Allegheny category, Page 322
Pittsburgh CAPA dance students take steps in virtual concert
Kasey Coles pushes the living room couch out of the way. Her studio space is now ready. Such is the life of a senior dance major at Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, a creative and performing arts magnet school, Downtown. Pittsburgh Public Schools are stuck in remote learning because of the pandemic....
Police from eastern Allegheny Co. suburbs join forces to distribute toys
Local police departments are joining forces with Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes for a toy giveaway on Sunday. Police officers from Swissvale, Edgewood, Forest Hills, Wilkins Township, Churchill, Wilkinsburg, Braddock Hills and Rankin are teaming up with the local nonprofit to provide toys for families in need this holiday season. The...
Former McKeesport man sentenced to 18 years for soliciting sexual images from boys
A former McKeesport man was sentenced Wednesday to 18 years in a federal penitentiary for soliciting sexual photos of three boys online while he was on probation for a child pornography charge, according to U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady. Scott Payne, 33, was ordered to serve 20 years of supervised...
Family, coaches have ‘no words’ to describe pain of losing Jafar Brooks
Those who knew Jafar Brooks were lost for words in the days following the teenager’s untimely death. “There are no words, you can’t describe this feeling. When you love someone, ain’t no words to make them feel better,” said Rashad Byrdsong, grandfather of the Churchill teen who was fatally shot...
Allegheny County reports record 55 new covid deaths
Allegheny County on Thursday reported 55 new coronavirus deaths, a record number that topped the previous high of 34 set on Dec. 9. The death toll for the county now stands at 743. There have been 229 deaths reported this month. The Allegheny County Health Department said that the new...
Have a carby Christmas: Mancini’s bakes up a holiday tree
Mancini’s Bakery is taking Christmas carbs to a new level. The popular bakery created an 8-foot-tall Christmas tree crafted from its Italian bread. The holiday display should draw fresh attention, said Nick Mancini Hartner, co-owner of the bakery and the mastermind behind the bread tree. “I’ve always enjoyed playing with...
Pandemic drives Pittsburgh region’s food insecurity to new heights, reshapes assistance efforts
Food insecurity is an ongoing problem in the Pittsburgh region, made much worse by the covid-19 pandemic. Area food banks have responded by redoubling their efforts while facing new challenges. With pandemic restrictions putting many American breadwinners out of work or reducing their hours, food banks this year have been...
Snow day! Plum School District closed Thursday due to weather, playing in snow encouraged
Plum School District will be closed Thursday due to Wednesday’s heavy snowfall. A message from Superintendent Brendan Hyland about the snow day was posted on the district’s twitter page and newsfeed. The closure was in large part a result of Wednesday’s snow storms. “Students are directed to close their Chromebooks,...
North Versailles man dies after being hit by township snowplow truck
Authorities have identified a North Versailles man struck and killed by a snowplow truck in the midst of Wednesday’s storm. The victim is John Vichie, 63, of North Versailles, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office. Vichie was walking with a snow blower when he was struck by a...
Body found in Allegheny River in Shaler identified
Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified a body that was recovered from the Allegheny River on Wednesday morning. Officials said it was David Lesser, 54, of Shaler. Allegheny County homicide detectives were notified shortly before 8:30 a.m. of a body in the river near Pine Creek. Lt. Venerando Costa...
Advocates demand virtual access to Allegheny County criminal courts: ‘It’s not difficult’Video
Two advocacy groups called an Allegheny County court policy requiring the public to attend hearings in person even though proceedings are being held virtually “unlawful,” and threatened to file a federal lawsuit. A letter sent Monday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy...
Allegheny County’s covid rates still rising as some businesses ignore restrictionsVideo
Allegheny County’s current seven-day average for new infections is 1,000 new cases per day – an increase of about 150 cases from last week, officials said Wednesday. The percent of covid-19 cases returning with positive results has also climbed by 2% from last week – now at 14.6% positivity. County...
As covid-19 surges, Pennsylvania colleges urged to delay students’ return
Citing “an alarming increase in covid-19 cases” and yet another surge expected to peak in January, Pennsylvania acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega on Wednesday urged colleges and universities to delay the start of their spring semester. Ortega also suggested colleges and universities use virtual instruction as much as possible....
State police file multiple drug-related charges against 2 men after traffic stop in Monroeville
Two men face charges after Pennsylvania State Police officers found marijuana, drug paraphernalia, two handguns and more than $2,000 in cash during a traffic stop in Monroeville. Matthew Earl Tubbs, 43, of Oroville, Calif., faces charges of dealing in the proceeds of illegal activity, possession with intent to deliver and...
18 new covid-19 cases reported in North Hills School District during past week
The North Hills School District reported that there were 18 more active cases of covid-19 during the past week. Including the most recent cases reported between Dec. 10 and 15, there are 31 people in the district — 18 students and 13 staff members — who either tested positive for...
Allegheny County sees most new coronavirus cases in state
Allegheny County saw the highest total of new coronavirus cases in the state Wednesday. The Allegheny County Health Department reported 1,074 new cases, bringing the county’s total to 43,007. Allegheny County was followed by Philadelphia (807), Luzerne (485), Montgomery (422) and York (421). Of the new cases, 761 were confirmed...
Shaler expands tax credit for fire volunteers to include retirees
Shaler Commissioners are expanding the township’s tax assistance for fire volunteers by offering a property tax credit to department retirees and others who qualify. Manager Tim Rogers said the township currently offers firefighters a $300 earned income tax (EIT) credit but wanted to extend a hand to fire volunteers that...
Populations continue to decline in Westmoreland, Allegheny counties
As populations across Pennsylvania increased over the past 10 years, Westmoreland and Allegheny counties have seen the opposite effect. New data from the American Community Survey shows that from 2010-19, Westmoreland County lost more than 16,000 people with the population of Allegheny County dropping by about 7,500. Those numbers aren’t...
Leetsdale company fined for environmental crimes
A Leetsdale copper processing company will spend three years on probation and pay $550,000 in fines for multiple violations of the Clean Water Act and other counts after pleading guilty on Tuesday in federal court. Hussey Copper, which waived indictment by a grand jury, instead pleaded to the information filed...
Allegheny County announces new initiatives to combat youth homelessness
The Department of Human Services is spearheading new initiatives to support young adults ages 18 through 24 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, officials announced Thursday. DHS is implementing four new projects that aim to increase housing security for unaccompanied transitioned age youth, couples and young families throughout...
Pittsburgh International Airport to offer on-site covid-19 testing
Travelers passing through Pittsburgh International Airport can soon opt to pay for a covid-19 test before or after their flight, joining airports worldwide now offering the tests to passengers, according to airport officials. Testing will be voluntary for ticketed passengers and available from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to...
Allegheny County reports more than 1,000 new covid cases for 6th time this month
Allegheny County reported 1,059 new covid cases Tuesday, marking the sixth time 1,000 or more cases have been announced by the county 15 days into December. There were 10 new coronavirus-related deaths reported, as well. Total cases and total deaths in the county are now 41,933 and 675, respectively. There...
Teen shot and killed in Penn Hills
A teenage boy was shot to death early Tuesday in Penn Hills, according to Allegheny County police. Officials identified the victim as 15-year-old Jafar Brooks of Churchill. Officers responded to a call at just about 12:45 a.m. in the 1900 block of Garden Drive and found the teen with gunshot...
Restaurant owner sues Braddock mayor, claims defamation
Braddock Mayor Chardaé Jones admits she had the borough police check on the capacity at Portogallo Peppers N’At during the pandemic to ensure they weren’t exceeding the governor’s orders. Also, she said, she forwarded to the county health department a Facebook ad Portogallo’s posted in which they said they would...
Covid quarantines in Allegheny County jail raise nutrition, staffing concerns
In the video, an inmate at the Allegheny County Jail holds up his dinner tray and describes his meal. “This is bologna with applesauce in it and Teddy Grahams,” he says. “That’s the only thing that’s on our tray for dinner tonight. No juice, no vegetables, no fruit, no nothing.”...
