Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 2
Quaker Valley School Board reorganizes, welcomes new leadership
The Quaker Valley School Board is under new management. Daniela Helkowski and Geoff Barnes were appointed president and vice president, respectively, at a reorganization meeting on Dec. 3. School Director Missy Walls was also named new board treasurer as part of a shift in leadership following an election year and...
Aleppo’s proposed 2026 budget has no tax increase, paving and park projects postponed
Aleppo property owners should not expect to pay more in real estate taxes next year as part of the township’s proposed budget. Residents should also not expect to see any major paving or park upgrades as township officials plan to use 2026 as a savings year for future projects. Budget...
Glen Osborne officials seek to maintain real estate tax rate in 2026 budget
Glen Osborne officials plan to hold the line on real estate taxes in 2026. Council recently authorized advertising next year’s proposed spending plan, which maintains the tax rate at 4.9 mills. It would be the fifth consecutive year without a tax hike if the budget is passed as-is on Dec....
Blawnox officials approve new 5-year deal with public works department
Blawnox officials have approved a new five-year deal with their public works department, solidifying future operations and financial planning. It is one of the longest contracts in recent history and runs Jan. 1 through the end of 2030. The previous contract was three years and set to expire at the...
Pittsburgh police seek help to ID robbery suspect
Pittsburgh police seek help identifying a robbery suspect. A man wearing a black tossle cap, white mask, black peacoat and a yellow safety vest reportedly broke into a home around 1:30 p.m. Nov. 29 in the 1600 block of Beechwood Boulevard. Public Safety spokeswoman Emily Bourne said two youths were...
Philadelphia man guilty of threatening a political party employee seeking to recruit poll watchers
A Philadelphia man is facing up to five years in federal prison after admitting to sending threatening messages to a Pennsylvania political party employee. John Courtney Pollard, 63, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon to a one-count indictment charging him with making interstate threats, federal authorities announced Thursday....
Blawnox to welcome new borough manager
Blawnox officials have tapped a former West Virginia city project manager and nonprofit leader as their next borough manager. Cory Dennison is set to take the reins from outgoing manager Kathy Ulanowicz on Dec. 5. He has been shadowing the longtime administrator and borough resident since Nov. 3. “I like...
Leetsdale officials to use eminent domain to acquire VFW Post’s parking lot for public Henle Park spaces
Leetsdale officials plan to use eminent domain to acquire the borough’s Veterans of Foreign Wars’ parking lot. Council recently approved advertising an ordinance declaring its intentions to take the 36 off-street parking spots at 515 Beaver St., also known as Leetsdale VFW Post 3372. The plan is to use those...
Bell Acres officials plan to raise taxes by about 5.8% next year
Bell Acres property owners should expect to pay about 5.8% more in real estate taxes next year. Council recently approved advertising its 2026 budget that contains a 0.25-mill hike. That raises the millage rate from 4.82 mills to 5.07 mills. The total millage includes a 0.5-mill fire tax. The budget...
O’Hara’s proposed 2026 budget has no tax increase, maintains all programs and services
O’Hara officials plan to hold the line on real estate taxes in next year’s budget. Council and administrators went over the 162-page proposed 2026 spending plan at a special workshop session on Nov. 18. The proposed budget is available for review at the township office and via the administration section...
Leetsdale officials plan to raise property taxes by 5.5% with next year’s budget
Leetsdale officials plan to raise real estate taxes by about 5.5% to help support the borough’s first responders. Council recently approved advertising its proposed 2026 budget. It includes a tax hike from 9 mills to 9.5 mills. Borough tax collector Thomas Belacastro said the 0.5-mill increase is expected to generate...
Sharpsburg VFW Post 709 to host benefit breakfast, flea market
Food and flea markets go together like military veterans and community service. That is what officials at the Sharpsburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 709 and resident Chas Smith Jr. believe as they prepare for the second annual benefit breakfast and holiday flea market set for Dec. 14. The bingo...
Woman taken to hospital for evaluation after crashing into Washington Township business
A woman was taken to a hospital for evaluation after driving her vehicle into the Pittsburgh Technologies building in Washington Township. Township police Sgt. Vincent Surace said officers responded to a report of a vehicle into a building shortly after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday along the 1000 block of Hunt Valley...
Sharpsburg holiday celebration draws a crowd
Sharpsburg’s Guyasuta Square was packed with people anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus. The iconic North Pole couple arrived via horse and carriage at the Allegheny County borough for its tree lighting celebration on Nov. 22. Organizers estimate at least 300 people participated in the holiday kickoff,...
Sewickley’s proposed 2026 budget includes sewer plant and park upgrades, no tax hike
Sewickley property owners should not expect to pay more in real estate taxes as part of next year’s borough budget. Council unanimously voted on Nov. 11 to advertise its 2026 spending plan and is set to formally adopt the budget on Dec. 9. Borough documents indicate the millage rate will...
Quaker Valley School District operating on 2-hour delay Tuesday
Quaker Valley School District will have a two-hour delay Tuesday due to projected inclement weather. District officials made the call around 7 p.m. Monday to postpone student arrival in respond to reports of heavy snow and expected icy conditions. The district Monday afternoon released how officials decide on delays and...
Sewickley Heights’ proposed 2026 budget contains no real estate tax increase
Sewickley Heights officials plan to hold the line on real estate taxes with their 2026 budget. Council recently authorized the advertisement of next year’s proposed spending plan. It was to be posted by Dec. 1 at the borough office, 238 Country Club Road. Formal budget adoption is set for Dec....
Fox Chapel council approves 4-year contract with police
Fox Chapel officials have approved a new four-year contract with their police department. The borough council unanimously voted in favor of its end of the collective bargaining agreement on Nov. 17. Police approved its part in October. Terms for the contract, which runs through the end of 2029, include 3.2%...
Aspinwall’s proposed 2026 budget contains no tax hike, cuts to programs or services
Aspinwall officials hope to hold the line on real estate taxes in next year’s budget. Proposed revenue and expenses are expected to come to close to $3.9 million. Budget documents project the millage rate will remain 8.36 mills, including 0.5-mill for public safety. One mill generates about $150,000 in revenue....
Firearm deer season opens in the state, hunters flock to new Indiana Township game lands
Planning, preparation and patience are keys to a successful hunt, according to outdoorsman Greg Luce. A little luck doesn’t hurt either, as Luce proved on Saturday. Hunting in the recently opened state game lands in Indiana Township, Luce found himself about 30 yards from a large doe, roughly 160 pounds....
Penn Hills High School student dies on Thanksgiving, district officials report
Penn Hills School District is mourning the loss of one of its high school students. Sophomore Victor Adeleke died on Thanksgiving, according to a post on the district’s official Facebook page. “Our entire school community is heartbroken by this tragic loss,” the Friday evening post read. “We extend our deepest...
Rostraver police report icy conditions led to short series of minor crashes, 1 person hospitalized
One person was hospitalized after multi-vehicle collision Friday evening in Rostraver. Westmoreland Public Safety said the crash occurred shortly after 6 p.m. along the 900 block of Rostraver Road. That’s near the Interstate 70 underpass. Township police said it was not a major pileup, but a short series of minor...
Sewickley Hills officials plan to hold the line on taxes in next year’s budget
Sewickley Hills property owners should not expect to pay more in real estate taxes as part of next year’s borough budget. Council approved advertising its proposed 2026 spending plan earlier this month. It is available for review at the borough office, 349 Magee Road. Borough documents indicate the tax rate...
Leetsdale boat launch into Ohio River to reopen in a few weeks
Local mariners may rejoice as a dilapidated public boat launch into the Ohio River from the Leetsdale Industrial Park will soon reopen. The original concrete slab broke off in the 1990s, causing a safety hazard. Borough engineer Dan Slagle said boaters could easily lose an axle or a whole trailer...
Fox Chapel’s proposed 2026 budget contains no tax hike, no cuts to programs or services
Fox Chapel property owners should not expect to pay more in real estate taxes as part of next year’s borough budget. Council unanimously voted on Nov. 17 to advertise its proposed 2026 spending plan, which maintains the tax rate at 2.95 mills. The borough has not raised taxes since 2019,...
