Jack Troy stories, Page 20
Oklahoma Borough looking for new mayor, council member
Elected officials come and go in small towns, where most serve in an unpaid and part-time capacity, but it’s not often that a mayor steps down and leaves council to appoint a replacement. Oklahoma Borough Council will be doing just that following the departure of two-and-a-half-term Mayor Don Emerick. His...
No more booths: Turnpike set to expand Open Road Tolling in coming years
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission gave more details this week about its timeline for ditching toll booths in favor of Open Road Tolling (ORT). All toll roads east of Reading and on the Northeast Extension will be converted to ORT, a system that electronically charges motorists at highway speeds, in January...
Texas sculptor honors Corey Comperatore with statue at Buffalo Township fire hall
When retired Texas firefighter Nyal Stromberg made his latest sculpture, a process that took a month of molding and melting, he didn’t know Corey Comperatore’s name. Few people did outside of the Alle-Kiski Valley before July 13, when Comperatore was gunned down at a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald...
Penn-Plum VFW out $12,000 following burglary
Penn Hills police are investigating a break-in at a Veterans of Foreign Wars post that caused an estimated $12,000 in losses and damages. Detective Teresa Gongaware said police learned July 15 that multiple poker machines were smashed and two safes were taken from Penn-Plum VFW Post 6836. The post is...
Languishing lot owned by Walmart attracts illegal dumping, Penn Hills officials say
An empty lot owned by Walmart and once slated for a Supercenter has become a headache for Penn Hills officials as they try to clamp down on illegal dumping. Code enforcement officer Jason Griffiths said piles of tires, trash bags and debris from home renovations recently have appeared in the...
Building the Valley: The Shop on Grant weaves its way into the fabric of Vandergrift
Worn down by the isolation of the pandemic, Debora Greene opened The Shop on Grant last year as a way to connect with friends and neighbors in Vandergrift over her love of needlework. “I was retired and I was just looking for something to do, mostly to get myself out...
Butler legislator’s bill to shape House probe into security lapses at Trump rally shooting
The U.S. House plans to create a bipartisan task force to investigate security lapses that led to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, and it will be based on a resolution introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Butler. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democrat House Minority Leader...
Volunteers tinkering away ahead of Peter Pan-themed Vandergrift Artfest
Vandergrift will be made of art, food trucks and pixie dust Sunday for the 17th annual Vandergrift Artfest. This year’s theme, “Forever Neverland,” will be unmistakable for the thousands of people expected to attend from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday along Grant and Columbia avenues in the borough’s downtown area....
Remains found in Allegheny River identified by family as missing Shaler woman
A vehicle containing the remains of Janet Walsh was pulled from the Allegheny River in Oakmont on Sunday, ending a 4½-year search for the missing Shaler woman that had rattled the community and intrigued cold case specialists. While the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to make an identification,...
Penn Hills weighing hookah bar regulations after deadly shooting
Penn Hills may crack down on hookah bars after a June shooting at Ballers Hookah Lounge & Cigar Bar, a spot known to police for trouble, left two dead and seven wounded. A zoning code amendment slated for consideration by the Planning Commission on July 25 would for the first...
Traffic restrictions in place ahead of visitation for Corey Comperatore
Road restrictions have begun ahead of public visitation for Corey Comperatore, the Buffalo Township man fatally shot at a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump on Saturday. The visitation is set for 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Laube Hall in Freeport. Southern Armstrong Regional...
Buffalo Township firefighters seeking donations for luncheon after Corey Comperatore’s funeral Friday
The Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company is seeking donations of food and money for a luncheon after funeral services for Corey Comperatore on Friday, with plans to feed around 500 people. Comperatore, who was killed Saturday while attending Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s rally in Butler County, served as the...
Trump now not likely to attend funeral Friday for Corey Comperatore
It appears former President Donald Trump will not attend Friday’s funeral for Corey Comperatore, the Buffalo Township man killed at Trump’s rally Saturday in Butler County. Earlier Wednesday, sources told TribLive — and multiple news outlets reported — Trump planned to attend Friday’s private funeral service for Comperatore. Late Wednesday...
Police announce traffic, parking restrictions this week during services for Corey Comperatore
Police have announced times and roads that will be affected over the next several days by the viewing and funeral services for Corey Comperatore, who was killed Saturday while attending Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler County. Traffic restrictions begin Wednesday in Freeport, according to Chris Fabec,...
Memorial services set for Buffalo Township man killed at Trump rally
A candlelight vigil for Corey Comperatore planned for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Lernerville Speedway is meant to honor his memory, not advance political agendas, according to organizers. It’s one of several ways people will be able commemorate the Buffalo Township man killed by a gunman at Donald Trump’s rally Saturday...
Parks Township nuclear waste cleanup faces awareness gap
How well informed community members are about the impending Parks Township nuclear waste dump cleanup depends on who you ask. Preliminary results from a survey sent out by University of Pittsburgh master’s degree candidate Ariana Scott suggest a startling lack of awareness, with a majority of respondents indicating they aren’t...
Frustration mounts over lack of information on Kiski Township police chief departure
Anyone who hoped to hear Kiski Township supervisors speak on the departure of former Chief Lee Bartolicius on Wednesday night left the township’s regular meeting sorely disappointed. Township Solicitor Ryan Fritz ruled out the prospect at the start of the meeting. “For anyone who is here simply for that purpose,...
Penn Hills man leads Verona police on foot chase through traffic while carrying baby, police say
Verona police say a Penn Hills man wanted for retail theft led officers on a foot chase, weaving between passing vehicles with his infant daughter in his arms. It was only after his arrest that it became clear why the suspect made such a desperate attempt to flee from petty...
Johnetta Campground in Gilpin part of $2 million, 400-acre sale
The popular Johnetta Campground along the Allegheny River in Gilpin now belongs to two local officials. Southern Armstrong Holdings LLC purchased 400 acres that formerly was owned by Reynoldsville-based timber company, Forestland Investments LLC. Southern Armstrong Holdings represents Gilpin Supervisor Jeremy Smail and his wife, Leechburg Area School Board President...
Low cash not stopping Allegheny Township festival from going ahead
The Allegheny Township Community Day Festival will return Sunday with a new location and diminished budget as sponsors shy away from an event that has been marred by claims of fiscal impropriety. After raising more than $17,000 last year, festival organizer and township Supervisor Jamie Morabito said the nonprofit that...
Faces of the Valley: Anne Lindsay frequents farmers markets with a business baked from scratch
Like many people, Anne Lindsay took up a new hobby in the early days of the covid pandemic, looking to kill time after a day of virtual classes as a Freeport Area High School student. The difference is, she stuck with it, turning a hankering for sourdough bread into a...
Kiski Township erred in withholding details of police chief’s severance, legal expert says
The Kiski Township Board of Supervisors accepted Lee Bartolicius’ resignation as police chief Wednesday night, but residents — and even some officials — still are in the dark about the circumstances of his departure, including severance pay. That made informed public comment at the meeting difficult, possibly spelling legal trouble...
Oakmont’s vegetation-control goats back to work after escape
Phyllis Anderson has jokingly referred to herself as “the GOAT,” (Greatest of All Time) since Oakmont brought in working goats two years ago to clear brush along the Allegheny River. But the assistant borough manager wants residents to know that the goats’ escape from their enclosure this week was no...
Hard lemonade the latest collaboration from Turner Dairy and Pittsburgh Brewing
A year after launching IC’d Tea, Turner Dairy Farms and Pittsburgh Brewing Co. are back with another twist on a Pittsburgh favorite. Turner’s Hard Lemonade will hit shelves Monday, July 8 as a limited-edition offering from the iconic local brands. A release from Turner’s describes the beverage as a balance...
Anti-discrimination Penn Hills Advisory Council commended for ‘energy and drive’
When Ronald Saunders saw an FBI report that named Western Pennsylvania as a hub for hate activity, the longtime civil rights activist knew he had to step in. After consulting with Richard Stewart, former president of the NAACP Pittsburgh Branch, he got in touch with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission...
