Western PA Local News category, Page 1927
Pennsylvania recruiting new school bus drivers amid shortage
Over 1.5 million Pennsylvania students rely on bus drivers to get to and from school, sporting events and other activities — but the industry is struggling to overcome a driver shortage. The Pennsylvania School Bus Association (PSBA) — which consists of over 300 school bus contractors and industry partners —...
Massive boost in state education funding is not much help to Franklin Regional
Pennsylvania’s 2021-22 education budget includes the largest funding increase for public education in the state’s history, some $416 million. That is little consolation to Franklin Regional school officials, however, who found themselves again raising taxes to the state’s Act 1-mandated limit for the coming year, or risk cutting programs and/or...
R.K. Mellon Foundation to invest $1M in companies’ best ‘social-impact’ ideas
The Richard King Mellon Foundation is looking to invest $1 million in three companies whose members can pitch the best ideas for making a social impact in areas like economic development, economic mobility, health and well-being and environmental conservation. The social-impact investment competition will ask for-profit companies to submit ideas...
Regulations lifted: Anglers can catch fish of all sizes at Raccoon Creek State Park
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is lifting fishing restrictions beginning Saturday at the Upper Pond in Raccoon Creek State Park in Beaver County to clear out as many fish before draining it. Anglers can take fish, starting Saturday, of all seasons, sizes, and creel limits in the Upper Pond...
New Kensington police ask for help finding 16-year-old runaway
New Kensington police are asking for the community’s help in finding a teenage runaway. Patience Daniella Lynn Johnson, 16, was last seen at her home in the city on July 6, police said. Police Det. Dino DiGiacobbe said police believe Johnson may still be in the New Kensington area, or...
Westmoreland news includes concerts, meetings and reunions
Class • Laurelville Retreat Center, 941 Laurelville Lane, Mt. Pleasant Township, will host Ann Talarek at a Lunch and Learn event at noon July 24 in Laurelville’s small dining hall. Talarek is horticulturist at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater in Mill Run. After lunch guests will go outside with Talarek to...
Former Hempfield lab owner ordered to jail, house arrest in kickback scheme
The owner of a defunct Hempfield drug testing lab who admitted to paying kickbacks to a Kentucky doctor for referrals will serve 60 days in jail. William Hughes, 74, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge David S. Cercone on Tuesday to serve an additional year of home detention and...
Monroeville Girl Scout earns Gold Award for social media project giving the amputee community a platform
Annie Garness had to think quickly about her Girl Scout project when her idea of putting together an adult amputee camp fell through because of covid restrictions last year. The 19-year-old Girl Scout was determined to provide a space for people with disabilities to raise awareness and be highlighted. For...
Pitt hikes tuition, room and board costs for fall 2021
The cost of Pitt education is increasing this fall as the university prepares to resume routine operations after more than a year of pandemic restrictions. The increases, adopted Tuesday, call for a 2.5% bump to the lowest base tuition at Pitt’s Oakland campus, taking the cost for Pennsylvania residents from...
1 arrested in North Huntingdon drug bust
A McKeesport man is being held without bail after North Huntingdon police said they busted him for selling heroin Tuesday, according to court papers. Joshua Kevin Bavin, 40, is charged with drug offenses. Township police worked with a confidential informant to arrange a buy from Bavin just before 1 p.m....
Pittsburgh council advances proposal to spend $335 million in covid relief cash
There will be more public input as Pittsburgh City Council decides how to allocate $335 million in federal coronavirus relief money, council President Theresa Kail-Smith said Wednesday. But that input will likely be heard after council has approved a plan for how to spend the money. “This is the first...
Sewickley Harvest Festival returns after a year hiatus
An annual celebration of arts, crafts and other goods is returning to Sewickley after a year hiatus due to the pandemic. The Harvest Festival is an autumn tradition presented by the Rotary Club of Quaker Valley and Kiwanis of Sewickley. The clubs plan to celebrate the 30th installment of the...
Somerset County man killed in crash
A Somerset County man died after crashing his pickup truck early Tuesday, according to state police. Lucas D. Hayman, 20, of Berlin, was driving a Ford Ranger on Route 31 near Ringler Road in Stonycreek just before 6 a.m. when he crossed the center line and slammed into a building,...
Outdoor cinema, summer reading and more at Sewickley Public Library
Sewickley Public Library, 500 Thorn St., has returned to normal (pre-pandemic) business hours. It is offering limited meeting and study room spaces, and some programs are taking place in person. For more information, call 412-741-6920 or visit sewickleylibrary.org. Upcoming programs • SPL Outdoor Cinema — Bring your lawn chair or...
Toddler Tuesday, Bow Wow Book Club and more at Bethel Park Public Library
Bethel Park Library, located at 5100 W. Liberty Ave., is open Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and is closed on Sundays in the summer. For more information, call 412-835-2207 or visit bethelparklibrary.org. • Lunch Bunch will discuss a few chapters of “Charlotte’s Web”...
Library Park nearly finished at Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall
As I wrote in this column on May 21, the Library & Music Hall is embarking on the last leg of transforming its facility from rundown to remarkable – we are completing the Carnegie Carnegie. What began with men in hazmat suits remediating asbestos in late 2004 soon morphed into...
Carnegie Science Center event takes Pittsburghers to the rivers
How does river water get turned into clean drinking water? How is the risk of overflow into rivers reduced during heavy rains? The answers to these and other questions will be provided by the Carnegie Science Center during its H2Oh! River Weekend on July 24-25. The annual aquatic event focuses...
Mayoral candidate of North Braddock facing assault charges
A candidate for mayor of North Braddock is facing charges of aggravated assault after being accused of beating two women with a bat, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI. Cletus Lee was arrested Tuesday after a confrontation that police said resulted from a domestic dispute. The victims were taken to...
Several residents displaced after McKeesport fire spreads to 3 homes
Several McKeesport residents were displaced in a fire that spread to three homes early Wednesday, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI. No one was injured in the fires, which started at about 12:30 a.m. along Stewart Street. Flames destroyed one of home’s porches and scorched the sides of the others....
Food scrap collection program coming to Quaker Valley
A curbside food scrap collection program is coming to the Quaker Valley this month. Kyle Winkler of Pittsburgh’s North Side was able to garner enough support through a Kickstarter effort to bring his Zero Waste Wrangler service to Sewickley, Glen Osborne and Edgeworth. Fundraising began mid-April and was last updated...
Tarentum police use Taser to subdue Harrison woman during arrest after crash
Police said they used a Taser to subdue a Harrison woman who resisted arrest after a crash on First Avenue in Tarentum on Tuesday afternoon. In a criminal complaint, Tarentum police said Jennifer Leone Robare, 30, of Sycamore Street walked away after crashing her Jeep Liberty into the rear end...
12-year-old missing from Arlington found safe
A 12-year-old boy last seen Monday in Pittsburgh’s Arlington section has returned home safely, police said. Pittsburgh police detectives had sought the public’s help to find Kirill Matveev, who went missing at about 4 p.m. Monday. Police posted to social media just before 9 a.m. Wednesday that Matveev was located....
Route 30 reopens in North Huntingdon following car fire at auto repair shop
A fire Tuesday night at an auto repair shop Route 30 in North Huntingdon closed both the eastbound and westbound lanes of the busy highway, police said. Route 30 was closed between Route 48 and the Ardara Road intersection in the western end of the township. It reopened shortly after...
Woman killed in Etna house fire identified as grandmother of 12, food pantry volunteer
The woman who died soon after a fire ripped through her Etna home last week was 80-year-old Janet Wilson, authorities confirmed Tuesday. Wilson was pronounced dead around 5:30 a.m. last Thursday, about a half-hour after emergency responders received the report of thick black smoke and flames shooting out of a...
United Steelworkers ratify new, 4-year contract with ATI, ending strike
Members of the United Steelworkers ratified a new, four-year contract with Allegheny Technologies, Inc., the specialty steelmaker announced Tuesday night. The agreement ends a strike by 1,300 union members at nine ATI locations that began March 30. ATI employees will begin returning to their jobs the week of July 19,...
