Dillon Carr stories, Page 23
Penn Hills CDC granted access to tax credits from Allegheny Conference members
The Penn Hills Community Development Corporation now joins 15 others in the Pittsburgh region that are partnered with the Allegheny County Conference on Community Development to get a leg up on receiving state-approved tax credits. “This is really great news,” said Alan Waldron, a newly-elected Penn Hills CDC board member....
Monroeville man to plead guilty in $127 million Medicare scheme, officials say
A Monroeville business owner is expected to plead guilty in a $127 million kickback scheme against Medicare patients, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman. Ravitej Reddy, 52, is accused of conspiring with multiple companies to pay kickbacks for lab tests done at his two genetic testing facilities. He was...
Monroeville fire department attorneys ask to dismiss part of lawsuit filed by Gateway student, parents
Attorneys representing a Monroeville volunteer fire company have asked a judge to dismiss a portion of a civil lawsuit filed against the station. Court records show that attorneys Bruce Rende and Amy Sims say the parents of a Gateway student who was hit by an ambulance cannot recover damages for...
Penn Hills Holiday Lights festival a delight to the community
The annual Holiday Lights Festival at the Penn Hills Municipal Complex offered participants light-heartedness during a heavy season of budget talks and political cartoons. “It was great. Wonderful. We had a fun time,” said Shaheeda Wilks, of Penn Hills. She brought her son, Kobe Fisher, to the event filled with...
Wildwood Highlands in Hampton abruptly closes
A long-standing sports complex in the North Hills has closed, according to an announcement published on its website and Facebook page. Wildwood Highlands Entertainment Complex, after more than 30 years of “Great Food. Fast Karts. Wild Times,” shuttered its doors Dec. 9. “We did not make this decision lightly and...
Penn Hills marks 10 years since death of Officer Michael J. Crawshaw
Michael J. Crawshaw, end of watch: Dec. 6, 2009. The words and numbers tell a story many cannot understand, but they are why many gathered at the Penn Hills Municipal Complex exactly 10 years later. To remember. “Although this is just a very emotional, very painful day for us, I...
Sunrise students treated to holiday cheer in decades-old Monroeville traditionVideo
A raucous, joy-filled cheer rang out as Santa Claus and his spouse walked into the building. The couple was ferried in to Biondi Motor Company in Monroeville by a convertible, 2002 Ford Thunderbird. “Mrs. Claus, I must say, your hair looks good even after catching all that wind,” said Chris...
New Gateway directors sworn in
The Gateway School District Board of Directors hierarchy will remain unchanged as three new faces join the nine-member board. School directors Paul Caliari, Susan Delaney and Scott Gallagher were sworn in by Monroeville Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey Herbst this week. They were joined by incumbents Mary Beth Cirucci, John Ritter...
Monroeville library hosts ‘Grinchmas’ party
Monroeville Public Library will host a Grinch-themed party on Dec. 7. The “Grinchmas” party at the library will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The event, in its second year, will feature Grinch-themed games and food. Hope Benson, head of the children’s library, said they will read the original “How...
Monroeville road reopens
A section of a Monroeville road that closed Dec. 3 has partially reopened, Allegheny County Public Works said Thursday. Wilmerding-Monroeville Road, also known as Patton Street, closed between Monroeville Boulevard and the Tri-Boro Expressway to allow public works crews to perform emergency repairs to a portion of the road that...
Penn Hills fire chief proposes fire tax to fund all-volunteer department
A Penn Hills volunteer firefighter said a tax is the only way to keep the municipality’s fire services aflame. Ever-increasing operating expenses, old protective equipment, dwindling manpower and fundraising challenges are all reasons Bill Jeffcoat, fire chief of Station 227, thinks a so-called “fire tax” is the strictly volunteer services’...
Penn Hills man charged in connection to October shooting at White Hawk CafeVideo
A Penn Hills man has been charged in connection to an October shooting that left a bar owner shot in the stomach. Police say Davaughn Jones, 27, shot Barry White in the stomach after White attempted to throw him out of his private social club along Universal Road in Penn...
Penn Hills mayor calls for committee chair’s resignation amid alleged cartoon creation
Penn Hills’ mayor is now calling for the resignation of the municipality’s Economic Development Committee chairman after he allegedly created a political cartoon that used profanity to describe the deputy mayor. “This type of behavior is uncalled for, serves no purpose, it is hurtful and harmful — and cannot be...
Family, police searching for missing Plum man
The family of a man who has been missing since mid-November has taken to social media and law enforcement to find out if he is safe. David Ellefson, 37, was last seen Nov. 14, said his wife, Heidi Ellefson. She said he had met their children and his grandmother at...
Portion of Wilmerding-Monroeville Road closing Dec. 3
A section of a road in Monroeville will close for about a week starting Dec. 3, Allegheny County Public Works announced Monday. Wilmerding-Monroeville Road, also known as Patton Street, will close between Monroeville Boulevard and the Tri-Boro Expressway starting at 7 a.m. Dec. 3. Public works will work on emergency...
Resisting arrest, theft among cases heard by Judge Herbst
Monroeville District Court Judge Jeffrey Herbst handled these cases recently. Defendants will have court dates set in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Charges were filed by Monroeville police unless otherwise noted. Waived for court • Tacquela L. Williams, 30, of Wilkinsburg on theft of services. Charges were filed...
Monroeville police file theft, indecent exposure charges
Police filed the following charges Nov. 18-26 in District Judge Jeffrey L. Herbst’s office. Charges were filed by Monroeville police unless otherwise noted. • Nicholas Norris, 22, of Pitcairn with retail theft. The charge was filed Nov. 26 in connection with an incident along the 4000 block of Monroeville Boulevard....
Pennsylvania Turnpike reopens after crash near Monroeville interchange
A crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Monroeville slowed eastbound traffic Wednesday morning. PennDOT’s 511PA alert system said the crash happened at milepost 57. The accident caused both eastbound lanes to be blocked around 11 a.m., according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV. All lanes reopened by early afternoon. State police...
Penn Hills theater owner irked over getting barred from showing Mister Rogers movieVideo
It’s an ugly day in the neighborhood, according to a disgruntled theater owner in Penn Hills. Penn Hills Cinema wasn’t allowed to show “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” the highly anticipated film featuring Tom Hanks as Pittsburgh legend Mister Rogers, during its $14 million opening weekend. “I can be...
Penn Hills road closure extended
Lime Hollow Road in Penn Hills will close during daylight hours through Dec. 2, PennDOT announced Wednesday. The road has been closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays since Nov. 7. PennDOT originally said the closures would extend through Nov. 22, but those hours will continue until Dec....
Monroeville business owner charged in $127 million Medicare scheme
A Monroeville man who owns two genetic testing labs was charged in federal court last week for his alleged involvement in a scheme that cost Medicare $127 million and for allegedly conspiring with companies to pay kickbacks for lab tests. Ravitej Reddy, 52, owns Personalized Genetics LLC in Pittsburgh and...
Spectrum student launches holiday toy drive for Children’s Hospital
Teachers said Andrew Szczerba’s suggestion to launch the school’s first-ever Christmas toy drive came out of nowhere. But the student’s idea grew out of kindness. “I’m sure it will make a lot of kids happy,” Szczerba said. The 15-year-old student at Monroeville’s Spectrum Charter School was giddy as he had...
Penn Hills deputy mayor calls for removal of economic development committee chair
Small-town politics has reared its ugly head again in Penn Hills. Penn Hills Deputy Mayor Catherine Sapp accused Tyler Tomasino of the “shameful” and “unacceptable” creation of a political cartoon that ended up on social media days before the Nov. 5 municipal election. She said the Economic Development Committee chairman...
Allegheny Land Trust receives $500K grant for former Churchill Country Club property
A green space project in Penn Hills and Churchill will get a $500,000 boost from state money, state Sen. Jay Costa Jr. announced Monday. The $500,000 grant will go to Allegheny Land Trust, the future owners of the former Churchill Country Club property. “It is exciting to see a partnership...
Boulevard of the Allies still closed as water main repairs continue
The Boulevard of the Allies between Market and Wood streets in Downtown Pittsburgh remained closed Monday morning because of a water main break, PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said. The waterline failed just before 2 a.m. Saturday morning, said Jeffrey Besong, Point Park University’s chief of police. Besong said the waterline...

