Officials identify 4-year-old killed in Elizabeth Township fire
A child was killed following a house fire early Monday morning in Elizabeth Township. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Zyaire Akins, 4. He was located in a bedroom and taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital, where he died, according to authorities. The fire broke out just...
The Stroller, Sept. 16, 2025: 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. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Pet supply collection planned...
Therapy dogs, youth boxing demo join lineup for Latrobe’s National Night Out on Wednesday
Therapy dogs and a youth boxing demonstration will be first-time features at this year’s National Night Out in Latrobe, set for Wednesday at Memorial Stadium. The free event, meant to promote police-community relations and crime prevention, will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. In addition to seeing a Westmoreland...
Rape charge dismissed as part of New Kensington man’s plea deal
A New Kensington man pleaded guilty Monday to reduced charges following allegations of a violent sexual assault last year in Arnold. As part of a negotiated plea deal, prosecutors dismissed felony charges of rape, aggravated indecent assault, aggravated assault and sexual assault against Marque Angelo Sanders in return for guilty...
DEP gives preliminary nod to $10B Homer City plant, environmental group sounds alarm
State environmental regulators say they intend to approve an air quality plan for a proposed natural gas-fired power plant near Homer City, despite concerns from an environmental group that the facility would become the largest air polluter in Pennsylvania. The Department of Environmental Protection said the air quality plan submitted...
Police pensions suspended for 2 former Greensburg officers convicted of drug crimes
Greensburg’s police pension board voted Monday to suspend benefits paid to two former officers, both of whom are serving sentences for federal drug crimes. Notice of the suspensions will be provided to Shawn Denning, 41, of Delmont and Regina McAtee, 52, of New Kensington. They have 30 days to appeal...
New ‘Stand for All’ organization created in Pittsburgh to combat hate
Community members on Monday launched a grassroots push to bridge cultural and neighborhood divides and curb hate. The announcement of Stand For All Pittsburgh came during Pittsburgh’s fifth annual Eradicate Hate Global Summit, being held through Wednesday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. The introduction of the organization,...
Annual Rosedale Fall Festival ushers in autumn, caps beach club’s 99th year
The Rosedale Fall Festival brought together hundreds of people from the Penn Hills region to celebrate the end of summer and usher in fall. Held Sept. 11-13 on the grounds of the Rosedale Beach Club in Penn Hills, it also capped the community pool’s 99th year. The three-day event included...
Wilkins man sentenced in connection with fatal 2024 North Versailles crash
A Wilkins man has been sentenced to less than a week in jail for his role in a fatal crash in early 2024. Aaron J. Butler, 21, was sentenced last week to three to six days in jail after entering a guilty plea in connection with the April 7, 2024,...
Franklin Regional has counseling options in place after student suicide
Flowers were left at the entrance to Franklin Regional Senior High School on Monday, a gesture of sympathy after a student committed suicide behind the school early Sunday morning. Franklin Regional officials said resources from Westmoreland County Behavioral Health as well as the University of Pittsburgh’s youth counseling service will...
Pittsburgh apartment robbery, shooting leads to 3 arrests
Three men face criminal charges after a robbery and shooting in Pittsburgh’s East Allegheny neighborhood Saturday morning, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday. Duwayne Carey, 61, William Roberson, 61, and Raymond Paul Conti, 43, all of Pittsburgh, are being held in the Allegheny County Jail, according to online...
Fall foliage in Western Pa. may be less than splendid, forecaster says
First, the good news, especially if it gets windy: The season of raking/blowing/bagging leaves could start and end earlier than normal this year because of an extended dry spell that started in early August and lasted through Labor Day. But the lack of rain, coupled with an early cold snap...
Shaler Area School Board considers reduced scope of work for middle school
Building renovations at Shaler Area Middle School have been reduced in cost from more than $20 million to about $8.2 million over the next three years. While still replacing the school’s entire roof, HVAC work would be limited to replacing two or three of the units in the worst condition...
Portion of Burtner Road to close in Harrison and Fawn
A portion of Burtner Road in Harrison and Fawn will be closed through the end of the month for slide repair work. The closure is expected to start at 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to PennDOT. Work will target the portion of Burtner Road from Pleasantville Road to Bachman Drive. PennDOT...
CCAC reports 9% enrollment increase over last fall
The Community College of Allegheny County is seeing a larger student population — just over 9% more than last year — this fall, said President Quintin Bullock. “This is probably the largest increase we’ve experienced in the last five years,” Bullock told TribLive. While numbers will be finalized later in...
The Wembley Club breaks ground, will open next fall in South Fayette
A new, 68,000-square-foot racquet and fitness club is set to open next fall in South Fayette. The Wembley Club held a groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 8 in South Fayette’s Newbury Market, on a 4-acre site behind the gas pumps of BJ’s Wholesale Club. “We are a more personal, charismatic, interactive experience...
Annual Stitch-a-Thon raises $1,385.25 for Millvale Community Library
The stitches weren’t the only thing tight-knit as caring crafters convened for the third annual Stitch-a-Thon to raise money for the Millvale Community Library. The crafters gathered for five hours Sept. 6 under a canopy in the backyard shared by the library and Abeille Voyante Tea Co. to knit, crochet...
Norwin won’t attempt to retrieve deleted videos, may consider new records policy
A North Huntingdon resident’s attempt to get Norwin School District to spend money on retrieving deleted school board meeting videos has been denied. Bill Bojalad, board president, said last week there is no support among board members to hire a data recovery company to try to find the videos that...
Bridgeville seeks other funding sources for flood control project
Bridgeville is seeking a $500,000 grant to replace culverts on Commercial Street after the borough lost federal funding for the project earlier this year. Council in September authorized officials to apply for a Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund grant from Allegheny County Economic Development. “This is a part of the...
‘I just shot my girlfriend 17 times’: Homicide trial opens against Munhall man who police say confessed
A homicide trial against a Munhall man returned repeatedly Monday to a detail the prosecution claimed is undisputed: that Darion Abel told a police officer, “I just shot my girlfriend 17 times.” During opening remarks that ran 22 minutes, Allegheny County Assistant District Attorney Alexa Roberts said it’s not a...
Plum seeks bids for O’Block Elementary addition, renovations; rough price tag: $28 million
After years of planning, the Plum School District has begun seeking bids for its large-scale addition and renovations to O’Block Elementary School. The district released the project for bidding with a deadline for contractors to submit proposals set for Oct. 7. The school board will award contracts Oct. 28. The...
Blawnox marks 100 years forged by ‘working-class ethic’
Historian Tom Powers is giving residents a peek into the evolution of Blawnox as the town prepares to celebrate its centennial. Born from a forested riverbank that transformed into Depreciation Lands, Blawnox was originally known as the village of Hoboken before growing into a bona fide manufacturing hub. “Even with...
Demolition underway at Squirrel Hill apartments after fire displaces residents
Overnight demolition of the Jefferson Apartments in Squirrel Hill officially began after a devastating fire displaced roughly 30 residents last week. Monday morning, the fenced-off area along the 5600 block of Forward Avenue had a large Schaaf Excavating Contractors crane and floodlights positioned toward what was left of the building....
Innamorato pledges voting registration aid to new citizens after feds curb nongovernment groups
Allegheny County will start deploying Elections Division staff to naturalization ceremonies to help new U.S. citizens register to vote. The move, announced Monday, comes in response to the Trump administration recently barring nongovernmental groups such as the League of Women Voters from doing so in certain cases. The U.S. Citizenship...
Freeport Area superintendent thinks national recognition serves as confirmation of district’s decisions
As Freeport Area High School’s recent ranking by a national publication boosts community pride, Superintendent Ian Magness says it could be a reality check for some. In late August, U.S. News & World Report released its assessment of 24,000 high schools throughout the United States with 18,000 judged on six...
