Jack Troy stories, Page 16
Pennsylvania House majority hinges on single seat in Cambria County
Control of the Pennsylvania state House has come down to a single district in Cambria County, where the fate of a “blue dog” Democrat is slowly coming into focus as thousands of ballots are counted by hand. Rep. Frank Burns, a Democrat who first won Pennsylvania’s 72nd House District in...
5 key moments that shaped the presidential race and a Trump victory
Donald Trump’s decisive win Tuesday night over Kamala Harris represents a profound realignment of the American electorate, giving Republicans a blueprint for future victories and Democrats enough cause for soul searching to last a presidential term. Trump gained ground in almost every district and demographic, storming back to the White...
Inflation explained: Utility costs driven by war, climate change and regulatory incentives
Pennsylvanians, who live in one of America’s most productive states for natural gas extraction, have seen their utility bills climb despite that ample supply. Experts say the fault lies in the trio of international energy demand, infrastructure investment and the jump in inflation during and after the covid pandemic. “Natural...
Democrat Angela Girol, incumbent Republican Andrew Kuzma vie for solid red seat in the 39th State House District
Republican state Rep. Andrew Kuzma is gearing up for his first reelection challenge as longtime teacher and union representative Angela Girol looks to reclaim Pennsylvania’s 39th House District for Democrats after more than a decade of losses. The district covers Elizabeth, Elizabeth Township, Forward Township, Jefferson Hills, Pleasant Hills, South...
Veterans at Penn Hills senior living facility reflect on trauma, uncertainty and progress
Don Gerken has his younger brother on his mind as Veterans Day approaches, and how his combat service in Vietnam — which earned him Silver and Bronze stars — left lasting scars. “I think he brought a lot of that war home with him,” said Gerken, one of 17 military...
Allegheny Township man charged in Vandergrift gas station crash that burned 1 person, caused serious damage
Charges have been filed against an Allegheny Township man who police said crashed into a gas pump at Vandergrift’s Kochka and Son Towing on Sept. 10, starting a fire that burned a customer and caused significant damage to the family-owned business. Cole Briscoe, 33, fled the scene on Sherman Avenue...
Buffalo Township movie theater reopens under family management
The former AMC theater in Buffalo Township quietly reopened as South Pike Cinemas on Saturday, more than two months after America’s largest movie chain declined to renew its lease. Before leaving, AMC removed its payment systems, monitors — even its soda fountains — giving owner Nick Mulone plenty to do...
Who is better for economy, Trump or Harris? Here’s how their policies compare
Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series examining where presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump stand on the biggest issues. Today’s segment focuses on the economy. Former President Donald Trump, never shy to borrow from Ronald Reagan, asked supporters at a recent rally in Unity a simple...
Board drama drags on as Penn Hills looks to revive economic development committee
A new wave of players in Penn Hills civic life are going after vacant land and blighted properties in historically neglected neighborhoods in hopes of attracting new residents and, in turn, amenities. And while some of that work is happening through Elevate Penn Hills, an initiative of the Penn Hills...
Building the Valley: Freeport bakery offers taste of the past
School lunches get a bad rap, but something about the buns served on spaghetti days at Freeport Area School District cafeterias enchanted Sarah Vivian. “The lunch ladies would make these big, yeasty rolls, and you could smell it throughout the whole school,” Vivian fondly recalled. Apparently, the buns have stuck...
Affordable housing proposal on hold at former Apollo High School
The Apollo Zoning Hearing Board has postponed a decision on whether to permit a 45-unit, $18 million affordable housing development on the site of the former Apollo High School. Developer Pivotal Housing Partners is seeking variances to, among other aspects of the project, the minimum lot area per-unit, maximum building...
Leechburg police looking for suspects after series of thefts from unlocked cars
Leechburg police are asking residents with video surveillance to check their footage after reports of suspects entering unlocked vehicles around 1 a.m. Friday along Wallace and Floral avenues and Second Street. “I had one lady pretty upset,” said Leechburg police Chief Jason Schaeffer. “Her purse was stolen, and she had...
Police: Chase spanning New Kensington, Plum and Penn Hills ends in crash, arrest
State narcotics agents are leading an investigation into a man who authorities say led them on a chase Wednesday through New Kensington, Plum and Penn Hills before hitting another vehicle head-on and being caught with nearly $7,000 in cocaine. Matthew Avans McCloud, 34, of New Kensington faces a litany of...
Penn Hills Council relaxes billboard rules
Penn Hills Council passed an ordinance Oct. 21 to loosen billboard rules in industrial districts. The new regulations allow for larger and higher billboards in these areas, while also expressly permitting signs with electronically changing messages. Billboards remain banned in residential, conservation, business and mixed-use districts — an overwhelming majority...
Aldi gives opening date for Allegheny Township store
Aldi will open its store in Allegheny Township on Nov. 7, the ever-expanding supermarket chain has announced, giving shoppers another option in an area thin on grocers. A grand opening ceremony will be held at the store in Hyde Park Plaza before customers are let in at 8:45 a.m. The...
Democrat Bill Petulla, Republican Jeremy Shaffer chase open seat in 28th State House District
Democrat Bill Petulla and Republican Jeremy Shaffer are striking moderate messages in the race to represent Pennsylvania’s 28th State House District, a right-leaning band of mostly affluent suburbs along Allegheny County’s northern border. The district includes West Deer, Marshall, Bradford Woods, Pine Township, Richland and Hampton. Both candidates ran unopposed...
Inflation Explained: Pandemic disruptions work their way out of the car industry
Editor’s note: This is the seventh story in an occasional series on the causes and impact of inflation. Car buyers who haven’t been in the market for a while might be in for some sticker shock. In the past five years, the average price paid for a new vehicle has...
Sand blasting saves historic Tredway Trail landmark from graffiti; charges filed
It wasn’t easy, but Allegheny Township public works crews have managed to remove graffiti sprayed in September on a historic oil distillery along the Tredway Trail. Crews first tried pressure washing with an environmentally safe cleaner. “It didn’t do a thing,” said Roger Schwarz, public works superintendent. “I don’t know...
Tapped from pandemic struggles, Buffalo Township brewpub Cellar Works to close
It’s almost last call at Cellar Works Brewing Co. in Buffalo Township. After more than seven years of business, the craft brewery will close Oct. 26. Members of the Cellar Society, an annual subscription that comes with discounts, presale priority on beer and more, are invited to a final party...
Old William Penn Highway remediation: uncertain, disruptive but at least funded
After plenty of patch jobs and other Band-Aid solutions to a slow motion landslide underneath Old William Penn Highway, Penn Hills officials are reckoning with the fact that a full-blown repair is the only option. “I am a little fearful we might not be far away from having to close,”...
Fractured Allegheny Township supervisors limit their own speech in 2-1 vote
Mike Korns spent about 10 minutes Monday night making his case against a resolution that would limit the ability of citizens and his fellow Allegheny Township supervisors to speak at monthly meetings. “We are supposed to debate and deliberate on these motions,” he said. “We’re actually supposed to try to...
Dominus High School staffs up, plans for remodel of Wilkins office building
Dominus High School, a start-up entrepreneurial academy in Wilkins with ties to the Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship, has made some crucial strides toward a fall 2025 opening. For one, it has its founding principal: M. Louis Robinson III, a self-described “social edupreneur” with about 20 years of experience...
Buffalo Township Sheetz closure imminent ahead of 6-month rebuild
The Sheetz location in Buffalo Township will be torn down and rebuilt much sooner than at least one township official expected. The gas station and convenience store along Route 356 will close Oct. 27, with an anticipated reopening sometime in April, Sheetz confirmed. Workers will be offered other jobs with...
Buffalo Township cutting it close on finalizing covid relief-funded remodel of offices, police station
With the clock ticking to allocate its roughly $1.2 million in covid relief funds, Buffalo Township has taken another step toward remodeling its joint administrative office and police station. Supervisors this month put out a request for proposals and expect bids to come back within 30 days. That leaves the...
Driver who died after Lernerville crash identified as Chicora man
The driver injured Sunday in a crash at Lernerville Speedway has died, a family member and the speedway confirmed in social media posts. Both identified him as Shane Nolan of Chicora. “Lernerville Speedway and the Tomson family are deeply saddened by the passing of Shane Nolan, a cherished member of...
