Allegheny category, Page 21
War, apartment fire punctuate Ukrainian woman’s unexpectedly long stay in Western Pa.
Nadiia Koshykova packed light on Dec. 12, 2021, when she traveled by rail, then by plane, from her native Ukraine to visit her son’s family in their Ohio Township home. “I have one suitcase — winter clothes,” Koshykova, 66, said. “I wanted to see America and then return back to...
North Allegheny snags top spot in 2026 Niche ratings as best school district in Pittsburgh area
North Allegheny School District achieved the No. 1 spot as the best school district in the Pittsburgh area, and second out of 494 other districts in the state, according to the 2026 K-12 School and District Niche ratings. It also scored third in the state as the best place to...
Pa. attorney general charges Pine woman for alleged forged signatures for school board election
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against a Pine woman on Thursday for allegedly forging at least four signatures on primary nomination paperwork for a Pine-Richland School Board candidate. Kayla Van Blargan, 36, is charged with forgery, perjury and several other related offenses. According to the Attorney General’s Office,...
McCandless manager notes ‘majestic’-looking crew in ‘The Office’-like prank to mark work anniversary
The Town of McCandless recently had a workday that looked a little like an episode of “The Office.” Modeling prank-like humor from the popular television comedy from the 2000s, the crew in McCandless had their fun to celebrate town Manager John Schwend’s one-year work anniversary. “I was suspicious when I...
Three Rivers Heritage Trail gap named as state priority
A critical missing link on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail is getting some love from the state. The Millvale/Shaler/Etna gap has been designated as one of the state’s priorities by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said Kate Angell of nonprofit Friends of the Riverfront. Her group manages the...
West View man charged with igniting Ross ATM as anti-government act
A West View man turned himself in connection with the firebombing of an ATM in Ross early Wednesday, telling police he wanted to make a “statement” against the federal government. Keith J. Coyne, Jr., 46, is charged with arson and criminal mischief. Police say Coyne confessed to lighting a Chase...
Man who fell at PNC Park charged with prowling at ex’s house
The man who recently made a triumphant return to PNC Park after suffering serious injuries from a 21-foot fall there in April has been charged with prowling at his ex-girlfriend’s house. Kavan Markwood, 21, of McKeesport faces a misdemeanor charge of loitering and prowling at nighttime. Markwood’s ex-girlfriend, who has...
Blawnox marks borough’s 100th anniversary with huge celebration in its community park
Blawnox residents and those from surrounding communities came together in the community park for a celebration a century in the making. The borough marked its 100th anniversary with multiple live acts, various artisans, animals, activities and a drone show on Sept. 20. The most important part of it all was...
Guided hike with rangers at Hartwood Acres Park highlights conservation efforts of women
On a sunny Saturday afternoon in Hartwood Acres Park, a group of hikers followed rangers through wooded trails and grassy meadows to learn about the women who created and maintained the beautiful nature around them — from Rachel Carson’s fight against pesticides to Caren Glotfelty’s work restoring bird habitats. Hikers...
Abandoned property could help create unified area for Monroeville senior center, library, Gateway campus
An oddly shaped piece of property off Mosside Boulevard in Monroeville could be the key to creating an expanded area for use by residents, Gateway School District students and staff, and Monroeville Public Library patrons. “It’s a unique historical property,” Monroeville Municipal Manager Alex Graziani said of about 4.2 acres...
Trial testimony: McKeesport man accused of shooting his mother had violent past
Prosecutors on Wednesday set out to show John Malcolm Smith V had a history of violence before he allegedly shot his mother. On the second day of the trial, Danita Jones and Sonya Peoples of the neighborhood “happy hour crew,” testified on behalf of their dead friend, Antoinette Porterfield. “She...
Golf simulator business, comedy club opening soon in Ross
A golf simulation business and a stand-up comedy club are opening this Friday in Ross. At The Block Northway, 9 Yards Golf will have a soft opening Friday morning for its new location on the upper level of the south corridor. At Remo’s Event Center on Babcock Boulevard, The Comedy...
Team Friends announces new chapter, its first out of state, during annual fundraiser
A local nonprofit with four Western Pennsylvania chapters is following the yellow brick road to a new frontier — West Virginia. Supporters of Team Friends gathered Sept. 23 at Narcisi Winery in West Deer for its annual fundraiser. They spent the evening enjoying live music by Acoustic Union, wine tastings,...
7th annual Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival draws record crowd while supporting breast cancer survivors
Dragons were spotted recently on North Park Lake, but they weren’t the fire-breathing kind. And the misty morning provided the perfect backdrop for the seventh annual Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival on Sept. 27, hosted by Pittsburgh Hearts of Steel, a nonprofit breast cancer awareness organization. Dragon boat racing is a...
Chase Bank ATM firebombed along McKnight Road in Ross
Within hours of a shootout late Tuesday night at Ross Park Mall, an ATM was firebombed along McKnight Road, according to township police. A nearby witness reported the firebombing shortly after midnight, Ross Deputy Chief Brian Kohlhelpp said. The drive-thru ATM is located under a canopy in the parking lot...
Shoppers return to Ross Park Mall as police continue to investigate shootout in parking lot
People were shopping, eating and walking at Ross Park Mall on Wednesday, a sunny morning after a shootout Tuesday night in the mall’s parking lot left at least one person hurt. Gene Pancheri and his wife, Antoinette, of Pittsburgh were among the mall walkers getting in their steps, as they...
Meet the winners of the 2025 Phipps Sustainable Garden Awards from Phipps Conservatory
With such an abundance of wildlife and green space in the Pittsburgh area, it’s no wonder that the region boasts such passionate gardeners. Each year, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens recognizes local green thumbs who have cultivated exceptional outdoor spaces using Phipps’ principles of sustainable land care with the Phipps...
Etna, Reserve should form regional police department, study finds
A state study recommends that Etna and Reserve form a regional police department, while also finding that doing so will cost each municipality more for police services. The Governor’s Center for Local Government Services at the state Department of Community and Economic Development prepared the report at the request of...
Police investigating gunfight at Ross Park Mall parking lot, minivan sought
Ross police are investigating a gunfight that took place in a parking lot at the Ross Park Mall on Tuesday evening. Emergency calls for the incident came in shortly before 8 p.m. The incident occurred near the Dick’s Sporting Goods and Nordstrom store, according to news partners WTAE. Ross Township...
Crash closes Route 28 North between Millvale, Etna
Route 28 coming out of Pittsburgh is jammed because of a crash. The crash happened around 4 p.m., closing the northbound lanes between the Millvale and Etna interchanges, a PennDOT spokesman said. The crash was cleared and the road began reopening around 4:40 p.m., but traffic remained congested from the...
Anthony D’Imperio, former owner of D’Imperio’s Restaurant in Wilkins, dies
The owner of popular Monroeville-area eatery D’Imperio’s who was known as much for his hospitable nature as his restaurant was for its authentic Italian food has died. Restaurant owner, Vietnam veteran and first-generation Italian immigrant Anthony “Tony” D’Imperio died on Sept. 6 at age 81. No cause of death was...
Man on trial for killing his mom in Homestead acts as own lawyer
The accused stood nervously in front of an Allegheny County jury and pledged to prove he didn’t kill his mother and her friend in Homestead last year. Defendant John Malcolm Smith V, 26, of McKeesport was acting as his own lawyer Tuesday, the start of his double homicide trial. He’s...
Monroeville insurance agent charged for 3rd time with fraudulent business practices
A Monroeville insurance agent has been charged for the third time in less than two years with fraudulent business practices. Prosecutors in this most recent case with the Pennsylvania Attorney General say Chad G. Skena, 48, of Monroeville, talked a client into investing more than $75,000 in a phony business...
Man pleads guilty to wrong-way DUI crash on Parkway East that killed 2
A man whose blood-alcohol level was more than triple the legal limit when he drove the wrong way on the Parkway East earlier this year and killed two women will spend up to six years in state prison. Pedro Olan Morales, 57, of Charlotte, N.C., pleaded guilty on Tuesday to...
Shaler Area parents, residents pose questions, offer opinions on proposed reconfiguration
A proposed reconfiguration of the Shaler Area School District built around closing its elementary school has been met with a mixture of public support and opposition, along with questions and concerns. Superintendent Bryan O’Black took questions and comments from residents Monday at Shaler Area High School after giving a presentation...
