Western PA Local News category, Page 1782
Interest in covid rent aid up in Allegheny, Westmoreland counties as eviction ban limps onVideo
The Monday after a nationwide eviction moratorium expired, there were 1,200 voicemails to sift through at Action Housing , the nonprofit administering $80 million in emergency rent relief for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Workers fielded another 1,000 phone calls that day, Aug. 2, said Action’s general counsel, Kyle Webster. They...
Storm forces evacuation of Jason Aldean concert at Star Lake
Fans of musician Jason Aldean were evacuated before his concert at The Pavilion At Star Lake near Burgettstown early Friday evening because of severe thunderstorms in the area, according to Star Lake’s Twitter account. Just after 7 p.m., fans were instructed to “calmly proceed to the nearest exit and seek...
Charity event in Vandergrift to offer free back-to-school haircuts for kids
A new charity event in Vandergrift is making the cut with area students. The Kiski Valley Lancers & Ramsey’s Place Cuts 4 Kids will offer free back-to-school haircuts to any student in prekindergarten through 12th grade at the borough’s Kennedy Park on Aug. 23. “There’s a lot of underprivileged people...
Lower Burrell solicitor says city needs rules for backyard chickens on small lots
Lower Burrell Council could consider making rules for residents living on small residential lots who want to keep backyard chickens. Solicitor Steve Yakopec advised council at Monday’s meeting that he believes the city needs an ordinance to set down regulations. Council did not immediately move to advance the issue. Farm...
Pa. Game Commission: Residents can resume bird feeding
Residents can resume one of the country’s most popular past times: feeding the birds. As bird deaths decrease, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced Friday that it is lifting its recommendation issued in early July to cease bird feeding in the state because of a mysterious bird illness. Longtime bird-feeding aficionados...
Filming of Dakota Johnson movie underway at Pittsburgh Mills
Production of a movie is underway at the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer. Ernest Diaz, the mall’s general manager, said spaces throughout the mall have been leased for use in the production of “Cha Cha Real Smooth.” It stars Dakota Johnson. It’s directed by Cooper Raiff, who is also a...
Search to resume for missing 3-year-old on Allegheny River in Armstrong County
Dozens of police, fire, ambulance, river rescue and special operations task force units from around the region spent several hours Friday searching for a 3-year-old boy. The child was reported missing near a sandbar known for ATV recreational riding near the Allegheny River just off Kelly Station Road in Armstrong...
Lower Burrell Council honors Burrell wrestling teamVideo
Lower Burrell Council honored the red hot Burrell School District wrestling team with a proclamation Monday for capturing its 15th straight WPIAL Class AA wrestling title. Josh Shields, head coach of the Burrell wrestling team, and about a half dozen players received the proclamation at Monday’s council meeting. “This team...
State police seeking information about stabbing outside Oklahoma Borough bar
State police are investigating a stabbing that happened early Thursday outside an Oklahoma Borough bar. Two people went outside the Oklahoma Inn at 1544 Hancock Avenue around 1:30 a.m. to engage in what police described as a “mutual fight” in an alley. One of the people was injured during the...
Westmoreland hires private company to train new staff in depleted elections office
Westmoreland County will pay a private company $112,000 over the next 18 months to help oversee the next three elections as officials continue efforts to hire a new director and two middle managers in the aftermath of the problem-plagued May primary. Officials said personnel turnover, which included the June firing...
Former Latrobe wrestling coach not guilty in alleged hazing case
Former Greater Latrobe Area Junior High School wrestling coach Cary Lydic was acquitted Friday of charges alleging that he endangered students and failed to report potential child abuse in connection with suspected hazing incidents last year. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger issued the verdict without explanation after...
Utilities work to restore power after another round of strong storms
Storms swept through Southwestern Pennsylvania counties Friday night with heavy wind gusts, rain and lightning, causing power outages in several areas of Western Pennsylvania. Duquesne Light reported just over 750 customers still impacted by outages in Allegheny and Beaver counties, as of 12:45 p.m. Saturday. As of 12:30 p.m. Saturday,...
Covid cases rising at Allegheny County Jail
In the past week, 83 people in the Allegheny County Jail have tested positive for covid-19 — with a number of them believed to be attributable to spread by a staff member, officials said Friday. From Aug. 5-12, the county said it conducted 973 rapid tests to new arrestees and...
‘It came out of nowhere’: Witnesses describe South Side building collapseVideo
Pittsburgh Police vehicles set up a South Side road block between E. 16th and E. 17th streets Friday afternoon to keep motorists off East Carson Street after a building partially collapsed Thursday night. Pittsburgh Public Safety official said no injuries were reported although one firefighter was treated for glass in...
Hampton offers residents free party on wheels
Hampton is renting out a party-in-a-box, a large one on wheels. A block party trailer is available free to residents who are hosting get-togethers with neighbors. The mobile unit comes with everything needed for a good outdoor party, said Kevin Flannery, director of community services. The township purchased the $15,000...
New Freeport shop sells everything from produce to ammunitionVideo
A new shop in Freeport is selling a wide variety of products — many of which are locally produced — ranging from fresh produce to small furniture. Brandi and Alan Kepple of South Buffalo Township opened The Mercantile last weekend. The store sells “a little bit of everything,” Brandi said....
Lower Burrell man helps save friend who went into anaphylactic shock on canoe trip
A two-day canoe trip along the Clarion River in Elk County was supposed to be the last hurrah of the summer for Lower Burrell’s Austin Aikins and his friend, Chris Duca of Oakdale. But it almost turned deadly when Duca, 21, went into an anaphylactic shock in a remote area...
Jeannette-based gun marketplace website sues Facebook, Instagram over removal
The owner of a Jeannette-based weapons marketing internet site contends he and his company were improperly removed from two social media platforms and suggested his conservative, pro-gun politics were the cause, according to a lawsuit filed this week in Westmoreland County. Armslist LLC and owner Jonathan Gibbon of Jeannette said...
‘Down, not out’: Latrobe’s Dainty Pastry Shoppe looks to rebound from fire likely sparked by lightningVideo
Authorities are speculating a fire Thursday night that gutted much of the Dainty Pastry Shoppe in Latrobe may have resulted from a lightning strike. “We won’t know for sure until we get in there. The State Police Fire Marshal is coming back Monday, but it looks as though the fire...
Social media campaign encourages people to invite ‘Just One’ to register as organ donor
The Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE) is encouraging people to invite just one person to register to become an organ donor. Through the Just One campaign, CORE, an organ procurement organization, is taking to social media to spread the word about organ donation. Each day, CORE asks people...
Practicing for perfection: Pine-Richland marching band battles high heat, humidity during annual band campVideo
Members of the Pine-Richland High School marching band battled extreme high temperatures, sweltering humidity and severe storms that sent them scurrying indoors for rehearsal during portions of their annual band camp during the weeks of Aug. 9 and 16. The student musicians and performers, under the leadership of band director...
Man faces possible charges after false claim about Duquesne Light worker
A man who made false claims to the City of Duquesne police department about a utility worker in the area could face criminal charges. On Thursday, officers there got a report that a person claiming to be a Duquesne Light employee had been to at least three houses demanding immediate...
15-year-old charged in Arnold shooting that left 4 injured
A 15-year-old has been charged as an adult in connection with a shooting that police said left four people injured and endangered the lives of several others Sunday in Arnold. Ikquan Hassain Amid Lynn, of Arnold, faces numerous charges including attempted homicide, aggravated assault and simple assault in connection with...
Online event commemorates 100th anniversary of 1921 Blair Mountain labor fight
It’s been called the biggest battle on U.S. soil since the Civil War and it’s hard to believe it happened in 20th Century America. In the summer of 1921, a series of escalating skirmishes between coal miners and mine operators led to the “Battle of Blair Mountain.” It pitted some...
Greensburg Music Fest plans 20-plus acts on 4 downtown stages
Downtown Greensburg will resound with music of all kinds on Saturday, as more than 20 acts take to four stages during the daylong Greensburg Music Fest. Take it from musician Chris Fafalios, it will be “the best thing to do within hours of Greensburg.” Fafalios and his band, Another Cheetah,...
