Western PA Local News category, Page 744
Westmoreland looks to shed label of being a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants
Westmoreland officials say they are looking to shed a label that the county is a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants. The Center for Immigration Studies declared Westmoreland a sanctuary county in 2014. The Washington, D.C., think tank promotes reduced immigration into the United States. Westmoreland was one of 14 Pennsylvania counties...
No injuries reported in fire at Robert Morris University dormitory
A fire was contained to the roof of a Robert Morris University dormitory Tuesday in Moon, according to a university spokesman. Firefighters were called at about 8:30 p.m. to G Tower of Washington Hall. No one was injured, but some students will be provided with alternative accommodations as the fire...
‘Complete devastation’: Crescent fire chief confirms 2 dead in house explosion
Shock gripped Blanche Heidengren on Tuesday morning when she learned in a group text that her prayer circle was seeking divine help for longtime friend Ann Matey. A house had exploded on Matey’s street, Riverview Road in Crescent, right next door to the log-cabin home of Matey’s parents, David Mitchell,...
Credit rating agencies bullish on Pittsburgh’s $62M bond issue, deem outlook ‘stable’
Two credit rating agencies declared that Pittsburgh’s financial outlook is “stable,” officials announced Tuesday, even as some city leaders have raised alarms about the city’s finances. The city received AA- ratings from S&P Global and Fitch. Mayor Ed Gainey said the administration was “proactive in our work to have a...
Bingo fundraiser aims to help Rosedale firefighters purchase protective gear
The Rosedale Volunteer Fire Department has operated with the motto “Neighbor Helping Neighbor” since 1924. In keeping with that spirit, the Rosedale Civic Association is planning a bingo fundraiser at 7 p.m. March 23 at the Universal Banquet Hall, 2240 Main St., to benefit the 100% volunteer organization. The goal...
Pittsburgh council gripes about Gainey but passes his housing plan
Members of Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday renewed their complaints that Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration didn’t communicate with them about a plan to spend $8 million in federal funds meant to address homelessness and affordable housing. Council ultimately approved the spending plan, despite pleas from exasperated council members for better...
Pittsburgh closing Downtown homeless encampment
Pittsburgh officials are tearing down a Downtown homeless encampment amid concerns that the people living there are living in dangerous conditions. People living at the homeless camp along Fort Pitt Boulevard near Grant Street will have to leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday, said Emily Bourne, a spokeswoman for the city’s...
Duquesne man charged in connection with sex crimes
A Duquesne man remained in jail Tuesday after, police said, he raped a 10-year-old girl he knew and forced her to perform sex acts on another boy. Quavon McMillan, 20, was charged Feb. 1 with rape, two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and one count each of unlawful contact...
Regional riverfront plans in Tarentum, Cheswick move forward
Plans for fishing and boating access along the riverfronts in Cheswick and Tarentum just took a step forward. Officials in both boroughs have been eyeing their riverfronts for more than a year with the goal of developing parks that could attract more recreational use that boosts local economies. But money...
Pittsburgh to start sending parking tickets by mail
City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved allowing the Public Parking Authority to ticket by mail. It’s a measure that aims to improve safety and efficiency for the authority’s parking enforcers, said David Onorato, the authority’s executive director. The move comes as the authority continues to struggle with staffing since the...
Is it time to replace the Mon Incline? Officials ponder its future
Pittsburgh Regional Transit officials are discussing what the future of the 154-year-old Monongahela Incline will look like, including the possibility it could be replaced by more modern technology. The incline has been closed for a total of 39 weeks in the last two years due to repairs and upgrades. Pittsburgh...
Pine-Richland considers planetarium upgrade
Pine-Richland High School students apparently don’t mind being left in the dark. Each year, about 200 of them request taking astronomy courses in the school planetarium, according to Michael Pasquinelli, assistant superintendent of secondary education and curriculum. The planetarium dates back to the building’s 1993 construction, he said during the...
MacDonald ends topsy-turvy campaign, pulls plug on GOP write-in effort for Summer Lee’s seat
Laurie MacDonald has ended her bid for a seat in the U.S. House. Last week, MacDonald dropped out of the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District in the face of a challenge to her nominating petition signatures, but then announced a write-in effort in the Republican primary shortly after....
Why are people overpaying for Trader Joe’s mini tote bags?
Trader Joe’s $2.99 Mini Canvas Tote Bags have quickly become the trendiest new must-have item to buy, and some have been listed in sets for as much as $499 on eBay. Rivaling the hype of Stanley tumblers and Taylor Swift merch, the Washington Post reported the mini tote bags have...
Norwin board member accuses nonprofit of violating IRS rules banning political activity by charities
A North Huntingdon charity that raises money to fight childhood cancer has been accused of violating rules for tax-exempt charities by allowing political literature to be placed in fundraising packets last year. Norwin School Board Director Alex Detschelt said he filed a complaint last week with Internal Revenue Service, alleging...
5 arrested in connection with 2023 raid at Murrysville vape shop
Two owners of a Murrysville vape shop and three employees are facing charges after authorities said they were selling illegal substances out of the business. In court papers filed Tuesday, police listed six occasions between January and March 2023 when undercover officers bought items from PA Vapor & Glassroom that...
State police find 273 pounds of marijuana in minivan after traffic stop near New Stanton
A state police canine helped troopers find 273 pounds of marijuana Monday in a minivan that was traveling in Hempfield, according to court papers. Troopers said they also confiscated two guns. They filed charges Tuesday against two men — Qingxue Guo, 42, of Texas, and Tingting Huang, 33, who did...
Westmoreland happenings: March for Parks, pancake breakfasts, scam workshop, veterans luncheon, more
Art • The Westmoreland Museum of Art, Greensburg will present Art In Bloom March 21 to 24 at the museum, 221 N. Main St. The exhibit will feature floral compositions by local florists and designers who were inspired by works of art from the museum’s collection. Hours: 10 a.m. to...
Crescent house explosion marks 3rd in Western Pa. since summer
The fatal house explosion in Crescent on Tuesday morning marks the third in Western Pennsylvania since August. Emergency crews responded to the scene just before 9 a.m. at the 1400 block of Riverview Road,. The Crescent explosion is exactly seven months after the Aug. 12 house explosion in Plum’s Rustic...
In brief: Penn Hills and Verona area happenings, week of March 11, 2024
YBMKQ center plans open house The Young Black Motivated Kings and Queens: De’Avry A. Thomas Community Center, 7300 Ridgeview Ave., is planning an open house at 6:30 p.m. March 20. Attendees are invited to connect, learn and be part of building a thriving community together. Visitors will be able to...
Trib Lunch Box: House explosion, Donnie Iris, license plate readers, bug-infested building
Here are some noon headlines from TribLive, Tuesday, March 12, 2024: • Emergency crews respond to a house explosion Emergency crews are on the scene of a house explosion in Crescent. Allegheny County officials say first responders were called to a house in the 1400 block of Riverview Road on...
‘Complete devastation.’ Crescent fire chief confirms 2 dead in house explosion
Two people were killed Tuesday morning in a house explosion in Crescent, authorities said. The fatalities were confirmed by Crescent Fire Chief Andrew Tomer. He did not identify the adult victims but said one was a man and the other a woman. He added that authorities had been in contact...
2 Highlands administrators named MVP — most valuable principals — by Pittsburgh Penguins
Students at Highlands Elementary School already thought of their principal, Stan Whiteman, as the building’s MVP. Now they have confirmation. Whiteman was among 15 Allegheny County school administrators named 2024 Pittsburgh Penguins Most Valuable Principal. “He’s super kind and nice,” said Silas Kemp, 9. “He’s a very big Pens fan,...
Police: Dispute between brothers led to fatal shooting at Jefferson County Walmart; 1 in custody
State police are investigating a shooting that left one person dead at a Walmart in Jefferson County. The shooting happened at a store in Young Township, according to a press release issued by police shortly after noon on Monday. Police said a dispute between two brothers led to a physical...
Water use restrictions lifted as Beaver Run Reservoir levels return to normal
About 56,000 Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County customers are free to use water as they choose as levels at the Beaver Run Reservoir have bounced back. The authority on Tuesday ended its voluntary conservation order, days after the state lifted its drought watch for the county. The reservoir stood at...
