Joe Napsha stories, Page 51
Turnpike drug suspect sentenced to 9 years in prison for transporting 400 ‘bricks’ of heroin
A former Philadelphia man was sentenced Wednesday to nine years in federal prison for transporting about 20,000 packets of heroin three years ago when state police stopped him along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Mt. Pleasant Township. Cristobal Rosa-Robles, 51, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh by a federal...
Police seek ID of Swissvale sex assault suspect
Allegheny County and Swissvale police are seeking assistance with identifying on man suspected of sexually assaulting a woman on a Swissvale sidewalk in broad daylight, county police said. The suspect is accused of assaulting the woman at about 6:10 p.m. Aug. 4, near the intersection of Monongahela and Duquesne avenues,...
Vandergrift mom credits youth football coach with saving her baby’s life
Whatever miracles a Kiski Valley youth football coach might perform in leading his team to victory this season will pale in comparison to the action he performed Monday afternoon just outside the Vandergrift field where his team was practicing. Quick action by Kristian Clayton, 45, of Vandergrift saved the life...
Etna boy, 16, identified as Pittsburgh fatal shooting victim early Monday
An Etna teenager has been identified as the victim of a fatal shooting early Monday morning in Pittsburgh. The victim, Alexander Kowalyk, 16, was shot around 2:40 a.m. Monday in Pittsburgh’s Uptown and Bluff neighborhood. He died Monday afternoon in a Pittsburgh hospital, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said....
Unity man remembered for his love of life, family and friends
Kenneth J. Planinsek of Unity was a man who loved life and appreciated family and friends, whether it was cooking for a large gathering of family and friends, organizing a golf outing, decorating a Christmas tree in the woods or being outdoors. “He lived his life with politeness and grace,”...
Police arrest woman in Homewood double shooting
A 20-year-old Wilkinsburg woman was jailed in connection with the Aug. 4 shooting of two 18-year-old women in Homewood, Pittsburgh police said. The detectives from the violent crime unit arrested Temani Lewis, 20, for shooting the women in the back in the 7400 block of Stranahan Street around 11:15 a.m.,...
Suspect arrested in shooting on Pittsburgh’s South Side in May
A Munhall man has been arrested in connection with an exchange of gunfire that wounded three people, including the suspect, on the city’s South Side in May. The suspect, Shawn Johnson, Jr., 23, was arrested on a firearms violation warrant for a shooting that occurred in the 1700 block of...
Storms, flooding hit hard in central Westmoreland County
Heavy rains flooded roads in Pittsburgh’s East End, the North Hills area and sections of central Westmoreland County as the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning Friday night for areas of Pittsburgh, the North Hills, central Westmoreland County and Butler County. Westmoreland County 911 was receiving numerous calls...
Smithton American Legion Post to honor Vietnam War veterans
Vietnam War veterans will be remembered and honored Aug. 13 in a daylong program at the Smithton American Legion Park at Lions Drive and Peer Street. Gold Star families — those who lost a loved one during the war — will be honored during a ceremony at 1 p.m., with...
Washington County man sentenced to 20 years for sexually exploiting minors
A Washington County man who had threatened to extort seven minor girls to get sexually explicit images of them was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in federal prison on child pornography charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh. Jacob Kolonis, 29, who also had lived with relatives in...
Activist groups to protest at Sen. Kim Ward’s office over abortion bill
Two community activist groups that support abortion rights are planning to rally Friday afternoon outside the Southwest Greensburg office of state Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Hempfield. “We want to make people aware of what Kim Ward is doing,” said Amanda Piern, the organizer for Voice of Westmoreland, which has...
Norwin area: Music in the Streets, peach festival, barbecues, more
Music in the Streets returns Music in the Streets returns to downtown Irwin beginning at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 18. Performers include: Bob Brooks at the Colonial Grille Taproom on Main Street from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Elaine Painter & Gary at Brandy’s Basement from 8 to 11 p.m., Kenny Blake...
Penn-Trafford area: Chicken barbecue, educators hired
Chicken barbecue planned The Manor Lions Club will hold a chicken barbecue Aug. 13 in the Roberts Roofing parking lot, 89 Manor-Harrison City Road, Manor, from 11 a.m. until sellout. The meals are $10 for a half chicken, roll, applesauce, cookies and a drink. The parking lot is between Manor...
Pittsburgh police search for missing girl, 13, last seen by her family July 30
A 13-year-old girl from Pittsburgh has been reported missing, city police said. Detectives with the special victims unit are searching for Ashlynn Southerland. She is 5 feet, 1 inch tall and weighs about 115 pounds. She has black hair and blue eyes, with a scar under her right eye. She...
Motorcyclist killed in Pleasant Hills identified
A motorcyclist was killed in a crash on Wednesday evening in Pleasant Hills, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI. According to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner, the victim is Michele Biancaniello, a 60-year-old man and Pittsburgh resident. The fatal crash occurred at 8:38 p.m. in the 100 block of Route...
Connellsville used car dealer, salesman, indicted in jobless benefits scam
The former owner of a Connellsville used car dealership and his car salesman are wanted by federal agents for allegedly defrauding the unemployment benefits system. Authorities say they falsified applications for jobless benefits for themselves and others, while also taking a cut of the funds others received during the covid...
Churchill man gets 10-year jail sentence on drugs, gun charges
A Churchill man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Wednesday on firearms and drug violations and five years probation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh. Maurice Miller, 35, had pleaded guilty on April 4 in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh to the accusations that he was...
Pittsburgh police locate missing 13-year-old girl
Pittsburgh police have located a missing 13-year-old girl after she was missing for nearly 16 hours. The girl, Alison Vivas, was safely located at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday after police said she was last seen at 6 p.m. on Tuesday in the the Oakland area. Police special victims unit detectives...
Norwin Chamber of Commerce to hold community picnic Wednesday
The Norwin Chamber of Commerce will hold community picnic beginning at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Irwin Park. The event features food, free train rides, game booths, a raffle, a ducky race on the Tinker’s Run tributary, children’s activities, a bake sale, crafters and vendors, a photo booth, bingo games and...
Arnold suspect arrested and charged in Fox Chapel burglary
An Arnold man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly participating in the burglary of Fox Chapel home last month in which a gold bar, jewelry worth thousands of dollars, an engraved wedding bank and three Rolex watches were stolen, Allegheny County Police said. Zachary Zeise, 27, was arrested in Cheswick by...
North Huntingdon again denies Norwin’s request to waive $15K permit fee
The North Huntingdon commissioners reaffirmed their decision to deny a request from the Norwin School District to waive a $15,755 building permit fee needed to make necessary repairs to a school roof. The commissioners voted 6-1 to deny the district’s request as it is facing $1 million in needed roof...
National Weather Service posts tornado warning for Greene, Washington counties
A tornado warning has been issued by National Weather Service for Southwestern Pennsylvania, specifically Washington and Greene counties, from 7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Monday. In issuing the tornado warning, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was observed near Valley Grove, W.Va., moving in a southeasterly direction at...
Police: 1 hurt in Lawrenceville crash
One person was reported in critical condition as a result of a rollower crash in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood, city police said. One vehicle rolled over shortly before 3:30 p.m. outside of UPMC Children’s Hospital at 44th Street at Post Street, police said. The driver was the only occupant in the...
Report: 1 injured in Churchill crash
A rollover crash Monday off the Parkway East in Churchill left one person hospitalized, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI. The crash was reported at about 4:50 p.m. at the intersection of Rodi Road and William Penn Highway, according to Allegheny County 911. Additional details were not available from Churchill...
North Huntingdon couple takes ‘leap of faith’ in reopening Irwin coffee shop
A North Huntingdon couple who dreamed of operating their own coffee shop and bakery, have bought a former Irwin coffee shop where they loved to relax while drinking coffee and tea. Eric and Sarah Shearer, both 30, even used it as the place to write ‘thank you notes’ to those...
