Here are some of the latest news items happening this morning, Friday, Jan. 23:
Ohio Township eyes golf course as new park
Ohio Township will purchase a golf course and turn it into the municipality’s second park.
The township secured funding to buy about 138 acres of land along Lowries Run and Camp Horne roads, property that was formerly the Green Valley Golf Course.
“This acquisition represents a major milestone for the township, allowing for the expansion of both active and passive recreational opportunities while preserving valuable green space,” county officials wrote in a social media post.
Officials said a $500,000 grant through the Pennsylvania Local Share Account program — and additional funding requests of more than $1.25 million — made the purchase possible.
Initial planning for the new park is underway.
Officials said the first phase of work will focus on creating parking and roadway access to the park and restoring existing trails. Other amenities will be determined in future phases.
Officials said community input would help shape how the park is developed. Residents can share their ideas by contacting the Parks and Recreation Department.
Crash that killed Pittsburgh student likely caused by weather
Bad weather conditions contributed to a December crash that killed a Pittsburgh Public Schools senior who was standing on a sidewalk in the city’s Carrick neighborhood, city officials said.
Ishara Kami, 17, a senior at Carrick High School, was fatally struck by a vehicle Dec. 19 at the intersection of Brownsville Road and West Woodford Avenue. The vehicle, police said, was driving down Brownsville, began sliding, hit a pole and then struck Ishara, who was standing on the sidewalk.
Pittsburgh’s Vizion Zero Fatal Crash Response Team — which includes the police bureau’s Collision Investigation Unit and is part of a broader effort to reduce to zero the number of fatal crashes that occur in the city each year — this week pointed to weather conditions as a cause for the wreck.
An “instantaneous snow and ice storm,” officials said, caused poor visibility and bad road conditions. That likely caused the driver to lose control of his vehicle, which slid down the road and onto the sidewalk.
Brownsville Road will next year see a number of improvements, including curb extensions at West Woodford Avenue.
The city’s Office of Community Health and Safety will continue to provide trauma-informed care to the community and students, officials said.
