Western PA Local News category, Page 805
Pa. court weighs constitutionality of Pittsburgh tax on pro athletes, entertainers
An appellate court sitting in Pittsburgh heard oral arguments Wednesday in a case over a 3% city tax imposed on professional athletes and entertainers performing at publicly funded facilities. The seven-judge panel of Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court must decide whether the city’s Sports Facility Usage Fee is constitutional. A decision is...
2nd electronic billboard approved in Tarentum
A second mega-sized electronic billboard is expected to go up in Tarentum by the end of the year. Council on Tuesday approved a request by Weleski Transfer, a longtime business on West Fourth Avenue, for a billboard 14 feet tall by 48 feet wide — similar to the one that...
McCandless Ward 6 councilwoman resigns
McCandless Township is seeking applicants to fill the unexpired term of Ward 6 Republican Councilwoman Carolyn Schweiger. The council accepted her resignation, effective immediately, at its meeting on Oct. 9. Schweiger said she and her family are moving to another residence in McCandless not in Ward 6. Therefore, she cannot...
Peck Yakopec, Zellers to vie for district judge seat
Vandergrift attorney Leslie Uncapher Zellers and Cheryl Peck Yakopec, the incumbent judge, will again appear on the ballot for magisterial district justice in northwestern Westmoreland County. Magisterial District 10-1-04 includes Lower Burrell, Upper Burrell, Allegheny Township, Vandergrift, Hyde Park, East Vandergrift, West Leechburg and Oklahoma Borough. In the May primary,...
Harmar police charge homeless man with threatening to kill officers
A homeless man is accused by Harmar police of threatening to fight and shoot officers after they responded to a disturbance call at a township hotel. David James Land, 48, was charged with terroristic threats, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. Officers were dispatched to the Marriott hotel at...
Pittsburgh to offer child care to city employees when Pittsburgh Public Schools cancels
The city of Pittsburgh will offer child care to city employees when Pittsburgh Public Schools cancels classes unexpectedly and to city residents who are participating in certain public meetings. Child care will be available to members of the public who participate in meetings hosted by the mayor’s office, including budget...
Pittsburgh man pleads guilty to killing Oliver Citywide student
A Pittsburgh man pleaded guilty Wednesday to third-degree murder in connection with last year’s fatal shooting of an Oliver Citywide Academy student at the North Side school. Eugene Watson, 19, of Crafton Heights, also pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit third-degree murder and two firearms charges. Watson, 17 at...
10 candidates seek 5 seats on Riverview School Board
Five Democrats and five Republicans, are squaring off for five open seats on Riverview School Board in the Nov. 7 election after votes split along party lines in the primary. Each candidate was asked for general biographical information and to answer the question: What do you view as the most...
Multiple shooters suspected in Indiana County mass shooting that killed 1, injured 8, police say
State police believe a shooting that killed one person and injured eight others stemmed from a confrontation during a private party at the Chevy Chase Community Center in Indiana County. Trooper Cliff Greenfield said several individuals were involved in that confrontation just after midnight Sunday morning when gunfire broke out....
9/11 victim compensation fund meeting set at Shanksville VFD
Anyone involved in the rescue, recovery and cleanup efforts of the crash of United Flight 93 in Somerset County is invited to a meeting next month to learn about the Victim Compensation Fund and World Trade Center Health Program. The town hall meeting is slated for Nov. 8 at 6...
Westmoreland happenings: 5K walk and run fundraisers, Rosary rallies, meetings, more
Church News • A public square Rosary crusade will be at noon Oct. 14 at Epiphany of Our Lord Church, 44 Pennsylvania Blvd., Monessen. Bring a lawn chair and dress for the weather. Details: Shirley Beneccio, 724-684-7099 or 724-875-7460. • First Presbyterian Church of Belle Vernon, 501 Fayette St., will...
Record 36th gun found at Pittsburgh airport checkpoint; Uniontown man arrested
Allegheny County Police arrested a Uniontown man after he was stopped Tuesday with an illegal gun at the main security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport. It was the 36th gun seized this year at the airport and breaks the annual record for the number of guns found in carry-on bags,...
Bethel Park students earn National Merit Scholarship honors
Four Bethel Park High School seniors have been recognized for academic excellence by one of the country’s best-known and longest-running scholarship programs. The National Merit Scholarship Corp. has designated Bryce Clancy, Henry Gaston, Lucas Hertzel and Lupe McElvenny as 2024 NMS commended students. Clancy and Gaston have also been named...
Westmoreland inmate accused of attacking guards during prison cell search
A Unity man is accused by police of attacking guards at the Westmoreland County Prison during a search of his cell for communication with a nurse at the Hempfield facility. Jerome W. Thornton, 33, was awaiting arraignment on charges of aggravated assault, aggravated harassment by prisoner and simple assault. Westmoreland...
Morning roundup: Gov. Shapiro orders flags at half-staff; 2 arrested at Downtown Pittsburgh bus station
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Oct. 11: Flags ordered to fly at half-staff for Israeli victims Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday issued an order that the U.S. and Pennsylvania flags on all public buildings and grounds be flown at half-staff this week in...
Environmental groups claim victory in EPA ruling on U.S. Steel plant in Clairton
Government regulators sided with environmental advocates, in part, when they ruled recently that a U.S. Steel plant in the Mon Valley might be violating clean-air laws under a current permit that restricts its emissions. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) delivered a split decision last month over petitions by four...
The Stroller, Oct. 11, 2023: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Donations being accepted for holiday turkey vouchers Allegheny Valley Association of...
Fox Chapel Area High School student earns worldwide recognition for perfect AP score
Who says there’s no such thing as perfection? Anna Delale-O’Connor, a junior at Fox Chapel Area High School, recently earned a perfect score on the Advanced Placement (AP) World History: Modern Exam. Her score landed her in the company of only five other students globally. “I didn’t believe it at...
Allegheny Township appoints new officer in charge, hires full-time officer
There’s new leadership in the Allegheny Township Police Department. Supervisors appointed Sgt. Dan Uncapher on Monday as officer in charge, replacing Chief Duane Fisher, who ends his employment with the township Oct. 20. Fisher submitted his resignation in mid-September and recently was named police chief in Manheim Township, a Lancaster...
Hempfield chooses owner’s rep to navigate stalled high school project
Hempfield Area School District hired McKinley Architecture and Engineering this week to work as an owner’s representative in the preconstruction phase of the district’s high school renovation project, which has been on pause since bids came back millions of dollars over budget. The firm, which has locations in Pittsburgh and...
Westmoreland County to distribute opioid settlement funds
Westmoreland County Commissioners are expected to award grants to three municipalities this week with money from the national opioid abuse settlements. North Huntingdon is slated to receive nearly $105,000, while Rostraver and Lower Burrell each will receive $62,832 to operate drug prevention and education programs through municipal police departments. The...
Westmoreland 250: 10 things to see in the Mt. Pleasant area
(Editor’s note: To mark Westmoreland County’s 250th birthday this year, we’ve come up with a list of 250 things — 10 things in 25 communities — that we consider to be important to the makeup of our area. This series will appear each week through December. If you have a...
Arnold formalizes firing of city manager, names temporary replacement
Arnold Council approved starting a search for a new city manager Tuesday after firing its former manager and hiring a temporary replacement. Council voted 4-1 to fire Mario Bellavia, with Councilman Phil McKinley casting the only vote against. While McKinley previously said Bellavia had been fired on Sept. 20, city...
Derry council disbands police dog program as residents vent anger over K-9 incident
Derry Borough residents had a lot of questions but didn’t get any answers from council members Tuesday night after they met for the first time since the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s office announced evidence does not support a criminal charge in the death of the borough’s police dog, Smoke. Several...
Pleasing turnout for 50th-anniversary fall festival at Hampton museum
A steady flow of guests visited Hampton’s Depreciation Lands Museum for Hydref, the Fall Festival & Market Faire held Oct. 7. The influx was gratifying for Carol Greiner, president of the museum’s board, as the history-preserving site continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary. “After last year when we got rained...
