Emily Balser stories, Page 8

Allegheny Valley School Board approved the district’s proposed $23 million preliminary budget for next school year. The spending plan includes no increase in property taxes. District officials said expenses increased by about 1%, mostly because of pension contributions. The budget will be on review for the public before final approval...

What to do with the now-empty Colfax Elementary School is on the minds of the seven candidates vying for five seats on the Allegheny Valley School Board. Candidates include three incumbents — James Gaschler, Steve Puskar and Glenna Renaldi — and four challengers. Challengers Salvatore Conte and Kathleen “Jeanne” Haas...

Tarentum police Officer Kurt Jendrejewski knew what he had to do Sunday morning when it was clear there were ducklings in a storm sewer drain on Corbet Street. After a concerned resident called the police station Jendrejewski showed up to find the mother duck and three of her ducklings frantically...

First responders on Sunday were sent to the scene of a crash involving a vehicle and a quad in Salem Township. A Westmoreland 911 dispatcher said the crash happened just after 3 p.m. in the 2600 block of Route 819. One person, an unknown aged female, was reported to be...

A person was injured in a motorcycle crash Sunday afternoon, a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher confirmed. The crash happened around 3:20 p.m. in the 700 block of Bethel Church Road in Cook Township. There were no other vehicles involved in the crash, the dispatcher said. No other information was immediately...

A man riding a bicycle in Pittsburgh was sent to an area hospital after being hit by a vehicle on Sunday morning. The crash happened just before 10:30 a.m. Sunday in the area of Grandview Avenue and Hallock Street on Mount Washington. The man is stable condition and the cause...

It was 16 years ago when Leslie Odom Jr. graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with his whole life ahead of him. Now, coming off of his success as a member of the original “Hamilton” cast, the Tony and Grammy award winning actor and singer returned to CMU on Sunday as...

Cheswick voters might be surprised at the number of candidates for council when they enter the voting booth on Tuesday. Only two people — Republican incumbents Michael Girardi and Brad Yaksich — are running for four open seats. Three four-year seats and one two-year seat are up for election. Councilman...

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Thursday he will never allow an anti-abortion bill to make it into law while he’s governor. Wolf, in a video statement posted on social media, referenced other states that have recently passed antiabortion bills including Alabama and Georgia, where they have already been signed into law....

Allegheny Health Network is one step closer to finishing its emergency room expansion at Jefferson Hospital. The final steel beam was placed Wednesday as officials from AHN and Highmark Health celebrated with local leaders and EMS crews at the Jefferson Hills facility. The $21 million expansion and renovation project will...

Drivers should continue to expect delays on the Homestead Grays Bridge through Saturday as crews to do milling and paving work. The bridge will be restricted to one lane in each direction during the following dates and times: • 7 p.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. Thursday • 7 p.m. Thursday...

Allegheny Valley School District’s proposed $23 million preliminary budget for next school year includes no increase in property taxes. The school board is expected to vote on the preliminary plan Monday. The budget will then be on review for the public before final approval in June. At the tax rate...

Allegheny Valley School District is hoping to offer a pre-kindergarten program for the first time next school year, but significant details still need to be worked out before it could begin operating. The school board is expected to vote Monday to create the program, but questions remain on the criteria...

Paving work on the Homestead Grays Bridge is expected to cause traffic delays during rush hour Tuesday. The bridge is restricted to one lane in each direction and the West Fifth Avenue ramp is closed until 6 p.m. Police will be directing traffic. West Fifth Avenue ramp traffic is being...

One person was taken to a Pittsburgh hospital in connection with a two-vehicle crash early Monday afternoon at Murray Hill and Riddle Run roads in Frazer. Frazer police Chief Terry Kuhns said a woman traveling on Riddle Run ran a stop sign about 1:40 p.m. and her vehicle crashed into...

U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb received a crash course in issues affecting medical supply companies and people who need equipment they provide during a meeting Monday at Tarentum-based Blackburn’s. The 83-year-old medical supply company hosted Lamb for a roundtable discussion with company executives, University of Pittsburgh researchers and other industry professionals....

Allegheny Health Network officially opened its new cancer center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday in Beaver County. AHN Cancer Institute – Beaver is located in Center Township and provides clinical and support services, including radiation oncology capabilities, medical oncology and infusion therapy, nutritional counseling, social services and access to cancer...

Renée Zellweger is completely transformed in the first teaser trailer for the upcoming Judy Garland biopic, “Judy.” The trailer has Zellweger singing Garland’s famous “Over the Rainbow” as scenes from her life flash on the screen. Vanity Fair reports Zellweger sang the movie’s songs herself and was told by director...

A man was injured Sunday afternoon in Penn Township when a skid loader overturned and trapped him. The incident happened just before 2:30 p.m. in the 7000 block of Pleasant Valley Road, just off Route 130, a dispatcher said. The man was transported to Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, a Westmoreland...

Officials on Sunday identified a Carnegie man killed in a double stabbing earlier that day. Luke Connolly, 51, was pronounced dead just before 8 a.m. in an apartment on Third Avenue, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. County police said he’d been stabbed multiple times in the chest....

Five teachers from China are spending the month in Oakmont, where they’re working with autistic children to learn how to better diagnose and teach students with autism in China. Southeast Asia Prayer Center (SEAPC) and Pittsburgh Behavioral Services, both nonprofits, have partnered to make it possible to bring the teachers...

The Armstrong County Commissioners and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission have received funding to conduct a feasibility study for making the Route 28 expressway a limited access highway all the way to Interstate 80. Officials have wanted to expand Route 28 from Kittanning in Armstrong to I-80 in Jefferson County for...

Greg Yaworski is tired of waiting for someone to fix Crawford Run Road. “You’ve got to (drive on) the other side of the road or you’re going to blow your car up,” said Yaworksi of East Deer, who lives along the road. And he isn’t alone. Drivers using the road...

Alle-Kiski senior citizens will have a chance to learn more about services available to them during a spring resource fair this Friday. The fair is hosted by state Sen. Lindsey Williams and will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Springdale Veterans Association banquet hall, 1151 Pittsburgh...