Mary Ann Thomas stories, Page 27
Buffalo Township man died hours after being rescued from deep ravine
A Buffalo Township man was alive Tuesday night when authorities found him at the bottom of a deep ravine about a quarter-mile from his home following a six-hour search. But any relief that came from finding Dennis Fester, 74, was fleeting. He was flown by emergency helicopter to Pittsburgh’s Allegheny...
Police say Pittsburgh man restrained and assaulted New Kensington friend, fought with officer
Police say a Pittsburgh man who was taken into the home of a New Kensington friend because he had no place to stay assaulted the friend repeatedly and kept him from escaping his own home. Police say Darius Delaine Smalls, 29, then fought with police when they answered the distress...
Want to see 80,000 snow geese? No problem for Harrison photographer at Middle CreekVideo
A Harrison couple recently witnessed one of the state’s most dramatic natural spectacles — tens of thousands of migrating snow geese at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster and Lebanon counties. The Pennsylvania Game Commission, which manages Middle Creek, reports large crowds visiting to see the massive migration of...
After grant rejections, Lower Burrell fire company secures $100,000-plus for special breathing equipment
After failed attempts to secure grant money, Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 3 secured $108,000 from a state insurance fund to pay for firefighters’ special breathing equipment. The fire company recently received 18 self-contained breathing apparatus as well as portable air supplies. Firefighters wear the breathing equipment when entering...
PennDOT to begin Tarentum Bridge repairs, no traffic disruptions — yet
PennDOT will begin preservation work on the Tarentum Bridge from March 15 to mid-April. Crews will replace deteriorating concrete in the structure underneath the bridge, said Yasmeen Manyisha, PennDOT spokeswoman. No traffic disruptions are planned. However, some traffic restrictions are expected later this year when PennDOT works on other bridge...
Pa. Game Commission says game-law violations dip slightly
Wildlife game law violations dipped slightly last fiscal year compared to the year before, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s recently released 2020 annual report. The Game Commission said it pursued 6,708 prosecutions for alleged game-law violations during the fiscal year that ended June 30, down 1.7% from the year...
Owner vows to rebuild after losing his Upper Burrell mobile home in a blaze
An Upper Burrell couple was left homeless Thursday when fire raced through their mobile home on Amy Lane. Neither the couple, their pets nor any firefighters were reported to have been injured. Shortly after Larry Sieff turned on his hot water tank, he saw smoke in his kitchen and found...
After some rancor, Lower Burrell sanctions St. Patrick’s Day parade
Plans for what started as a small community St. Patrick’s Day parade late Saturday morning gained traction, stirring controversy and confusion before receiving official support from Lower Burrell Council. The estimated 20-minute parade on Leechburg Road, from Nevada Street at Stewart Elementary School to Hillcrest Shopping Center at Leechburg and...
Lower Burrell community group planning short St. Patrick’s Day parade March 6
In a time when pandemic restrictions have canceled numerous parades and events, a Lower Burrell community group looking to spread a little cheer is planning a St. Patrick’s Day parade March 6. Featuring fire trucks and community groups, the parade route is less than a mile long. The stripped-down event,...
Apollo to hold in-person council meeting at new location; vacancy ordinance to be considered
Apollo Council will hold its first in-person public meeting in months on Thursday, and one of the issues to be discussed will be a proposed vacancy ordinance. Mayor Cindee Virostek is among the happiest of meeting attendees at the new location, the spacious Apollo Volunteer Fire Company No. 2 Fire...
Western Pa. nonprofits ask for help as supply of donated goods falls
The flurry of winter storms and bad road conditions have caused inventories at Goodwill stores throughout the region to slip by at least 25%, according to the nonprofit, which asked for donations as some of its shelves are getting bare. The Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania also reported a decline...
Students design cardboard pig that can eat and more in new robotics class at Apollo-RidgeVideo
Apollo-Ridge student Amber Earnest’s drawing titled “Petting Zoo Pig” on cardboard is no ordinary swine. She devised a way to make its mouth move with the help of grant-supported equipment for the first robotics class at the high school. ABC Create, a regional collaboration of educators devoted to student technological...
VALarena rolls on with nearly $5,250 raised by community so it can reopen Friday
After an 11-month closure, the VALarena skating rink in North Apollo will reopen Friday, aided by nearly $5,250 raised by the community. A local institution for 70 years, the VALarena, which stands for Vandergrift, Apollo and Leechburg arena, shut down at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic early last year...
DEP awards $250,000 to Moon Township Sheetz for 4 fast-charging plugs for electric cars
The Sheetz in Moon Township will have four fast-charging plugs for electric vehicles courtesy of a $250,000 grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection. The agency announced $936,000 in grants on Friday for 16 more fast chargers in high-traffic areas to make electric vehicles more readily available to consumers....
Citizens Bank, Trib Total Media call on Western Pa. nonprofits to apply for Champions in Action grant
The Champions in Action Program is calling on Western Pennsylvania nonprofits to apply for a $35,000 grant package with volunteer assistance and Trib Total Media coverage. Champions in Action, sponsored by Citizens Bank, Trib Total Media and Pittsburgh Cares, identifies, promotes and rewards local nonprofits serving the community . Last...
Pittsburgh Hays bald eagles attack raccoon intruderVideo
The Pittsburgh Hays female bald eagle vigorously defended both of her eggs when a curious raccoon climbed about 80 feet to reach the nest Wednesday evening, according to PixCams, the Murrysville wildlife webcam company. The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, along with PixCams, operates a live 24-hour webcam that caught...
Armstrong County to give $733K in grants to restaurants hard hit by pandemic
Armstrong County announced it expects to distribute about $733,000 in grants to county restaurants for relief from pandemic losses under the new state covid-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program. The program recently announced by Gov. Tom Wolf includes $145 million in funding to the state’s 67 counties, based on population, to...
$1.5M Babcock Nature Center under construction in Buffalo Township
A soft opening is planned this spring for the $1.5 million Babcock Nature Center in Buffalo Township, under construction off Monroe Road next to the Butler-Freeport Community Trail. A collaboration between the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania and Buffalo Township, the new 2,500-square-foot center and a 1,200-square-foot pavilion will offer...
Old industrial sites along Great Allegheny Passage Trail to get historical markers
The sites of former steel mills and other long-gone vestiges of the region’s industrial might from Homestead to McKeesport will be emblazoned with historical markers along the Great Allegheny Passage trail. Rivers of Steel, a nonprofit focusing on the region’s industrial history, awarded an almost $4,000 grant to the Regional...
Lower Burrell councilman to hang up politics but singing ‘God Bless America’
After 16 years, Lower Burrell Councilman Joe Grillo said it’s time to go. He announced last week he would not seek reelection this year during a council meeting this week. “I’ve given it long and hard thought since 2018 when I had a cancer scare,” Grillo said. “Thank God, I’m...
Want to help make a baby? Jobs available at Cook Medical for in vitro fertilization devices.
As one of the world’s leaders in producing equipment for in vitro fertilization, Cook Medical in Parks Township is expanding operations and looking to hire 25 employees this quarter. Headquartered in Bloomington, Ind., Cook Medical recorded worldwide sales of $2.2 billion in 2019 for all of its business lines. Cook...
ATV/snowmobile fever: Westmoreland, Allegheny lead Pennsylvania in registrations
As the U.S. Forest Service has opened up ATV and off-road vehicle permits for the Allegheny National Forest, the state reports that its licenses for these sports vehicles continue to trend upwards. The U.S. Forest Service offers permits for off-road vehicles to use federal forests, including the region’s closest federal...
Volunteers needed for this weekend’s Great Backyard Bird Count
The 24th Great Backyard Bird Count is set for Friday through Monday. Volunteers from around the world are invited to count the birds they see for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count. Participating counters need only internet access to enter their bird checklists at...
Lower Burrell passes hazard plan to receive money for federal disasters
Lower Burrell Council recently agreed to participate in the Westmoreland County Hazard Mitigation Plan, which helps the city prepare for disasters. It also sets up Lower Burrell to respond and receive money to pay for expenses for disasters like floods and hurricanes. Since 1955, Presidential Disaster and Emergency Declarations have...
Want to hike 35 miles on longest day of the year? Rachel Carson Challenge is on
While the pandemic caused a flurry of event cancellations last year, some outdoor outings are a “go” this summer, including the 24th Rachel Carson Trail Challenge. The 35-mile trek though rugged, hilly terrain only adds to the challenge of the event, which will start in Harrison Hills Park in Harrison...
