Western PA Local News category, Page 2520
Shop ‘n Save changing hours over pandemic; offers special shopping for seniors, disabled
Shop ‘n Save grocery stores in Greensburg, Murrysville and Latrobe will close earlier to allow staff to deal with the coronavirus-driven surge in business. They also will open earlier to give seniors and those with disabilities exclusive shopping time. The new hours start Monday and apply to the Charley family...
Pennsylvania’s porta-potties, highway restrictions rankle truckers; state to reopen some rest stopsVideo
Ohio truck driver Paul Greene said the closure of restroom facilities at 17 Pennsylvania Turnpike service centers and PennDOT’s closure of welcome centers and rest areas was very much on his mind as he carried a duffel bag Wednesday into the Flying J truck stop in South Huntingdon. “They’ve closed...
Western Pa. animal shelters limit services as coronavirus continues to spread
Animal shelters in the region have limited their services as the coronavirus continues to spread, with most reducing their adoption hours to appointment-only. Animal Friends and Humane Animal Rescue have cut programming and fundraising events, leading some officials to worry about what the big picture might look like after virus...
Emergency pact for Cheswick, Harmar and Springdale provides face masks for first responders
The regional emergency coordinator for Cheswick, Harmar and Springdale has distributed face masks for police, and soon fire companies, for indoor interaction with residents. Bruno Moretti, coordinator of the Allegheny Valley Regional Management Agency, said the measure is meant to protect first responders as well as residents in the potential...
Hempfield man charged in theft scheme involving 2 Allegheny County school districts
A 45-year-old Hempfield man turned himself in to Allegheny County detectives Wednesday on charges he stole about $31,000 from two area school districts last year, according to the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office. John Trageser is accused of theft, forgery and other crimes for allegedly devising a scheme where two...
Nonprofits join to combat impact of covid-19 in Laurel Highlands
Four nonprofit foundations that serve the Laurel Highlands and Somerset and Cambria counties will collaborate to provide rapid response to the impact of the covid-19 virus among the region’s most vulnerable residents, officials said Wednesday. The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies (CFA), United Way of the Laurel Highlands, Lee Initiatives,...
Excela Health working on testing center for coronavirus
Excela Health is developing a testing center similar to ones opened this week by hospital systems in Allegheny County to screen patients for the coronavirus, according to Dr. Carol Fox, chief medical officer. A test at the proposed center would “require an evaluation as well as an appointment,” Fox said....
Westmoreland water, sewer authority meet remotely as part of pandemic protocolVideo
Low-interest rates expected to be set in response to the drastic stock market decline could be a boon to the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County. Board members, who met by phone Wednesday as part of an unusual meeting amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, approved the refinancing of up to $50...
Pittsburgh first responders say they won’t be notified of exposure to coronavirus
Pittsburgh’s first responders won’t be notified if they are exposed to a person later testing positive for covid-19, and officials said the situation poses a potential public health risk. The problem is federal privacy laws and Pennsylvania’s mounting number of positive covid-19 cases, officials said. Representatives of the Mayor’s Office...
Westmoreland County survives 1st day of scaled-back operations
Editor’s note: Westmoreland County Register of Wills Sherry Magretti Hamilton announced Thursday that starting March 20 the office would only accept emergency guardian petitions. All other office functions will be suspended through April 3. Gallows humor was a theme in the Register of Wills office Wednesday as the handful of...
Pittsburgh providing ‘grab-and-go’ meals for kids
Pittsburgh and the Salvation Army are opening four sites where kids can receive grab-and-go meals. The Mayor’s Office announced Wednesday that the Department of Parks and Recreation starting Thursday will provide meals from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays at the following locations:Paulson Rec Center, 1201 Paulson Ave.Warrington Rec...
Police: Homeless man strangled girlfriend in jealous rage
Authorities on Wednesday identified a woman strangled by a homeless man in Pittsburgh’s Homewood section last week. Brittany Alker, 30, was found dead in the closet of a Forest Way home early March 12 after the man accused of killing her called police. James Wilson, 34, is charged with a...
Men charged with animal cruelty during ‘Manhunt’ shoot found not guilty by Monroeville judge
Three men charged with animal cruelty after an alleged incident while filming in Monroeville for the television series “Manhunt: Deadly Games” were found not guilty. According to court records, the three were initially charged with two misdemeanors each of animal cruelty. Those charges were withdrawn and moved over to a...
Westmoreland County school districts feeding students during prolonged closures
School districts across Westmoreland County scrambled this week to find ways to feed students after classes were canceled for at least two weeks in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Volunteers and district employees handed out more than 800 bags of food for breakfast and lunch between...
Community rallies around Lelulo’s Pizzeria after burglary, free student lunches continue
Sometimes bad things happen to good people. The phrase never rang more true for Patyn McCune than Tuesday morning when the young owner of Lelulo’s Pizzeria walked up to her shop and found it had been burglarized. Her shop at 311 Unity Trestle Road in Plum has been offering free...
Freeport tries to sustain community during covid-19 pandemic
No one asked Jackie Gaughan to organize a free lunch program in Freeport, but in less than 24 hours, she did. “The town just really rallies together at times like this,” said Gaughan. “It’s great to be a part of this small town.” Like towns across the region, Freeport is...
Penn Hills man sentenced to state prison for 7th DUI
A Penn Hills man was sentenced to two to seven years in state prison Monday after his seventh drunken driving conviction since 2011. Pittsburgh police charged John C. Davis with his latest DUI on April 7, 2019, after he crashed into a telephone pole and a parked SUV in the...
Pittsburgh suspends parking meter enforcement, announces other changes
The Pittsburgh Parking Authority is suspending parking meter enforcement as the city moves to further curtail interactions between employees and the public. The Mayor’s Office on Wednesday updated Pittsburgh’s emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic. “The City of Pittsburgh is committed to fully serving its residents throughout this outbreak, and...
Over 100 new charges filed against W.Pa. doctor accused of exchanging drugs for sex
More charges have been filed against a former family physician with offices in Fayette and Westmoreland counties who was indicted last fall on charges of exchanging opioid medication for sexual favors from patients. Federal prosecutors have filed more than 130 new charges against Emilio Ramon Navarro, 58, of Coal Center,...
3 worshippers at Pittsburgh church have coronavirus, officials sayVideo
Three members of the Eastminster Presbyterian Church, including Senior Pastor Paul Roberts, have tested positive for covid-19, according to a letter sent to parishioners. The letter said Eastminster, located in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, is working with the Allegheny County Health Department in response to this development. Services...
Race for Grace at Norwin postponed
The 13th Annual Race For Grace that was to be run on April 4 around the Norwin High School complex, has been postponed because the school district is closed under Gov. Wolf’s orders and it is not known when it will reopen. While the school district is closed, Norwin also...
Westmoreland, Monroeville malls remain open as others around Western Pa. close
While several malls across the region shutter in response to the growing threat of the coronavirus, Westmoreland and Monroeville malls for now remain open, keeping their hours unchanged. Despite the decision to remain open, just over 20 stores were dark Wednesday in Westmoreland Mall, with signs posted that they are...
Shell suspends work on multibillion-dollar cracker plant in Beaver CountyVideo
Shell Chemicals said Wednesday it will temporarily halt its multibillion-dollar project to build an ethane cracker plant in Beaver County because of coronavirus concerns. The company then plans to gradually ramp work back up at the sprawling site where about 8,000 people have been working. “The decision to pause was...
Duquesne Light waiving all late fees until May 1
Duquesne Light announced Wednesday it is waiving late fees for its customers from now until at least May 1. The news follows an earlier announcement that the utility is temporarily discontinuing service shutoffs for all customers. Both initiatives are designed to assist Duquesne Light customers in their greatest time of...
ATI offering retirement to incentive to cut costs
Allegheny Technologies Inc. will be offering a voluntary early retirement incentive in an effort to cut costs, the company announced. The program will be for eligible salaried, non-union employees, spokeswoman Natalie Gillespie said. To be eligible, employees have to meet age and service requirements. The company has not disclosed how...
