Megan Tomasic stories, Page 31
Rain showers expected to bring cooler temperatures to Pittsburgh region
Rain moving into Southwestern Pennsylvania Thursday afternoon is expected to slide temperatures closer to seasonally-average norms throughout the weekend. While the chance of isolated showers is possible throughout the day Thursday, temperatures will remain close to the upper 60s, said Jason Frazier, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in...
Police: Body of woman reported missing in January found in Fayette County
A woman missing from Fayette County since January was found dead, according to state police. Melanie Prokop, 62, was found Wednesday evening in a wooded area off Kennedy Road in North Union Township, police said. Prokop, who was last seen Jan. 1 driving her white vehicle, was reported missing Jan....
Person taken to hospital after early morning fire in Elliott
One person was taken to the hospital following a house fire in Pittsburgh’s Elliott neighborhood early Thursday morning. Fire, police and EMS responded to the 900 block of Gibson Street shortly after 3 a.m., according to an Allegheny County emergency dispatcher. Crews found flames on the first floor of the...
Women’s History Month: Facts and figuresVideo
In 1857, women toiling in the garment and textile industries in New York City factories staged a protest over poor working conditions. Fifty years later, the fight was far from over. On Feb. 28, 1907, women once again took to the streets calling for political rights for working women and...
Former Steelers player says son moved from ICU, health improving
Former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Ryan Switzer said his 9-month-old son was moved out of the ICU Monday after he was admitted over the weekend to control bleeding. Switzer wrote on Twitter, “Christian is being moved from the ICU to the floor today! There were no more bleeding spells over night...
Hempfield Area prom set for May 1 at Stratigos
Students in the Hempfield Area School District will have the opportunity to go to prom this year after last year’s event was canceled due to covid-19. According to a post on the district’s Facebook page, this year’s prom is scheduled for May 1 at Stratigos Banquet Centre in North Huntingdon....
Warm temperatures, sunny skies expected in early part of week
The Pittsburgh region will see hints of spring this week as unseasonably warm temperatures arrive. Breaking out of colder temperatures that struggled to reach past the 40s last weekend, much of Southwestern Pennsylvania is expected to experience temperatures in the mid-50s Monday, according to Chris Leonardi, a meteorologist with the...
2 Hempfield Area schools temporarily closed because of covid-19 cases
Two Hempfield Area schools are temporarily closed because of multiple covid-19 cases, school officials announced. The high school and Fort Allen Elementary are closed Monday, according to Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. Students, who will participate in remote learning Monday, will return to the classroom on Tuesday. According to an online covid-19...
Police: 1 person in critical condition after Clairton shooting
Allegheny County police are investigating a shooting in Clairton that left one person in critical condition Sunday night, officials with the department said. First responders were called to the 500 block of Farnsworth Avenue around 9:50 p.m. after Allegheny County dispatchers were notified of the shooting. On scene, officials said...
Pandemic weighs on mental health as people cope with anxiety, fears
Almost a year into the covid-19 pandemic, feeling stressed is an understatement, Jenn Sillett said. The 42-year-old mother of three has not set foot inside a store or restaurant for the better part of the past year, only leaving her Hempfield home to take her 19-year-old daughter, Sierra Williams, to...
Doing what’s right: Inside restoration begins on tomb of Sutersville founderVideo
Frank Barbera knew if he was going to get inside the Suter mausoleum at West Newton Cemetery, it wasn’t going to be through the bricked-over front door. Instead, the former Sutersville mayor in November removed bricks covering the windows and shimmied his way into the structure that entombs Sutersville’s founder,...
Altoona police arrest Pittsburgh man they say is connected to October murder in Indiana County
A man wanted in connection with a murder in Indiana County last fall has been arrested in Altoona. Terrion Gates was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals and officers with the Altoona Police Department, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page. Gates was wanted on homicide, robbery and...
‘An inspiration’: Latrobe Art Center exhibit features women who played a role in Latrobe’s growth
In honor of Women’s History Month, the Latrobe Art Center is featuring an exhibit honoring five women who contributed to the city’s growth. Titled “Remembering Her: A Reflection on Latrobe’s Women in the Arts,” the exhibit encourages attendees to reflect on women who were gifted artists and who also played...
Seton Hill hosting lecture series focused on Holocaust scholar Eva Fleischner
A lecture series focusing on the life of Holocaust scholar Eva Fleischner is scheduled for next week by the Seton Hill University National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education. Titled “The memory of goodness: Eva Fleischner and her contributions to Holocaust studies,” the series will discuss Fleischner, a scholar of women...
Details released for Ligonier’s 11th annual Soup’s On! event
Area restaurants and organizations are set to compete in Ligonier’s 11th annual Soup’s On! event this month. The event is set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 20. It allows people to sample soups from various organizations while exploring stores in downtown Ligonier. Because of the covid-19 pandemic,...
Some UPMC St. Margaret patients may have had health information ‘inappropriately disclosed,’ officials say
Health information of some UPMC St. Margaret hospital patients might have been “inappropriately disclosed” after an employee sent a medication administration report to an outside organization without a business need, UPMC officials disclosed Friday. According to a release from the health care network, officials learned of the the breach Aug....
Hempfield Area planning for possible return of high school students
Leaders in the Hempfield Area School District are looking at ways to bring high school students back to in-person classes five days a week. At this time, officials are considering bringing students back during the fourth nine weeks, which begins March 26, Matthew Conner, assistant superintendent of secondary education, said...
Westmoreland, Allegheny teachers earn Global Educators designation
Several area teachers have been recognized by the Pennsylvania State Modern Language Association as Global Educators. The recognition is given to advisers who support the PSMLA Global Scholars program in their schools to lead Global Scholars graduates in two consecutive years with the PSMLA Global Educator Certificate. This year, 17...
Hempfield Area lays out preliminary graduation plans
Hempfield Area School District leaders are hopeful they will be able to hold one outdoor graduation ceremony this year after Gov. Tom Wolf raised occupancy limits this week. Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said the change in occupancy limits — which increases capacity for indoor events to 15% of the maximum occupancy...
Bettors have chance to give back at Live! Casino Pittsburgh
Winners at Live! Casino Pittsburgh have the chance to give back. Two donation boxes, known as The Giveback Box, are at the Hempfield casino, where guests can contribute slot tickets, cash or table game chips to support local charities. This quarter, benefiting organizations include United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania and...
West Mifflin nonprofit travels to Texas to help animals in need
When Walter Schwarz and Dave Stash received a call from the Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team for a mission to Houston, Texas, they didn’t think twice about going. By Friday, the duo had packed a suitcase within 24 hours of learning of the mission that would send them driving to...
Police: Hempfield man riding ATV killed in Mt. Pleasant Township crash
A 39-year-old man was killed Saturday night after a crash on Route 819 in Mt. Pleasant Township, according to state police. Timothy A. Strobel of Hempfield was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. According to police, Strobel was riding a Yamaha Terrapro all-terrain vehicle at about 8:45 p.m. between...
Man arrested after Pittsburgh police say he got in dispute with neighbor, shot him
One person is facing charges after police say he got into a confrontation with his neighbor and shot him. Joseph Baker was arrested by Pittsburgh police following the incident Saturday night and is charged with aggravated assault, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety Spokesman Chris Togneri. Officers and EMS were called...
Several Pennsylvania organizations to participate in Problem Gambling Awareness Month
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is working in conjunction with other state entities to promote Problem Gambling Awareness Month in March. Throughout the month, the gaming control board’s Office of Compulsive and Problem Gambling will join the state Department of Drug and Alcohol, the Pennsylvania Lottery, the Council on Compulsive...
Volunteers gather for Seton Hill’s Take the Day On service eventVideo
For Jack Schechterly, getting his hands dirty on a farm is nothing new. So when Schechterly, 20, a sophomore at Seton Hill University, saw an opportunity to volunteer at Stoneybrook Foundation in Acme on Saturday morning, he took it. “We just wanted to give back to the community, and this...
