Julia Maruca stories, Page 4
UPMC settles whistleblower case for $38 million
UPMC has agreed to pay $38 million to settle a long-running whistleblower lawsuit filed by former employees that alleged violations of the federal False Claims Act. The parties agreed to settle the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in September but did not finalize the deal until this week, according to...
Fire destroys Avalon home, damages others
A fire destroyed one home and badly damaged several others Friday morning in Avalon. “It was a very hard fire,” said Avalon Volunteer Fire Company Chief Dave Meyer. The blaze was reported about 5:30 a.m. in the 200 block of McKinley Avenue. A lack of water pressure presented a challenge,...
Shapiro announces investment in Hempfield site, touts proposed program expansion
As he looked over a former mining and industrial site in the Bovard section of Hempfield, Gov. Josh Shapiro saw much more than just a faded field. “I see real possibility in this dirt, and in this old slab of concrete,” Shapiro said Thursday. “There is real promise in this...
Former Hempfield Area transportation provider First Student will lay off 80 local workers
Transportation company First Student is laying off 253 workers, including 80 in Hempfield, after Hempfield Area and Allentown school districts chose different bus transportation providers for the 2024-25 school year. The company posted an alert on the state WARN layoff alert site indicating it would close two facilities, one at...
Morning Roundup: Alligator found in Beaver County creek; house fire in Carrick
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, May 10: Alligator found in Beaver County creek A small alligator was found swimming in a Beaver County creek on Wednesday afternoon. It was safely captured and taken to an area pet store. Bystanders spotted the 2½-foot gator...
Motorcyclist dead following crash outside Mercy Hospital
A motorcyclist has died following a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday evening just outside Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh’s Bluff neighborhood. An EMS team performed CPR on Donte J. Hairston, 33, of Clairton before he was taken to the hospital following the crash. Pittsburgh police said a vehicle collided with Hairston’s motorcycle at...
Tornadoes confirmed overnight in Ligonier area, Findlay Township
The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado passed through Derry and Ligonier townships early Wednesday, damaging trees, while another touched down briefly in Allegheny County, tearing off a roof. Shannon Hefferan, a meteorologist at the NWS Pittsburgh office, said the EF1 tornado in the Ligonier area generated gusts...
Hempfield Area student’s art exhibit focuses on family, culture
When Hempfield Area senior Emily Flores’ grandmother died in 2022, she wanted to find a way to honor her memory. “(Her death) really dug deep into my heart,” said Flores, 18. “I really thought about my childhood with her, and about my culture, and I wanted to take her with...
Morning Roundup: Lightning may have started Unity fire; Carnegie deals with flooding
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, May 8: Lightning may have started Unity fire Firefighters were on the scene at a house fire early Wednesday morning in Unity for about two and a half hours, according to Westmoreland County dispatchers. According to TribLive news...
Yes, allergy season is particularly bad. Here’s why it’s about to get worse — and what you can do to cope
Allergy sufferers need not look past their vehicle’s hood to see why this season is so bad — if their watery eyes let them. Tree pollen allergy season is nearing its peak, but relief might be available at your local pharmacy or grocery aisle. Grass pollen season is right around...
Newest Pirates’ team dog scores official name
And his name is … Slugger. The Pittsburgh Pirates revealed the name for the team dog on Monday. The club introduced the pup last week, and a poll was opened for Pirates fans to vote on a name for him. Slugger emerged victorious with 31% of the vote. Bandit, Rookie...
Repairs to leaking cable in Strip District continuing, Duquesne Light says
Repairs to fix an underground cable that has been leaking dielectric fluid in Pittsburgh’s Strip District will continue Tuesday, according to a statement from Duquesne Light Co. The outbound lanes of Liberty Avenue in the Strip between 26th and 28th streets will remain closed as work progresses. A reopening date...
Pastor recounts confrontation with gunman at North Braddock church
The reality of being shot at hasn’t fully sunk in for the Rev. Glenn Germany. He was in mid-sermon Sunday at his North Braddock church when — in full view of parishioners — he said a man moved to the front of the church and raised a gun, aimed it...
Liberty Avenue in Strip District restricted as crews repair leaking underground cable
A section of Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Strip District was down to one lane Monday morning as Duquesne Light crews worked to repair a leaking underground transmission cable. According to TribLive news partner WTAE, the repairs were happening in the area of Liberty Avenue and 27th Street. Duquesne Light said...
Trout-raising program at Hempfield Area brings conservation to the classroom
From the moment Hempfield Area junior Hayden Simmons heard about her science class’s trout project, she knew she wanted to get involved. “He said we were getting fish, and I was like, ‘When can I start?’ ” she said. “I just wanted to help.” Each morning during homeroom, and each afternoon...
Western Pa. United Methodist churches react to denomination’s revised LGBTQ policies
The Rev. Hannah Loughman, pastor at Sewickley United Methodist Church, found herself crying tears of joy Wednesday afternoon. “That sounds so dramatic, but I have been,” Loughman said. “We have been rejoicing all day.” The celebrations and emotions were brought on by votes taken at the United Methodist Church General...
New sidewalk, commercial corridor regulations approved in Hempfield
Hempfield officials are hopeful that new rules regarding sidewalks and commercial corridors will help create a more connected community. Township supervisors approved the two ordinance revisions on Monday. Sidewalks will now be required in new residential or commercial developments. Revised standards were also approved for new construction along the township’s...
Western Pa. hospitals juggle worsening medication shortages
Briefings on medication shortages are part of Dr. Arpit Mehta’s routine. As director of pharmacy at Allegheny General Hospital, Mehta sits down with his team for an hour every week to talk about medications the hospital may have difficulty keeping in stock. “Our list is 100-ish medications that we are...
‘One of the lucky ones’: A change in how transplant recipients are evaluated is changing the lives for many Black patients
Alva Smith received a letter with surprising news last fall: She was suddenly moving up on the kidney transplant waiting list. It wasn’t because of a change in her medical status. It was because the test used to evaluate prospective kidney transplant candidates began taking race out of the equation....
UPMC is shedding 1,000 jobs
Pittsburgh-based health care giant UPMC said Wednesday it is cutting 1,000 jobs because of post-pandemic challenges. The reductions will impact just over 1% of UPMC’s more than 100,000-member workforce systemwide, according to Paul Wood, vice president and chief communications officer. “The entire health care industry continues to face the realities...
Stage Right’s ‘Jersey Boys’ finds harmony with Broadway actor
A little slice of Broadway is coming to Greensburg. Russell Fischer, who first played the role of young Joe Pesci on Broadway in “Jersey Boys,” will star in Stage Right’s upcoming rendition of the award-winning jukebox musical — this time as lead vocalist Frankie Valli. The show, scheduled at Greensburg’s...
After hiring new architect, Hempfield ‘moving forward with a stronger team’ for renovation project
A new architect was hired Monday to work on Hempfield Area School District’s long-stalled high school renovation project. The school board hired Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates of Mechanicsburg to replace Bellevue-based Core Architects, which resigned from the district’s high school renovation project in February. The district’s solicitor and administration will...
United Methodists will vote on the church’s future at upcoming General Conference
Hundreds of United Methodists will gather in Charlotte, N.C., in the next two weeks to make big decisions on the religious denomination’s policies, finances, inclusiveness and future. The international conference, referred to as the 2020 General Conference because the original event was postponed during the pandemic, comes after years of...
Hempfield Project 18 civics class honored by local, state government for 50th anniversary
Students and leadership with Hempfield Area School District’s hands-on civics class, Project 18, were honored with proclamations from state and local government officials at a school board meeting this month. The elective class is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It was originally spearheaded by the state after 18-year-olds were...
Greensburg Salem students recognized for work at leadership conference
A group of Greensburg Salem juniors brought home the gold at a state leadership and career organization conference. The Greensburg Salem chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America competed in leadership project presentation events at the March 19 competition in Lancaster. Students Lisa Leeman, Brenna Kohl and Karma...
