Kellen Stepler stories, Page 8
Car rams into Pizza Hut in Harrison
A Tarentum woman suffered a medical emergency before her car crashed into the Pizza Hut in Harrison on Monday night. Harrison police were dispatched to the crash at around 6:45 p.m. Monday at the Pizza Hut, 3036 Freeport Road, said Chief Brian Turack. Two people were inside the car when...
Bus crashes into house in Forward Township
A school bus ran into a house Monday afternoon in Forward Township. At 3:32 pm, the bus rammed into a building at 3206 Rainbow Run Road, according to Allegheny County Emergency Services. When crews from the Gallatin Sunnyside Volunteer Fire Department arrived on scene, responders saw that the bus had...
New Kensington’s Rhythm Ridez expands spin studio
Shayle Prorok wants to remove the negative connotation of the word exercise. “Why can’t it be fun?” said Prorok, owner of the Rhythm Ridez spin studio at 878 Fifth Ave. in New Kensington. “I want to create that atmosphere. “Wherever they are on their health journey, they’re pedaling. I want...
Faces of the Valley: Upper Burrell’s Betty Beestrice has township’s history at her fingertips
If you want to know something about Upper Burrell, ask Betty Beestrice. You’ll not only get a detailed answer, but after she sifts through the numerous pictures, newspaper clippings and other documents she and her late husband, Bill, have collected over the years, you’ll walk away with at least 10...
New Kensington man arrested following evacuation of apartment building where he lives
A gunshot and the discovery of what appeared to be two grenades led to the evacuation of a New Kensington apartment building Thursday night. The incident began shortly before 9:30 p.m. with an altercation at Valley Royal Court, an apartment complex along Fifth Avenue, that led to a man firing...
PennWest enrollment declines slightly but is ‘steadying,’ official says
During her first semester at Kent State University in fall 2023, Alison Jones realized she wanted to attend a smaller university where she would be able to make her mark. “Kent was a little too big for me,” said Jones, 20, of Edinboro. “Transferring to Edinboro, there’s obviously a lot...
Alle-Kiski Valley municipalities escape the pinch of state budget impasse
Unlike school districts and county governments, Alle-Kiski Valley municipalities aren’t sounding the alarm on how the state’s budget impasse is affecting their coffers or future projects. In fact, unless the impasse continues well into next year, local governments won’t be feeling it at all. “It’s really not hurting us at...
Upper Burrell data center to be live by end of year
The TECfusions data center in Upper Burrell will be live by the end of this year, according to founder Simon Tusha. Part of the 1,395-acre site, located at the former Alcoa Research Center, already has been built out to accommodate some tenants, Tusha said. The Florida-based company is working through...
Pitt’s Oakland enrollment increases 4%; numbers stable elsewhere
Enrollment at the University of Pittsburgh’s Oakland campus has increased by roughly 4%, according to data released Wednesday. Pitt reports more than 31,200 students attending the campus this fall, an increase from 29,927 last fall. Of those, about 21,380 are undergraduates, about 1,000 more than last fall; and 9,849 are...
Former Rite Aid building in Lower Burrell could be enticing location for retailers
The location of a former Rite Aid in Lower Burrell, near the Route 56 and Leechburg Road intersection, could make it attractive to a potential retailer, city officials say. “What we’ve found is large retail establishments, they insist on having a four-lane highway,” said Councilman David Stoltz. “With that building,...
Sorcan appointed as Scott commissioner
A longtime volunteer in Scott Township has been chosen to fill an open seat on the board of commissioners. Jane Sorcan was appointed in September to fill the Ward 2 commissioner seat vacated by Brandon Edwards. “I have been active in Scott Township as a volunteer for a number of...
Suspect in 2024 Stowe homicide taken into custody in Maryland
A Stowe homicide suspect on the run for nearly a year was taken into custody Monday in Maryland. Dacahary Sampson, 32, is charged with shooting and killing James Nelson Jr., 42, of McKees Rocks, the afternoon of Aug. 12, 2024, along the 400 block of Pleasant Ridge Road. The U.S....
Carbon monoxide, gas alarms triggered before fatal explosion at U.S. Steel Clairton facility, authorities say
Carbon monoxide and gas alarms were triggered leading up to a fatal explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works site Aug. 11, according to information released by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. Preliminary investigations into the blast, released Monday by the CSB, indicate the explosion occurred...
Chartiers Valley names homecoming court
Chartiers Valley High School has announced its homecoming court. The members are Lleyton Fox, Ryan Fox, Dylan Heffley, Marc Little, Tristan Mayo, Brady Bart, Kaylen Bin, Delaney Fox, Shaffer Kinnee and Olivia Pollak. The homecoming dance, themed “Tropical Oasis,” is Oct. 4....
Former Newport Business Institute building in Lower Burrell to be demolished
The former Newport Business Institute in the Kinloch section of Lower Burrell will be demolished. City officials will move forward with plans to demolish the building at 945 Greensburg Road. “We’re excited to see this next, and massive, step forward with that property,” Mayor Chris Fabry said. “Razing that building...
Bridgeville’s McLaughlin Run Park Meadow dedicated
It’s official: the McLaughlin Run Park Meadow is open to the public. A dedication ceremony was held Sept. 18 at the park, 1250 McLaughlin Run Road. The area, which was the park’s former ballfield, serves a dual purpose as a passive wildflower meadow and flood control project, according to the...
‘A healthier place to be’: Lower Burrell fire companies to get new, updated equipment
Lower Burrell’s fire departments will be getting new equipment that, the chiefs say, will improve safety for its volunteers. Interior firefighters in Lower Burrell’s Kinloch fire department will soon have new air packs when they battle blazes, and Lower Burrell Co. 3 will get an exhaust system to eliminate hazardous...
Pitt to launch 1st-of-its-kind natural gas, renewables and oil engineering degree
University of Pittsburgh officials say a new undergraduate degree will prepare future engineers for the evolving, global energy market. The Natural Gas, Renewables and Oil Engineering (GRO) program is designed to prepare students as energy production evolves, whether it be traditional oil and natural gas to solar, wind, biomass, hydroelectric...
‘Renegade’ in Ireland: New Kensington brew crosses the pond for Steelers game
It probably won’t knock Guinness off the list of most popular beers in Ireland, but Renegade is giving Dubliners a taste of the Alle-Kiski Valley this week. New Kensington-based Tortured Souls Brewing collaborated with Hope Beer in Dublin to brew Renegade in celebration of the Steelers’ game Sunday against the...
Two charged in prostitution sting at massage parlors in Lower Burrell, Murrysville
Two women face criminal charges following police raids in Lower Burrell and Murrysville as part of a prostitution sting, according to authorities. Murrysville and Lower Burrell police and the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office cooperatively investigated Asian Massage in Lower Burrell and Asian Garden Spa in Murrysville. Both parlors are...
Rally planned to save closing AHN primary care office in New Kensington
Closing an Allegheny Health Network primary care office in downtown New Kensington would have a detrimental impact on its more than 3,000 clients and its dozen employees, said Mark Kerr, a member of Teamsters Local 30. “They cannot get to Natrona Heights or Cheswick, where they’re going to send them,”...
2 taken to hospital after car rollover outside Gunny’s Lounge in New Kensington
An SUV rolled over and landed in the front porch of Gunny’s Lounge in New Kensington on Tuesday afternoon, sending two people to the hospital. The crash occurred just before 2 p.m. along the 900 block of McCandless Street. Two vehicles appeared to be involved in the crash. Gunny’s owner...
Slippery Rock enrollment up 2.75% — its highest increase in 9 years
Slippery Rock University is experiencing record enrollment and retention rates this fall semester. Total enrollment at the Butler County state college is 8,625 students, a 2.75% increase from last fall, according to the university. It’s Slippery Rock’s largest single-year increase in the past nine years. There are 1,549 full-time, first-year...
New Kensington fire department to consolidate; Parnassus station to close
New Kensington officials believe consolidating the city’s fire department operations can help weather a perfect storm of declining numbers of volunteers and an increase in the number and intensity of calls. New Kensington Council approved recognizing the merger of Citizens Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 (at 785 Fourth Ave., downtown),...
Kamala Harris had ‘nagging concern’ about Josh Shapiro as possible VP, memoir details
Excerpts from Kamala Harris’ book “107 Days” have gotten pushback from other prominent Democrats, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was once in consideration to be her running mate during her presidential campaign. In the memoir, Harris inferred Shapiro seemed overly confident. She portrayed Shapiro as too eager for the...
