Judge to decide future of Ligonier pavilion
Ligonier Borough neighbors are asking a Westmoreland County judge to enforce a zoning board ruling and rescind permits that allowed owners of a boutique hotel to build and host events in an adjoining designer pavilion. A land use appeal filed this week challenged a legal claim made by owners of...
Norwin High School sends off the Class of 2025 at commencement ceremony
Norwin High School seniors graduated Friday, one of the first in the area this year. There were 411 students in the Norwin Class of 2025. Other upcoming graduation ceremonies include: Friday, May 29 — Greater Latrobe, Belle Vernon Area; May 30 — Derry Area, Hempfield Area, Jeannette City, Mt. Pleasant...
McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority lauded for lifesaving work at open house
A former McCandless resident attended an open house of the McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority on May 18 to publicly thank its crews for helping to save his life last year. The MFPAA invited the public to its headquarters along Grubbs Road in McCandless to tour the station, showcase its equipment...
Mentally ill Greensburg mother to serve prison sentence for daughter’s attempted murder
A Greensburg woman told a Westmoreland County judge she believed her best option to protect herself and her then-6-year-old daughter from an imagined serial killer with whom she believed she had been romantically involved was to end their lives in her own way. Skye C. Naggy, 32, on Friday insisted...
Judge rejects defense call to dismiss death penalty case in New Kensington son’s slaying
A Westmoreland County judge on Friday rejected claims from a Brackenridge father facing a potential death penalty that prosecutors are biased and have insufficient evidence to prove he killed his 9-year-old son three years ago in New Kensington. Common Pleas Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio in a 19-page ruling found there was...
Buffalo Township mother isn’t sure whose pet’s ashes were added to her daughter’s
Kadyn Jack and her dog Blue were inseparable. Where the girl went, like a furry shadow the mini Australian shepherd followed. Her mother, Kristi Jack, 52, said Kadyn would find any way to include Blue — named by 10-year-old Kadyn after her favorite color — in her day. Sometimes she’d...
Hempfield plans work to improve safety along Route 66
Improved safety measures are coming for two sections of Business Route 66 in Hempfield, as well as a park in the north end of the township. Supervisors on Wednesday awarded a contract to Penn Line Service, Inc. for $125,000. Hempfield received $140,000 in funding from PennDOT’s Automated Red Light Enforcement...
MAWC details uninterrupted service amid storm power outages
Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County officials said Wednesday the agency continued to serve its more than 123,000 customers even as late April’s violent storms shut off power to hundreds of thousands of residents. “Nobody noticed we kept the water flowing,” said authority business manager Brian Hohman as administrators briefed authority...
Penn State closing vote draws harsh reactions
Over the past two years, Darcy Holtzman worked with her fellow teachers at Burrell High School to provide more hands-on, real-world career experience for her students. Part of that included visits to the Penn State New Kensington campus in Upper Burrell. “Penn State New Kensington has been a huge help...
What’s a lame-duck mayor to do? Gainey has 7 months to cement his legacy
Lame-duck Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey faces a stark choice in his remaining seven months in office: Ramp up efforts to push his passion projects across the finish line — or while away the final days of his single term. On Tuesday, Gainey lost the Democratic primary to Corey O’Connor, virtually...
Emails from Trump shooter show he was designing a bomb, report says
Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attempted to assassinate now-President Donald Trump in July, was in the process of designing a bomb, according to documents obtained by CBS News. Crooks, 20, ordered more than two gallons of nitromethane from an online specialty fuel retailer using an encrypted email account. When the purchase...
Trump announces ‘planned partnership’ between U.S. Steel, Nippon Steel
President Donald Trump on Friday announced an agreement between U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel, which both steelmakers have confirmed. “I am proud to announce that, after much consideration and negotiation, U.S. Steel will REMAIN in America and keep its headquarters in the great city of Pittsburgh,” the president wrote on...
Pension payments top $100K for ex-Greensburg police officer awaiting sentencing in drug case
A retired Greensburg police officer who has collected more than $100,000 in pension payments is set to learn her sentence Tuesday in a federal drug conspiracy case involving the city’s former police chief. Attorney Lee Demosky, solicitor for Greensburg’s police pension committee, said he plans to attend the sentencing hearing...
Pennsylvania starts rollout of new license plates
The wait is finally over for Pennsylvanians — people across the commonwealth can now start to order the new “Let Freedom Ring” license plates. Gov. Josh Shapiro unveiled the new Pennsylvania license plate and state welcome sign designs in July, ahead of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. “With all eyes...
Trafford Historical Society has new name for borough’s veterans memorial
Towns often want to honor native sons and daughters who served in the armed forces, whether it’s through a banner, a veterans memorial or something similar. But it’s not always easy to get a complete list of names. “A lot of times, there isn’t an official record, especially the farther...
Work to nudge Five Star Trail away from rail line to begin this fall
A 1-mile section of the Five Star Trail will gain some distance from an active rail line under a project that could start later this year. Westmoreland County Parks and Recreation planning coordinator Jeff Richards said the extra few feet of space is needed because the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad is...
Dispute over damage to car preceded fatal shooting in Homewood
A Pittsburgh man will face trial in connection with a fatal shooting in Homewood in October. Safon Gump, 24, of East Liberty was held for court Friday following a preliminary hearing on homicide and other charges. Police said Gump killed Gregory Prince, 38, of Homewood after a conversation about damage...
The Battle Life Center aims to change women’s lives
Amanda Wheeler hopes Sunday will be the start of a new chapter not just for her but also for other young women. The Arnold resident is holding a soft opening for The Battle Life Transitional Living Center in Arnold. The center, aimed at women 24 and older, is meant to...
National security panel split on risks of U.S. Steel deal — again
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) remains divided on whether U.S. Steel’s proposed sale to Tokyo-based Nippon Steel presents a national security risk, but most panel members think there’s a path forward for the deal. Reuters broke the news Thursday, citing an anonymous White House official....
Geo-Solutions plans to move to Plum by end of year
By December, New Kensington-based construction services company Geo-Solutions will conduct its business in Plum, according to marketing and sales specialist Reed Rayburg. The company plans to move into a multistory office building behind Plum School District’s bus garage while it develops a storage and maintenance facility on adjacent land at...
Faces of the Valley: The Rev. Angelique Edmonds a ‘gifted and spirit-filled’ pastor
From prayer hikes to women’s brunches to painting with parables, the Rev. Angelique Edmonds has used her gifts to help strengthen convictions at Faith United Methodist Church in Fox Chapel and its outreach ministry, Roots of Faith in Sharpsburg. Appointed associate pastor in 2021, the Beltzhoover native feels as though...
Fox Chapel teen equestrian embraces love of competing
Amelia Finn of Fox Chapel is happiest in the saddle. “I had a huge interest in horses,” said Finn of her early childhood. “My grandmother always wanted me to ride. My mother rode when she was a little girl. It’s a family thing, and it never went away for me.”...
Greater Latrobe selects Hempfield Area administrator as new school superintendent
Greater Latrobe School Board has looked to a neighboring school system to find the district’s next superintendent. The board voted Thursday to hire as its top administrator Kim Rieffannacht, currently assistant superintendent for elementary education at Hempfield Area School District. Greater Latrobe approved a five-year contract with Rieffannacht, with an...
Picklesburgh heads back to the bridges as festival expands for 10th anniversary
Picklesburgh is going back to the bridges to mark its 10th anniversary. Officials for region’s briniest festival announced that it will span two of Pittsburgh’s iconic Sister Bridges along with an expanded presence at Allegheny Landing, Fort Duquesne Boulevard, PPG Plaza, Market Square, Sixth Street and the Heinz Hall Garden....
Morning Roundup: 7 injured in Ambridge house fire; Cybertruck appears to be hit by bullet in Penn Hills
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, May 23: Ambridge house fire displaces, injures 7 Five people were taken to the hospital and two more were treated at the scene of a Beaver County house fire late Thursday night. TribLive news partner WTAE reported that...