Western PA Local News category, Page 1562
Stewards at Steward: Gateway students help provide environmentally friendly alternatives for Earth Day
In 1970, the nation’s first Earth Day ushered in an era of American conscientiousness on behalf of the environment. Well, maybe that finally will start happening in earnest a few generations down the road, thanks to people like Kassandra Poliziani. The kindergarten teacher at Gateway’s Dr. Cleveland Steward Jr. Elementary...
Former PWSA supervisor pleads guilty to Clean Water Act violations in sludge releases
A former supervisor at the Aspinwall Drinking Water Treatment Plant pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to allegations that he and other employees dumped sludge directly into the Allegheny River in violation of the Clean Water Act. Glenn Lijewski, 71, of Brookline, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to...
Probation ordered for Norwin Middle School musical volunteer
A Greensburg man convicted earlier this year of failing to disclose a prior conviction before volunteering at a middle school musical production was ordered Tuesday to serve one year on probation. After a trial in January, Brad Geyer, 40, was convicted of one misdemeanor count of not complying with the...
Bluesman Kenny Wayne Shepherd brings 25 years of ‘Trouble’ to GreensburgVideo
The Palace Theatre is in the sweet spot of venues where blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd likes to play. “There’s something to be said for playing to 20-, 30-, 50,000 people that is an experience unto itself, but there’s something to be said for playing the more intimate venues,” Shepherd...
Pedestrian struck on McKnight Road dies, no charges expected against driver
A woman struck on McKnight Road last week has died, authorities said. The incident happened just after 8 p.m. April 6 in Ross. The woman was crossing McKnight Road in the area near Roseland Avenue when she was struck by a vehicle. The busy road was shut down for several...
Port Authority fires 17 employees for not complying with covid-19 vaccine mandate
Seventeen Port Authority of Allegheny County employees have been fired for failing to comply with the authority’s covid-19 vaccine mandate that went into effect nearly a month ago, officials said. The mandate went into effect March 16, with Port Authority officials warning ahead of time of possible widespread service disruptions,...
North Park, South Park golf courses open for the season
More proof that spring has finally arrived. Not only is Tuesday opening day for the Pirates at PNC Park, but it’s also a day that golfers can finally hit the links at two of Allegheny County’s most popular public courses. The county has declared both the North and South park...
Sharpsburg council formally approves contract with consulting business founder
Sharpsburg officials took a public vote April 9 to hire Jason Dailey and his company, Dailey Operation Consulting, for temporary administration and managerial services after first voting to hire him in February during a closed-door meeting, a possible violation of the state’s Sunshine Law. The law requires that all votes...
Westmoreland airport officials seek to double size of Arnold Palmer terminal
The Westmoreland County Airport Authority will begin formalizing plans in May to more than double the size of the terminal building at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity, officials said Tuesday. The two-story terminal building was dedicated in 1977 and was refurbished in 1998 to accommodate just 60 commercial passengers,...
Voice of Westmoreland organizer: Spend ARP funds on housing, mental health resources
The new organizer for the Voice of Westmoreland, a progressive citizens activist group, wants to increase its efforts “to hold our local officials accountable.” Voice of Westmoreland, or VOW, wants Westmoreland County commissioners to spend some of the $105 million the county has received through the American Rescue Plan on...
Pine-Richland football players collect food to help needy families prepare Easter dinner
Members of the Pine-Richland football program recently teamed up with volunteers from a local charitable group to collect and distribute food to help 50 needy families prepare an Easter dinner. The players helped raise money to buy food and volunteered at Bakerstown Alliance Church in Richland on April 11 to...
Derry Township woman accused by troopers of providing 3 youths with alcohol during ATV theft
A Derry Township woman awaiting hearings on accusations of providing false information to a firearms dealer and falsely telling troopers it was stolen was jailed without bond Monday after she was accused of corruption of minors. Tina Marie Rose, 41, of the village of Brenizer, was arrested by state police...
Pittsburgh looks to partner with CommonWealth Press to create, sell official merchandise
The city of Pittsburgh is looking to partner with CommonWealth Press to design and sell officially licensed Pittsburgh merchandise. The city announced in September that officials were looking to partner with a company to create branded Pittsburgh merchandise. Officials at the time said this would not prohibit other companies from...
Pirates Opening Day sights and soundsVideo
Warm temperatures. A touch of sun. Tailgates. Baseball. Opening Day has arrived in Pittsburgh. Fans made their way down to the North Shore Tuesday afternoon hours before the 4:12 p.m. scheduled first pitch against the Chicago Cubs. Some were hopeful. Some were realistic. Others hoped for a .500 record. Pitcher’s...
Gus & Yiayia’s opens for the season on Pittsburgh’s North Side
The Pittsburgh Pirates aren’t the only ones celebrating an opening day on the North Side. Gus & Yiayia’s ice ball stand opened on Tuesday for the season. Ice balls were served from the bright orange cart under the rainbow-colored umbrella near West Park, a few blocks away from PNC Park....
Westmoreland’s plan for $105 million in covid relief funds remains elusive
Nearly a year after Westmoreland County received the first half of its $105 million coronavirus relief fund allocation, there is still no consensus on how that money should be spent. Commissioners said Monday that internal discussions are continuing in an effort to craft a comprehensive blueprint to use the funds. And,...
Jefferson Hills council moves to permanently decertify Gill Hall VFC
Gill Hall Volunteer Fire Company will not return to service in Jefferson Hills as long as the current council majority is in power. That message was delivered April 11 as borough officials voted 5-2 against reinstating the idle fire department, restoring its run cards, having its vehicles back on borough...
Pa. Supreme Court to rule if life sentence appropriate in 2016 fatal N. Versailles crash
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday morning on whether a man convicted of killing a family of three in a fiery Thanksgiving 2016 crash in North Versailles ought to be sentenced to a mandatory term of life in prison. Demetrius Coleman, 28, of Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood, was accused of...
Sewickley officials hire grant writer to help get money for new projects
Sewickley officials hope to acquire more funds for projects through the assistance of a grant writer. Council recently appointed Kimberley Hileman to seek such financial opportunities in order to benefit the borough. “Like many small communities with aging infrastructure, we have a backlog of capital needs,” council president Cynthia Mullins...
Pittsburgh to ban plastic bags next year
Single-use plastic bags will be banned in Pittsburgh, beginning next year. City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a measure to ban most single-use plastic bags, though there are exceptions for produce bags, meat packaging, pharmacy bags and bags used to wrap flowers or similar items. Garbage bags and pet waste...
Police searching for man accused of sexually assaulting teen during Crafton Heights break-in
Pittsburgh police issued a warrant over the weekend for a man accused of breaking into a Crafton Heights home last month and assaulting a teenage girl as she slept on a couch. Robert Huggins, 21, faces more than a dozen charges ranging from involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and corruption of...
Evergreen Road in Gilpin to close April 18 for bridge replacement
Evergreen Road in Gilpin will close April 18 from Pershing Avenue (Route 66) to Ice Pond Road. Evergreen Road is expected to reopen Aug 2. The bridge, which carries Evergreen Road over Brady’s Run, will be closed while crews replace the existing structure with a multi-girder bridge. Mekis Construction Corp....
Carousel in Oakland’s Schenley Plaza opens for the season
Emilia, 3, entered the gate for the PNC Carousel in Schenley Plaza in Oakland. She slowly walked around, considering riding several of the animals. Then she ran towards the teacup. “Do you want me to ride the teacup too?” asked her mother Kelly Marek, of Imperial, on Monday, the opening...
Chatham University study shows positive results when students spend time in sensory garden
“A breath of fresh air” is more than just a saying. There is some proof that being outside has positive effects on people. For Carlee Domke, a second-year occupational therapy doctorate student at Chatham University in Shadyside, part of the experiential curriculum includes visiting the school’s sensory garden. “When I...
Scottdale woman accused of beating, running over pedestrian
A Scottdale woman was jailed Monday night after police said she beat a woman with a wooden baseball bat and ran her over with a car before fleeing, according to court papers. Authorities said Nicole L. Moore, 25, became angry after she saw the woman video recording a 3-year-old child...
