Western PA Local News category, Page 2518
Westmoreland Register of Wills closes office except for emergency guardianship petitions
The Westmoreland County Register of Wills office will be closed through April 3. Since Wednesday, the office in the Greensburg courthouse operated on reduced hours as part of a partial shutdown of county operations but still accepted filings and processed marriage license applications. The office closure follows the state’s Supreme...
Some Pa. school districts stop mandatory instruction, grading during closure
Some school districts have stopped assigning mandatory work during the state’s mandatory 10-day closure after a conference call with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit and district leaders. After Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement last week that schools should close to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, Woodland Hills Superintendent James Harris...
Allegheny Health Network suspends patient visits
Allegheny Health Network is suspending all patient visitation at its hospitals, outpatient clinics and ambulatory surgery centers until further notice, the network announced Thursday. The health system said the policy, which goes into effect at 7 p.m. Thursday, aims to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus that causes covid-19...
Pittsburgh senior centers to distribute free food for registered seniors
Pittsburgh is opening six of its shuttered senior centers starting on Friday for free meal distribution to seniors registered with the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging, according to the Mayor’s Office. Prepackaged meals will be available for takeout from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays...
URA offering financial assistance for Pittsburgh residents facing coronavirus hardships
The Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority board of directors Thursday approved funding to help income-eligible residents experiencing financial hardship because of the coronavirus pandemic pay rents, mortgages and utilities. Residents earning up to 80% of area mean income - $63,900 for a family of four – can call the Urban League...
Derry Area sends Grandview Elementary staff home as it awaits coronavirus test results
Derry Area School District on Thursday closed Grandview Elementary School to essential workers and others after a family member of a support staff member was tested for covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. “Acting prudently and with an abundance of caution, we have decided to close Grandview Elementary...
Officials team up to combat secondary outbreak of fraud, price-gouging amid coronovirus pandemic
The Pittsburgh region’s top state and federal law enforcement authorities announced Thursday they are teaming up to form the Western Pennsylvania Covid-19 Fraud Task Force to investigate and prosecute those committing fraud during the coronavirus outbreak. “Our goal is simple: We seek to ensure there is no gap between the...
Pitt part of international effort to develop covid-19 vaccine
The Oslo-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is investing $4.9 million in a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh and others to develop a covid-19 vaccine. The consortium that includes Pitt is led by the Pasteur Institute in Paris and includes Themis, an Austrian bioscience company. CEPI funding will...
Disaster declaration brings low-interest loans for small businesses in Pennsylvania, elsewhere
Small businesses that have lost revenue as a result of the coronavirus will be able to apply for low-interest loans now that Pennsylvania has received a disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The action came a day after Gov. Tom Wolf asked for the declaration for all 67...
‘Like a ghost town,’ Downtown Pittsburgh is empty
Jerry Kennedy has been selling hot dogs on Grant Street in Downtown Pittsburgh for a dozen years. He’s never seen the streets so deserted on a weekday. Kennedy, owner of Newman & Marley’s, who parks his stand outside the Steel Plaza T Station on Grant Street, said his business has...
Prosecutors: Baby should be removed from South Huntingdon home due to deplorable conditions
A 10-month baby allegedly assaulted by his father should be removed from the custody of relatives because of deplorable conditions of their home, Westmoreland County prosecutors said. Assistant District Kelly Hammers on Thursday filed emergency petitions seeking to modify bond conditions for the baby’s mother, aunt, grandmother and grandmother’s boyfriend...
Highlands principal gets $135K in settlement, release agreement
A former Highlands School District principal who sued the district in federal court, alleging that administrators retaliated against her for taking unpaid leave, will receive $135,000 as part of a settlement and release agreement. Highlands School Board approved the agreement with Heather Bigney on Monday. The district released the agreement...
‘Significant hospitalization rates’: Coronavirus taking a toll in Pa.
As coronavirus cases continue to rise rapidly across Pennsylvania, the state is seeing “significant hospitalization rates,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said Thursday. “It really is varying day to day,” Levine said during a daily covid-19 update. The reported average hospitalization rate is about 10%. Levine said Pennsylvania’s rate...
Life during coronavirus pandemic: How this McCandless 5th-grader stays busy (and safe for her mom)Video
We invite Trib readers to share stories about their lives during coronavirus. Write to Director of Content John Allison at jallison@triblive.com. Please include your full name, neighborhood and phone number. Send photos, too, of what you are doing and seeing. Here’s a story from Jenna Parker of McCandless Township, a...
After public criticism, Pa. turnpike to reopen restrooms at service plazas Friday
After four days of public criticism, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission reversed course Thursday and announced it will reopen all 17 of its service plazas beginning at 7 a.m. Friday In a news release, the agency said restrooms inside all service plazas will be open 24 hours. The outdoor portable toilets...
UPMC doctor on coronavirus: ‘Fear can be a very healthy thing’
The fear and anxiety that is gripping the nation as coronavirus cases soar is not necessarily a bad thing, a top UPMC doctor leading preparations at the Pittsburgh-based health giant said Thursday. “Fear can be a very healthy thing,” Dr. Don Yealy, UPMC’s chair of emergency medicine, told the Tribune-Review....
Burrell delivers meals to students’ doorsteps during school shutdownVideo
While many school districts are providing food to their students while schools are closed, Burrell School District has gone a step further by delivering food directly to its students’ homes. “We do want everyone to know that we care,” Burrell food service director Andrew Klipple said. “With all there is...
Local governments face transparency challenges during coronavirus
As large governing entities like Allegheny County Council and Pittsburgh City Council hold virtual or teleconference meetings to vote on legislation in order to curb the spread of covid-19, smaller communities face a challenge. How do these councils and boards avoid meeting in groups larger than 10 while simultaneously following...
New Kensington, Arnold officers remain on leave following officer-involved shooting
Two New Kensington police officers and one Arnold officer remained on paid administrative leave Thursday, nearly a week after police shot and killed a man they say was brandishing a shotgun. The incident happened around 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon when police responded to calls about a man with a shotgun...
Police say Unity traffic stop uncovered meth, drug paraphernalia
A Hempfield couple pulled over along Route 30 late Tuesday for an expired registration were arrested after police say they discovered methamphetamine, $1,900, and drug paraphernalia hidden in the car. Stacie Lee Miller, 49, and Gordon W. Heatherington, 47, were pulled over in a red Mercedes coupe driven by Miller...
Cops: Missing Greensburg woman and 1-year-old son located in Pittsburgh
A 37-year-old Greensburg woman and her 1-year-old son, who went missing March 6, have been located, police said. Capt. Robert Stafford said Aziyza King, 37, and her son, Zayn, “were discovered safe in Pittsburgh” Sunday. Police issued a missing persons alert for King, who has ties to the Harrisburg area,...
Changes coming to census as officials limit face-to-face contact in midst of coronavirus
Census officials are limiting face-to-face contact with people residing in nursing homes and those who utilize soup kitchens and shelters as the coronavirus continues to spread. In an effort to keep the public safe while obtaining a complete count, census officials are asking nursing home administrators to help residents reply...
East Deer closes municipal, tax offices to stop spread of coronavirus
East Deer has closed its municipal offices to visitors because of the coronavirus outbreak, but office staff can still be reached by phone and email. The township building, which includes police and municipal offices, will remain on restricted access until further notice, officials said. Township staff can be reached at...
2 confirmed coronavirus cases in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County has its first two confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, the state Department of Health announced Thursday. The cases were among 52 new confirmed positives reported statewide, bringing the total number of Pennsylvania cases to 185. It’s an increase of 39% over the previous day and comes as...
Long-standing religious gatherings canceled, some services continue
For the first time in its 48-year history, the Christian Businessmen’s Connection Good Friday breakfast is canceled over concerns about the coronavirus. “We’re considering maybe a fall event. We’re not going to walk away from it until all options are depleted,” said Boice Bailey, chairman of the Greensburg Christian Businessmen’s...
