Regional News category, Page 227
Cold front expected to bring snow, high in 30s for start of April
Consider it an April Fool’s joke from Mother Nature. Just one that isn’t very funny. A cold front moving through Southwestern Pennsylvania is expected to bring snow showers and cold temperatures on Thursday, the first day of April. According to David Shallenberger, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in...
Former Beaver County youth soccer treasurer charged with stealing from league
The former treasurer of a Beaver County youth soccer organization is charged in federal court with stealing from the organization over a three-year period to pay for cruises, airline tickets and other personal expenses. Jenessa Tolejko, who volunteered with the Brighton Township-Beaver Soccer Association, is charged by criminal information in...
Thriving mom and pop shops: Falls Market in Ohiopyle offers new hotel rooms
The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation gave a shout-out Monday to local stores, restaurants and outfitters for National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day. A Penn State study on the economic impact of state parks in 2012 estimated park visitors generated more than $1 billion in sales to the state...
Mars man pleads guilty in DNA-testing kickback scheme
A fourth defendant pleaded guilty Monday in a fraud scheme involving kickbacks for genetic testing. The U.S. attorney’s office in Newark, New Jersey said Jeremy Richey pleaded guilty by videoconference to one count of conspiracy to violate anti-kickback statutes. The 40-year-old Mars, Pennsylvania resident was one of six people indicted...
Class dismissed: Couple transforms Greene County school into luxury home, selling for $2.4MVideo
Rick Smith went back to school and took his family with him. He and his wife, Crystal Smith, purchased the former Perry Elementary School in Mount Morris, Greene County, at an auction in 2015. They paid $340,000. Now they are selling it for $2.4 million. They refurbished the building into...
Great Allegheny Passage, named 20 years ago, continues to grow in popularity, importanceVideo
The task of naming the network of trails stretching from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md., was brought up at an initial planning meeting in the mid-1990s. Ideas were thrown out. But naming something that didn’t yet exist took a backseat to the actual work, Linda McKenna Boxx said. “Let’s see if...
Penn Township soldier, other veterans to be recognized for heroism at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial
A Penn Township soldier who was awarded the Silver Star posthumously for his heroic actions to save fellow soldiers 51 years ago in the Vietnam War officially will join a hall of heroes Sunday in Pittsburgh. Army Spc. 4 Larry L. Hohman of Paintertown will be inducted into the Hall...
Feds: Crawford County man called police ‘cowards,’ stormed U.S. Capitol during riots
A Crawford County man called U.S. Capitol Police officers “cowards” and threatened to “go at” them before storming the building with others during the Jan. 6 riots in Washington, D.C., federal authorities said Friday. Jeremy Vorous, 43, of Meadville, is charged with knowingly entering a restricting building without authority, violent...
UPMC doctors recommend antibody treatment early for covid patients
UPMC officials on Friday came together to make a concerted push for monoclonal antibody treatment for covid-19, strongly encouraging covid-positive individuals who are most at risk for hospitalization and death to ask for the treatment. Dr. Erin McCreary, an infectious disease pharmacist, described monoclonal antibodies as “copies of antibodies that...
Pa. hosting Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day after last year’s canceled event
Young anglers have a chance to try their hand at trout fishing this weekend during the statewide Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day. Scheduled for Saturday, anglers age 15 and younger will have the opportunity to hit lakes and streams across the state prior to the opening of trout season on...
Pittsburgh pups nominated for 2021 American Humane Hero Dog Awards
Three Pittsburgh pups are competing for the chance to be named the nation’s Top Hero Dog. More than 400 dogs from across the country are nominated for the 11th annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards, according to an announcement from American Humane. The awards, sponsored by the Lois Pope LIFE...
Some women have lymph node swelling under arm after covid vaccine
Lea Anne Ochs was dismayed when she received a call from UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital about a follow-up ultrasound from a mammogram. “My mammograms had always been normal,” said the 48-year-old from Economy Borough, Beaver County. “It was my routine mammogram. And there was no family history of breast cancer.” The...
High winds topple trees, down wires, disrupt Allegheny County 911 serviceVideo
Strong winds toppled trees and power lines across the region Friday, knocking out power, causing detours and disrupting 911 service in Allegheny County. Gusts reached up to 30 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Moon, with sustained speeds in the 20s, said meteorologist Myranda Fullerton. Fullerton said sustained...
Biden to visit Pittsburgh on Wednesday
President Joe Biden plans to travel to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, where he is expected to unveil his vision for a massive infrastructure bill. The proposal is said to be larger than the $1.9 trillion covid relief package that the Congress passed earlier this month. Biden said in his first press...
2 people sue Nemacolin, claiming it abruptly ended lifetime memberships
Two people from West Virginia are suing Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, alleging that the Fayette County resort eliminated a lifetime membership program they purchased years ago. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Pittsburgh, seeks class-action status for all the members of the Nemacolin 400 Club, which began in 1988. The...
Wildlife, habitat enthusiasts sought for Pennsylvania master naturalist training
Anyone interested in promoting pollinator habitats or tracking bird migrations might want to join the ranks of Pennsylvania’s master naturalists. Volunteers from Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties can sign up for 55 hours of training in the late summer and fall, which is the first step in becoming certified in...
Things to do in Western Pa.: March 24, 2021
Literature is in the spotlight this week, with award-winning writers in conversation and reading from their works. There’s also new art, dance, film and music to enjoy. For the kids, there’s an ‘eggs-citing” adventure on the grounds of an area museum. The details are here, in this week’s Big List....
Comcast investing $1 billion to close ‘digital divide’ over next 10 years
Comcast announced Wednesday that it plans to invest $1 billion over the next decade to connect more low-income Americans to broadband internet. Comcast said the $1 billion commitment will include investments in its ongoing “Lift Zone” initiative providing Wi-Fi-connected community centers with free internet to help low-income students take part...
Anne Feeney memorial concert set for April 3
A special concert celebrating the life of Anne Feeney, the prolific Pittsburgh folk singer-songwriter, has been scheduled for early next month. The Anne Feeney Memorial Concert takes place online on Saturday, April 3 from 3-6 p.m. and features a host of musicians from across the country. Feeney died from complications...
Wendy Bell promoted to full-time status at WJAS
Wendy Bell, a conservative talk show host, has been promoted to full-time status at WJAS Pittsburgh, according to the station’s website. Bell joined the station part time in January. Her show aired Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. till noon and Friday from 9 a.m. till noon on WJAS 1320AM...
Cal U offers tuition discounts to Westmoreland Community College grads
Hundreds of Westmoreland County Community College graduates — past and future — may be able to reap significant savings on a four-year degree thanks to a new discount program at California University of Pennsylvania. The university, about 20 miles from the community college’s main campus, is offering a 20% tuition...
Legendary Fallingwater cook Elsie Henderson dies at 107
She famously cooked for the Kaufmann family at Fallingwater, was the object of Frank Lloyd Wright’s flirtations and later shared her recipes on television and in print. Elsie Henderson, a lifelong Pittsburgher, has died. She was 107. Henderson served as the cook, baker and meal planner from 1947 to 1963...
Traffic delayed after 2 water main breaks in Peters Township
Peters Township Police issued traffic warnings Sunday after two water main breaks in the area. There was a large break in the 100 block of East McMurray Road on Sunday morning, creating a fountain of water that reached over the power lines above. In a Facebook post, police said people...
Westmoreland reading competition begins next chapter on Monday
For Shannen Stolkovich, participating in the Westmoreland Interscholastic Reading Competition is more than just an opportunity to show her competitive side. The event, which includes students from districts across the region, also is a way for the 16-year-old junior at Greensburg Salem High School to touch on a childhood passion...
PennDOT to close 86-mile stretch of Turnpike overnight Saturday
An 86-mile stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike will be closed in both directions late Saturday night into early Sunday morning, because of construction. Between 11 p.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday, construction crews will be working to remove the Country Ridge Road bridge, which carries traffic over the turnpike in...
