Allegheny Valley gets new artificial turf as athletic field construction nears finish
Workers laid down artificial turf Friday at the site of what is set to become the Springdale Dynamos’ new athletic home field. The field, across Butler Road from Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School, will host Allegheny Valley football and soccer this fall as well as track and field in the spring....
Westmoreland Fair opens for a week of exhibits, events, attractions
The Westmoreland Fair opened Friday with judging of inside exhibits and a motocross event at the grandstand arena. The fair will be open to the public through Saturday, Aug. 23. Highlights include a demolition derby on Sunday, rodeo Monday, monster truck show Tuesday, tractor and truck pull Wednesday and drag...
2 Pittsburgh residents accused of sexually exploiting children after FBI investigation
Two Pittsburgh residents have been indicted on federal charges of sexually exploiting children, authorities announced Friday. Karen R. Allen, 37, and James Clark, 38 were named in the six-count indictment. Authorities said Allen and Clark coerced a minor on multiple occasions in August 2024 to engage in sexually explicit conduct...
SNAP skimming escalates in Pa., officials push for secure EBT cards
Two million Pennsylvanians rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to feed themselves and their families, but skimming devices have led to a statewide rise in SNAP benefit theft, leaving thousands of low-income households without food. While negotiations over the Pennsylvania 2025-26 budget continue, local government officials, at a...
Authorities link woman’s 2024 death from blood clot to shooting in Pittsburgh
The case of a woman who was shot in 2023 in East Hills and died nearly a year later is being investigated by Pittsburgh police as a homicide, authorities said Friday. Da’ne Lee, 43, died on April 6, 2024, at UPMC Shadyside. Her cause of death was a blood clot...
Expect traffic jams — and use caution — as Pitt, Carnegie Mellon, other colleges have move-in days
Pittsburgh officials want to reminded motorists to be extra aware of their surroundings this month due to college move-ins and potential closures this weekend. Travelers should prepare for significant traffic jams in and around Oakland as college students prepare for a new semester at the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon...
Penn Township examines parking along Rowe Road following house fire on nearby street
Penn Township officials might prohibit street parking on a road after emergency services ran into complications when responding to a house fire last week. Fire and EMS services extinguished flames that erupted Aug. 4 near the rear deck of a home along Timber Ridge Court in Penn Township. The home...
Steady rise in need for meals keeps Feeding the Spirit volunteers busy in Greensburg
Wendy Smith was first in line Thursday, waiting for the OK under a hot August sun to pick up dinner. Finances are tight for the Greensburg woman and her son, who get $100 a month in government food assistance. It’s not enough, she said. Like dozens of others who come...
Tiny chemical safety board, battling to keep funding, launches probe of Clairton explosion
The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board’s probe into the deadly explosion at the Clairton Coke Works could take a year or more and will include worker interviews, careful examination of daily operations and a cinematic recreation of the blast. The aim is to trace events leading up to the...
Pa. Game Commission’s elk cam returns ahead of mating season
A constant livestream in the heart of Pennsylvania’s elk country has restarted as the species begins its mating season, called the elk rut. The Pennsylvania Game Commission announced Friday it had powered up its video and audio stream of an area near Elk State Forest and State Gamelands 311 for...
U.S. Steel early findings pinpoint gas valve failure as cause of fatal Clairton Coke Works blast
U.S. Steel on Friday pinned blame for the deadly explosion Monday at the Clairton Coke Works on a valve failure that led to coke oven gas igniting, according to the company’s preliminary findings. “Preliminary indications lead us to believe that the explosion happened when flushing a gas valve in preparation...
Bridgeville’s new police chief, Gary James, sworn-in
Gary James was officially sworn-in as Bridgeville’s police chief at a recent council meeting. James has worked in the Bridgeville Police Department for more than 35 years, first as a patrolman, then as a sergeant and now as chief. “His dedication, leadership and deep roots in Bridgeville make him the...
Letter to the editor: Trust, respect teachers to make appropriate decision on ‘Mockingbird’ book
I reside in Richland with two children in the Pine-Richland school system. As a veteran ELA teacher in a neighboring district, I have absolute confidence in our ELA teachers — knowledgeable, dedicated and empathetic professionals who consistently contribute to near-perfect Literature Keystone scores. Some school board members believe all students...
Letter to the editor: Community violence affects us all; fund intervention efforts now
The tragic shooting in Pitcairn on June 26 — where two 16-year-olds were killed — is yet another heartbreaking reminder that gun violence is devastating families in our region. Community violence intervention (CVI) groups are working every day in neighborhoods across Allegheny County to prevent these tragedies through mentorship, mediation...
Here are some things to know as students in the North Hills School District start new year
Students in grades 1-12 in the North Hills School District will return to school on Wednesday, Aug. 20. Kindergartners will have their first day on Aug. 22. • Holiday breaks: Thanksgiving, Nov. 26 to Dec. 1; winter, Dec. 24 to Jan. 2; spring, March 30 to April 3. • Enrollment:...
‘We didn’t get justice’: Questions surround charges filed in Natrona girl’s death
For almost a year, Heather Bonnoni has known the name of the man she feels is responsible for her niece’s death. She kept it secret on the advice of legal experts as they sought “full justice” for 11-year-old Roxanne Bonnoni, who died after being run over by a vehicle on...
Leechburg Area renews MOU agreement
The Leechburg Area School District has renewed its memorandum of understanding agreement with the Leechburg Police Department. “It shows that they have jurisdiction for any emergencies or anything that would happen,” said superintendent David Keibler. Due to a 2023 state requirement, the district selected the department to enter into an...
Riverview teacher recognized as 2025 Pennsylvania History Teacher of the Year
Kenneth Kubistek was surprised to be selected as the 2025 Pennsylvania History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute. After all, he said, he’s just doing his job. “I was really surprised. Teaching to me is just something I do because I enjoy working with the kids,” Kubistek...
Here are some things to know as students in the Hampton School District start new year
Students in the Hampton School District return to classes on Aug. 21. • Holiday breaks: Thanksgiving, Nov. 27-Dec. 1; winter, Dec. 24-Jan. 4; spring, April 2-6 • Enrollment: 2,600 • Lunch prices: Elementary, $2.60; middle and high school, $2.90, each up 10 cents • District phone number: 412-486-6000 • District...
Here are some things to know as students in the Shaler Area School District start new year
Shaler Area students return to classes on Aug. 19. • Holiday breaks: Labor Day, Sept. 1; Thanksgiving, Nov. 26-28 and Dec. 1; holiday, Dec. 19-Jan. 2; spring, March 30-April 3; Memorial Day, May 25. • Enrollment: 3,751 • Lunch prices: Primary and elementary, $2.15; middle and high school, $2.40, each...
Mt. Pleasant, state police investigating skill game machine thefts
Mt. Pleasant borough police are investigating a string of thefts from skill game machines in the area. In the most recent theft, about $20,000 — primarily in fraudulent winning tickets — was obtained from machines that were broken into at Mt. Pleasant Express on West Main Street on Wednesday. Police...
Iconic South Side clock to shine brighter
On Thursday at 8:30 p.m., the face of the iconic clock above Pittsburgh’s South Side will be illuminated brighter than ever. Pittsburgh Brewing Co. in East Deer has invested in updating the lights and look of the largest clock face in the U.S., which was built in the 1930s by...
Facebook Marketplace scam has Allegheny Township police charging Maryland woman
Dan Sevic believed something was off after his business, Sevic Landscaping and Supply in Allegheny Township, took an order for concrete block back in March. Little did he know that transaction would be linked to an alleged scheme that police say used stolen credit cards to buy the blocks, sell...
New Kensington-Arnold hikes pay rate for substitute teachers
New Kensington-Arnold School District officials hope a $30 per-day pay increase will attract more day-to-day substitute teachers to the district. School directors this week set the substitute teacher rate at $130 per day. Previously, substitute teachers made $100 daily for the first 30 days they worked. That would increase to...
Animal Friends launches free spays, neutering for Pittsburgh dogs, cats after city scaled back program
Animal Friends is offering Pittsburgh pet owners free spay and neuter services after the city scaled back a similar program. The Ohio Township-based nonprofit on Thursday announced the “Short Term Fix” spay and neuter program, which will provide free spay and neuter surgeries to dogs and cats owned by Pittsburgh...
