Mary Ann Thomas stories, Page 30
Cue the bald eagles: Webcams are streaming live for breeding season
Anticipating visits and “nestorations” by bald eagle couples at the beginning of their breeding season, two webcams have gone live and are ready for the action. The Pittsburgh bald eagle webcam in Pittsburgh’s Hays section has been live all year with sporadic reports and a recent uptick of the birds’...
No tax hike in Harrison Township; budget delayed as township officials quarantined for covid-19
Harrison Commissioners plan to adopt a 2021 budget later than usual this year because several township officials have been sidelined by covid-19 quarantines over the past month. The commissioners will vote on the proposed budget, which does not include a tax increase, during their Dec. 30 meeting via the Zoom...
$2.6 billion Army Corps of Engineers project on Ohio River might get funded faster
Two key pieces of federal legislation could shave off years waiting to start construction of the Army Corps of Engineers $2.6 billion upper Ohio River project. The project, still in the design phase, replaces a lock each at the Emsworth, Dashields and Montgomery locks and dams. Recent legislation — the...
Lower Burrell sewage bills to go up almost 8% next year
Lower Burrell Council agreed to raise a sewage rates by about almost 8% for the average household in 2021. The quarterly bill of an average household will increase from about $155 to $165.50, according to city officials. “The total bill increase is driven by processing costs from Municipal Sanitary Authority...
Peoples Gas demolishes eyesore in Kiski TownshipVideo
A demolition crew paid for by Peoples Gas toppled an old, abandoned three-story commercial building in Kiski Township that was so flimsy it groaned when the wind blew. Township officials are still deciding what they can do with the now-vacant property of less than an acre at 502-26 Highland Ave....
Lower Burrell fire company having success raffling off AR-15 rifles to raise money
In a year when the covid pandemic has forced many organizations to cancel fundraising events, Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 (Kinloch) has had success raffling off AR-15 semiautomatic rifles to raise money. The department’s fundraising efforts have been down about $100,000 this year, but Kinloch Chief Ted Hereda...
‘Senior Secret Santa’ delivers gifts, cheer to homes of nearly 100 Apollo-Ridge studentsVideo
Apollo-Ridge School District’s Senior Secret Santa didn’t circle the world in a supersonic sleigh, but he covered 220 miles Friday in a four-wheel drive SUV delivering gifts to the district’s 96 high school seniors. Apollo-Ridge High School Principal Dan Consuegra donned the outfit of the jolly old elf to serve...
Lower Burrell to fix 2 partially collapsed sewer lines with $200K grant
A $200,000 state grant is helping the Lower Burrell Municipal Authority fix sections of two sewer lines that have partially collapsed. One section is under the former JCPenney parking lot along Leechburg Road, while the other is along Wildlife Lodge Road near Leechburg Road. “This is good news for the...
Lower Burrell says recent Right-to-Know requests are excessive and ‘vexatious’
Lower Burrell plans to send a cease-and-desist letter to a Plum man whose Right-to-Know Law requests have, officials claim, become excessive and “vexatious.” Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law entitles the public and media to secure most records from public agencies in the state within five days of a request. Dave Bayne, 73,...
Arnold woman tried to take Lower Burrell officer’s gun during arrest, police say
Lower Burrell police said an Arnold woman who wrecked her car at Burrell Lake Park on Saturday tried to take an officer’s gun and Taser, and hit, kicked and spit on officers as they arrested her. Michelle Pusateri, 37, also faces charges of child endangerment because police said she was...
Test your eagle eyes at Mercer County spotting festival
As the number of bald eagles continue to soar in the state, so are the numbers of the previously endangered raptors congregating at local waterways in the winter. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Shenango River Lake near Hermitage in Mercer County is inviting the public to visit and...
New $250,000 waterline installation project in Upper Burrell won’t stop traffic, will improve water
An upcoming waterline project in Upper Burrell along Bethesda Drive and a small portion of White Cloud Road won’t inconvenience residents, but will improve the water quality and flow, according to a water authority official. The Municipal Authority of New Kensington is planning the $250,000 project this spring to provide...
New $148,000 grant to replace old faulty waterlines in New Kensington, Lower Burrell
A $148,000 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development will help pay for a $400,000 project in New Kensington and Lower Burrell to replace three old waterlines that often break. The Municipal Authority of New Kensington was awarded the state grant to replace: • 1,300 feet of...
Upper Burrell Dollar General plans on hold because of development issues
Plans for a Dollar General store in Upper Burrell are on hold because of development issues flagged by township officials. Construction of the proposed 7,500-square-foot store along Route 780 near Dewey Drive has raised the concern of some residents because the vacant site where it would be built is in...
Kiski Township to create sewage authority to oversee $16M project
Kiski Township supervisors plan to establish the Kiski Township Sewage Authority next month to oversee a $16 million project to bring public sewerage to nearly 700 homes. That amounts to about half of township households, said township engineer Richard Lenhart of Senate Engineering. About 10% of the township residents have...
Vandergrift woman accused of assaulting at least 4 people, including 2 police officers
A Vandergrift woman is accused by borough police of punching and kicking at least four people earlier this week, including two police officers — one of whom she allegedly kicked in the face when she was taken to the police station. Police say Jaden Nicole Etchison, 21, of Vandergrift got...
First National Bank branch in Lower Burrell to close
The First National Bank branch in Lower Burrell is scheduled to close March 5. It is among 21 First National branch offices that will be shuttered in the Eastern United States, said FNB spokeswoman Jennifer M. Reel. Some customers were not happy to hear about the closure of the branch...
First critical segment of 9/11 National Memorial Trail complete in Somerset County
The first 1.4 miles section of a special, off-road recreational trail for the September 11th National Memorial Trail in Garrett, Somerset County, is complete. It’s a milestone for trail organizers, who cobbled together a 1,300-mile network of existing bicycle, pedestrian trails and roads connecting the three 9/11 memorial sites in...
Experts say given pandemic malaise, flat holiday spending in region is not bad
Most Southwestern Pennsylvania consumers say they will spend what they did last year for holiday shopping, which is good news given the pandemic and tough economics, local experts say. According to a regional survey, 57% of consumers said they planned to spend about the same as they did last year...
Virtual learning tips stress well being and establishing new routines
As frazzled households adapt to the challenges of virtual learning during the pandemic, the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit is offering a free webinar to help parents cope and make it easier for children to succeed in school from home. The free webinar available online,“FACE: Families and Communities Engaged Together,” tackles problems...
Audubon Society’s Christmas bird count still on, but things will be different this yearVideo
The National Audubon Society’s 121st annual Christmas Bird Count is set, with social distancing restrictions, in the region for Dec. 26. The longest-running volunteer census of the birds, the survey pinpoints trends in bird populations used by scientists and policymakers. Regionally, there are “count circles,” a series of count areas...
Audit of Upper Burrell fire department finds no problems
The preliminary findings from an audit found no issues with Upper Burrell’s volunteer fire company finances, supervisors told residents during their Wednesday night meeting. Unhappy with the prospect of a proposed 2-mill fire tax, township residents this summer asked for an audit of the fire company’s books to confirm their...
Apollo-Ridge students designing new logo for Kiski Township
The Kiski Township supervisors are asking students in the Apollo-Ridge School District to design a logo for the township for a myriad of uses, including letterhead, police department badges and possibly township vehicles. The current logo on township police badges is a generic government seal. But Kiski Township officials want...
Coronavirus safe: Online sales of fishing licenses double, 2021 licenses now available
Buoyed by a 20% increase in fishing license purchases this year over 2019, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is offering fishing licenses for 2021, which are also valid for this month. Although fishing licenses are still available through local bait and sporting goods stores, the commission is promoting the...
Horn covers let Burrell musicians play safelyVideo
Burrell School District’s chairman of the music department, who was recently appointed president of the Westmoreland County Music Educators Association, continues to make beautiful music with students while trying to outsmart the pandemic. Brian Querry, a music teacher at Burrell’s Huston middle school, is embracing new ways for the district’s...
