Western PA Local News category, Page 978
6th victim dies from Plum house explosion
For four days, Paul Oravitz fought for his life in the UPMC Mercy burn unit as the Rustic Ridge community prayed. On Wednesday, his fight ended. Oravitz died as a result of injuries suffered in a house explosion Saturday in his home in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood of Plum. He...
Funnel Cake Friday by Sharpsburg-Aspinwall Rotary makes a sweet return
Sharpsburg residents who live near Kennedy Park are in for a sweet surprise. The aroma of fried dough with powdered sugar will be wafting from the concession stand on Aug. 25 during an encore Funnel Cake Friday, hosted by the Sharpsburg-Aspinwall Rotary Club. The event is part of “Music in...
Remembering borough manager who died in explosion: Michael Thomas was ‘a Plum guy through and through’
Andy Zarroli got to know Michael Thomas first as a friend, and then as Plum’s borough manager. And their friendship overcame the fact that Zarroli, 56, is from Philadelphia and Thomas, 57, grew up in Pittsburgh’s Morningside neighborhood. “Mike was a friend of mine. He was a close friend of...
Downtown Pittsburgh data to be tracked by online dashboard
An online dashboard has been launched to provide data on Downtown Pittsburgh as it attempts to reinvent itself after the covid-19 pandemic. IndexPGH is designed to provide metrics including monthly visitors, public transportation ridership, hotel occupancy as well as health and public safety. The numbers are collected by the Allegheny...
Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland undergoes first major renovation, restoration
For the first time in its history, the Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland is undergoing major interior restoration and renovations. The project got underway in late June and includes the installation of air conditioning and new seating, restoration of murals and the grand proscenium arch and electrical upgrades. The music...
Westmoreland law librarian remembered as friendly helping hand to all
Shelves of books and manuals lined the walls and aisles in the law library at the Westmoreland County Courthouse, but it was the puzzles and the librarian who set them out that became the main attraction. Lawyers, county employees and citizens routinely stopped their busy days in Greensburg to add...
Latrobe Council members approve new code enforcement officer
Latrobe council hired a new city code enforcement officer this week.. Daniel Weimer, 52, of Ligonier, was hired. His salary was set at $55,000 per year. Weimer is among 10 people who applied for the job. He’ll replace Jim Nieusma, who retired. Weimer has a bachelor’s degree in geography from...
Carnegie Crafters: Fiber artists create together at library
Three years ago, I, like many of you, found myself feeling restless amid the isolation of the pandemic. I was an avid puzzler, and suddenly the shelves were empty, although I had my own stash. My mother, who crocheted often when I was younger alongside my aunt, expressed that she...
Springdale High School to establish Mabel C. Pratt scholarship fund after late music teacher
An Alle-Kiski Valley music teacher’s legacy will be remembered now in the form of scholarships. Allegheny Valley school directors on Tuesday accepted a distribution from the estate of Mabel C. Pratt for $10,000 to create the Mabel C. Pratt Music-Arts Scholarship Fund. The move is in accordance with Pratt’s will....
Springdale formally joins Riverview in 3 sports
Springdale and Riverview will put the rivalry aside — at least in three sports. The Allegheny Valley School Board on Tuesday gave final approval to a cooperative agreement that allows the schools to have partnerships in wrestling, softball and golf. Board member Paula Moretti said the schools have had an...
Hampton Township School District earns award for financial reporting
For the 20th consecutive year, Hampton Township School District received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. The Government Finance Officers Association, which represents officials throughout the United States and Canada, established the award in 1945. Only about seven to 10 schools districts in Pennsylvania that choose to...
Beaver County DA names new suspect in 2018 Aliquippa killing
More than five years after Rachael DelTondo was gunned down in the driveway of her mother’s Aliquippa home, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office has named a new suspect in the case. Tribune-Review news partner WTAE-TV reported that District Attorney David Lozier named Sheldon Jeter, 25, as the prime suspect...
Westmoreland happenings: Back-to-school bash, ancestry day, music concerts, more
Submissions from nonprofit organizations for Briefly Speaking should be emailed to cpinto-smith@triblive.com. Include a complete address and daytime phone number. Submissions are due at least two weeks prior to the event. Each announcement is printed once; there is no fee. Art • Local artists are invited to a open air...
Peoples restores Rustic Ridge natural gas serviceVideo
Workers from Peoples natural gas purged gas lines Wednesday in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood in preparation for restoring gas service to residents there. According to the borough, the work took place along Rustic Ridge and Brookside drives and Timberwood Court. Peoples spokesman Nick Paradise said purging the lines is part...
Safety tips on natural gas usage and home inspections
Keeping a home fueled by natural gas safe is pretty simple, said Dennis Caveglia, who has operated Valley Plumbing & Heating in his native Leechburg for 40 years. Caveglia, like many working with natural gas, wouldn’t hypothesize about what caused the Plum house explosion Saturday morning that killed six people...
Morning Roundup: 1 killed, 3 hospitalized in Butler County crash
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Aug. 16: 1 killed, 3 hospitalized in Butler County crash State police are investigating after one person was killed and three other people were injured Tuesday in a head-on crash in Butler County’s Oakland Township. Tribune-Review news partner...
Plum girls organize separate charity events to help victims after house explosion
A pint-sized Plum Area School District student put her grief to good use Saturday with an on-the-spot charity event to raise money for victims of the house explosion in Plum. Emmy Halasowski, 7, was understandably shaken and scared Saturday as events unfolded after the deadly explosion on Rustic Ridge Drive...
The Stroller, Aug. 16, 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. Annual Riverbration planned in Kittanning The Kittanning Boat Races Riverbration event...
Westmoreland 250: 10 unique things in Lower Burrell, Upper Burrell
(Editor’s note: To mark Westmoreland County’s 250th birthday this year, we’ve come up with a list of 250 things — 10 things in 25 communities — that we consider to be important to the makeup of our area. This series will appear each week through December. If you have a...
Rustic Ridge community gathers in 2 places to honor the lives lost in house explosion
Teresa Champion-Feigel and her husband, Tim, walk on the weekends in the neighborhood of Rustic Ridge in Plum. On Saturday, she said she didn’t feel like walking. Her husband suggested they go to the nearby park — Ridge Top Park. “We were walking, and that’s when we heard the explosion,”...
Doctor testifies Delmont child was victim of ongoing abuse, torture
Five-year-old Landon Maloberti suffered bruises over most of his body and massive brain bleeding and was the victim of torture at the hands of his adoptive mother and her husband, according to testimony Tuesday by a physician and child advocate. Dr. Michelle Clayton testified during a preliminary hearing for Lauren...
For one afternoon, Rustic Ridge kids put horrific explosion out of their minds
The corner lot of 154 Rustic Ridge Drive in Plum on Tuesday turned into a therapeutic group session for dozens of kids in the neighborhood — even if they didn’t know it. At least two dozen kids of all ages, from toddler to teen, gathered in the driveway and backyard...
Scott Township Pool celebrates Swimmer Appreciation Day
A dreary sky and strong chance of precipitation pushed back plans for Swimmer Appreciation Day at Scott Township Pool. Some activities did occur as scheduled on Aug. 7, but the main event ended up taking place some 48 hours later. “It turned out to be an awesome day. We’ve got...
Veto override withdrawn for Allegheny County property assessment bill
After a series of successful efforts overriding Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald’s veto, another veto override was withdrawn Tuesday. Allegheny County Council passed a bill in July to establish a new chief assessment officer appointed by council that would render calculations each year of the county’s property tax ratios. That...
Remembering devoted mom who died in Plum explosion: Heather Oravitz was ‘a special wife’
Lindsay and Fran Sciullo thought so highly of Heather and Paul Oravitz that they entrusted to the Oravitzes’ daughter what was most precious to them — their two sons. Taylor Oravitz would babysit the Sciullo boys, Maddox and Brady, when Lindsay and her husband, Fran — educators in the Plum...
