Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 37
Leet planning commission to discuss proposed Quaker Valley High School plans
Quaker Valley area residents will soon have another opportunity to weigh in on a proposed high school in Leet. The township’s planning commission is expected to discuss the final site plan at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25 at the municipal building, 194 Ambridge Ave. A link to the site plan...
Leetsdale police department welcomes first full-time female officer
Celina Kelly may have made Leetsdale history as the newest police officer — police Chief Daniel Raible said he believes Kelly is the department’s first full-time female officer. She was hired Jan. 11 and sworn in by Mayor Sandra Ford. Kelly, a New Brighton resident, was selected out of four...
Monroeville man charged with homicide in the slaying of Carrick man on New Year’s Eve
A Monroeville man has been charged with homicide and other crimes after he allegedly shot and killed a man on New Year’s Eve in Carrick. Timothy Debold, 43, also faces charges of burglary, carrying a firearm without a license and persons not to possess firearms in connection with the Dec....
3 Pittsburgh Public Schools on modified lockdown through Friday due to online threats
Pittsburgh Public Schools district officials said three schools that share a campus will be under modified lockdown through Friday after threats were made over social media. Pittsburgh Public Schools spokesperson Ebony Pugh said the lockdown affects West Liberty PreK-5, South Brook 6-8, and Pittsburgh Pioneer Education Center. Those schools are...
Astrobotic planning for failed lunar lander to re-enter Earth over the South Pacific
Officials at Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic believe their failed lunar lander will reenter Earth’s atmosphere over a remote area of the South Pacific, the company announced Wednesday. Astrobotic’s team has worked closely with NASA analyzing the Peregrine spacecraft’s travels and they do not anticipate any hazards. “A safe re-entry is our top...
Leet Township commissioners consider short-term rental regulations
Leet officials want to adopt new rules and restrictions before people start opening short-term rental properties in the township. The township commissioners are expected to pass a proposed ordinance Feb. 12 regulating residential accommodations leased for less than 30 days. The planning commission reviewed similar ordinances from Sewickley, Edgeworth and...
Police: Pittsburgh man dies in crash along Freeport Road in O’Hara
A Pittsburgh man has died after being involved in a two-vehicle crash Tuesday evening along Freeport Road in O’Hara, Allegheny County Police reported. Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the deceased as Michael Vernon, 74. An Allegheny County emergency dispatcher said the wreck occurred around 6:30 p.m. near the intersection...
Former Jefferson Hills mayor, council woman remembered as dedicated public servant
Janice Cmar believed preserving opportunities for families and getting things done for her community made life worth living. So much so that she spent about 35 years teaching in the Peters Township School District, and 24 more recent years as a Jefferson Hills elected official with stints on council and...
Washington County controller accused of starving dog to death waives preliminary hearing
April Sloane will have her day in court at another time. The Washington County Controller accused of starving her dog to death waived her preliminary before District Judge James Saieva Jr. Tuesday afternoon. North Strabane police charged her with two felony counts of aggravated cruelty — one for causing serious...
Sewickley launches new alert system to send official borough emergency messages
Sewickley area residents and business owners have a new way to get official emergency alerts from the borough. Emergency management coordinator Michael Mullins said SewickleyAlerts, a mass communication alert system through OnSolve, recently launched. Sewickley partnered with the company to use CodeRED, a cloud-based software system that sends out messages...
Fan came from Illinois to the North Shore to root for the Steelers with family, Pittsburghers
Susan Young wore a T.J. Watt jersey with a big Steelers logo hanging from a thick gold chain as she watched Pittsburgh play without the star linebacker in Monday’s wild-card game against Buffalo. Young, of Effingham, Ill., is the Pittsburgh fan in her family, and her husband, who goes by...
Parkway East ramp at Forest Hills reopens after tractor-trailer overturned
The Parkway East ramp from Forest Hills/Route 30 to westbound Interstate 376 has reopened after being forced to closed due to an overturned tractor-trailer, PennDOT announced. The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. Friday. It is unclear what caused the crash. No injuries were reported....
More Quaker Valley area governments organize their leadership for the year
More Quaker Valley area communities welcomed their newly-elected officials as well as appointed their council leaders. Bell Acres Mayor Kenneth Alvania swore in Christopher Abell, Lane Grafton and Gregory Molchen to their new council seats. This will be Abell’s fifth term, Grafton’s second and Molchen’s first term. David Renfrew was...
Dorseyville Middle School honors band flutists perform for Fox Chapel Area School Board
Members of the Dorseyville Middle School honors band performed at the district’s school board meeting Jan. 8. The flute ensemble, under the direction of band director Anne Goggin, played the national anthem as well as a selection from “The Sound of Music.” The performance was part of the school’s way...
More local governments reorganize their leadership
More Fox Chapel-area governments welcomed their newly elected council members and supervisors, as well as appointed their top officials earlier this month. Blawnox Mayor Anthony Gross swore in Elaine Palmer, John Simmons and Christine Carnevali to their new council seats. Deborah Laskey and Randall Stoddard were reappointed as council president...
Sewickley borough manager gets new 2-year deal
Sewickley officials have approved a new employment agreement with borough manager Donna Kaib. Council unanimously voted Jan. 9 to retain its top administrator the next two years. The agreement comes with a big pump in pay from when she was first hired in August 2021. Kaib’s starting salary for the...
Sewickley library book returned 54 years later
It’s not often that something lost for more than half a century is recovered. Such a moment happened this past holiday season at the Sewickley Public Library. Former borough resident Carol Patterson McIntyre took out a copy of “Beowulf” in 1969. She said she borrowed it for an assignment her...
Woman pinned between store and vehicle in Pittsburgh’s South Side
A woman is recovering after being pinned pinned between a vehicle and a building in connection with a crash in Pittsburgh’s South Side on Wednesday afternoon. Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson Emily Bourne said detectives were investigating a robbery at a convenience store along the 2400 block of East Carson Street...
Police: Man shot in Pittsburgh’s Crawford Roberts neighborhood in critical condition
A man was hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday evening after being shot in Pittsburgh’s Crawford Roberts neighborhood. Public Safety spokesperson Emily Bourne said officers responded to the 1900 block of Bedford Avenue shortly before 6 p.m. for ShotSpotter alert that indicated that eight shots had been fired. Police located a...
Clean finish: Penn Hills native calls it a career after 35 years in the ring
The end of last year was the end of an era for a Springdale man. Shawn Patrick, known in Western Pennsylvania pro wrestling circuits as “The Pride of Springdale,” is putting away his bow tie and suspenders after 35 years as a referee. The 1983 Dynamo grad and former Springdale...
Fox Chapel Area School District officials approve new security upgrades
Fox Chapel Area School District officials are starting off the new year by spending nearly $379,000 on security upgrades. Board members unanimously voted Monday night to approve an approximately $254,900 proposal from Convergint Technologies and a five-year deal with AEC Group at a cost of about $123,700. The meeting agenda...
Aleppo holds the line on property taxes with this year’s budget
Aleppo property owners will not have to pay more in township real estate taxes this year. Commissioners recently adopted their 2024 budget and maintained the millage rate at 3.5 mills. Township manager Gwen Patterson said Aleppo has not raised taxes in more than 15 years. Projected revenues and expenses were...
Sewickley patrolman Mark Smilek remembered for dedication, bringing joy to others
A Sewickley police officer who died after battling leukemia the past seven years is being remembered as a protector who brought joy to many. Part-time Officer Mark Smilek was a former Pentagon police officer who was at the facility during the 9/11 attacks, with a law enforcement career that spanned...
Crash injures at least 1 on Route 8 near Etna
Route 8 between Kittanning Street and Route 28 in Etna has reopened in both directions after being closed for several hours Monday afternoon following a crash in which two men were hospitalized. Allegheny County dispatch said calls for the vehicle rollover came in about 2:30 p.m. Etna police and firefighters...
Leetsdale approves 5-year contract for Rave Alert system
Leetsdale officials recently approved a new five-year deal for the use of a messaging system to help alert residents of emergencies and borough events. Council voted Dec. 14 to approve the continued use of Rave Alert, a mass notification system through Rave Mobile Safety, at a cost of $1,250 a...
