Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 37
Parkway East ramp at Forest Hills reopens after tractor-trailer overturned
The Parkway East ramp from Forest Hills/Route 30 to westbound Interstate 376 has reopened after being forced to closed due to an overturned tractor-trailer, PennDOT announced. The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. Friday. It is unclear what caused the crash. No injuries were reported....
More Quaker Valley area governments organize their leadership for the year
More Quaker Valley area communities welcomed their newly-elected officials as well as appointed their council leaders. Bell Acres Mayor Kenneth Alvania swore in Christopher Abell, Lane Grafton and Gregory Molchen to their new council seats. This will be Abell’s fifth term, Grafton’s second and Molchen’s first term. David Renfrew was...
Dorseyville Middle School honors band flutists perform for Fox Chapel Area School Board
Members of the Dorseyville Middle School honors band performed at the district’s school board meeting Jan. 8. The flute ensemble, under the direction of band director Anne Goggin, played the national anthem as well as a selection from “The Sound of Music.” The performance was part of the school’s way...
More local governments reorganize their leadership
More Fox Chapel-area governments welcomed their newly elected council members and supervisors, as well as appointed their top officials earlier this month. Blawnox Mayor Anthony Gross swore in Elaine Palmer, John Simmons and Christine Carnevali to their new council seats. Deborah Laskey and Randall Stoddard were reappointed as council president...
Sewickley borough manager gets new 2-year deal
Sewickley officials have approved a new employment agreement with borough manager Donna Kaib. Council unanimously voted Jan. 9 to retain its top administrator the next two years. The agreement comes with a big pump in pay from when she was first hired in August 2021. Kaib’s starting salary for the...
Sewickley library book returned 54 years later
It’s not often that something lost for more than half a century is recovered. Such a moment happened this past holiday season at the Sewickley Public Library. Former borough resident Carol Patterson McIntyre took out a copy of “Beowulf” in 1969. She said she borrowed it for an assignment her...
Woman pinned between store and vehicle in Pittsburgh’s South Side
A woman is recovering after being pinned pinned between a vehicle and a building in connection with a crash in Pittsburgh’s South Side on Wednesday afternoon. Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson Emily Bourne said detectives were investigating a robbery at a convenience store along the 2400 block of East Carson Street...
Police: Man shot in Pittsburgh’s Crawford Roberts neighborhood in critical condition
A man was hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday evening after being shot in Pittsburgh’s Crawford Roberts neighborhood. Public Safety spokesperson Emily Bourne said officers responded to the 1900 block of Bedford Avenue shortly before 6 p.m. for ShotSpotter alert that indicated that eight shots had been fired. Police located a...
Clean finish: Penn Hills native calls it a career after 35 years in the ring
The end of last year was the end of an era for a Springdale man. Shawn Patrick, known in Western Pennsylvania pro wrestling circuits as “The Pride of Springdale,” is putting away his bow tie and suspenders after 35 years as a referee. The 1983 Dynamo grad and former Springdale...
Fox Chapel Area School District officials approve new security upgrades
Fox Chapel Area School District officials are starting off the new year by spending nearly $379,000 on security upgrades. Board members unanimously voted Monday night to approve an approximately $254,900 proposal from Convergint Technologies and a five-year deal with AEC Group at a cost of about $123,700. The meeting agenda...
Aleppo holds the line on property taxes with this year’s budget
Aleppo property owners will not have to pay more in township real estate taxes this year. Commissioners recently adopted their 2024 budget and maintained the millage rate at 3.5 mills. Township manager Gwen Patterson said Aleppo has not raised taxes in more than 15 years. Projected revenues and expenses were...
Sewickley patrolman Mark Smilek remembered for dedication, bringing joy to others
A Sewickley police officer who died after battling leukemia the past seven years is being remembered as a protector who brought joy to many. Part-time Officer Mark Smilek was a former Pentagon police officer who was at the facility during the 9/11 attacks, with a law enforcement career that spanned...
Crash injures at least 1 on Route 8 near Etna
Route 8 between Kittanning Street and Route 28 in Etna has reopened in both directions after being closed for several hours Monday afternoon following a crash in which two men were hospitalized. Allegheny County dispatch said calls for the vehicle rollover came in about 2:30 p.m. Etna police and firefighters...
Leetsdale approves 5-year contract for Rave Alert system
Leetsdale officials recently approved a new five-year deal for the use of a messaging system to help alert residents of emergencies and borough events. Council voted Dec. 14 to approve the continued use of Rave Alert, a mass notification system through Rave Mobile Safety, at a cost of $1,250 a...
2 men wanted in connection with ATM theft from Downtown business have been apprehended
Both men wanted for allegedly stealing an ATM from a Downtown business on Christmas Eve have been arrested, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday. Raymond Fields III, 59, of Pittsburgh was apprehended Thursday night without incident at a residence along the 2600 block of South 18th Street on Pittsburgh’s...
Several Quaker Valley area communities reorganize leadership
Many Quaker Valley area communities have their newly-elected officials sworn in as well as council and commission leaders appointed. Aleppo Commissioner Judith Haluka was sworn in to her second term by outgoing Magistrate Robert Ford, and Commissioner Arthur Williams was sworn in to his third term by new Magistrate Giuseppe...
Monroeville police officer shot, listed in stable condition; suspect in custody
A Monroeville police officer was shot “multiple times” Wednesday night as he approached an armed robbery suspect, according to Allegheny County Police. The officer was listed in stable condition at an area hospital late Wednesday. Allegheny County Police said in a news release that Monroeville’s emergency dispatching center was notified...
Sharpsburg Councilmembers sworn in; leadership selected
Sharpsburg Council welcomed a few new faces and appointed familiar leaders at its reorganization meeting Jan. 2. Mayor Brittany Reno swore in newcomers Kacie Cope and Corey Egwrube Ochai as well as incumbents Sarah Ishman, Adrianne Laing and Jonathan Jaso to their new seats. Cope, Ishman and Jaso won four-year...
Charges withdrawn against former Leet police chief who had been accused of assaulting his father
Former Leet police Chief Michael Molinaro will not stand trial for allegedly assaulting his father. Beaver County District Attorney’s Office withdrew charges of simple assault and harassment Tuesday, a county court clerk confirmed. Online court documents indicated a preliminary hearing was scheduled that morning before District Judge Steven N. Necaster....
Aspinwall Council welcomes new members, appoints new leadership
Aspinwall Council added new members and new leadership to start the new year. Mayor Joseph Noro swore in newcomers Mark Chimel II and Louis Curcio Jr. to their first four-year terms at a reorganization meeting Jan. 2. Incumbent Heth Turnquist was sworn in to his second term on council. He...
Shots fired, no one injured in potential burglary at Kiski Township home
A Kiski Township man fired shots inside his home during a potential burglary, township police reported. Chief Lee Bartolicius said officers responded to the call for a burglary along the 1400 block of Ridge Road around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday. Officers learned the homeowner fired several shots inside, but no one...
Fox Chapel officials hold line on real estate taxes, garbage bills
Fox Chapel property owners will not have to pay more in real estate taxes or for garbage collection in 2024. Council voted 6-0 last month to adopt its 2024 budget and maintain the tax rate at 2.95 mills. Councilman Thomas Karet was absent. The borough has not raised real estate...
Sewickley Heights officials hold the line on real estate taxes for next year
Sewickley Heights property owners will not have to pay more in real estate taxes next year. Council unanimously voted Dec. 18 to pass its 2024 budget and maintain the tax rate at 5.5 mills. Projected revenues and expenditures were listed at about $2.89 million. Expected income includes about $1.59 million...
Aspinwall sets new rules for short-term rental properties
People who want to operate short-term rentals, often called Airbnbs, in Aspinwall have some new rules to follow. Council unanimously voted Dec. 13 to pass an ordinance regulating such businesses catering to folks staying in town less than 30 days. Rules state the proprietor must obtain a permit and live...
New stop signs coming to busy Fox Chapel intersection
New stop signs will be installed at a busy Fox Chapel intersection in an effort to make turning safer. Police Chief Michael Stevens said there have been numerous near misses and complaints about traffic safety at Old Mill and Easton roads. “It has a sight distance problem,” he said. “When...
