Western PA Local News category, Page 341
Arnold man sentenced to 7 to 14 years for drug, stolen firearm charges
An Arnold man was sentenced to seven to 14 years in prison in connection with a New Kensington traffic stop a year ago that turned up a stolen handgun and drugs. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Scott Mears handed down that sentence to Jacquet Rusher Woods, 47, on Friday. Woods...
World War II veteran turns 100 in McCandless, says moderation is key to longevity
World War II veteran Raymond W. Bukauskas of McCandless celebrated his 100th birthday on April 14. To mark the milestone, his family surprised him with a party the day before. “I think he was surprised,” said his daughter, Clare Kalmbach of West View. Kalmbach’s daughter, Alli, stealthily set up a...
Democratic lawmakers to brief residents on local impact of proposed 2025-26 state budget
Local lawmakers, including state Rep. Joe McAndrew, D-Penn Hills, and members of the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee are planning a briefing Monday, April 28, regarding how Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed $51.5 billion 2025-26 state budget will benefit communities across Allegheny County. The briefing will be held from 6 to 8...
83-year-old Greensburg woman identified by police as wrong-way driver in Route 30 crash
State police have identified an 83-year-old Greensburg woman as being the wrong-way driver who caused a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday on Route 30 in Hempfield. Nancy Duva entered the eastbound lanes of the divided highway going west in Subaru Crosstrek around 5:15 p.m., causing the crash just past the Cedar Street...
Penn State New Kensington rallygoers say campus closure decisions ‘too fast, too final’
Meredith Carter, a senior at Penn State New Kensington, strongly believes there’s a disconnect between Penn State decision makers in State College and students at its branch campuses. Carter was among roughly 40 students, professors and community members who attended a rally Friday at the Upper Burrell campus advocating against...
Washington County man pleads guilty to 12th DUI for 2023 Ligonier crash
A Washington County man with 11 prior DUI convictions pleaded guilty Friday to driving drunk in Ligonier Township two years ago, causing a crash that injured three motorcycle riders. William C. Strogish, 68, of Ellsworth faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced later this year, said...
Child Government Day highlights careers at Westmoreland courthouse
Lila and Hallie Saxman didn’t just get to see their dad in action on Friday. They also were able to see what happens under the 119-year-old golden dome at the Westmoreland County Courthouse in Greensburg as part of an annual tradition: employees bring their children to work. More than 60...
How did 26 million pounds of dirt get into Acrisure Stadium for Supercross?
The inside of Acrisure Stadium looks pretty dirty, and that’s by design. The typical green football field has been replaced by 26 million pounds of dirt. Made up of roughly 500 truck loads of dirt, the track will be the course for the 15th installment of the 17-event American Motorcyclist...
Guilty pleas pile up in fentanyl drug ring linked to New Kensington, Mexican cartel
Ten people pleaded guilty this week in Pittsburgh for their roles in a cross-border drug ring that smuggled fentanyl and meth from a Mexican cartel into the United States. The drugs were distributed throughout the country, including in Western Pennsylvania. In all, 19 of the 35 people arrested have pleaded...
Sharpsburg water tower springs leak; resident water service reportedly not impacted
Hampton Shaler Water Authority officials said they are working with a vendor to repair a leak at the authority’s water tower in Sharpsburg. The leak occurred April 19 at the tower along the Allegheny River. The authority released a statement about the incident Wednesday . “HSWA is planning repairs to...
Trump administration reverses course on international students’ revocation
After spending the past several weeks abruptly revoking the ability of more than 1,500 international students to study in the U.S., often without explanation, the Trump administration reversed course Friday and said it would reinstate the affected scholars, allowing them to continue their coursework. Students across Western Pennsylvania are affected...
Westmoreland Envirothon puts emphasis on forest stewardship, bird research
Westmoreland Conservation District staff definitely picked the right day this week to study the environment with high school senior Tim Miller and his fellow Derry Area students. While spring in Southwestern Pennsylvania can be a weather Jekyll and Hyde, Thursday, April 24, couldn’t have been nicer, with sunny skies and...
Deer Lakes Middle School tackles deforestation in a feature film about the environment
Deer Lakes School District is one of 17 schools across Southwestern Pennsylvania participating in the creation of an animated feature-length film about confronting ecological problems. Each school is writing a segment of the film. Deer Lakes Middle School is focusing on deforestation. The idea was developed by Terry Thoren, CEO...
Lead water service lines in New Kensington, Arnold to be replaced
Lead water service lines soon will be replaced in New Kensington and Arnold in a project that will affect 100 residential customers in the two cities. “This will replace all lead service lines. We will not have any lead lines in the New Kensington water system,” said James Matta, manager...
Ex-Greensburg police chief hopes to avoid jail time in drug conspiracy case
Former Greensburg police chief Shawn Denning is hoping to stay out of jail when he is sentenced in federal court next week in his drug distribution conspiracy case. Prosecutors are asking Denning be required to serve “a reasonable sentence of incarceration,” according to a sentencing memorandum filed Thursday. Denning’s attorney...
2 earthquakes recorded about a hundred miles from Pittsburgh
Two earthquakes occurred about a hundred miles southwest of Pittsburgh this week near the same southeastern Ohio town. A 3.1 magnitude earthquake occurred just after 4 a.m. Tuesday about a mile away from Pleasant City — a 0.18-square-mile village east of Columbus. A 3.4 magnitude was recorded near the area...
Brackenridge eyes 3 roads for summer paving project
Brackenridge Council has narrowed a list of streets to be paved this summer. It’s short but covers a lot of ground. This year’s road improvement project will target portions of First Avenue, Union Avenue and Prospect Street. Borough officials said they expect to approve the project to go out for...
PennDOT work in Westmoreland to close road in Mt. Pleasant Township, restrict traffic on I-70
PennDOT projects will result in a road closure and detour in Mt. Pleasant Township and lane restrictions on Interstate 70 beginning Monday. Closure of a section of Route 982, between Double Hill Road and Claypike Road/Kecksburg Road in Mt. Pleasant Township, is expected to continue through early June. The closure...
As data centers spread, their leaders push for transparency, consistency in state regulations
Last year, Duquesne Light Co.’s network service peak load was nearly 2,700 megawatts. And a hyperscale data center commonly ranges from 60 megawatts to several hundred megawatts, according to C. James Davis, director of rates, energy procurement and federal affairs at Duquesne Light. “A single data center could account for...
Morning Roundup: Liberty Tunnel overnight lane closure extended
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, April 25: PennDOT extends Liberty Tunnel closures The state Department of Transportation will continue its overnight lane closures of Pittsburgh’s Liberty Tunnel starting Sunday night. The tunnel has been under a partial lane closure from 8 p.m. to...
The Stroller, April 25, 2025: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. 5K race and vendor...
Frazer could see luxury senior living near Pittsburgh Mills
A proposal to bring what’s billed as luxury living for older adults is creeping forward in Frazer. Described as the “Pittsburgh Mills Active Adult” community, it would target those 55 and older in a five-parcel area along Butler-Logan Road adjacent to the Pittsburgh Mills mall. Foxlane Homes at Pittsburgh LLC...
Long-awaited Route 356 widening project has some property owners in limbo
On warm afternoons, James Buchanan likes to turn on the radio, crack a beer and watch the cars go by from his garage where Route 356 and Bear Creek Road meet. The entertainment amps up around rush hour, when shoppers and commuters pour onto the highway cutting through Buffalo Township...
Development key issue for Lower Burrell Council candidates
Business growth and development are priorities identified for Lower Burrell by all three candidates seeking two seats on city council. Incumbent Councilman David Stoltz and newcomers Lance Anthony and Carley Logan are running for council on the Republican ballot. No Democrats filed as candidates for the primary, so it’s likely...
5 things to know about Supercross in Pittsburgh
Off-road motorcycle riders are set to compete in the 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship Saturday inside Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium. The elite riders — including Jett Lawrence, Cooper Webb and Haiden Deegan — will vie for the title of Supercross Champion. Beaver County’s Brian ‘JR’ Saunier, a Hopewell Area High...
