Western PA Local News category, Page 5
Paid authority prevents ‘inevitable failure’ of ambulance service in Harrison, Brackenridge and Tarentum
Residents of Harrison, Brackenridge and Tarentum will pay a municipal ambulance bill beginning next year after the creation of the Alle-Kiski Emergency Service Authority. In return, officials guaranteed long-term sustainability of the two local providers: Eureka Community Ambulance and Citizens Hose EMS. “We see (ambulance companies) going out of business...
Allegheny County Council passes bill to strengthen tenants’ rights
Allegheny County Council on Tuesday approved legislation aimed at protecting tenants’ rights and stopping landlords from retaliating against renters who flag problems. The measure bans landlords from punishing renters who join tenants’ associations, request repairs to ensure housing conditions are safe, file complaints with government agencies, speak with media outlets...
Pittsburgh schools discourage participation in reported ‘Downtown Takeover’ event
Pittsburgh Public Schools officials are discouraging students’ attendance from a reported “Downtown Takeover” event Friday. District spokeswoman Ebony Pugh said officials are aware of information circulating on social media regarding a planned event, encouraging students to gather in Downtown Pittsburgh on Friday night. Pugh said the district, “out of an...
Sprinkler leak closes 8 classrooms at Greater Latrobe Junior High
Some classrooms at the Greater Latrobe School District will be closed Thursday after a sprinkler system malfunctioned. All students should still report to school, Superintendent Kim Rieffannacht said in a letter to families. The problem affects the junior high building. Students and teachers from eight impacted classrooms will learn in...
Families claim bus company let drunk van driver ferry kids, leading to Pittsburgh crash
The families of five fifth graders whose school van crashed last year in Pittsburgh are suing the bus company that employed the driver, who was drunk and continued to drive the students after fleeing the accident scene. Their complaints allege the driver, who had a previous conviction for DUI, reported...
Pittsburgh unveils NFL Draft road closures, transit strategy
With massive crowds expected to flood the city for one of the NFL’s biggest events, Pittsburgh is starting to shut down streets ahead of the fast-approaching draft. The road closures are part of a regional transportation plan for the NFL Draft, April 23-25. Transportation leaders and Pittsburgh officials unveiled the...
O’Connor sees NFL Draft spotlight as chance to shed steel-town perceptions
Appearances are a top priority for Pittsburgh officials ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. Just this week, Pittsburgh police started a citywide sweep of abandoned vehicles. City public works crews are also putting in overtime to clean up Downtown Pittsburgh ahead of the event, which runs from April 23-25 and...
Immersive dinosaur exhibition arrives at Pittsburgh Zoo
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium has been teasing “something big” coming to the wildlife park on social media, garnering hundreds of comments. The first Facebook on post March 18 featured a set of pointy wide-set teeth. The comment section was full of hundreds of enthusiastic comments such as “If it...
‘Architect of AI’ Jensen Huang to be CMU’s commencement speaker
Jensen Huang, an electrical engineer, a businessman and the eighth richest man in the world, will be Carnegie Mellon University’s keynote speaker during commencement in May. Huang, co-founder and CEO of Nvidia, also will receive an honorary doctorate of science and technology during the graduation, the university said. “Honorary degrees...
Funeral arrangements set for Yough High School students killed in crash
Felicity Martini was quite the prankster, one of her siblings remembered Wednesday. One time years ago, when older brother Lewie Martini was showing her some martial arts moves, she sneaked a ketchup packet up her sleeve and pretended to be hurt during the roughhousing, he remembered. The ruse was busted...
What will happen to the puppy abandoned at Pittsburgh International Airport?
Allegheny County Police have been inundated with emails and phone calls about adopting the puppy they said a Texas man abandoned last week at Pittsburgh International Airport, a spokesman told TribLive on Wednesday. Authorities know little beyond the gender — male — of the chocolate Labrador retriever officers found Friday...
Gateway School Board moves forward on major roof project, prepares for upcoming events
Gateway School Board unanimously voted, 9-0, on March 23 to approve a letter of intent between the school district and Pennsylvania Roofing Systems for roof repairs and replacement at Dr. Cleveland Steward Jr. Elementary School in the amount of $1,490,000. Initially, half of the funds were set aside in last...
McKeesport behavioral intervention specialist on paid leave following incident with daughter, a student
A McKeesport Area behavioral intervention specialist is on paid leave following an incident between the employee and their daughter, who is a high school student in the district, Superintendent Donald MacFann said Wednesday. The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon and school officials were made aware within minutes, MacFann said. The employee,...
Former Derry woman sentenced for sex with teen
A former Derry Borough woman was sentenced Tuesday to serve at least a year in prison for having sexual relations with a teenage boy. Kristen Locher, 34, now of Cambria County, pleaded guilty last summer to felony counts of statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors and a weapons offense. Prosecutors...
Jersey Mike’s raises funds for nearly 100 Special Olympics athletes
Jersey Mike’s Subs locations across Pennsylvania are turning sandwiches into support, raising money to help send Special Olympics athletes to the 2026 USA Games. At sandwich shops across Western Pennsylvania, every sub sold on Wednesday will aid nearly 100 local qualifying athletes planning to compete on a national stage in...
O’Connor says DA is probing ‘contracts’ but provides no details about search warrant
Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor said Wednesday a search warrant from the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office is seeking information from the city about contracts, among other things. The DA’s office served the sealed search warrant on Monday, O’Connor offered no other details about the probe by District Attorney Stephen A....
Allegheny County reverses course on property tax exemption for Monroeville Convention Center
Monroeville officials appear to have secured a tax exemption for the Monroeville Convention Center. After the municipality purchased the convention center for just over $5 million in 2024, it requested a tax exemption that initially was denied by Allegheny County officials. Monroeville Solicitor Robert Wratcher was skeptical of the county’s...
Jeannette schools will have new busing provider starting this fall
Jeannette City School District will be switching transportation providers for the 2026-27 school year. School directors this month approved a contract with Myers Transportation, Inc. that will run through 2031. Superintendent Matthew Jones said the move would save at least $43,000. “That would be a significant savings for the district...
Pittsburgh Brewing to host NFL Draft watch party
Can’t make it to the 2026 NFL draft in person? Pittsburgh Brewing Co. is offering an alternative. On April 23, the East Deer brewery will be hosting a watch party for the draft in partnership with WTAE. The night will feature food, entertainment and a live broadcast of the NFL...
Crews clear trees as construction begins on NFL Draft stage in front of Acrisure StadiumVideo
Construction is underway outside Acrisure Stadium as the NFL Draft stage begins to take shape, bringing the buzz of draft season to the North Shore. With fewer than 30 days to go, Pittsburgh is gearing up to host the NFL Draft from April 23 to 25. On Wednesday morning, a...
Head Turners Pittsburgh car show and egg hunt announces change of venue
The Head Turners Pittsburgh car show and Easter egg hunt on March 28 will change venues. It now will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at Sugar Camp Park, 1418 Wall Ave. in Pitcairn. Registration will begin at 11 a.m., and the egg hunt will start at 2. Car...
Pine woman gets probation for giving weight-loss clients cow drugs
Months after she stopped taking the weight-loss injections dispensed by Choice Restorative Medicine in McCandless, Kayleigh Mellas started to experience stroke-like symptoms, seizures and difficulty swallowing. She was hospitalized twice, and doctors were unable to determine the cause. Months later, Mellas learned from authorities that the weight-loss medication she’d been...
Westmoreland County LGBTQ+ proclamation request rejected again by commissioners
Westmoreland County commissioners are expected to approve seven proclamations at this week’s public meeting — including honors for an Olympic medalist and a retiring airport executive — while continuing to face criticism for their refusal to formally recognize the LGBTQ+ community. Ash Franzetti of Greensburg said she cannot understand why...
Pittsburgh launches push to clear abandoned cars from streets ahead of NFL DraftVideo
Pittsburgh officials have launched a citywide sweep of abandoned vehicles as part of ongoing beautification efforts ahead of next month’s NFL Draft. On Monday, the mayor’s office, working with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, announced a two-week push to remove abandoned vehicles from neighborhoods across the city. “I think getting...
Hempfield updates zoning confining data centers to industrial zones
Hempfield hasn’t received any proposals for a data center, but the township is ready if it does. Supervisors this week approved updated zoning to permit data centers only in industrial zones, said planning manager Matthew Pernelli. “There are multiple concerns with data centers, but like with anything, there’s pros and...
