Police: Derry Township constable used fake arrest warrants to scam money from victims
A Derry Township constable is accused by police of pocketing $3,816 that nine victims paid him last year, believing he would take care of their court matters — some of which didn’t exist, according to court papers. Brian William McDowell, 35, allegedly tried to get money from five more people...
Pittsburgh salt truck driver faces discipline following sideswipes in Lawrenceville
A Pittsburgh Public Works Department salt truck driver is facing discipline after sideswiping three vehicles in Lawrenceville on Sunday, a city official said Friday. Public Works Director Mike Gable said officials served the driver, who has not been identified, with a disciplinary notice, but won’t decide what that might include...
Man sets himself on fire amid Czech commemoration event
PRAGUE — Czech officials say a man has been seriously injured after he set himself on fire in downtown Prague amid commemorative events to remember a student who burned himself to death 50 years ago to inspire resistance against the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. Police say the man born...
At 110 years old, Allegheny Valley Hospital keeps growing
Allegheny Valley Hospital will be remembering its history and investing in its future in this, its 110th year. That will include saying goodbye to a large piece of its past. The hospital’s administration building, dating from 1928, is slated to be torn down this spring. It’s among many projects recently...
West Deer considers adding more ‘Little Free Libraries’ in the township
West Deer hasn’t had a public library for a while but one supervisor aims to create a bunch of little ones soon. Township Supervisor Arlind Karpuzi has proposed creating a number of “Little Free Libraries” to his fellow supervisors. “Little Free Libraries” are book sharing outlets in which books are...
Sen. Bob Casey ends consideration of a presidential run in 2020
HARRISBURG — U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is ending any consideration of joining a potentially crowded Democratic field running for president in 2020. Casey’s statement Friday comes a couple months after he dropped hints that he was considering a run, fresh off easily winning a third term in the Senate. The...
Expected snow storm cancels some events around Alle-Kiski Valley
The following events are cancelled: Lower Burrell Saturday: The luncheon bingo scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at the Moose, 499 Reimer St. Details 724-335-4131 Tarentum Saturday: The performance by the band The Gruuve from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 219 E. Sixth Ave. Vandergrift Saturday: Karaoke at the...
Pittsburgh police make arrest in Jan. 7 downtown shooting
Pittsburgh police have made an arrest in a Jan. 7 shooting in downtown Pittsburgh. Roy Joseph Johnson, 23, was arrested overnight, police announced Friday. He was charged with aggravated assault, attempted homicide and reckless endangerment. Johnson allegedly shot another man multiple times in the 900 block of Liberty Avenue around...
Westmoreland court offices closed Monday
Westmoreland County court offices will be closed Monday. The courthouse and district judge offices will not open in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Regular hours will resume Tuesday. Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@tribweb.com or via Twitter @byrenatta....
Pa. food stamp recipients get early payments amid government shutdown
People who depend on food stamps to feed their families face uncertainty as the federal government’s partial shutdown drags on. About 1.8 million Pennsylvanians on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program, commonly known as food stamps, received their February benefits on Friday — about two weeks ahead of schedule — because...
Secret talks between U.S., N. Korea take place in Sweden
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Envoys from the United States and North Korea took part in an unannounced high-level meeting in Stockholm on Friday, an official said. Swedish Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Diana Kudhaib said the talks included North Korea’s Deputy Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui but declined to give further details. Sweden’s...
Police: 150 pounds of pot found in bags at Tennessee airport
NASHVILLE — Police in Tennessee say two men were caught at the Nashville International Airport with more than 150 pounds of marijuana in their suitcases. News outlets report 40-year-old Trung Tiey, of Philadelphia, and 56-year-old Tihn Tran, of Murphy, Texas, were arrested Tuesday on felony drug charges. The Metro Nashville...
Zimbabwe in ‘total internet shutdown’ amid violent crackdown
HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe on Friday faced a “total internet shutdown,” a media group said, after a days-long violent crackdown on people protesting a dramatic fuel price increase. Badly injured people streamed into a hospital in the capital after alleged assaults by security forces. “Our country is going through one...
Japan bars women from taking part in emperor’s throne handover
Japan will exclude all female members of the imperial household from participating in one of the key rituals during the throne’s handover from Emperor Akihito to his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, Kyodo news and other Japanese media said Friday. The country has long banned women from inheriting the throne,...
Prince Philip, 97, recovering after car crash
LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II’s 97-year-old husband was recovering Friday at the royal Sandringham estate after the Land Rover he was driving rolled on a nearby highway in a collision with another vehicle. Witness Roy Warne told the BBC he was driving home from work when the accident involving Prince...
Turtle Creek shooting victim expected to survive
A 28-year-old man is expected to survive after being shot in Turtle Creek shortly after midnight Friday, Allegheny County Police said. Turtle Creek police and paramedics went to the 500 block of James Street around 12:20 a.m. after a shooting was reported to 911. The victim found there was suffering...
Winter storm warning issued as snow bears down on Pittsburgh area
A weekend winter storm watch has been upgraded to a winter storm warning for much of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and the region is expected to see more than a half-foot of snow by day’s end Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The winter storm warning is in effect from 10...
Melania Trump reportedly takes government jet to Florida hours after president denies Pelosi a plane
There’s no shutting down Melania Trump. The first lady and first son Barron landed in Florida on Thursday, where ABC says the two them are weekending at the president’s private club Mar-A-Lago. Hours earlier, Politico’s Jake Sherman tweeted the first lady was departing Andrews Air Force base on a government...
North Carolina elections board let green card holder vote
WHITEVILLE, N.C. — A federal judge has chastised election officials in North Carolina who let a Korean woman with a green card vote in three elections. The News & Observer reports Hyo Suk George had lived legally in the country for nearly two decades before a town council member at...
Woman sues luxury resort after severe allergic reaction
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — A luxury Massachusetts resort has been sued by a woman with a nut allergy who landed in the hospital after being served a veggie burger containing cashews. The Berkshire Eagle reports that the suit filed in federal court in Springfield this week against Canyon Ranch Wellness Resort...
Trump meets with N. Korean official at White House amid talk of 2nd summit
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump met with a senior North Korean official at the White House on Friday amid speculation that the two sides could soon announce a second summit between him and Kim Jong Un. Trump welcomed Kim Yong Chol, a former spy chief, who was reported to be...
Romney backs Trump in shutdown showdown, questions Pelosi
OGDEN, Utah — U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said Friday he supports President Donald Trump’s push for a border wall that has led to a government shutdown and questioned why Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t agree to “another few miles” of barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border. Romney also...
Police: Missing 11-year-old girl ‘located and is back home safe’
A missing 11-year-old girl has returned home, according to Pittsburgh police. Ava Scott went missing on Thursday. She had last been seen around 2 p.m. when she walked away from Clayton Academy in the city’s Perry North neighborhood. Police said around 8 a.m. Friday that Scott “has been located and...
Perdue recall: Those chicken nuggets may contain wood
Georgia-based Perdue Foods has recalled more than 68,000 pounds of ready-to-eat frozen chicken nuggets that may be contaminated with wood. The recall applies to 22-ounce plastic bags of gluten-free Perdue Simply Smart Organics breaded chicken breast nuggets with a “best by” date of Oct. 25, 2019. The bags, which bear...
Acmetonia Elementary reopening celebrated in Harmar
Acmetonia Elementary School is bigger, brighter and loaded with high tech enough to take the Allegheny Valley School District’s elementary students into the challenges of the future. At a grand opening Thursday evening, the expanded gym sparkled with the district’s orange and black. The renovated kitchen, cafeteria, and classrooms were...
