Regional category, Page 245
Power still out for some in region after storms slam Southwestern Pa.Video
An evening of high winds and strong rain downed trees and wires across Southwestern Pennsylvania on Thursday, knocking out power to thousands of homes and businesses throughout the region. “We had a good line along the (storm) boundary that produced a lot of wind,” said John Darnley, observation program leader...
Tombstone preservation workshop taking place at Kittanning Township church cemetery
A historic church and its cemetery in Kittanning is the sole stop in Pennsylvania on a 48-state tombstone restoration and preservation tour. Christ Rupp Lutheran Church in Kittanning Township was recently selected to host a free public workshop on how to preserve old tombstones. It’s being held Friday, Aug. 28...
Late laptops scramble remote learning plans at Greensburg Salem, other school districts
When Greensburg Salem School District officials learned more than 1,000 laptops would not be arriving in time for the start of classes, they agreed to delay the school year rather than begin without the technology they’re counting on. Then, the laptops were delayed again, this time until October, leaving officials...
Union members join industry groups to rally against state caps on power plant emissions
Union workers — seeking a voice at the table in fossil fuel policies at the state and national level — rallied Wednesday at the coal-fired Cheswick Generating Station. Organized by the Power PA Jobs Alliance, a coalition of labor and business groups spanning Southwestern Pennsylvania, the event targeted the negative...
Fayette County priest charged with sexually assaulting 11-year-old boy
A 65-year-old priest who worked in Fayette County is charged with the sexual assault of an 11-year-old altar boy in the early 2000s. Father Andrew M. Kawecki of Scottdale faces two counts of indecent assault and one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse in connection with a series of incidents...
Meet the man tasked with defending the Youghiogheny RiverVideo
For Eric Harder, protecting the Youghiogheny River means protecting his home. Harder developed his love for water at a community swimming pool while growing up in Kansas. The experience led him to become a rafting guide in his mid-20s. A self-described defining moment in life, Harder credits the experience for...
Pennsylvania litter cleanups resume during pandemic reopening phase; volunteers needed
Greensburg-based nonprofit Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is partnering with PennDOT and the state’s Department of Environmental Protection to recruit volunteers for a statewide litter pickup campaign this fall. The Pick Up Pennsylvania effort is particularly needed since a similar campaign planned last spring suffered a double-whammy from the covid-19 pandemic. “It...
Forecast calls for storms throughout week as tropical systems move through Gulf
Storms are expected to linger in the Pittsburgh region throughout the week, leading up to a rain filled weekend as a duo of tropical storms threaten the Gulf Coast. According to the National Weather Service, thunderstorms are likely Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Temperatures will hover in the upper 80s and...
Marchers going to Washington, D.C., for MLK event shot at in Bedford County
At least one person was wounded in Bedford County when a shooting broke out as demonstrators marched from Milwaukee to Washington, D.C., in response to the police killing of George Floyd, police said. Milwaukee activist Frank “Nitty” Sensabaugh, one of the march’s organizers, told WJAC-TV in Johnstown that the shooting...
Officials: Pa. inmates illegally received coronavirus unemployment benefits
State and federal officials say they have identified more than 10,000 inmates in Pennsylvania prisons who have illegally applied for unemployment compensation during the covid-19 pandemic — potentially costing the government more than $100 million. So far, 33 inmates and accomplices face criminal charges. Scott Brady, U.S. attorney for the...
Indiana County woman accused of $500K theft from medical practice
An Indiana County woman accused of stealing $500,000 from the medical practice where worked spent the money on vacations and season tickets to Pitt Panther football games, along with other concerts and sporting events, state police investigators said. Sandra Jo Doak, 61, of Blairsville, was arraigned Monday before Homer City...
Pa. Department of Health launches mobile covid-19 testing RV
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Tuesday announced a new covid-19 mobile response unit, designed to provide testing and education for minority and underserved communities. The effort is part of a partnership with Latino Connection, Highmark Blue Shield and the Independence Blue Cross Foundation. “We share a unified purpose of...
Federal appeals court says sexual discrimination lawsuit against a Butler County judge can go forward
A Butler County Common Pleas judge is not entitled to immunity for the majority of claims filed against him in a sexual discrimination lawsuit nearly three years ago. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the opinion on Monday, affirming the decision of the lower court on three of...
Pair of alligators stolen from White Township pet store
Stealing alligators is not for the faint of heart, especially when it’s a 6-foot female and a 4-foot male. State police, nonetheless, are seeking information about the pair, stolen Aug. 8 from an outdoor enclosure at Pearce’s Pet Place in White Township, Indiana County. The reptiles, valued at about $2,000...
Albino buck caught on camera in northern Butler CountyVideo
After an amateur photographer heard about an albino white-tailed deer in northern Butler County, he finally managed to photograph and video the animal twice, most recently in mid-August. “It was a cool sighting,” said Jake Dingel of Butler who found the buck on private property in a wooded area. To...
Pennsylvania hemp industry remains uncertain as harvest approaches
Justin Matson of Fairfield Township is a jack of all agricultural trades. He employs 18 people growing corn, soybeans and hay, raising beef cattle and doing construction. This year he decided to add something new to his resume — hemp. “This could be huge for us,” he said. The price...
Pennsylvania to jobless: $300 checks from feds could be weeks away
Pennsylvanians who lost their jobs when covid-19 slammed the economy probably will have to wait weeks before they see a weekly $300 check the Trump administration promised as a replacement for the extra $600 a week they had been receiving until late July, state officials said Monday. The state has...
Here are 5 brain breaks to help kids and parents with successful remote learning
When Miriam La Forest’s 11-year-old daughter, Chelsea, took an hour to complete 20 minutes worth of online school work, La Forrest knew a break was in order. “It was literally after every subject just because she was over it,” said La Forrest, 47, of Brookline. “It means she fell asleep...
Here’s a guide to commenting on TribLIVE stories
TribLIVE has made it even easier for you to comment on our stories by replacing our current commenting platform with a new one – Viafoura. The commenting system is available only on the desktop and mobile versions of TribLIVE.com. Commenting is not available on the TribLIVE app for iPhone and...
TribLIVE introduces new platform for commenting on stories
Today we introduce a new story commenting platform that we hope will foster a new level of engagement and interaction with our readers on TribLIVE.com. The new reader comment area at the bottom of online stories replaces a Facebook-based form. With this change, you can still register as a commenter...
Technical schools grapple with hands-on learning as classes resume during pandemic
As traditional schools weed through reopening plans that largely include at least some online learning, career and technical centers across the region grapple with how to maintain predominately hands-on classes while keeping students and staff safe. Several of the 16 career and technical centers that cater to high school students...
Most of W.Pa. delegation will watch GOP convention from home
When he was elected as a delegate to the Republican National Convention, Scott Avolio was looking forward to being part of the conversation about the party platform going forward to President Trump’s reelection campaign. Now, like hundreds of other delegates, Avolio, a Greensburg lawyer and first-time convention delegate, has found...
More than 4,000 gallons of milk, food will be given away in Western Pa. this week
Got milk? If you don’t, you may be in luck this week. The American Dairy Association North East is working with Schneider’s Dairy, AMI Food Group and four Western Pennsylvania community organizations to distribute more than 4,000 gallons of milk and food boxes through drive-thru pickup events. Each vehicle will...
State takes $300 weekly jobless aid from feds; wants $600 checks restored
The state is accepting half a loaf in terms of federal stimulus aid for certain unemployed people because it’s better than getting nothing at all, saying it will apply for the $300 weekly checks that have replaced the $600-a-week benefits that were cut off at the end of July. It...
Week-in-review: Protests outside Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto’s home tops this week’s newsVideo
Protests outside the home of Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, a motorcycle run in memory of a slain New Kensington police officer, a long-time Pittsburgh radio personality going off the air, a fatal crash between a train and a truck and a lawsuit against Chipotle were among the top news reported...
