James Engel stories, Page 14
Plum School Board primary election packed with incumbents, familiar faces
Of the 11 candidates vying for four open seats on Plum School Board this year, only three have never sought or held office before. Three of those running are incumbents, one was recently appointed, two are previous office holders, and two ran and lost in past elections. Both Democrat and...
Around 150,000 remain without power as crews continue restoration work
Though power was restored to more than 300,000 customers in Western Pennsylvania since Tuesday’s severe weather, about 150,000 remained without electricity in the region as of 9:30 p.m. on Thursday. And Duquesne Light and West Penn Power said it will be at least several more days before power is restored...
New zombie rock musical ‘Romero and Juliet’ features local actors
A new musical is set to hit the stage at Saint Vincent College in Unity next month. But according to its lyricist and co-creator Scott Logsdon, the whole concept is the result of a typo. Several years ago, while corresponding with a friend about auditions for a showing of Shakespeare’s...
For those without power, experts offer next steps after severe storms
As hundreds of thousands go without electricity after severe storms battered the region, officials and experts have begun weighing in with guidance about how to proceed. Though some customers have had their power restored since the storm, Duquesne Light said it could take five to seven days to fully restore...
Western Pa. buildings offer charging stations, supplies, shelter after storms
Municipalities and local organizations around the region have stepped up as shelters, offering residents a place to charge their devices and get assistance in the wake of Tuesday’s severe storms, which left thousands without power. People can find electricity at: Plum Borough Municipal Building is operating on a generator and...
Plum School Board moves forward on proposed budget with 2.26% tax hike
Plum real estate owners will likely be paying 2.26% more in property taxes to the school district next school year. The Plum School Board on Tuesday approved its tentative 2025-26 budget, which would increase the tax rate from 23.3896 mills to 23.9159 mills. That increase is partially the result of...
Police confrontation in Lower Burrell ends with no arrests
After a brief confrontation on Tuesday, Lower Burrell police detained four people from a home on Vance Drive before later releasing them. Lower Burrell Detective Steve Aulerich said no arrests were made, but police continue to investigate. He would not give a reason for the warrant’s execution. Upon arrival, the...
Work progresses on new Salina Bridge
Workers have begun to place girders on the new Salina Bridge, which crosses the Kiski River to connect Bell and Kiski townships. The new bridge is being built 100 feet downstream from its nearly 120-year-old counterpart. According to PennDOT assistant construction engineer Mark Kmetz, crews will begin pouring the bridge’s...
Plum youth baseball and softball teams kick off season with 1st games
The Plum Baseball and Softball Association held its first games of the season on Monday, April 21 at the Plum Creek Municipal Ballfields after a day of rainy weather. Though the games unofficially kicked off the season, more formal opening day celebrations will be held Sunday, May 4, which will...
Cheswick turns to AI program to assess road conditions
Cheswick Council approved a contract that will enable the borough to scan its roads with AI-powered software to assess conditions and determine future projects. The borough inked the $12,000, three-year contract with German software company Vialytics for its RoadAI scanning program. To perform the scans, borough workers will attach a...
After years of turmoil, Lower Valley Ambulance Service does ‘complete 180’
When Terry Anzaldi took over as EMS chief of Lower Valley Ambulance Service in October 2023, he said reordering the foundering service was like putting together pieces of a puzzle. In 2022, the service rang the alarm bells, saying it had entered a “financial crisis” and needed relief from local...
Major building projects at Plum schools proceed as initial designs emerge
The Plum School Board moved forward with an extensive renovation and addition process at two district schools during a special meeting Wednesday night. The board heard a presentation from Robinson-based HDG Architects with updates on project bids at Plum Middle School and planning progress on a large addition project at...
Plum School Board appoints new member after 9 rounds of voting
It took nine rounds of voting, but the Plum School Board appointed a new member during a special meeting Wednesday night. Beverly Purcell, 65, will serve the remainder of the term left by Devin Adams, who resigned last month after moving out of the district. Now retired, Purcell served nearly...
Plum approves ordinance to restrict parking around Oakmont Country Club during U.S. Open
Plum Council adopted a temporary ordinance April 14 that will apply parking restrictions in the area around Oakmont Country Club during the upcoming U.S. Open tournament. The ordinance, which restricts nonresident street parking in the area, will affect around a dozen streets and more than 200 households for a week...
Family reports 18-year-old hiker in stable condition after fall from cliff in Harrison Hills Park
First responders spent around two hours helping to rescue an 18-year-old woman on Wednesday who reportedly fell off a cliff in Harrison Hills Park, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. Emergency crews arrived around 2:50 p.m. and could be seen pulling the woman from a hillside. She seemed to fall...
Springdale police move to 12-hour shifts after trial run
After getting approval from the borough on Tuesday, Springdale police officers will be operating on a 12-hour schedule for the next six months. Springdale police Chief Derek Dayoub said the officers already have been working 12-hour shifts for the last 60 days as a trial run before the borough agreed...
Rachel Carson Trail sees temporary detour in Springdale Township amid land dispute
A section of the 45-mile Rachel Carson Trail is closed near Agan Park in Springdale Township because of a dispute with a landowner, according to the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy. The conservancy has set up a detour for hikers while the matter continues, conservancy Vice President Steve Mentzer said. Trail...
Holiday Park students raise trout for release in May
Fifth graders at Holiday Park Intermediate School have been raising dozens of newborn trout after placing 150 fish eggs in a classroom tank in January. After receiving the eggs from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, students designed and maintained the tank for several months as the fish grew and...
Knoch teacher accused of striking autistic student
A former Knoch Primary School teacher has been accused of slapping an 8-year-old autistic student in the face. State police charged Carly Miller, 35, of Hampton with simple assault and harassment in relation to a Nov. 26, 2024 incident. According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, the student...
Delay in ‘silica rule’ leaves some miners’ advocates worried
After the announcement by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration of a four-month delay in enforcement of the “silica rule,” some in the region are worried about what that delay signals for miners’ safety. The rule, issued last April, gave mine operators a year to upgrade respiratory protection programs...
PennDOT hopes to have new Salina Bridge ready for use by winter
Drivers could be crossing the Kiski River on the new Salina Bridge as soon as the winter. PennDOT assistant construction engineer Mark Kmetz said crews are finishing an abutment on the Kiski Township side of the river before the rest of the bridge can take shape. The span carries Bridge...
Plum to host 8th annual borough cleanup day
Around 250 Plum residents will scour the borough’s roadways April 19 for the eighth annual borough cleanup day. That is the highest number of volunteers the borough has seen for the event, according to Plum Manager David Soboslay. Volunteers will search mainly “high-traffic areas,” including state roads, for around an...
Arnold’s Fazio’s Italian Foods gets shoutout at Pat McAfee’s ‘Big Night Aht’
Closing out his celebrity-packed variety show at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday, ex-NFL player and sports commentator Pat McAfee picked up a bright orange sweatshirt that had been thrown onstage, to shout out an Arnold institution. Sweatshirt in hand, McAfee, a Plum native, sang some free advertising for Fazio’s Pizza...
Western Pennsylvanians prepare to capture April showers in rain barrels
As spring and gardening season begin, some Western Pennsylvanians are setting up a tool to harness the results of April showers: rain barrels. Generally placed below a downspout with a small spigot at the bottom, the barrels collect rainwater, keeping it from becoming runoff and storing it for practical use...
Plum departments begin volunteer firefighter stipend program
Five days into a new program that offers stipends for volunteer firefighters in Plum, Holiday Park VFD Chief Jim Sims said things have gone “very well.” The stipends — $15 per hour — were approved by the borough in January after the Plum Fire Chiefs Association initially presented the program...
