittsburgh Brewing Co. facility. Township officials plan to continue the discussion Thursday, said commissioners Chairman Tony Taliani. If...
Police say felon found with stolen gun when SUV was pulled over after fight in New Kensington
A New Kensington man who is not allowed to possess a gun is accused of having a stolen pistol tucked in his waistband when an SUV in which he was a passenger was pulled over. Michael Lamar Harris Sr., 47, of the 300 block of Third Avenue was charged with...
‘Skill’ games become popular, ubiquitous but may not stay legal
Frequent Pittsburgh Mills walker Paul Tyree recently noticed a new form of entertainment during his fitness jaunts around the inside of the Frazer shopping mall. A four-game skills gambling kiosk, each with large, colorful digital displays and an accompanying chair occupy the middle of a corridor that’s visible from Macy’s,...
The Stroller, Jan. 6, 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. Pa. Litter Hawk Youth Award accepting entries Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is...
Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls are set to rise again
Pennsylvania Turnpike toll rates are set to rise starting Sunday for the 16th consecutive year. Here’s what motorists can expect: • A 5% increase. • For passenger vehicles, the most common toll will increase from $1.80 to $1.90 for E-ZPass customers and $4.40 to $4.70 for Toll by Plate. •...
Pittsburgh police: Missing Braddock girl found safe Saturday
A 17-year-old girl with Down syndrome who went missing after she was dropped off early Friday morning at Sto-Rox High School has been found safe, Allegheny County Police said Saturday afternoon. The girl, Kayla Durler, of Braddock, was last seen at a nearby bus stop in Stowe shortly before 10...
Snowstorm forecast prompts vehicle restrictions on Pennsylvania Turnpike, other major routes
Vehicle restrictions will be in place beginning Saturday on portions of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and other major highways in the state as officials prepare for an expected weekend snowstorm. Starting at noon, PennDOT restrictions will take effect on the section of the toll road stretching from the New Stanton exit...
Records reveal gun arrests for suspect in Monroeville police shooting
The man accused of shooting a Monroeville police sergeant after robbing a cookie shop Wednesday night is a convicted criminal with a history of arrests on gun charges dating back nearly a decade. Jamal Brooks, who is charged with wounding the sergeant while spraying his marked police car with 16...
River Road from Apollo to Vandergrift reopens following widespread fuel spill
River Road from Apollo to Vandergrift reopened Saturday morning after a truck leaving Apollo Plaza had its fuel tank damaged Friday afternoon, dumping hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel onto the road. According to Armstrong County 911 dispatchers, the road was reopened by about 7:18 a.m. Saturday, and the spill...
Judge rules former Derry man charged with sexual assaults of multiple teens competent to stand trial
A former Derry man will stand trial in five cases in which he is charged with sexual assaults and other crimes against multiple teenage girls over the last year. Christopher Fraser, 20, was charged last year in connection with allegations he had improper sexual contact with children ranging from 12...
2 men wanted in connection with ATM theft from Downtown business have been apprehended
Both men wanted for allegedly stealing an ATM from a Downtown business on Christmas Eve have been arrested, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday. Raymond Fields III, 59, of Pittsburgh was apprehended Thursday night without incident at a residence along the 2600 block of South 18th Street on Pittsburgh’s...
‘I will never be who I was before the shooting,’ woman shot on Pa. Turnpike tells gunman
As Morgan King drove to her Eastern Pennsylvania home after a weekend in Pittsburgh, the last thing she expected was to be shot in a fit of road rage. King, 40, was hospitalized for five days for injuries suffered from the shot fired by Andrew Skinner, 33, of Monroeville moments...
Judge again orders engineering firm to turn over Fern Hollow Bridge records
A judge on Friday again ordered a balky engineering firm to turn over voluminous records about the Fern Hollow Bridge for his review before he decides whether to give them to lawyers representing victims of the span’s collapse nearly two years ago. The records — unredacted bridge inspection reports and...
Rostraver father will stand trial after July accidental shooting of 4-year-old son
A 4-year-old Rostraver boy continues to recover from a head wound after accidentally shooting himself in July with his father’s gun. Meanwhile, his father was ordered Friday to stand trial on charges of child endangerment and reckless endangerment. The gun was left loaded and unsecured under a bed next to...
