Haley Daugherty stories, Page 20
More communities join Leechburg, Parks Township officials in police regionalization discussions
Correction: The original posting of this story did not say that Kiski Township was among those municipalities joining police regionalization talks. This update also clarifies when public input will be sought. Leechburg and Parks Township are including more communities in their discussions about police regionalization. According to D.J. Zelczak, a...
Verona increases police pay rate in effort to attract new officers
As part of a continuing retention and recruitment effort, police officers in Verona soon will be making more money than ever before. Verona Council voted Tuesday, Aug. 13 to raise the pay rate by 15% for all of the department’s current and future police officers. The borough is looking to...
Penn Hills prepares for students’ return; parent forum set
Big changes are coming to the Penn Hills School District as students head back to the classroom Aug. 20. Teachers and staff already have been in the buildings preparing for students since Aug. 13. In the days leading up to students’ return, there will be multiple events hosted for students,...
Questions raised after Kamala Harris campaign accused of altering headlines in Google ads
News outlets have noticed the headlines of their published articles on Google search do not match the ones written on their websites. Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign is reportedly modifying headlines on news articles within sponsored search advertisements on Google to appear as if those outlets are seemingly partial toward...
Faces of the Valley: Harmar man uses nature, film to promote waterway conservation
Ian Smith is a go-with-the-flow type of guy. Whether it’s the flow of an ocean or a river, he’s there. Smith fell in love with surfing after taking lessons on the East Coast and decided to bring the activity home with him. “I loved the sport and wanted to bring...
Riverview School District readies for student return
Riverview School District will be welcoming students back to school on Thursday, Aug. 22. The district has welcomed multiple new hires for the year, including special education director, Jamie Desrochers; full-time teachers Mary Evankovich and Lindsay Pica; and six paraprofessionals that will be placed throughout district schools. In the days...
Calling all Penn Hills grads: All-years class reunion picnic encourages community, good times
Lee Adams graduated from Penn Hills in 1975 alongside more than 1,300 students. Four years ago, when it came time to host another reunion, there already were so many people that he and his former classmate, Cindy Fazio-Merola, thought, “Why not just include everybody?” “It’s been really interesting how it’s...
Morning roundup: Pittsburgh police raid homeless encampment; bridge closes in Forward Township
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Aug. 9: Pittsburgh police serve search warrants for encampment policy violations Police said detectives seized quantities of crack cocaine and lorazepam pills believed to be intended for sale from two tents located on Grant Street between First Avenue...
Man’s 19th birthday ends with woman shot dead in Monroeville and a confession
Joselyn Thomas screamed her last words, police said. “A.J., stop, A.J. stop.” It was Wednesday afternoon, and Thomas, 18, of North Versailles, had been arguing with Albert Williams III, a witness told police. Investigators said the witness heard three gunshots inside the bedroom of unit G in the Cambridge Square...
Morning Roundup: TSA detection dog retires; popular kids group to stop in Pittsburgh
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, Aug. 8: TSA explosive detection dog hangs up leash Baro, a Transportation Security Administration explosives detection canine, will be retiring Thurday after seven years of service at Pittsburgh International Airport. The 9-year-old German Wirehaired Pointer has been in...
Remnants of Debby could drop heavy rain in Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania may see heavy rain and possible flooding on Friday as remnants of Tropical Storm Debby makes their way north from the Carolinas. According to National Weather Service meteorologist Shannon Hefferan, Debby has stalled in the Carolinas because there’s not a lot of upper-level winds to carry it out...
PennDOT announces repair plans for hole in Crosstown Boulevard ramp
PennDOT has plans to repair a large hole that appeared Monday on the Crosstown Boulevard ramp to Boulevard of the Allies. The department is warning drivers about detours scheduled for Friday. The hole was reported Monday morning. Bystanders beneath the ramp can see directly through the exposed rebar to the...
Morning Roundup: 2 injured in Glassport crash; Pirates assist with blood drive
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Aug. 7: 2 injured in Glassport crash Two people were injured Wednesday morning in a crash in Glassport, according to Allegheny County 911. Officials said the crash happened just after 12:45 a.m. on the 700 block of Hemlock...
Auto body shop founder Don Kuhn Sr., ‘son of Penn Hills,’ was well known in community
Penn Hills residents are missing a friendly face. Don Kuhn Sr., founder of David Kuhn Auto Body in Penn Hills, died July 15 surrounded by his family. It was his 82nd birthday. Well known in the community, he owned and operated his shop for 51 years before retiring in 2018....
1 dead after being hit by train in Monaca
One person was killed following an incident involving a train in Beaver County. According to CSX spokesman Bryan Tucker, a CSX train came into contact with a person trespassing on the tracks around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday at the east end of a railroad bridge spanning the Ohio River near Atlantic...
Morning Roundup: Pittsburgh crime stats; motorcycle crash victim ID’d
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Aug. 6: Downtown crime stats for week of July 29-Aug. 4 Pittsburgh police have released the latest arrest and citation statistics from the department’s new initiative, Downtown High-Visibility Patrol. The patrol is made up of officers from Downtown...
Morning Roundup: 5 injured in rollover crash in South Strabane Township
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, Aug. 5: 5 injured in rollover crash in South Strabane Township Five people were injured Sunday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash in South Strabane Township. Several emergency crews, including the South Strabane Fire Department, South Strabane Township Police...
4-mile trail to open soon in Leechburg, thanks to volunteers’ dedication
A 4-mile trail in Leechburg is close to opening after months of work by volunteers. The trail will link Leechburg to a series of trails that span across Armstrong County from Westmoreland to Clarion counties. Chris Ziegler, executive director of Armstrong Trails, said her organization bought Kiski Junction Railroad in...
Leechburg eatery takes steps to grow from cafe into full-service restaurant
A coffee shop housed in a historic Leechburg mansion — and known for warm drinks and friendly faces — has seen some changes since opening in January. 1st Street Cafe is in the building formerly known as the Addison House Restaurant & Lounge. Devra Gromley, owner of 1st Street Cafe,...
Oakmont dementia care residents volunteer with Humane Animal Rescue Pittsburgh
Mary Brown doesn’t often participate in the programming offered at Presbyterian SeniorCare’s Woodside Place in Oakmont. She prefers to stay in her living space at the dementia care facility or feed the squirrels outside. She has named them George and Frankie. Something changes, though, when residents go on a field...
West Leechburg residents set to take assessment complaints to county courthouse
West Leechburg residents are preparing to take their complaints about property assessments directly to Westmoreland County commissioners. After months, and in some cases years, of complaints about what residents say is an unfair property tax system, frustrations peaked this spring when Leechburg Area School District property taxes increased 10.4% in...
Oakmont, Verona chase suspect still at large after ditching gun, police say
A Penn Hills man who twice evaded police in Oakmont and Verona Tuesday remains at large. Oakmont and Verona police filed separate charges against Damian Baverso, 18, and issued separate warrants for his arrest. The chase in Oakmont began when officers tried to arrest Baverso near the Rite Aid on...
High school reunions going strong despite presence of social media
Debbie Gathagan, 67, said planning a class reunion is a lot like planning a wedding. Gathagan’s last name was Tedesco when she graduated from Penn Hills in 1974. She stayed in the area until she moved to Plum about two years ago. After 20 years without seeing most of her...
Leechburg Area officials plan lawsuit against Westmoreland County over tax assessments
Leechburg Area School Board members say they intend to file a lawsuit against Westmoreland County and possibly one against the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The lawsuits would be aimed at bringing about a solution to demands from West Leechburg residents to fix what they say is an inequity in the...
Leechburg Area hires new business manager
Leechburg Area School Board members hired a new business manager at a special voting meeting Thursday night. Gregory Cessna was hired in a 7-0 vote. Board members Anthony Townsend and Andrew Pallus were absent from the meeting. The hiring comes after the district’s previous manager, Teresa Edinger, resigned in May...
