Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 38

Spring break is generally a time for students to unwind, maybe go on a vacation and celebrate not having to be in class for awhile. For nearly 30 Quaker Valley high schoolers, it was an opportunity to help out a national charity in New Orleans and share adventures in The...

A Pittsburgh man wanted in connection with a vehicle crash in the city last Saturday was arrested Thursday. Andrew Nelson, 43, was apprehended by the Pittsburgh Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit, Public Safety spokeswoman Amanda Mueller reported. Police said Nelson was involved in a vehicle crash at Frankstown and Brushton avenues....

A downed tree along Route 366 in New Kensington blocked traffic and knocked out power for a period from late Thursday afternoon until early Friday morning. A Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher said the incident happened about 5:45 p.m. Thursday. Route 366 was closed from Leechburg Road at Tarentum Bridge Road...

An Indiana Township couple is being assisted by the American Red Cross after their home was heavily damage by fire Thursday afternoon. An Allegheny County fire marshal is investigating what caused the fire at 225 Indianola Drive around 12:15 p.m. No injuries were reported. The couple could not immediately be...

Parking at charging stations in Sharpsburg is now restricted just to electric vehicles, which may use the stations only while actively charging and for 15 minutes after completion. That is one of several parking ordinance changes that borough officials approved April 27. Other updates include metered parking lots changing from...

New Kensington-Arnold School District property owners won’t pay more in real estate taxes as a result of next school year’s budget. The school board voted, 7-0, Tuesday night to pass a preliminary budget for the 2023-24 school year that includes no tax increase. Board members Eric Doutt and Jane Graham...

A Sewickley Heights resident had thousands of daffodils planted in honor of Mayor John Oliver III. About 19,000 of the flowers bloomed last month. They were planted in the fall along the hillside at the Fern Hollow Nature Center as part of a project by Elise Keely and her friend,...

The Quaker Valley School District will receive a nearly $40,000 state grant to bolster its duel credit enrollment opportunities for its high school students. It’s one of several Allegheny County school districts to receive a portion of about $650,000 state Department of Education funds, according to state officials. Those funds...

A charitable fitness event brought more than 150 people into Aspinwall RiverTrail Park on April 29. Donations are still being tallied for the eighth annual Spin Your Wheels fundraiser for Riding for the Handicapped of Western PA, a group that works to assist disabled children through therapeutic horseback riding. The...

Fox Chapel Area School District property owners should expect to pay more in real estate taxes next school year. District officials have proposed a 1.5% tax hike in the 2023-24 budget. If approved, the millage rate would rise to 20.7352 mills, which equates to a $31 increase in property taxes...

Retiring Sewickley Public Library executive director Carolyn Toth mingled with dozens of guests at an open house and party in her honor at the library last month. The library at 500 Thorn St. hosted the celebration April 27. Her last day has not been announced. The search for her replacement...

Bad weather forced the Fox Chapel Police Department’s second annual Bicycle Rodeo to be rescheduled, said event organizer Sgt. Craig Sorg. The rodeo had been set for April 29, but now will take place from 5-7 p.m. on May 23 at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, 384 Fox Chapel Road. Admission...

UPMC officials announced they are lifting mask mandates at most UPMC buildings starting Monday. “Universal masking is no longer required at most UPMC facilities and locations (beginning May 1), but will be required in specific patient care areas where patients are particularly vulnerable to infection,” according to a UPMC spokesperson....

Pittsburgh Police are investigating a shooting in the city’s Perry South neighborhood. Officers were dispatched for a ShotSpotter alert for 11 shots fired in the 200 block of Kennedy Avenue at approximately 5:50 p.m. Sunday, Public Safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz reported. Arriving units located damage to a residence, but there...

Pittsburgh Police are seeking the public’s help in locating a missing teen. Lanie Holtzapple, 15, was last seen on Knox Avenue on Saturday night, according to Public Safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz. Lani is new to Pittsburgh and might be headed to her previous home in Northumberland County, Cruz said. Lani...

UPMC officials announced they are lifting mask mandates at most UPMC buildings starting Monday. “Universal masking is no longer required at most UPMC facilities and locations (beginning May 1), but will be required in specific patient care areas where patients are particularly vulnerable to infection,” according to a UPMC spokesperson....

Some families overseas won’t go hungry thanks to the work of dozens of volunteers and a Kiski Township teen. Eagle Scout candidate Jack Rearick, 16, organized a meal packing day for Rise Against Hunger Pittsburgh. At least 50 volunteers sorted and stored rice, soy, vitamins and dehydrated vegetables at Forks...

Fox Chapel Area School District’s Fairview Elementary School third-grader Nora Diven won second place in the third-grade division of the Pittsburgh area U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory’s annual Earth Day Poster Contest. The theme of this year’s contest was “Invest in Our Planet. What will you do?”...

The Blawnox Police Department has joined the North Hills DUI Task Force to bolster its efforts to combat aggressive and impaired driving. The task force allocates funds to member departments to cover officer costs, such as overtime, for traffic details along state roads. Funds come from a PennDOT grant. Blawnox...

Hundreds of people participated in a Penn Hills Rotary spaghetti dinner fundraiser April 27. The social hall of Mt. Hope Community Presbyterian Church along Frankstown Road in Penn Hills was packed with hungry supporters and volunteers for the event. Rotary officials said they served about 325 dinners in an effort...

Sharpsburg officials have approved an agreement for continued service with O’Hara-based Parkview EMS. Council unanimously voted for the deal, which has no end date, at its April 27 meeting. Parkview has been the borough’s ambulance provider for several years. Borough Manager Christine DeRunk said compensation remains at $10,000 a year....

Penn Hills School Board members have censured one of their own for comments made about Superintendent Nancy Hines. The board voted 8-1 at Wednesday night’s meeting to censure Rob Marra, finance committee chairman. Marra cast the dissenting vote and called the action by his colleagues a surprise. Marra said the...

A North Apollo house fire has left a man homeless and state police searching for answers. No injuries were reported after firefighters from multiple companies put out a blaze Wednesday night in the 1200 block of Pegtown Avenue near the borough’s Roaring Run Trail access. First responders were dispatched about...

Dozens of Sharpsburg residents came out to clean up the town for Earth Day on April 22. Volunteers picked up safety vests, gloves and trash bags at the borough building around 9 a.m. and were sent to various locations to help beautify the town....

Dozens of Sewickley area residents participated in an Earth Day cleanup effort and tree planting April 22. The cleanup took place at the parks, boat launches at Walnut and Chestnut streets, and along other roadways and alleys. At least six memorial trees were also replaced at various parts of the...