James Engel stories, Page 12
From bruises to cardiac arrest, U.S. Open medical personnel care for fans
When a fan collapsed and entered cardiac arrest at the U.S. Open on Wednesday, Director of Operations for Plum EMS Brian Maloney said medical personnel at the tournament were prepared. A nearby police officer began chest compressions within seconds, and a physician arrived soon after. By the time medics loaded...
Despite mud and rain, U.S. Open fans say tournament ‘a dream come true’
Luca Fussaro, 14, came out of the U.S. Open with something to show for it. The Philadelphia native earned a new Apple Watch after sinking a 100-foot putt on his first try as part of a contest at Oakmont’s fan area. With his binoculars-clad father, Luca said, he had spent...
Cheswick man charged with sexual abuse of a minor extradited from Ohio
About two weeks after filing their initial criminal complaint, Allegheny County Police have custody of Jeremiah Segan, 42, who is charged with statutory sexual assault and numerous other sex crimes in connection with the alleged yearslong sexual abuse of a minor. According to police spokesman Jim Madalinsky, the longtime resident...
Allegheny Valley to spend $500k for high school facade repairs
The Allegheny Valley School Board will pay a masonry firm more than $500,000 to repair a problem with the facade at the rear of Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School. In a unanimous vote, the school board awarded a $513,000 contract to Mt. Pleasant-based Arch Masonry on Tuesday for repairs to the...
2 longtime teachers enjoy retirement celebration at Plum’s Holy Family Catholic School
Between Donna Macioce and Marti Wiehagen, thousands of young students have been educated over the course of 90 combined years. But on the last day of class at Holy Family Catholic School in Plum on June 5, the two celebrated their retirement among dozens of students, colleagues and loved ones....
Agan Park reopens after 40-day closure; dog park remains closed
After crews removed several overhanging trees in the area, Agan Park reopened this week following a more than 40-day closure caused by severe April storms. The park is an extensive green space along Riddle Run Road in Springdale Township but is jointly managed by Springdale and Cheswick boroughs. Cheswick Council...
Plum Zoning Board rejects fracking injection well after lengthy battle; company plans to appeal
After a yearslong legal battle, the Plum Zoning Hearing Board rejected the application for a second injection well in the borough, which is an about-face from its initial decision. Board member Mike Monfredi, who made the motion to reject the application, was joined by Andrew Novick and Linda Wilkins in...
USGA prioritizes player, family experiences at Oakmont championship
As USGA’s director of player relations, Rosalyn Barnett deals with tasks as large as flying golfers’ families across the world to ones as small as helping locate their lost keys. It’s a busy but fun job, she said, where she deals with “anything and everything.” And it’s one she has...
Among thousands of attendees, hundreds of kids attend U.S. Open for free
As 10-year-old Elsie Trombley walked into Oakmont County Club on Tuesday, she said she was excited for souvenirs, autographs and concessions at the U.S. Open. “And golf,” her father, Matt, reminded her. Visiting from Fox Chapel, Elsie was one of hundreds of children who are attending the U.S. Open for...
USGA Museum offers attendees glimpse of past during U.S. Open
For John Meyers, many of the items on display in the USGA Museum at Oakmont Country Club were familiar sights. An Oakmont member for several decades, the “old fan” said he’d been to every U.S. Open since 1983. But he still enjoyed seeing objects like Johnny Miller’s clubs from the...
Oakmont caddies look to fill roles during U.S. Open, on and off the bag
Aaron Williams is among a select few when it comes to Oakmont Country Club caddies: He has found himself on a bag this week for the U.S. Open. After narrowly missing an opportunity to caddie at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont, Williams was committed to working the tournament this...
Car collides with e-biker at Pittsburgh Mills
A car collided with a man on an e-bike Thursday near Dick’s Sporting Goods at the Pittsburgh Mills complex. The crash occurred just before 4 p.m., according to Frazer police Chief Aaron Scott. He said the cyclist was conscious but had some shoulder injuries. The driver stayed on the scene,...
Fate of Springdale’s Veterans Memorial Field remains unclear
Springdale is discussing “all available options” for the future of Veterans Memorial Field, former home of the Springdale Dynamos, according to Councilman Dan Copeland. The discussions come after unsuccessful lease negotiations between the borough and Allegheny Valley School District, which played football at the site for more than 80 years,...
Plum Middle School improvements could begin as soon as this week
Several summer improvement projects at Plum Middle School are set to begin as soon as this week, according to district CFO Ryan Manzer. The school will see its HVAC controls replaced in addition to the replacement and relocation of its dust collector and some mechanical equipment. On the outside, the...
USGA to open U.S. Open merchandise tent early for fans without tickets
Golf fans without tickets to attend the U.S. Open next week still will have the opportunity to purchase tournament merchandise, according to the USGA. The merchandise pavilion at Oakmont Country Club will be open to the public from Thursday to Sunday, prior to the tournament, the organization said. Featuring a...
Springdale residents charged with child endangerment for ‘deplorable’ home conditions, drug use
A call to Springdale police to conduct a welfare check led to drug and child endangerment charges against two people. Autumn Marie Jones, 42, and James Lewis Henderson, 30, are charged with two felony counts of endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person and drug possession. Police said...
Police search for Cheswick man charged with sexual abuse of minor
Police are searching for Jeremiah Segan, 42, who is charged with statutory sexual assault and numerous other sex crimes related to the alleged yearslong sexual abuse of a minor. Allegheny County Police began an investigation after a teenager disclosed the alleged abuse to their mother’s “paramour,” according to an affidavit...
Officials hope to reopen Agan Park soon after monthlong closure
Springdale and Cheswick officials say they’re hoping to reopen Agan Park in the coming weeks after a severe storm last month rendered it unsafe because of downed and hanging trees. The park is an extensive green space along Riddle Run Road in Springdale Township but is jointly managed by Springdale...
Frazer issues dozens more citations against Pittsburgh Mills owners for mall’s condition
It seems the only thing growing faster than the potholes at Pittsburgh Mills mall is the list of citations issued against the shopping center’s owners. Numerous potholes, knee-high grass and inoperable doors are among issues behind a new wave of citations issued by Frazer’s building inspector, Bill Payne. At the...
Construction of Springdale turf field to begin this week
Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School’s new multipurpose turf field will enter the first stages of its construction this week, according to Allegheny Valley Public Relations Director Jan Zastawniak. Located along Butler Road, across from the school, the field will host the district’s football, soccer and track and field teams starting in...
Plum School Board passes final budget with 2.26% tax increase
The Plum School Board finalized a 2.26% tax increase on Tuesday in a unanimous vote to approve its final budget. The budget increases the tax rate from the current 23.3896 mills to 23.9159 mills. That’s partially the result of board discussions in favor of smaller incremental tax hikes rather than...
Feud among fire departments flares during Memorial Day blaze in Springdale Township
Seven fire departments and about 50 firefighters responded to a blaze that destroyed a home in Springdale Township on Memorial Day, but Springdale Volunteer Fire Department members, who were close enough to watch smoke rise from the fire, were not among them. According to Dan Copeland, a borough council member...
Prospect of Springdale data center meets mixed reactions among neighbors
Dale Remai likes the idea of a data center in Springdale where a power plant used to stand. A resident of Shady Avenue, adjacent to the former power plant site, Remai, 69, thinks it could be a boon to the borough in terms of attracting other employers. At least, it’s...
Geo-Solutions plans to move to Plum by end of year
By December, New Kensington-based construction services company Geo-Solutions will conduct its business in Plum, according to marketing and sales specialist Reed Rayburg. The company plans to move into a multistory office building behind Plum School District’s bus garage while it develops a storage and maintenance facility on adjacent land at...
Allegheny Valley School Board primary election advances 5 candidates
Tuesday’s primary races for Allegheny Valley School Board pushed forward five candidates, including the sole incumbent, to November’s general election, where four seats will be up for grabs. Each of the seven primary candidates had cross-filed to run in both Democratic and Republican elections. In the end, voters selected three...
