The top stories for the week of Dec. 13

Here are some of the region’s top stories for the week of Dec. 13:

PennDOT pouring $10 million into Route 356

Route 356 in Buffalo Township will be expanded to five lanes through a $10 million PennDOT project.

The plan targets the area near Buffalo Plaza, which houses Buffalo Pizza, Giant Eagle and UPMC Centers for Rehab Services Sarver.

About 18,000 vehicles drive through the corridor each day.

UPMC administers 1st vaccines in the region

Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine arrived in Western Pennsylvania, and UPMC employees were the first to receive it Monday.

Five employees — a doctor, two nurses, a transporter and an environmental services supervisor — received the vaccine in a live-streamed event.

UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh received 975 doses of the vaccine following approval by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Excela Health received the vaccine Thursday and began administering it to the first employees Friday.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carol Fox said Excela Health expected to receive 975 doses for each of its three hospitals — Westmoreland in Greensburg, Frick in Mt. Pleasant and Latrobe.

Record snow day for Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh landed in the record books for a record snowfall on Dec. 16.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service said 9.3 inches of snow fell.

The No. 1 spot for the month of December still belongs to a storm that dumped 22 inches of snow on Dec. 17, 1890.

Leechburg native named as new bishop of Diocese of Greensburg

The Rev. Monsignor Larry Kulick, a Leechburg native, was named the new Bishop of the Diocese of Greensburg.

He was appointed by the Vatican and is expected to be installed Feb. 11. Bishop-elect Kulick, a 1983 graduate of St. Joseph High School in Natrona Heights, has been serving as diocesan administrator since his predecessor, Bishop Edward C. Malesic, was installed as the Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in September.

“Western Pennsylvania has always been my home,” Kulick said. “I feel honored to be able to serve as Bishop in the diocese where I was born, raised, educated, ordained and have served my entire life.”

Covid rate up as some businesses ignore restrictions

Allegheny County’s saw soaring covid-19 cases with a seven-day average for new infections at 1,000 new cases per day.

The positivity rate — the percent of covid-19 cases returning with positive results — also reached a new high of 14.6%.

County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen said the department has received about 250 complaints about businesses not following newly imposed restrictions meant to stem the spread of infection.

Toys for Tots on track despite pandemic

A Westmoreland County Toys for Tots warehouse in Youngwood was brimming with gifts for needy children, which pleased organizers who were concerned about collections in the face of the covid-19 pandemic and related unemployment.

In its 25th year, the nonprofit helps collect up to 30,000 toys for local children in need each year.