Western PA Local News category, Page 2796
Pittsburgh man charged in Wood Street T station knife attack
A Pittsburgh man has been charged with aggravated assault in connection with a knife attack at the Wood Street transit station Downtown late Tuesday night. Shortly before 11 p.m. a Port Authority of Allegheny County police officer was flagged down at the station for a report of a knife attack,...
Monroeville woman charged with stealing money from 2 Gateway organizations
The former president of two family-teacher organizations in the Gateway School District has been charged with stealing nearly $11,000 from fundraisers and debit card purchases made for her personal use. Jennifer Murawski, 38, of Monroeville was president of the FTO at Mosside Middle School from 2017 to 2019 and the...
UPMC doctors ready to meet ‘pent-up demand’ after inking 10-year contract with Highmark
UPMC facilities are preparing to meet the “pent-up demand” among Highmark-insured patients who now can choose to go to UPMC doctors and hospitals, particularly when it comes to specialty care, UPMC’s chief financial officer said Tuesday. “We’re seeing (patient) volume increases,” said Robert DeMichiei, CFO of UPMC, a nonprofit health...
Plum school board meetings to be videotaped, broadcast this school year
Plum School District families soon can observe school board workshops and voting meetings from the comfort of their own home or mobile device. The school board decided to start video recording its monthly meetings in-house. The technology department, led by Daniel Lauletta, prepared an iPAD, microphone and tripod setup. Board...
Oakmont launches emergency text alert initiative
Oakmont officials hope a new text service will increase communication with residents and business about borough emergencies. A post was made on the borough website, www.oakmontborough.com, announcing the program. “We have partnered with Jireh Mobile of Verona as our notification service provider,” borough Manager Scot Fodi said. “We are incorporating...
Fayette man charged with cruelty in shooting death of neighbors’ cat
A Fayette County man is charged with cruelty to animals, accused of shooting and killing a pet cat that strayed into his yard from a nearby home. State police from the Uniontown station said Harold Earl Hair Jr., 63, of Dunbar, admitted using a .22-caliber rifle to shoot a black...
Sister sharpshooters look to improve upon trophy take at Westmoreland FairVideo
Sisters Autumn and Summer Pavlik are used to aiming high. And they rarely miss. The Unity siblings combined for an impressive showing in youth shooting sports at last week’s Westmoreland Fair. Autumn, 15, placed first in her age group in the 4-H archery, air rifle and .22-caliber rifle shooting competitions....
Spitzer Toyota Monroeville donates to Plum School District
Travelers along Elicker Road in Plum will know they’re in Mustang Country courtesy of a Monroeville car dealership. Plum School District officials accepted a $21,500 donation from Spitzer Toyota Monroeville General Manager Robert Thomasson at Tuesday night’s meeting. The mustang is the district’s mascot. Superintendent Brendan Hyland said funds would...
County council votes down Allegheny police review board, supporters vow to keep pushingVideo
The Gold Room of the Allegheny County Courthouse erupted into chants of “vote them out” and “we’ll be back” following a vote by Allegheny County Council on Tuesday against establishing a countywide police review board. Council voted 9-6 against the ordinance, which was co-sponsored by District 10 Councilman DeWitt Walton,...
Assault, drug cases among those recently handled in Judge DeLuca’s Penn Hills court – Aug. 27, 2019
Penn Hills District Judge Anthony L. DeLuca handled the following cases recently. Defendants will have court dates set in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. Charges were filed by Penn Hills police unless otherwise noted. Held for court • Randy Ruggles, 43, of Pittsburgh on charges of theft of leased property....
Penn Hills official faces removal over background check policy
Penn Hills Council is expected to vote Thursday to remove a longstanding appointed official from the municipality’s planning commission for refusing to comply with a rule requiring him to undergo a criminal background check. The planning commissioner, Jerry Chiappinelli, said he didn’t submit to a background check because he did...
Pennsylvania Turnpike drug suspects claim illegal search
Two Philadelphia men arrested last year on the Pennsylvania Turnpike after police found 27 pounds of marijuana in their car trunk contend the vehicle search was illegal and the criminal charges against them should be dismissed. Lawyers for Joseph Ricardo Wright, 33, and and Dwayne Dwight Augustus, 36, contend police...
Latrobe man, fiancee sue Nemacolin, seek return of $30K wedding reception deposit
A Latrobe man and his fiancee said a Fayette County resort wasn’t as advertised and are seeking the return of their deposit after canceling their wedding reception set for next month. In a three-count lawsuit filed in Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas, Greg Cammarata and Christina Varrasso say Nemacolin...
East Liberty fire station to close for repairs, firefighters and vehicles moved to other stations
Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire is shifting manpower and resources to other parts of the city while its East Liberty fire station undergoes repairs. Authorities said the station at 161 N. Euclid Ave. will be temporarily closed starting Thursday so crews can address a structural issue in its hose tower. No...
Johnson & Johnson opioid ruling spreads optimism around Western Pa.-based lawsuits
Westmoreland County is one of about 2,000 municipalities across the country with pending lawsuits against various drug manufacturers accused of promoting the opioid addiction epidemic that has devastated communities in recent years. This week’s court ruling in Oklahoma, in which the state was awarded a $572 million judgment from drugmaker...
Cheswick church rallies behind pastor who needs heart transplantVideo
Clinton Blazevich was told he could live with his heart condition for maybe three to five years before needing a heart transplant. That was nearly 20 years ago. Blazevich, 42, suffers from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, and cardiomyopathy, a condition that makes it harder for the heart to...
Survivors celebrated on International Overdose Awareness Day in PittsburghVideo
People struggling with opioid addiction sometimes need more than a second chance, treatment advocates say. “If we give people one more chance. Every day,” said Dana Gold, chief operating officer of Jewish Family and Community Services. “Sometimes multiple times a day, then they have the opportunity to make their dreams...
Murrysville council considers electronic billboard at former ‘banner corner’
The “banner corner” in Murrysville may be getting at least one of its signs back. Chief Administrator Jim Morrison said an anonymous donor has offered to fund the purchase of an electronic billboard at the intersection of Old William Penn Highway and Tarr Hollow Road. A small green space at...
Greensburg event to feature LGBTQIA speakers to talk about Western Pa. experiences
Hoping to increase awareness and strengthen alliances with local leaders, the Keystone Pride and Equality Coalition is hosting a listening session next month. The session, which is planned for 6:30 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, will feature a panel of speakers who will...
Liberty Tunnel closures begin Tuesday night
An overnight outbound closure of the Liberty Tunnel begins Tuesday night and continues through Thursday night, weather permitting, according to PennDOT. The outbound Liberty Tunnel will close to traffic from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night as crews perform ceiling repair work. The inbound tunnel will not be impacted....
Ranieri family raising money for scholarship fundVideo
Terry Ranieri’s legacy is living on through a scholarship fund for Hempfield Area Marching Band students. Ranieri, who passed away last week, graduated from Hempfield Area School District in 1975, attended home football games regularly in the decades since supporting the marching band and spent time hanging out with friends...
Westmoreland 9/11 monument subject of Tarentum museum program
A group working to dedicate a monument to honor veterans of the war on terrorism 20 years after the 9/11 attacks will be holding an informational program in Tarentum. The Westmoreland County Veterans of the War on Terror will hold the free event at the Alle-Kiski Valley Heritage Museum at...
Harrison awarded 50 more trees for planting campaign
Harrison’s tree-planting campaign is growing, with plans for another 50 to be planted in the township this year. Those trees will bring the number planted in the township since 2016 to 140, according to Harrison Commissioner Chuck Dizard. The latest crop is expected to be planted in early November. The...
Former Monessen School District bus driver accused of possessing child porn
A former Monessen School District bus driver was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of possessing child pornography, federal prosecutors said. Jack Brian Laforte, 54, of Monessen is accused of possessiong videos and images in computer graphic files that showed minors, some younger than 12, engaged...
Johnstown man killed in Murrysville crash over weekend
A 30-year-old Johnstown man died over the weekend in a one-vehicle crash along Route 22 in Murrysville, police said. The victim, Eduardo Luis Palmar, was traveling at a high rate of speed in the westbound lanes around midnight Saturday near Rick’s Sports Bar when his 2018 Chevrolet sedan crashed into...
