Ragweed near full bloom in Western Pa. as fall approaches
Blessings to each and every one with allergies. And tissues. And nasal spray. And eye drops. And neti pots. And Claritin or Zyrtec or Allegra. Or if sleep is desired, Benadryl. “‘Tis the season,” said Dr. Thomas Mertz of Allergy and Asthma Associates of Pittsburgh, a practice based in Harmar....
Allegheny County Jail guard union seeks to overturn ban on use of leg shackles for medical visits
When Allegheny County voters approved a referendum in 2021 eliminating the use of solitary confinement at the county jail, they also barred use of leg shackles by corrections officers there. As a result, jail staff cannot restrain the legs of incarcerated people being transported to the hospital for medical appointments...
Reward offered in case of Greensburg man missing for 3 weeks
A reward is being offered for information on the location of Ruben Carranza, a Greensburg man who has been missing for three weeks. “I don’t think my son is hiding, so all of the things that come into my mind (are) bad things,” said his mother, Dawn Rose. “Somebody knows.”...
Week-old goats draw a crowd at Westmoreland Fair
A pair of week-old goats have become mini celebrities at the Westmoreland Fair. Brothers Zane and Gunner Temple picked up the pair — named Queen and Bubba Jr. — Tuesday morning so youngsters and adults could get a look at the two kids and pet their soft fur. It’s been...
Carlynton to restrict student cellphone use during school day
This school year, Carlynton Jr.-Sr. High School will implement a policy restricting personal cellphone use for students. District officials say the policy follows a yearlong research and community engagement process. They say the policy will foster stronger student focus, mental health and academic engagement. “This initiative reflects our commitment to...
Antiques, other props from ‘Hershey’ filming hit the auction block
With a traditionally strong market for Hollywood memorabilia, the sale of props from a movie shoot is not unusual. But typically, those props are just that — recreations of items such as swords from a medieval film or fake body parts from a horror movie. In the case of “Hershey”...
Police arrest Monroeville man in Downtown Pittsburgh daylight shooting
A Monroeville man has been arrested for wounding two people earlier this month in a daylight shooting in Downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. Pittsburgh police say Jaraye McLaughlin, 28, opened fire Aug. 1 near the end of the work day on Penn Avenue, near the Barcelona Wine Bar. A woman was...
Window tint, car wrapping business set to open in Plum
A new auto garage specializing in window tints and vinyl wrapping is set to open in Plum in September. Located at 7993 Saltsburg Road at Unit I, Mr. Tint PGH will offer commercial, residential and auto tints as well as customized wraps and coatings for cars, according to owner Eric...
Chartiers Valley bolsters security, safety initiatives
Chartiers Valley School District has implemented new safety and security initiatives across all of its buildings for the new school year. Marc Hubert, the district’s safety and security coordinator, provided an update on the plans during the school board’s Aug. 12 meeting. “Every initiative we proposed was done through a...
2nd driver in high-speed crash that killed Serra Catholic teen gets prison time
A man who police said was racing another driver across a Dravosburg bridge nearly two years ago, leading to a crash that killed a Serra Catholic High School student, will serve at least 16 months in state prison. Andrew Voigt, 56, of Penn Hills was taken into custody immediately following...
Community the theme of Carlynton’s back-to-school celebration
Members of the Carlynton School District community kicked off the school year the best way they know how: a celebration. The district’s third-annual back-to-school celebration was held Aug. 15 at Honus Wagner Stadium in Carnegie. “Tonight’s celebration is about more than just the start of a new school year —...
Lower Burrell teens want bread out of ducks’ diets at Burrell Lake Park
Save the ducks — ditch the bread. That’s the message from Lower Burrell teens Katie Harris and Julia Skowronski, members of Girl Scout Troop 16454, on an awareness campaign to inform people of what’s appropriate, and what’s not, when it comes to feeding ducks at Burrell Lake Park. “We noticed...
VA shuffles top leaders in Pittsburgh as agency upends ‘status quo’
The top two officials overseeing care for Pittsburgh-area veterans have been pulled from their posts and reassigned. Donald Koenig is out as director of the Pittsburgh VA, a role he took in 2019 after more than two decades as a private health care executive. His tenure stopped a carousel of...
Gilpin residents can access audio recordings of township meetings
Gilpin residents can now catch up on township meetings they can’t attend in-person. Gilpin supervisor Charles Stull said in a social media post that he will be sharing audio recordings of supervisor meetings through Google Drive. “My goal is to keep our community informed and engaged in Township activities, and...
Highlands hires new high school principal
Highlands High School has a new principal. Patrick Baughman started his new role Tuesday. He will be paid $130,000. He replaces Mike Toole, who led the high school since May 2023. Toole left the district for a role as principal at Logan Elementary in the East Allegheny School District. “We...
Freeport Area schools plan AI as a tool, not a crutch, in classrooms
Freeport Area School District teachers are learning how to use and teach artificial intelligence in their classrooms. Superintendent Ian Magness told the school board a district committee of 16 teachers and administrators mapped out how to approach the use of AI. He said that effort began about two years ago...
Seton Hill plans fireworks as part of welcome for students
Fireworks will be part of Seton Hill University’s Welcome Weekend activities on Sunday night. The display is set to begin at 9 p.m. and last around 15 minutes. The Greensburg campus will not be open to the public for the event, but university officials are notifying the public so people...
Greensburg Salem marks start of school year with Back to School Bash
Greensburg Salem students and families celebrated the start of the school year during the district’s Back to School Bash Monday. Music, games and food trucks filled Offutt Field in Greensburg Monday evening. The marching band and cheerleading squad performed. A cornhole tournament was held to support the district’s Mini-THON program....
Police say Wilkinsburg care worker stole $64,000 from woman with dementia
An in-home care worker is accused of stealing $64,000 from an elderly woman with severe dementia by making fraudulent check deposits, according to Allegheny County Police. Brittany Miller, 37, of Wilkinsburg was a caretaker for a 70-year-old woman whose condition had rendered her nonverbal and dependent on around-the-clock care, according...
Love triangle turned deadly inside Washington County home, police say
One man is dead and another behind bars after what police described as a love triangle turned violent Sunday night inside a Washington County home. Christopher Harper, 18, of Ellsworth is accused by Pennsylvania State Police of breaking into a residence along Walnut Street in Ellsworth and shooting Elijah Johnson,...
Mold remediation continues at Norwin High School
Crews continued to clean mold at Norwin High School on Monday, and maintenance and custodians helped teachers and staff clean district and personal items in preparation for the first day of school this week, the district superintendent said. Superintendent Natalie McCracken told the school board Monday a disaster restoration contractor,...
Gavin Robb appointed Arnold solicitor
Arnold officials will be getting legal advice from a new attorney. Council accepted the resignation of City Solicitor Jaclyn M. Shaw and hired Gavin Robb, an attorney with the law firm of Tucker Arensberg, to fill the position. Both votes were 4-0, with Councilman Adam Zweig absent. Reached by TribLive,...
The Stroller, Aug. 19, 2025: 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. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Tarentum concert series to...
Staffing woes, economics threaten future of Westmoreland Manor
Westmoreland Manor has seen better days. County leaders this month issued a warning that persistent nursing shortages and a dwindling number of residents have created economic pitfalls that could endanger the facility in the years to come. The six-story nursing home in Hempfield has served Westmoreland County’s aging and disabled...
Upcoming offerings at Northern Tier Library
NORTHERN TIER LIBRARY Northland Tier Library is located at 4015 Dickey Road in Richland. Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and closed Sundays. The library can be reached at 724-449-2665 or northerntierlibrary.org. Here are some upcoming programs: •...
