Greensburg dog walker hit by drunk SUV driver, police say
A woman who was walking her dog in Greensburg was hit by an intoxicated driver moments after she threatened to call police because she saw the person stumble out of a bar and get behind the wheel of an SUV, according to court papers. The driver — Shannon Leigh Ryan,...
Ray A. Shetler’s trial for assault of a police officer set to begin
Trial is expected to begin Wednesday morning in the case of a New Florence man who is accused of assaulting police officers. A jury was empaneled Tuesday and will hear evidence against Ray A. Shetler Jr., 39. He has been in jail awaiting trial since his arrest in December 2021...
Essential Utilities sells 3 microgrids in Allegheny County for $165M
Water and natural gas utility, Essential Utilities, Inc. is selling three non-utility microgrid and district energy properties — at Pittsburgh International Airport, a local hospital and Allegheny County government buildings — for $165 million. The buyer is Cordia, a Phoenix-based energy company that is looking to expand its footprint in...
‘Born into it’: Hampton mother, daughter excel at competitive roller skating
Every four years, the winter TV schedule is dominated for a few weeks by competition among the world’s finest skaters. At least, that applies to the ones who take to the ice. “We’ve been trying to get into the Olympics for as long as I can remember,” Hampton resident Kathy...
Those in solitary confinement unit at Fayette prison face ‘cruel and unusual punishment,’ lawsuit says
Five people who have spent years in solitary confinement at a Fayette County state prison are suing the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and prison administrators, alleging that people housed there are subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. The lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, also includes claims for due process violations...
Mt. Pleasant Township man accused of stabbing elderly mother
A man accused of stabbing his elderly mother multiple times while she slept in their Mt. Pleasant Township home early Tuesday told authorities he thought she was a Nazi war criminal, according to court documents. Kort Noel Eckman, 45, was placed in the Westmoreland County Jail awaiting arraignment Tuesday on...
New Kensington man accused of check forgery ordered to stand trial
A New Kensington man has been ordered to stand trial for forgery after being accused of depositing a check that was erroneously delivered to his home. Paul James Zielinski, 50, of the 500 block of North Street was charged Aug. 18 with a count of felony forgery and was released...
Lawsuit claims nurse killed 3rd victim with insulin, blames Lower Burrell nursing home
A woman charged with killing two nursing home patients in Butler County by overdosing them with insulin faces new allegations that she caused a third such death at a Lower Burrell health care facility where she was a supervisor. The claims are part of a wrongful death lawsuit filed Tuesday...
Three juveniles charged, security heightened after gun-passing incident at Hempfield high school
Hempfield Area High School students on Tuesday were met by a robust police presence and handheld metal detectors — a response to guns being found at school a day earlier, and three 15-year-old students have been charged in connection with the incident. Lines stretched across the gym and around the...
Record October heat possible in Pittsburgh before temps plummet
Pittsburghers will be dealing with potentially record-breaking heat for much of the week before a dramatic cold shift this weekend. Meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Moon said Allegheny County might experience patchy fog Tuesday morning, followed by a mostly sunny day with “unseasonably warm” temperatures. The temperature should...
Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra sets opening night of 55th season
The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra will offer a fan-friendly program Oct. 14 to open its 55th season. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg, featuring a program of romantic pieces. The concert will open with Khachaturian’s “Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia,” followed by Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and...
Community college presents work of artist in residence in October
Fiona Avocado, artist in residence at Westmoreland County Community College, visted the campus on Monday as part of the public reception for their work at the Science & Innovation Center Gallery. The artist in residence program exposes students to a practicing artist through workshops and discussions. An Art Market will...
Woman dies in Allegheny County’s first West Nile virus case of 2023
Officials have identified the first human case of West Nile virus in 2023 in Allegheny County. The woman, who was in her 80s and lived in Pittsburgh’s Elliott neighborhood, experienced fever and weakness, leading to hospitalization, the Allegheny County Health Department said Monday. She died in late September. The state...
Police say Beechview woman contributed to friend’s fentanyl-related death
A Pittsburgh woman has been criminally charged with contributing to the fentanyl-related death of her best friend. Scott police on Monday charged Mackenzie Bell, 24, of Beechview with criminal conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility in the March 11 death of Allison Schreiner, 24, of Scott Township, according...
Morning roundup: Fire impacts 3 Murrysville businesses; arrest made in robbery of 2 Pitt students
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Oct. 3: Fire in Murrysville impacts 3 businesses A fire broke out in a business building early Tuesday in Murrysville. The fire was reported at about 2:30 a.m.on the 4000 block of William Penn Highway. The structure houses...
The Stroller, Oct. 3, 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. Tickets on sale for Casino Theatre magic show The Casino Theatre...
Greensburg hopes to raze shuttered parking garage by Westmoreland Hospital
Greensburg officials have a plan in place for demolishing the city’s shuttered J. Edward Hutchinson Parking Garage, but the state’s blessing is needed. The garage has been closed for about two years, since the city determined it wasn’t worth the projected cost of more than $2 million to extend the...
4 weekend fires in New Kensington, Arnold — 3 on same street — being treated as suspicious
Investigators are trying to determine whether four fires that erupted over the weekend — including one that sent a firefighter to the hospital with serious injuries — were deliberately set and connected to one another. Three of the four fires were on Leishman Avenue and one was on Fourth Avenue....
Fired Pittsburgh Regional Transit employee sues union over handling of covid-19 vaccine mandate
A former bus driver with Pittsburgh Regional Transit is suing the union that used to represent him, alleging that union officers colluded with the agency and failed to protect the drivers who opposed the covid-19 vaccine mandate. Jon Lutz was terminated as a result of the vaccine mandate imposed by...
Greensburg Salem Education Foundation seeks $50K in donations to match alumnus’ gift
Donations to the Greensburg Salem Education Foundation will have double the impact in the coming months. Each contribution to the endowment fund will be matched by the family of Bill Lendl, a 1980 graduate and entrepreneur who was honored earlier this year as a distinguished alumnus. Up to $50,000 will...
Derry Township man on trial, accused of installing trip wire on stairs to kill wife
The fate of a Derry Township man hinges on whom jurors believe. Prosecutors plan to present evidence during trial this week that William Joseph Dankesreiter Jr., 63, set up a trip wire at the top of his basement steps three years ago in hopes that his wife would fall down...
Ward rips Shapiro over handling of sexual harassment complaint against top aide
Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward lashed out at Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration Monday over its handling of a sexual harassment allegation made by a female worker against a top aide of the governor. Ward, R-Hempfield, said it was “unacceptable” that Mike Vereb, Shapiro’s secretary of legislative affairs, remained...
President of Trulieve Cannabis retires
The president of Trulieve Cannabis Corp. has stepped down, effective Oct. 1. Steve White will continue to serve as a strategic adviser for the cannabis company until his anticipated retirement at the end of this year. Mr. White co-founded Harvest Health & Recreation in 2011 and served as its CEO...
Viatris to sell several business segments for almost $7 billion
Pharmaceuticals giant Viatris Inc. said Monday it has agreed to sell several business segments in a planned divestiture. The Cecil-based company will sell substantially all of its Over-the-Counter (OTC) business, Women’s Healthcare business, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients business in India. The company is also selling commercialization rights that were acquired when...
Another gun detected at Pittsburgh International; airport on pace for record number of confiscations, TSA says
The Transportation Security Administration confiscated a loaded handgun from a Georgia man at Pittsburgh International Airport on Friday, the third gun intercepted at the airport in a week, officials said. “We are on the cusp of setting a new all-time high in the number of guns our team has detected...
