Western PA Local News category, Page 538
Cider, music and more at annual Delmont Apple’n Arts Festival
If you don’t like stinging insects, Shield’s Farm is not the place to be during the last few days of September. In preparation for the annual Delmont Apple’n Arts Festival in Salem, crates are delivered filled with hundreds of pounds of apples, stacked outside the barn that houses a 117-year-old...
Shapiro launches Board of Higher Education to get colleges, universities to ‘row in the same direction’
Minutes into its inaugural meeting Thursday, the panel now tasked with bringing order to Pennsylvania’s loosely regulated system of colleges and universities received a pointed reminder of what’s at stake. “Our costs are going up and our enrollment is going down. We’re not graduating enough students with the credentials we...
Dormont hit-and-run suspect charged with being in the U.S. illegally for a 2nd time
Federal officials have begun the process to deport a Mexican national charged with a fatal hit-and-run crash Sept. 21 in Dormont. Allegheny County Police charged Saul Rivera-Ramirez on Sunday with homicide by vehicle, accident involving death by an unlicensed driver and driving without a license, after they say he crashed...
Firefighters rescue Herminie man from house fire
Firefighters rescued a Herminie man Thursday afternoon when a kitchen fire created smoke in his residence, a fire official said. The man, who was not identified, was flown by medical helicopter from the Herminie area to an area hospital, said Herminie fire Chief Joe Marincic. The man was in and...
Pa. Supreme Court won’t hear case involving ‘dead body interference’ after all
Six months ago, the state Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from a Verona woman attempting to sue the parents of her son’s killer after she claimed they concealed the murder weapon. The case, based on an unusual interpretation of Pennsylvania’s “Interference with Dead Bodies” tort, was scheduled for...
First Energy, Duquesne Light send manpower south for Hurricane Helene
First Energy is sending 200 of its workers south to help communities recover from Hurricane Helene. Todd Meyers, spokesperson for First Energy, said the 200 would be diverted from utilities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia and Maryland. While the majority of the workers will be line workers, vehicle mechanics...
Judge rules young boy’s statements admissible in grandfather’s assault trial
Statements made by a 3-year-old boy who claimed he was assaulted by his grandfather two years ago in Vandergrift can be used in the court case against the grandfather, a judge ruled Thursday. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio rejected a defense bid to end the case against Timothy...
Murrysville home damaged by smoke after fire, chief says
A Murrysville home was heavily damaged by smoke during fire Thursday afternoon, a fire official said. White Valley Fire Chief John Bohinc said no one was injured in the blaze, which was reported just before 1:30 p.m. at a home on Kemerer Hollow Road. Fire companies from Murrysville, Delmont and...
Couple accused of bilking $20K from prospective buyer of Yukon property they were evicted from
Two people are charged with theft and conspiracy after authorities said they took $20,000 from someone who intended to buy their home. But Westmoreland County detectives said the property up for sale was not owned by Timothy Jay King, 38, or Amber Lynn Tarr, 35. In December, Tarr, who also...
Spotted lanternfly greets Kamala Harris in Pittsburgh
Vice President Kamala Harris received an unfriendly greeting from a spotted lanternfly after her plane landed in Pittsburgh this week. Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato quickly neutralized the threat. She brushed the bug off of Harris’ pants suit and stomped on it. “I’ve done several tarmac greetings now, and most...
Nurses banned from caregiving after accusations of sharing patient photos at Westmoreland Hospital
Two registered nurses who are accused of taking and sharing photos and making recordings of Westmoreland Hospital patients without their permission are prohibited from holding caretaking jobs. District Judge Chris Flanigan made that part of the conditions of the $40,000 unsecured bail she set Thursday for Peter Castellano, 36, of...
Fundraisers benefit therapeutic horseback riding program based in McCandless
Horses and witches may be an odd combo, but are the focus of two major fundraisers for Riding for the Handicapped of Western Pennsylvania, a McCandless-based therapeutic horseback riding program for children with disabilities. First is the Ride-a-Thon, a 12-mile horseback riding adventure around North Park, scheduled for Oct. 6....
Library embarks on ‘New Northland’ in McCandless
Construction on a more spacious, accessible and functional Northland Public Library is scheduled to begin Sept. 30, as announced at Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony. A “New Northland” will emerge from an extensive transformation and renovation over the year at the library, located on Cumberland Road in McCandless, with a completion date...
Norwin area: Irwin church plans Oktoberfest; Church to hold purse sale; and more
Irwin church plans Oktoberfest The First United Church of Christ at 400 Main St., Irwin, will hold an alcohol-free Oktoberfest with kielbasa, pork, hot dogs, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, applesauce and dessert from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 17. Tickets are pre-sale only: $12 for adults and $6 for children. Ardara...
Monroeville area: ESCA fundraiser, ‘hard-to-recycle’ collection, flea market, more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Food distribution The next Monroeville drive-up food distribution date will be 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 9 at Gateway High School, 300o Gateway Campus Blvd., Monroeville. Distribution takes place the second Wednesday of every month. Patrons can drive behind the sports complex...
Pine-Richland pianists excel on exams
Two Pine-Richland High School ninth graders posted the highest scores among Pennsylvania residents in practical piano performance examinations administered by the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Tisha Joshi earned the distinction in Level 6, her third year in a row scoring the highest in the state. Abheek Tuladhar excelled...
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport a safe haven for planes escaping Hurricane Helene
The Arnold Palmer Regional Airport near Latrobe became a safe haven for some expensive — make that very expensive — Gulfstream jets flown there from Georgia on Thursday to escape the high winds of Hurricane Helene, an airport official said. About 15 Gulfstream jets from Georgia, where Gulfstream Aerospace Corp....
North Allegheny Foundation grants exceed $100k for 2023-24
When there are special programs or educational tools that teachers feel would benefit students, but are outside of normal district funding, they may try the North Allegheny Foundation. The nonprofit is a 23-member tax-exempt charitable community organization that supports the school district, teachers, staff and students. “The North Allegheny Foundation...
Penn Hills all-class reunion picnic logs record attendance; date already set for 2025
The Penn Hills all-class reunion picnic saw a “massive jump” in attendance this year, said Lee Adams, one of the event’s organizers. He said the fourth annual event welcomed around 176 walk-ins and had more than 100 presale tickets — resulting in more than 100 more attendees than previous years....
Gateway board discusses bus safety, renovation projects
Gateway School Board’s building and grounds committee members are working to prioritize renovation projects across the district. Director of Facilities and Grounds John Walsh was asked at the Sept. 23 school board meeting how the projects are being prioritized. “Anything that effects the kids on a daily basis or is...
‘Gold Over America’ gymnastics show designed by Western Pa. nativeVideo
Mark Swanhart doesn’t mince words when it comes to the U.S. gymnastics team, which came home from this summer’s Olympic Games with nine medals, including three golds. “They’re rock stars,” said Swanhart, a Cambria County native and Point Park University dance major with more than 25 years of experience creating...
Brentwood man, Youngwood woman await sentencing in rental scheme that cost Avis $500K
The Monroeville location of Avis Car Rental lost more than $500,000 because of an identity theft scheme that involved a Brentwood man and a Youngwood woman, according to federal prosecutors. Cheron Tucker, 28, pleaded guilty in federal court last week to aggravated identity theft along with unauthorized access device fraud...
Halloween party for cancer survivors returns
Getting wigged out is highly encouraged at the Young Adult Survivors United Halloween party, scheduled for Oct. 25 at the Rivers Casino Event Center in Pittsburgh. The Wig Out party — hosted by YASU, a Pine-based support group for young adult survivors of cancer or those diagnosed at 18 to...
Temporary Amtrak train route will stop in Pittsburgh and Connellsville on its way to Miami
Passengers on the Capitol Limited heading to Miami that stops in Pittsburgh and Connellsville will be able to remain on their train for the trip south starting Nov. 10, Amtrak said. The Capitol Limited train is being temporarily combined with the Silver Star train that goes from New York City...
Old William Penn Highway to close for bridge replacement
Contractors do not yet have a firm date, but Old William Penn Highway will close for roughly a month and a half this fall for the replacement of a bridge carrying the road over Turtle Creek in Murrysville. Murrysville council awarded a $170,000 bid last week to Kukurin Contracting in...
