Western PA Local News category, Page 575
Superior Court: Trial judge cannot block DA’s pursuit of death penalty in Bellevue homicide
The state Superior Court on Wednesday said that a now-retired Allegheny County Common Pleas judge did not have the authority to prohibit prosecutors from seeking the death penalty. The appellate court returned the criminal case against Deangelo Zieglar back to the trial court to proceed as a capital case, finding...
Woman sues Uber, claims driver took her on terrifying ride
A Washington County woman is claiming in a lawsuit that she had to jump from a moving Uber because she feared for her life after the driver crashed on a highway and then fled in a smoking, speeding car. A police report stemming from the Dec. 2 crash, however, does...
Community rallies around elderly Allegheny Township woman when fire hits at her house
When fire hit Janet Feil’s Allegheny Township house Wednesday evening, first responders, family and neighbors rallied around the 84-year-old woman. But it was a motorist driving down Garvers Ferry Road and Feil’s daughter living in Florida who set that response in motion. Feil said she was getting dinner ready about...
Aspinwall Police Department’s campaign to slow down speeding motorists in full force
Aspinwall police have launched a new initiative to encourage safe driving habits. The Slow Down Campaign involves placing yard signs at strategic sites throughout the borough, particularly near bus stops, busy intersections and other high-traffic areas. “We are looking to slow down vehicles for back to school,” Mayor Joe Noro...
Greensburg father pleads guilty for violent incident with autistic son
A Greensburg father pleaded guilty to charges filed in connection with an incident last summer in which, authorities said, he had a physical altercation with his autistic son for the second time since 2017. Finley Michael Steward, 66, was ordered to serve seven years on probation, which includes an 18-month...
Parents, community remember Natrona girl, 11, killed by vehicle
The Natrona neighborhood’s grief over the death of a hearing-impaired, 11-year-old girl was tinged with anger over the reckless driving they say caused it. Roxanne Alexis Bonnoni died on North Canal Street, just steps from her home, after she was hit by a Jeep Patriot while walking across the road...
Panthers among first to head back to class
Franklin Regional Panther students and many others across Western Pennsylvania headed back to class Wednesday morning on their first day of the 2024-25 school year. Other school districts in the region will begin classes between now and Sept. 3, including: Westmoreland County Derry Area: Aug. 26 Greater Latrobe: Aug. 26...
Penn Hills School District calls Pittsburgh Regional Transit for student transportation ‘done deal’
Penn Hills officials and parents are voicing their concerns about the school district’s use of Pittsburgh Regional Transit, previously Port Authority of Allegheny County, for students attending charter schools in the Pittsburgh area. The decision originally was made and announced in June. The Penn Hills School Board passed the measure...
National Night Out returns to Latrobe with safety simulations, first responder displays
Safety simulations, first responder vehicles and activities for kids await visitors to Latrobe’s Memorial Stadium Thursday during the community’s National Night Out event. Set for 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., the event is returning to the city for the first time since the arrival of the covid pandemic in 2020....
Municipal authority to install new billing system to accept more payment options
Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County water and sewer customers will see enhanced payment options when a new billing system is implemented in early 2026. Authority board members on Wednesday approved a $350,000 contract with Blair County-based Muni-Link to modernize the system used to bill and communicate with customers, replacing outdated...
Norwin Elks car cruise to benefit Autism Society
Vintage car lovers can check out old vehicles while helping the Autism Society of Westmoreland County at the “Cruisin’ for a Cause: Children with Autism” from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Norwin Elks, 135 Elks Lane, Manor. Food and drinks will be sold and there will...
Springdale police officer, 2 firefighters recognized for efforts during hostile arrest
Two Springdale volunteer firefighters and a borough police sergeant were honored this week for their efforts during an arrest in the spring that quickly became dangerous, according to officials. Volunteer firefighters Dan Copeland and Joseph Stanga and police Sgt. Fred Hockenberry were recognized by Mayor Joel Anderson during Springdale’s council...
Mounted horse unit visits Harrison’s Sheldon Park
Children in Harrison’s Sheldon Park community got a visit from a four-legged friend on Wednesday. Officers with the Allegheny County Police Department brought Milo, a horse in its mounted unit, to the Booker Center at Sheldon Park. About 20 children and their families had the opportunity to feed Milo a...
Performers on autism spectrum to make guest appearance at Greensburg Music Fest
Several guest stars from Band Together Pittsburgh will take over the microphone and drums during an autism-friendly performance Saturday at Greensburg Music Fest. Performers on the autism spectrum will provide three opening acts for The Nied’s Hotel Band at St. Clair Park. Members of the band plan to take a...
Murrysville history on display at society’s annual festival
Native Americans living in what eventually became Western Pennsylvania did not waste much. They did not waste wild game, frequently using all parts of the animals they hunted for some constructive or nourishing purpose. They did not waste space, growing gardens where the “Three Sisters” of pre-colonial America — corn,...
Pittsburgh chalks up credit-card scandal to ‘honest mistakes’; DA’s office executes search warrant
An internal probe spurred by misuse of City of Pittsburgh-issued credit cards revealed “honest mistakes” by employees and resulted in little discipline and few policy changes, a top city official said Wednesday. The three-month investigation, released by Jake Pawlak, the city’s Director of the Office of Management and Budget, found...
Gateway looks to hire additional nurses, changes volunteer requirements
Gateway School Board may raise the salary for school nurses in an attempt to hire more staff for the Monroeville district. During the board meeting Monday, directors learned there are five nursing vacancies in the district. “Part of our hope is that after we looked at the data regarding compensation...
Upgrades set for McCahill Park in Fox Chapel, including borough’s 1st public pickleball courts
Cora Susi leapt from a wooden ramp onto a small black circular platform and pole and launched herself into the great beyond. That beyond was 30 feet down a zip line at McCahill Park in Fox Chapel. It’s the favorite activity of Cora, 4, and her sister, Mira, 5, at...
Consol and Arch to combine, forming a $5 billion coal producer based in Pennsylvania
Arch Resources and Consol Energy are combining to form a single coal producer valued at more than $5 billion, the companies announced Wednesday, the latest consolidation in a deal-happy energy sector. Arch shareholders will get 1.326 shares of Consol common stock for each share of Arch they own. Consol shareholders...
‘It’s a no-brainer,’ Irwin police chief says of joining Westmoreland SWAT team
Irwin police Chief Dan Wensel is asking borough officials to join the Westmoreland County SWAT team to bolster response to major emergencies. The county’s special weapons and tactics, or SWAT, team has members from eight police departments: Allegheny Township, Greensburg, Lower Burrell, Murrysville, New Kensington, North Huntingdon, Vandergrift and Washington...
Rotary sets fundraising goal for Chicken BBQ at Bethel Park High School
Through its annual Chicken BBQ fundraiser, the Upper St. Clair-Bethel Park Rotary Breakfast Club has a goal this year of generating $55,000 through the Oct. 26 event. “In 1989, the first Chicken BBQ fundraiser successfully earned just $8,000 to help a pair of local teenagers in need of a bone...
Springdale outlines short-term rental rules
People wanting to operate short-term rentals in Springdale will have to abide by rules set by council Tuesday night. “We haven’t had any type of ordinance set in place for these types of properties,” Councilman Dan Copeland said. “It’s going to give us some type of insight as to what’s...
Smiles From Sean: Bethel Park mother, son keep paying it forward
Maria Rovers remembers being in UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, watching her son Sean fighting for his life. “I was hesitating if I’d buy food for myself because my husband lost his job at that time,” Maria, a mother of four sons, said. “And then Sean’s social worker came in...
Windber woman killed in Monroeville crash
A woman was killed in a crash Tuesday afternoon in Monroeville. Jamie Piper, 44, of Windber was killed in a wreck near the intersection of Interstate 376 and Route 22 just after 4 p.m., according to the Allegheny County medical examiner. Piper’s vehicle struck a tree, according to the medical...
Morning Roundup: Police make arrest after SWAT response in Pittsburgh’s Banksville neighborhood
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Aug. 21: Police make arrest after SWAT response in Banksville Pittsburgh police arrested a man after a SWAT team responded late Tuesday night to a domestic assault call in the city’s Banksville neighborhood. The man had barricaded himself...
