Alle-Kiski Valley top stories of 2019

The Alle-Kiski Valley’s biggest story of 2019 unfolded over less than two weeks in a Westmoreland County courtroom, with a jury of nine women and three men finding Rahmael Holt guilty of murdering New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw and then sentencing Holt to death.

In other major stories, the Valley lost a historical landmark and suffered through a fit of violence punctuated by the killing of a newspaper delivery driver. Ownership of a property that had been the longtime home of Pittsburgh Glass Works changed hands, voters opted for change in some key offices and the region’s second-largest health system made significant moves in the Valley.

Here’s a look at the year’s top stories:

Rahmael Holt found guilty of killing New Kensington Officer Brian Shaw

In the highly anticipated trial, a jury in November found Rahmael Holt guilty of first-degree murder in the death of New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw. A native of Lower Burrell and 2010 graduate of Burrell High School, Shaw was hired to the New Kensington force in June 2017. Holt shot and killed Shaw as he ran from an SUV Shaw tried to stop on Leishman Avenue. Holt was a passenger in the vehicle driven by Tavon Harper, who testified he sold cocaine and marijuana to Holt that day. The same jury sentenced Holt, 31, to death by legal injection. Holt did not testify during his trial but maintained his innocence. In one of the trial’s most riveting moments, Shaw’s mother addressed Holt during the sentencing hearing, telling him “I will never forgive you for what you did to him.”

Belvedere Hotel destroyed by fire

A blaze ravaged the 115-year old Belvedere Hotel in Oklahoma Borough on July 24. The local landmark was reduced to a pile of asbestos-contaminated rubble. Because of the toxic materials, borough officials declared an emergency, saying the ruins posed a public health hazard to residents and traveling public. The weeklong cleanup of the site and hotel’s demolition were completed in October.

Shootings rattle New Kensington, Arnold

Gregory Lee Smith, 69, of New Kensington, died after being shot in the head while delivering the Tribune-Review in the city early May 23. Police said Smith’s car crashed into a fence after he was shot at Catalpa Street and Kenneth Avenue. The Trib offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case, but no arrests have been made. Smith’s shooting was one of at least a half-dozen to be reported in New Kensington and Arnold over the spring and early summer.

Former Creighton glass plant sold

Rosebud Mining Co., a coal mining company based in Kittanning, purchased the building formerly operated by Pittsburgh Glass Works in East Deer. Production at the site ceased in 2018, with about 160 workers losing their jobs. It is unknown what plans are for the site, which produced automotive glass and was originally owned by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass company, now PPG Industries, a global manufacturer of paints, coatings, and specialty materials. The 135-year-old facility had been the company’s first glass factory.

Allegheny Valley Hospital begins new hospital in Harmar, names new president in Harrison

Allegheny Health Network began building a neighborhood hospital in Harmar in October. The 10-bed hospital will offer around-the-clock emergency care, along with other medical services such as lab tests, imaging services and inpatient care. AHN also named Dr. Vicenta C. Gaspar-Yoo as the first practicing physician-president of Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison. Gaspar-Yoo, who took the helm in July, came to Allegheny Valley from Cleveland’s University Hospitals Health System.

Voters return majority on Board of Commissioners to GOP, oust sheriff

Republicans reclaimed a majority on the Westmoreland County board of commissioners in the November election. Voters elected GOP political newcomers Sean Kertes and Doug Chew to the three-member board, while Democrat Gina Cerilli finished third to win a second term. Republican Commissioner Chuck Anderson retired at year’s end. Jonathan Held, the county’s long-embattled sheriff, lost his reelection bid for a third term. Democrat James Albert, a retired Greensburg district judge, defeated the Republican incumbent to bring an end to a tenure marred by a dozen discrimination lawsuits and pending criminal public corruption charges. A mistrial was declared last December after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict against Held, who is accused of using on-duty deputies and staff to perform campaign work. Held has denied the allegations. A retrial is on hold due to pending appeals.