Western PA Local News category, Page 2303
Coronavirus surge forces Westmoreland schools to decide on in-person, fully remote learning
Under guidelines from the state departments of education and health, school districts in counties with a “substantial” rate of community coronavirus spread are advised to revert to fully remote classes. The decision, however, rests with school districts. The county on Friday marked a second week of “substantial” coronavirus transmission levels...
Signs installed at Live! Casino PittsburghVideo
Weeks before Live! Casino Pittsburgh is scheduled to open at Westmoreland Mall, crews are working on finishing touches that will wrap up a years worth of construction. Signs featuring the trademark red Live! were installed to the side of the former Bon Ton department store in Hempfield on Wednesday, marking...
Penn Hills School District officials suspend academic eligibility requirement, stick with PIAA standards
Penn Hills School District officials have temporarily suspended an academic eligibility requirement for athletics and other activities due to students struggling with learning during the first nine weeks of school. The board voted 7-0 Wednesday night to move forward with the plan. Board Vice President Yusef Thompson Sr. was absent....
New Kensington man accused of taking more than $150K in VA benefits
A federal grand jury has indicted a New Kensington man accused of taking money intended for a Veterans Administration beneficiary and using it to buy a diamond ring and a truck and make payments on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said Wednesday. Andrew Ziacik, 57, of Earl Avenue,...
Penn Hills School Board has a new member
The Penn Hills School Board has a new member. Resident Marisa Jamison was selected out of two candidates to fill the vacant seat left by Kristopher Wiegand, who resigned Oct. 13. Jamison, a 1987 North Catholic High School graduate, has bachelor’s and masters’ degrees in criminology from Indiana University of...
Pittsburgh Public Schools extends remote learning for most students until Jan. 4
Some Pittsburgh Public School students will return to face-to-face instruction Monday, Nov. 9 under a phased hybrid approach approved by the school board Wednesday evening. But the majority will stay in remote learning until at least Jan. 4, 2021. Under the school’s new plan, students are broken into four groups,...
Pickleball players find time for game at Monroeville Community Park West
The cool, damp weather couldn’t keep a group of four friends and Pickleball enthusiasts from getting in a little late-October practice. Frank Ferraro of Plum, Lyle Bair of Irwin, and Matt Riddle and Matthew Miao of Pittsburgh got together to hit the Pickleball court Oct. 28 at Monroeville Community Park...
Highlands High School closes because of covid-19 case with ‘significant’ quarantines
All Highlands High School students will learn remotely through next Friday, Nov. 6, because officials said a covid-19 case resulted in a “significant” number of required quarantines. The move to all remote learning took effect Thursday. “The high school building will be closed and all after-school activities that are scheduled...
Charges filed in traffic crash that led to Jefferson Hills policeman’s death
A Homestead man whose June car crash led to the death of a Jefferson Hills police officer has been arraigned on three homicide-related charges, borough police Chief Gene Roach said Wednesday. Zachary W. Foltz, 23, of Homestead was taken into custody and arraigned Wednesday on charges of homicide by vehicle,...
Polling places: Where to vote in Oakmont
Here is a list of the voting locations in Oakmont, broken down by district: • Districts 1 and 2: Tenth Street Elementary School, 901 Pennsylvania Ave. • District 3: Oakmont borough building, 767 Fifth Ave. • Districts 4 and 5: Oakmont United Methodist Church, 419 Maryland Ave. • District 6:...
Polling places: Where to vote in Penn Hills
Here is a list of the voting locations in Penn Hills, broken down by ward and district: Ward 1 District 1: Hilltop Community Alliance Church, 104 Vine St. District 2 and 3: Victory Temple Dining Room, 2824 Graham Blvd. District 4 and 5: Penn Hills Multi Purpose Center, 2025 Lincoln...
Shady Side Academy students to livestream a production of ‘Alice in Wonderland’
Take a ride down the rabbit hole with Shady Side Academy students as they present “Alice In Wonderland – A Radio Play,” streamed live to accommodate covid-19 restrictions. “I have loved this story since I was a child and am grateful for an opportunity to perform,” said junior Ava Kronman,...
Driver injured after car crashes into Delmont chiropractic office
One person was injured after a car exited Route 66, jumped a guardrail and crashed into a Delmont chiropractor’s office on Wednesday afternoon. Delmont VFD Chief Don Cline said a female driver on Route 66 hit a pick-up truck, jumped the guardrail at the Greensburg Street intersection and crashed through...
Kiski Area School District will remain open, citing low transmission locally
Kiski Area School District will remain open for hybrid in-person instruction, breaking with some other districts in Westmoreland County. The state Department of Education has recommended that Westmoreland County districts move to fully remote instruction to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. For the last two weeks, the county has experienced...
PLCB waives $27.7 million in alcohol licensing fees for businesses
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board voted 2-1 Wednesday to waive an estimated $27.7 million in license fees for retail businesses most impacted by the pandemic. The decision covers holders of restaurant, retail dispenser, club, catering club and hotel licenses. Gov. Tom Wolf requested the relief last week during a visit...
Allegheny County officials: There is ‘no pattern’ in new cases
Covid-19 cases in Allegheny County are tied to a variety of sources, officials said — but most are tied to individuals conducting everyday business. “I’m asking you all to be careful, especially when you’re around people you know well, like family and friends,” said Health Director Debra Bogen at a...
Former Latrobe wrestling coach to serve probation for hazing incident
The former assistant wrestling coach at Greater Latrobe Area Junior High School was sentenced Wednesday to serve two years on probation in connection with hazing allegations. David F. Galando, 44, of Youngstown was charged in May with misdemeanor counts of child endangerment and failing to report potential child abuse allegations...
Cops: Man jailed after assault and failed robbery attempt in Latrobe
A 36-year-old Latrobe man was arrested this week, charged with assault and attempted robbery by city police for allegedly trying to take a woman’s purse early Tuesday. Brandon S. Baradziej also is charged with harassment, public drunkenness, simple assault, terroristic threats and theft, according to court dockets. Officer Mathew Dechicchis...
IUP restructuring plan to close 5 fine arts programs, reduce faculty
Indiana University of Pennsylvania will close five fine arts programs as it works to restructure in the face of a decade of declining enrollment and a projected $16 million budget shortfall, officials said Wednesday. University President Michael Driscoll, who has dubbed the effort the IUP NextGen plan, said the university...
Steelers, Pitt broadcaster Bill Hillgrove to serve probation to resolve Murrysville DUI case
Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh football and basketball radio broadcaster William T. “Bill” Hillgrove will serve two years on probation after he was arrested in June for a drunken driving incident in Murrysville. Police said Hillgrove, 79, of Murrysville, was intoxicated when he crashed into the front windows at...
Pittsburgh Art Commission votes to remove Columbus statue; legal challenge continues
An Allegheny County judge will likely decide the fate of the Christopher Columbus statue in Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park. Judge John T. McVay Jr. has set a virtual status conference on a lawsuit filed by the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, for 1 p.m. Thursday. The lawsuit seeks to halt...
Polling places: Where to vote in the South Hills
Election day is Nov. 3. The Allegheny County Elections Division said all 1,323 polling locations will be open that day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will still be allowed the vote, according to the county’s website. The county website states poll workers will...
Howard Hanna chairman announced as new board chair of Heinz History Center
Howard W. “Hoddy” Hanna III, chairman of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, was unanimously approved recently as the new chair of the Senator John Heinz History Center’s board of trustees. Hanna III of Fox Chapel will succeed Diane P. Holder, president and CEO at UPMC Health Plan, and executive vice...
Carnegie Mellon study finds severe polarization in political language
The divide between political parties is not just ideological. Their members are essentially speaking different languages, a study from researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found. Using computer translation tools, researchers analyzed 86.6 million YouTube comments from 6.5 million users on more than 200,000 news videos from CNN, Fox News, MSNBC...
Pittsburgh police detail policy on undercover officer drinking limits
Pittsburgh police leaders on Tuesday night detailed for the first time new policies regarding alcohol consumption by plainclothes officers, more than two years after a brawl between members of the Pagans and officers on an undercover detail. The changes were made in response to the Oct. 12, 2018, incident at...
