Penn Hills Progress category, Page 6
PennDOT cancels planned Rodi Road weekend closure
The forecast for bad weather this weekend has prompted PennDOT to cancel closing Rodi Road this weekend. Rodi Road, also known as Route 791, was supposed to be closed between Maple Lane and Business Route 22 (William Penn Highway) starting Friday night through Monday morning. The closure also was supposed...
Computer/video game museum relocates from Baltimore to former Penn Hills municipal building
Brendan “The Everything Guy” Becker lost four board members when he chose to relocate the Bloop Museum from outside Baltimore to Pittsburgh. And he doesn’t regret it. The Pittsburgh address is 12245 Frankstown Road — the old Penn Hills Municipal Building. Becker, 45, said he couldn’t pass up a space...
Seneca Hills Village Singers present Memorial Day concert to honor veterans
The Seneca Hills Village Singers gathered for a special Memorial Day concert May 26 to celebrate veterans and honor the men and women who lost their lives while serving our country. The chorus staged a 45-minute concert for residents and visitors of Seneca Senior Living along Saltsburg Road in Penn...
Pickleball popularity presents sustainability problems with plastic balls
When pickleball exploded in recent years as America’s favorite sport, the pastime came with collateral damage — plastic neon-colored balls piling up in landfills. More than 500 million pickleballs are manufactured each year, seemingly with nowhere to go, said Jeff Pepper, an avid player from Verona. “The number is huge,”...
Penn Hills officials announce cooling centers during heat wave
Penn Hills officials have released resources for residents during this week’s extreme heat warning in Allegheny County. “Extreme heat often results in the highest annual number of deaths among all weather-related disasters,” said a release from the township. The Penn Hills Library on Stotler Road is open Monday until 8...
Penn Hills woman recognized for decades of volunteerism to promote literacy
Kimberley Robinson grew up with reading being a fundamental skill in her household. Almost every day she and her brother were charged to learn new words, knowing the definitions, using them in sentences and comprehending their meanings. In her adult years, she has followed her mother’s lead of teaching the...
Ronald Porter’s WPIAL gold highlights school year in Penn Hills sports
Ronald Porter III’s willingness to try something new as a junior and his quick progress from there allowed him to do something during his senior season that was the highlight of the athletics programs at Penn Hills during the 2024-25 school year. Porter initially came out for track wanting to...
Penn Hills grad Dontae Pollard glad to be out of transfer portal, eager to play for Temple
Dontae Pollard didn’t feel good either time he entered the transfer portal to find a new home to play college football. Both times, the quick reaction he drew from schools helped provide him comfort. Pollard recently announced he would use his final season of eligibility at Temple following two years...
Family of Ohio blast victim reaches $6.1M settlement in wrongful death lawsuit
The family of Akil Drake, a 27-year-old Penn Hills native who died May 28, 2024, in the Realty Tower explosion in Ohio, landed a $6.1 million settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit. Patrick McFarland, who represents Drake’s estate, filed the settlement in March. On April 11, a motion was filed...
In brief: Roundup of events in the Penn Hills area for the week of June 23, 2025, and beyond
Fire departments collecting cases of water The Penn Hills Volunteer Fire Department is in need of cases of bottled water and electrolyte drinks to benefit the firefighters of the municipality’s six stations. During the summer months, fire departments can quickly deplete their supply of bottled water. Everyone is welcome to...
2 mail carriers in Verona earn Million Mile awards for safe driving
The National Safety Council and the U.S. Postal Service recently recognized two mail carriers from the Verona Post Office for their safe driving records. The NSC Million Mile Award is given to drivers who complete either 1 million miles of driving or 30 years of driving without a preventable accident....
Eastern Pittsburgh suburban real estate transactions for the week of June 15, 2025
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Churchill Joshua Holizna sold property at 2523 Collins Road to Hunter Shreffler and Olivia Bitting for $265,000. Thomas Antonacci sold property at 2513 Creekedge Drive to April Simpson for $242,500. Ashleigh Renee Bartges sold property at 1507 Williamsburg Place to Diana Payne for $199,900. Jan Swensen sold property...
Penn Hills School Board member censured, faces possible removal
A Penn Hills School Board member has been censured for a social media post and is facing possible removal from the board. The May voting meeting’s agenda featured a motion to censure board member Devon Goetze. Board member Robert Marra presented the censure and attributed it to a Facebook post...
51st Oakmont Greek Food Festival to feature traditional food, music
Some extra food is being made in preparation for the 51st Oakmont Greek Food Festival presented by the Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church at 12 Washington Ave. later this month. Event co-chair Andy Gavrilos said last year’s festival ended in disappointment for some attendees when a few of...
Father of man killed in Penn Hills hookah lounge shooting files wrongful death lawsuit
The father of a man shot and killed last year at the Ballers Hookah Lounge and Cigar Bar in Penn Hills is suing the business and its operators. The plaintiffs — Nathaniel Smiley Sr., whose son, Nathaniel Smiley Jr., was killed, and Earon Chambers, who was wounded — filed the...
Penn Hills School Board results: 7 candidates earn party nods for November general election
Newcomers and incumbents for the Penn Hills School Board will be making an appearance on the November ballot. According to unofficial election results from the Allegheny County Office of Elections, out of nine candidates, Democratic newcomers Monica Colbert, 51, Dawn Golden, 54, and Reginald Hickman, 51, and incumbent Nicole Richardson,...
Plum author details RIDC’s efforts to revitalize Pittsburgh region over 7 decades
The Regional Industrial Development Corporation is marking its 70th year of helping guide southwest Pennsylvania’s turbulent economic journey spurred by the steel industry collapse. Plum native Jeff Fraser tells the company’s tale in a newly released book, “Rebuilding Pittsburgh: RIDC and the Transformation of the Steel City.” It details RIDC’s...
Eastern Pittsburgh suburban real estate transactions for the week of June 8, 2025
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Chalfant Estate of Anna Reabe sold property at 125 Wilkins Ave. to AAE Engineering LLC for $63,000. Churchill Timothy Mullins sold property at 12 Lewin Ln to Bryce Cooper for $390,000. Cedar Brook Properties Funding 1 LLC sold property at 140 Thornberry Drive to Robert and Jeannette Fisher...
Verona man arrested in connection with December robbery and shooting
Verona police made an arrest Friday morning in connection with a December robbery and shooting in the borough. According to Verona Officer Thomas Dessell, Price Riley, 37, was wanted for allegedly robbing his Uber driver and later firing a gunshot inside a gas station bathroom in December. “With the assistance...
Penn Hills couple displaced after large tree crashes into their home
The American Red Cross is assisting a Penn Hills couple after a large tree fell into their home Thursday evening. Penn Hills Fire Chief Joe McMeekin said crews were called to the 700 block of Southern Avenue around 8:40 p.m. They found a huge tree that fell from the rear...
Penn Hills man charged following alleged assault outside family court
A Penn Hills man faces a dozen criminal charges after he allegedly assaulted the mother of his two children, and the children, outside of the Family Court Center in Downtown Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Charges against Marlon McMillan, 36, include aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and endangering the welfare of...
Ross Exceptional Citizens Expo brings out the kid in everyone
Elise Terry’s three children were thrilled to see the big trucks, but she saw another benefit to bringing them to the Exceptional Citizens Expo in Ross on Saturday, May 31. “It’s important for them to know the people that keep us safe and the safety rules,” said Terry of Ross,...
Eastern Pittsburgh suburban real estate transactions for the week of June 1, 2025
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Chalfant Anise Petite sold property at 134 Parkway Ave. to Frank Smart Family Realty LLC for $25,000. Churchill Jack Williams sold property at 2283 Elmhill Road to Samuel Isac and Carla McNulty Teasdale for $476,850. Forest Hills Estate of Carlena Yvonne Harris sold property at 1987 Centurion Drive...
Penn Hills-based community center enters phase 2 of renovation project
A Penn Hills-based organization is breaking ground to build up the community. The Young Black Motivated Kings & Queens (YBMKQ) De’Avry A. Thomas Community Center received a $1 million check May 29 from state Rep. Joe McAndrew and state Sen. Jay Costa to begin phase 2 of its renovation project....
Questions remain unanswered on 12th anniversary of Trib employee’s disappearance
Dan Niehaus preferred actions over words. Despite being prone to silence with the occasional “hello” and “thank you,” Niehaus of Penn Hills was known as a reliable man and a hard worker. “Dan was a nice guy, but he didn’t talk at all,” said Todd Besh, Trib Total Media production...
