State trooper struck by vehicle while at scene of previous Butler County crash
A state trooper from the Butler station was struck by a vehicle while investigating a previous two-vehicle crash Monday afternoon in Butler County. The trooper was taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries and was in stable condition, according to state police. The driver of the vehicle that...
Death of teen struck by car in West Mifflin ruled accidental
The death of a 13-year-old boy struck by a car in West Mifflin over the weekend has been ruled an accident, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said Monday. Terrel “TJ” Byars Jr. of Homewood was hit in front of a Speedway convenience store at 4315 Kennywood Blvd. Saturday evening...
Ross posthumously honors business owner Bobby Colosimo for generosity to community
Ross resident and business owner Bobby Colosimo was a “workaholic,” says his wife, Robin. But he didn’t work just for himself. He started a landscape supply business, The Barn, for his son, David, and founded a real estate company, BMDS, for the benefit of his four granddaughters. “Everything that Bobby...
Water main break temporarily closes Pittsburgh Zoo
A water main break has disrupted several events at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. The zoo shut down for repairs Monday around 12:30 p.m., according to its website. That forced the closure of Wild Illuminations, its annual holiday lantern experience, according to Michael Schroeder, a zoo spokesman. Wild Illuminations, which...
Pittsburgh invokes eminent domain to seize Homewood apartment building
Pittsburgh City Councilman Khari Mosley is invoking the city’s eminent domain powers in an effort to preserve a 100-unit apartment complex in Homewood as affordable housing. “We’re really trying to do three things: prevent displacement, preserve affordable housing and prevent the property from going into the hands of another bad...
Community rallies around Leechburg business after Christmas vandalism
The Leechburg community wasted no time rallying around a local business after it was vandalized late Dec. 25. Honeybee and Co. on Market Street has received monetary and product donations after the shop’s “Lovely Little Locker,” a donation cabinet filled with free hygiene items, was vandalized. Destiney Beatty, who co-owns...
Buffalo Township approves tax hike to rebuild reserves
Buffalo Township residents will see another bump in their property taxes next year after township supervisors opted to raise the township’s millage rate in their recently passed budget. It raises real estate taxes about 22% from 13.5 mills to 16.5 mills. That means the owner of a property at the...
No tax increase for South Buffalo residents next year
Next year, South Buffalo residents can expect their tax bills to remain the same. The township passed its 2026 budget without a tax hike for the 16th consecutive year earlier this month. South Buffalo’s property tax rate will remain at 5.7 mills. That means for a home at the township’s...
Pittsburgh police arrest woman for hitting puppy, sealing it in suitcase
Pittsburgh police arrested a “heavily intoxicated” woman on the North Side for stuffing a puppy into a suitcase and zipping the bag closed. Jayme White, 56, remained Monday in the Allegheny County Jail on $1,000 bail, court records show. Her home address was not listed in court records. Pittsburgh police...
Plum School District’s new finance director returns to role he previously occupied
John Zahorchak is set to return to Plum School District as its new director of finance and operations. Zahorchak, a Plum resident, previously served in the same role from 2016-2021 before leaving for neighboring Penn Hills School District. There, he helped oversee Penn Hills’ exit from financial recovery status in...
Tree of Life gunman appeals death sentence, seeks new hearing
Nearly 2½ years after Robert Bowers was condemned to die for killing 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue, his attorneys have appealed the death sentence and are seeking a new sentencing hearing. Bowers’ lawyers raised 16 claims throughout a nearly 500-page legal brief filed earlier this month with the 3rd...
High winds, snow showers close out 2025 in Western Pa.
Thousands of residents were left without power Monday after a windstorm tore through the region, snapping tree limbs and forcing the early closure of the Westmoreland County Courthouse. The powerful system, which saw gusts peaking between 45 mph and 55 mph, left about 10,000 customers in the dark across Westmoreland...
So long 2025: Here are some events to ring in the New Year
Ready to put 2025 in the rearview mirror? New Year’s Eve is fast approaching, and it’s a great time to put on a fancy outfit, raise a glass and look forward to all of the good things 2026 will bring. If First Night isn’t for you, here are a few...
North Huntingdon is closer to adopting solar power ordinance
North Huntingdon officials are moving closer to joining other Westmoreland County municipalities in passing an ordinance to govern solar power installations. The township commissioners met this month to request revisions to a proposed ordinance regulating solar power arrays. Harry Faulk, township manager, said a third draft of the regulations should...
Pennsylvania Turnpike reopens in New Stanton
The Pennsylvania Turnpike eastbound has reopened in New Stanton after a crash east of the Allegheny Tunnel. State police said a commercial vehicle rolled on its side shortly before 6 a.m. near mile 129 between the Somerset and Bedford interchanges, blocking all of the lanes. A California man lost control...
The Stroller, Dec. 29, 2025: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Christmas tree recycling locations...
90-year-old artist paints portraits of caregivers who helped her recover at Plum retirement community
When a broken leg rendered Eva Lu Damianos mostly immobile in June, a whole team of nurses, aides and therapists assembled to get her back on her feet. Months later — now sauntering around with the help of a walker — Damianos, 90, has chosen to express her gratitude by...
Carnegie Mellon’s AI-driven speech reconstruction tool aims to bridge gap for children’s speech disorders
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University hope an AI-driven speech reconstruction tool can bridge the gap between a growing population of children with speech disorders and a significant shortage of speech-language pathologists. The tool combines machine learning with human speech to create audio clips of correct speech that sound like the...
Unity Township considers higher taxes to support fire departments, infrastructure and services
For the first time in more than half a century, Unity officials are proposing to increase the township real estate tax by doubling it to 4.4 mills. The township supervisors will hold a special meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday to vote on the tax hike and the tentative 2026 budget...
Longtime volunteer retires from board of Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization
A lifelong Sharpsburg resident, antique aficionado and volunteer board member for the Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization recently was recognized for eight years of service. Charles “Chas” Smith Jr. retired from SNO in December. He was recognized with the distinguished Board Service Award for outstanding volunteerism by board chair Lauren Bucaro. Smith,...
Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization continues mission of creating a ‘community of opportunity’
Jodi Klebick is relishing her role as executive director of the Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization, a nonprofit working to improve the quality of life for Sharpsburg residents. Klebick, who was hired in 2024, resides in Highland Park, but most days she can be found at SNO’s headquarters at 511 S. Main...
East Allegheny elementary student dies after being hit by car in West Mifflin
A 13-year-old East Allegheny School District student died after being hit by a car Saturday in West Mifflin. Terrel “TJ” Byars Jr., of Wilmerding, was hit in front of Speedway at 4315 Kennywood Blvd. shortly after 5 p.m. No information about the incident was immediately available from West Mifflin police....
Death of woman in Pittsburgh’s Perry North neighborhood ‘suspicious,’ police say
A woman’s death in Pittsburgh’s Perry North neighborhood is considered suspicious, police said Sunday. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner identified the woman as Michelle Sturdivant, 44, of Pittsburgh. First responders went to the 100 block of Watson Boulevard just after 2 a.m. Sunday for reports of an unresponsive woman. According...
Ohio man dies after single-vehicle crash on I-376 in Findlay
A 70-year-old man from Ohio died after a single-vehicle crash Saturday morning on Interstate 376 in Findlay, according to Pennsylvania State Police. State police identified the man as Edward D. White, of Grove City, Ohio. The crash happened shortly before 8 a.m. near the 53.5-mile marker. According to state police,...
Duquesne Light restores power to nearly all impacted by outages
Power outages that had impacted thousands of Duquesne Light customers in Allegheny County on Sunday were mostly resolved by shortly before 6 p.m., according to the utility. Earlier in the day, outages were affecting about 1,500 customers in the areas of Mt. Oliver, Allentown and the South Side slopes. About...
