Rye revolution: Craft distillers in Pittsburgh, elsewhere bring back pre-Prohibition whiskey favorite
The revival of centuries-old rye whiskeys — including Monongahela and Maryland styles — is helping foster a renewed interest in historic spirits. “Rye whiskey in general is swinging upward in the market,” said Teresa DeFlitch, director of people and education at Pittsburgh-based Wigle Whiskey. The volume of rye whiskey produced...
Disabilities awareness event at Westmoreland Mall to focus on wellness
Health and wellness will be the focus of Westmoreland County’s annual Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Awareness event March 2 at Westmoreland Mall. Part of IDD Awareness Month, the free event will bring together more than 20 organizations from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the mall’s center court — to...
Clay target shooting club proposed at Norwin
Norwin High School students who want to shoot clay targets could get the chance to compete against other schools this spring. About 20 students are interested in competing for Norwin in the Pennsylvania Clay Target League, said Lt. Col. David Sandala, high school senior aerospace science instructor. The co-curricular club...
Black bear hitches a ride on dump truck
Hitchhiking is illegal on highways in North Carolina. So, clearly a black bear that hopped a ride on the back of a dump truck along Route 17 in Windsor, N.C., was in violation of said law. But who’s gonna bust him? The truck was taking garbage to a landfill in...
Police: 3 people found dead near railroad tracks in Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Police say the bodies of three people have been found near railroad tracks in Ohio’s capital city of Columbus. The Columbus Dispatch reports someone called 911 around 7:30 a.m. Friday to report finding the bodies. A dispatcher told the newspaper that officers found one person on the...
Allegheny County Council to consider tearing down Deer Lakes Park building
The Deer Lakes Park Administration Building could soon be slated for demolition. Allegheny County Council at its meeting Tuesday will consider a bill submitted by county Executive Rich Fitzgerald to authorize demolition of the building. The building functions as an office facility. The bill states that the county Department of...
Pittsburgh data company Niche plans to double workforce
A Pittsburgh-based startup that helps people choose schools, neighborhoods and companies is set to double its workforce by year’s end with a $2 million investment from a former AOL executive. Niche, an online platform for informed decision-making, announced the $2 million investment from Tim Armstrong, CEO and founder of dtx...
Smithton man accused of assaulting Westmoreland prison guard
An 18-year-old Smithton man was charged Thursday for allegedly assaulting a Westmoreland County Prison guard as he was being strip-searched following his arrest Oct. 7. Timothy D. Ingram was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault and simple assault filed by county detectives. He was remanded to the county prison after...
Thousands raised for Ross man who lost uninsured home in fire
Fundraising for a Ross Township man whose uninsured home was destroyed by fire last week has exceeded half its goal, so far. A GoFundMe page was set up to collect contributions for Chris Fromme, who lost all of his posessions in a fire that destroyed his home along Pittview Road...
Westmoreland Transit cancels more bus routes due to driver shortage
More route cancellations and changes to Westmoreland County Transit Authority bus service were instituted Friday as the driver shortages continued to plague the public transportation system. The authority announced the 4:15 p.m. bus — one of eight outbound trips from Pittsburgh on the 1F Route that operates through North Huntingdon...
Harrison commissioner: Garbage-bill scofflaws at root of illegal dumping problem
A Harrison commissioner wants to publicize the names of residents who are behind on their garbage bills, hoping it spurs at least some of the residents to pay up and alleviates a problem with illegal dumping. More than 500 residential garbage accounts are delinquent in Harrison, and Commissioner Charles Dizard...
This bald eagle rescue story will melt your heart
An eagle was grounded but flies again thanks to volunteers at a northern Michigan wildlife rescue organization. A volunteer for the Empire, Mich.-based Wings of Wonder rescued a bald eagle Feb. 1 that was grounded on Lake Michigan with a nearly 8-inch ice ball frozen to its tail, according to...
Man living in U.S. illegally sentenced for rape of girl, 12, in Lancaster County
LANCASTER COUNTY — A Guatemalan national who is living in the United States illegally will serve between six and 12 years in prison for the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Quarryville, according to the borough’s police department. Magdilio Diaz-Vasquez, 22, was sentenced on Jan. 18, the same day he...
Pitt-Greensburg Alumni Association seeking nominees for annual awards
The Pitt-Greensburg Alumni Association is accepting nominations through July 8 for the three awards is presents each year. The awards, Alumnus of Distinction, Volunteer Excellence, and Young Alumni Leadership, recognize Pitt-Greensburg alumni for their professional accomplishments, service to their communities, and commitment to the Pitt-Greensburg. The Alumnus of Distinction Award,...
6th person accused in Fayette-Westmoreland drug acquisition scheme
State police in Greensburg have arrested a sixth person in connection with an illegal drug-acquisition operation which operated from 2015-16 in Fayette and Westmoreland counties. Brooke N. Cross, 27, of Largo, Fla, formerly of South Huntingdon, was arraigned Thursday on charges of illegal acquisition of a controlled substance, participating in...
Man charged with setting Ohio sheriff’s deputy on fire
RAVENNA, Ohio — Authorities say a man tossed a flammable liquid on an Ohio sheriff’s deputy trying to arrest him and set him on fire, causing severe burns. The Portage County Sheriff’s Office says the deputy was injured Thursday evening in Rootstown Township, about 55 miles south of Cleveland. The...
Westmoreland County Democrats host candidates forum in Washington Township
The Westmoreland County Democratic Party will hold a candidates forum for Region 2 on Tuesday at the Washington Township Community Building. Region 2 includes Kiski Valley communities in Westmoreland County. “Our incumbent Westmoreland County commissioners, candidates for court of common pleas and county row offices have all accepted our invitation...
Trump declares emergency to build border wall
President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will declare a national emergency to fulfill his pledge to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump said he will use executive powers to bypass Congress, which approved far less money for his proposed wall than he had sought. He plans to...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend
For some, this weekend is a three-day respite –Monday is Presidents Day. Here’s what is going on: ••• Uncork it The Senator John Heinz History Center in the Strip District tonight will host its 21st annual “History Uncorked: Out of this World” soiree for young professionals. The event features live...
Apollo man accused of assaulting woman headed to court, some charges dismissed
A Leechburg judge dismissed felony assault charges against an Apollo man accused of attacking a woman. James Orlando Oquinn, 29, will head to the Armstrong County Court of Common Pleas on a new felony charge of allegedly strangling the woman, District Judge James Andring ruled Wednesday. The woman told Apollo...
U.S. adopts new rules for handling child bride petitions
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has announced new rules for scrutinizing requests to bring minor spouses to the United States. That word comes from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — the agency that considers whether to approve such requests. The Associated Press reported last month that thousands of requests...
Main suspect in Sweden’s royal jewels heist confesses
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The main suspect in the theft of royal funeral artifacts from a Swedish cathedral confessed Friday to stealing them after his DNA was found on the items that were pulled out last week from a garbage bin north of Stockholm. Swedish broadcaster SVT, reporting Friday from a...
Tarentum homeowner worries about repairing house after fallen tree removed
The extent of the damage caused to a Tarentum home when a tree fell on it Wednesday was more apparent Friday after the tree had been removed. The buckeye tree that fell on Frank Lee’s house at 400 Allegheny St. was removed Thursday afternoon, Lee said. Lee was back in...
Deaf student stars in Pittsburgh Playwrights productionVideo
Aaliyah Sanders has been deaf since birth. She has also been acting in school productions since the fourth-grade. But being cast in a professional play was not on her radar. “No. I never even thought of it, not in a professional play,” Aaliyah said through an interpreter. “I never thought...
Valley Points YMCA offering $1 membership deal on Presidents Day
People looking to join any of the three Valley Points YMCA locations can do so for $1 on Presidents Day. The flash sale on memberships means that people can save as much as $60.60 by joining on Monday. Valley Points YMCA CEO Mike Newell said the deal applies to all...
