Western PA Local News category, Page 565
Trump rallies supporters in Johnstown, vows to secure border and boost manufacturing
Former President Trump returned to one of his Pennsylvania strongholds Friday, labeling his rivals with crude nicknames, relitigating grievances against the media and casting a sense of urgency of the presidential campaign. Trump rallied Friday afternoon with thousands of supporters, who lined up hours early to watch him speak at...
Woman accused of bilking Burrell cheerleaders once was treasurer for the Officer Brian Shaw Memorial Ride
The woman charged with stealing money from a cheerleading booster group while she served as its treasurer once acted as treasurer for another well-known local charity. Ashley Freiberg of Upper Burrell is accused of taking nearly $19,000 from the Burrell Cheer Booster club. In 2021, she was the treasurer for...
Victim in East Franklin crash identified
A Butler woman died in a crash Thursday in Armstrong County, Coroner Brian K. Myers said. Myers identified the crash victim Friday afternoon as Michelle D. Vanscoy, 45. According to Myers, the woman’s car was clipped in the back corner by a vehicle pulling out from Walman Supply in East...
Proposed cap on raises for elected officials stalls in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland’s Democratic minority commissioner claims his proposal to cap pay raises for elected county officials is being blocked by his Republican colleagues. Commissioner Ted Kopas has lobbied for imposition of a 2.5% cap on all annual raises awarded to the county’s elected officials, saying the current system that controls future...
3 firefighters suffer minor injuries in New Kensington attic fire
Three firefighters were hurt in an attic fire that started around 2 p.m. Friday at 1309 Kenneth Ave. in New Kensington. They were taken to Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison for minor injuries, according to New Kensington Fire Chief Ed Saliba Jr. Two had electrical burns from a wire and...
Commonwealth Court: Mail-in ballots with errant dates on their envelopes should be counted
The Commonwealth Court said Friday that not counting mail-in ballots with missing or mistaken dates on their outer envelopes is unconstitutional. “The refusal to count undated or incorrectly dated but timely mail ballots submitted by otherwise eligible voters because of meaningless and inconsequential paperwork errors violates the fundamental right to...
Yough River Lake down to 1 boat launch as season nears its end
Yough River Lake in Somerset County will be down to just one usable launch ramp as federal officials close out the typical recreation season a little earlier than usual, they said Friday. “We were a little bit ahead this year because of the dry season,” said Vince Klinkner, resource manager...
Spirit Airlines to add flight out of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport through the end of October
Spirit Airlines will run another flight per day out of the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport starting next week. Two Spirit flights will travel from the Unity airport to Myrtle Beach, S.C., five days per week from Thursday, Sept. 5, until the end of October. This is the first time the...
Nonprofit gives adaptive strollers to 3 Westmoreland families
Tears filled Melanie Skibicki’s eyes as she sat in the Fred Rogers Room of the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit in Hempfield on Friday morning, waiting to receive an adaptive stroller for her son. Aiden Ward, 6, was born nonverbal and diagnosed with autism. For years, Skibicki has stayed home from her...
FEMA ponies up $524K for North Irwin fire truck
It’s taken five years of trying for North Irwin firefighters to be awarded a hefty federal grant — $524,000 — for a new fire engine. “They’re very difficult to get,” said fire Chief Glenn Geiger. Now, it’ll likely be another three years before they can get that new truck on...
Men avoid retrial, enter pleas in slaying of Penn Hills teenager
Two men accused of killing a Penn Hills teenager more than three years ago avoided a retrial this week by entering a new plea. Deontae Nalls, 24, of Plum, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder on Wednesday, while Daeshuan Smith, 23, of Penn Hills, entered no-contest plea to a charge of...
Mayor Ed Gainey launches re-election campaign
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey has launched a re-election campaign. The first-term mayor launched a new website announcing his bid for another four-year term. “I’m running for re-election because I know that Pittsburgh can be the safest, most welcoming, and most thriving city in America,” Gainey wrote on the site. “Over...
Murrysville area: Rotary Oktoberfest, charity golf outing, Medicare update discussion and more
Rotary to host Oktoberfest The Murrysville-Export Rotary will host its annual Oktoberfest from 5-9 p.m. Sept. 14 at The Lamplighter. Early-bird online tickets are $30; door tickets are $35. All tickets include dinner and one alcoholic beverage. Additional glasses of beer and wine will be $4. The Lamplighter is at...
1 dead, 3 hurt in 3-vehicle crash on Mosside Boulevard in Monroeville
A woman died after a three-vehicle crash in Monroeville Friday morning, Allegheny County Police said. The crash involving a tractor-trailer with an oversized load, a car and a minivan was reported shortly after 9 a.m. in the 2100 block of Mosside Boulevard. According to county police, the tractor-trailer and car...
New Kensington gas station clerk tells cops man robbed store after threatening to kill her
A man in a relationship with a gas station clerk threatened to kill her before robbing the store while she was working there, according to New Kensington police. Police filed robbery, retail theft and receiving stolen property charges Thursday against Thomas Deandrea Johnson, 30, of Tarentum. A warrant was out...
Deer Lakes welcomes back students with coffee shop, Legos-style learning and colorful parking spots
Sixty-three colorful parking spaces welcomed Deer Lakes High School students back to school, some with neon flowers and others with lines of a football grid. The creative initiative led by Student Council President Scarlett Hadlum fosters a sense of ownership and pride within the school community, high school Principal Ryan...
DelGrosso’s Amusement Park serves up Italian-themed family funVideo
An Italian-themed amusement park entertaining families since 1946 has blended the perfect ingredients for fun in Tipton, Pa. DelGrosso’s Park and Laguna Splash is a seasonal destination boasting more than 30 rides, an expansive Italian-themed waterpark and famous food, all made possible because two Italian immigrants met and fell in...
Morning Roundup: Hot weather again impacting schools; woman dies after Armstrong County crash
Here are the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Aug. 30: Heat impacts Pittsburgh schools, air quality alert issued Heat is again an issue in the Pittsburgh area, where an air quality alert also is in effect. For a second time this week, Pittsburgh Public Schools announced that 37...
48 units of affordable senior housing proposed at former William Penn Elementary School site
Another senior housing development is winding through the approval process in Penn Hills. Lancaster-based Social Enterprise Properties got preliminary approval Aug. 22 to raze the old William Penn Elementary School near Verona Road and build a three-story, 48-unit complex in its place. All units would be reserved for tenants 62...
Mt. Washington home has sweeping views of Pittsburgh
Homeowners Jody and Lynn Bunting are prepping to say goodbye to their showcase home atop Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington neighborhood — and the sweeping views that come with their property overlooking the Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. “It’s the best view in Pittsburgh,” said Jody Bunting. “It’s right over the fountain.”...
The Stroller, Aug. 30, 2024: 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. Hartwood Acres to host Allegheny County Music Festival The 24th annual...
Westmoreland happenings: Birding walk, community festival, meetings, more
Festival • The West Newton Community Festival will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 6, noon to 10 p.m. Sept. 7 and 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 8 in Vine Street Park. There will be entertainment, games, food trucks, crafters, a basket sale and more. A parade will...
Kiski Area prepping for ‘school within a school’ when classes start
The Kiski Area School District is banking on a few well-placed partitions, abundant signage and flexible attitudes to fit six grade levels into its high school when classes start next week. Calling it a “school within a school,” the district will place seventh and eighth graders in the high school...
Westmoreland County Community College eyes search firm to fill vice president position vacant since 2022
Amid the search for a new president, Westmoreland County Community College soon could hire a search firm to help fill a vice president position that has been vacant for two years. The board of trustees voted Wednesday to pay $39,000 for Massachusetts-based search firm Spelman Johnson to identify a vice...
Underwater drone to assist crews in the Allegheny Valley during river emergencies
Emergency response crews in the Allegheny Valley have a new tool to scout the water during river incidents. An underwater drone will assist crews in the Allegheny Valley Regional Emergency Management Agency, said Bruno Moretti, agency coordinator. “It’s interesting,” Moretti said. “It’s a nice piece of equipment to have. It...
