Julia Maruca stories, Page 20
Strands of community: Fiber arts fans find friendship, fulfillment in crafting
When Toni Ritchey-Ridella first attended a large Pittsburgh-area fiber arts show in 2008, she found herself awestruck. “I walked in for the first time, and my mouth was open, I thought, where do you start?” she said. “There are so many different yarns, so many different bases. Everything mostly is...
Penn Township discusses adding beer garden to Fall Festival
Visitors to the Penn Township Fall Festival may have the chance to quench their thirst with an alcoholic beverage at this year’s event, if a proposal before the Penn Township board of commissioners is approved. At a meeting Wednesday, commissioners discussed the possibility of adding a fire department benefit beer...
Pittsburgh police report 12-year-old girl missing from Carrick
Pittsburgh police are looking for a missing 12-year-old girl last seen in the city’s Carrick neighborhood. Tyshaya Somerville was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, light blue jeans, and pink tennis shoes. She is considered to be in danger due to her age. Anyone with information should call 9-1-1...
Excela-Butler combined health system lays off 13 managers
The newly combined Excela and Butler health systems laid off a total of 13 manager-level staff members on Wednesday, according to spokesperson Tom Chakurda. The positions were eliminated “from across both sides of the new system,” Chakurda confirmed, and were from support functions that did not involve direct care personnel....
Moon Township man gets over 27 years in prison for dealing drugs, money laundering
A Moon Township man was sentenced to 27½ years in prison for dealing drugs and money laundering crimes while on federal supervised release from a previous prison sentence for drug trafficking. Noah Landfried, 38, was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. His sentence...
Pittsburgh man sentenced to 9 years for firearms offenses
A Pittsburgh man was sentenced to nine years in prison for violating federal gun laws and committing offenses while on federal pretrial release. Joshua Lowry, 32, of Brookline was not allowed to possess guns or ammunition due to prior felony convictions. During an investigation and search of an apartment in...
United Methodist congregations contend with process of disaffiliating
For more than 100 years, two churches affiliated with the United Methodist Church have held Sunday services in the middle of Scottdale. If each stays on its current path, by the end of this summer, Christ United Methodist Church and Trinity United Methodist Church will no longer exist in their...
Winter weather approaching Friday night in parts of Westmoreland County
Drivers are advised to use caution tonight as an increase in snowfall is expected overnight in the higher elevation of Westmoreland, Fayette, and Indiana counties, according to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh. A winter weather advisory is in effect from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday on the...
Hempfield ‘Seussical’ brings students young and old to the stage
As students at Hempfield Area High School venture into a world of imagination this weekend with “Seussical,” a few Who-sized performers will be among their number. The show, which kicked off Wednesday with its first performance and continues through Saturday, brings together a whopping 65 student actors to illustrate popular...
Merged Excela, Butler health system is struggling financially, CEO says
Economic storm clouds are on the horizon for the newly combined Excela and Butler health systems, and a “significant expense reduction plan” is in the near future, according to an internal letter signed by President and CEO Ken DeFurio. In the letter — sent to employees and medical staff at...
Proposed athletic complex in Penn Township draws opposition from some neighbors
Neighbors of a proposed indoor recreation center in Penn Township are concerned it could impact traffic and parking in their residential area. The facility, to be known as “Battlefield Sports Complex,” is on the table for discussion before the township planning commission and zoning hearing boards. Originally presented to the...
Pittsburgh, Greensburg dioceses permit eating meat on St. Patrick’s Day during Lent
Catholics in Western Pennsylvania will be allowed to eat traditional St. Patrick’s Day fare like corned beef, Reubens and Irish stew this year, despite the holiday falling on a Friday during Lent. Normally, Catholics abstain from eating meat on the Fridays of Lent., but Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik and Greensburg...
Pittsburgh man facing multiple court cases arrested in Uniontown
A Pittsburgh man facing charges in cases out of McKeesport, Pittsburgh and Mercer County was arrested Thursday in Uniontown. Officers took Samuel Kirkland, 22, into custody without incident at an address in Greenpoint Circle in Uniontown. According to a release from the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Kirkland was sought for...
Erratic temperatures pose pneumonia risk for livestock
For some farmers, fluctuations between cold and warm temperatures can pose issues for livestock. “Going from 70 degrees to 30 degrees or below freezing is very hard for an animal to try to adjust,” said Rick Ebert of Ebert Family Farms in Derry. “You have to make sure there is...
Warm weather woes: Mild winter impacts allergy symptoms, agriculture
The allergy appointments are already beginning to build for Dr. Christin Deal, and it’s only February. Is this the new normal in Western Pennsylvania? Deal, an allergy immunologist at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, said allergist appointments are about a month ahead of pace. “Usually, it’s more like mid- to...
Giant Eagle pulls water bottled near East Palestine train derailment
Grocery chain Giant Eagle has temporarily stopped selling bottled water produced at a plant near East Palestine, Ohio, in light of concerns about the recent Norfolk Southern train derailment. Spokesperson Dan Donovan said the company was operating “out of an abundance of caution” in its decision to remove all Giant...
Coin enthusiasts gather, share interests at Greensburg collector show
Don’t rustle around in your wallet just yet — the coins on display at the Greensburg Coin Club show Sunday were a little more unusual than your average pocket change. Around 16 coin dealers and a whole host of coin-collecting enthusiasts gathered at the Circleville Volunteer Fire Department to show...
Man accused of killing Swissvale mother and child arrested
Police arrested a man accused of killing a mother and child in Swissvale. Kareef Easington, 35, had a warrant out for his arrest and was charged with two counts of criminal homicide and tampering with evidence. He was previously sought by the police for questioning. According to police, he was...
Man charged in connection with killings of woman, 7-year-old in Swissvale
The Allegheny County Police Homicide Unit obtained an arrest warrant Saturday for Kareef Easington in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman and child in Swissvale. Easington, 35, was previously sought by the police for questioning. He remains at large. Police said Easington lived with the victims, Megan J....
Cat killed in North Huntingdon house fire
A cat died and two homes were damaged in a porch fire Wednesday afternoon in North Huntingdon. No one was home when the fire started around 4 p.m., and no people were injured, according to Circleville Fire Chief Craig Couchenour. Two dogs were taken alive from the home at Woodall...
For area florists, Valentine’s Day bouquets bloom from hours of work
Days before the big day, the back rooms at Linda Brown’s Floral in Donegal were bursting with boxes of colorful flowers, sorted individually into cases by size and type. “We cut and condition all those flowers in a flower preservative that makes them last, and they have to have those...
End of pandemic-era policy presents dilemmas for millions of Pa. Medicaid, CHIP recipients
For 3.6 million Pennsylvanians enrolled in Medicaid, the next few months will be a race against the clock to keep their health insurance coverage or a scramble to find a new option. During the pandemic, Pennsylvania and other states were able to continue Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)...
Lives of pregnant Penn-Trafford teacher, baby boy saved by school nurse, staff
Until two months ago, Penn-Trafford School District nurse Rhaeann Shepler had never performed CPR on a real person. Her first shot at it saved not one life but two. A little before 9 a.m. on a chilly Dec. 12 morning, Shepler sprang into action along with six of her co-workers...
Pittsburgh Turkish community working to help victims of the earthquake in Turkey
A Pittsburgh group is working to raise money for relief efforts after Monday’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated areas of Turkey and Syria. Benjamin Aysan, community outreach coordinator at the Turkish Cultural Center Pittsburgh, said the community organization is directing those who want to help victims of the earthquake to...
Salvation Army donations down for 2022 Christmas season in Western PA
Donations to the Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle campaign in Western Pennsylvania were down overall for the 2022 holiday season, according to representatives from the charity. The Salvation Army Western Pennsylvania Division, which covers 28 counties in Western Pennsylvania, set a goal to raise $2.294 million through in-person donations to...
