Is Bigfoot on Chestnut Ridge? Derry’s Railroad Days offers sightings tour
Bill Rigby believes he had a face-to-face encounter with Bigfoot several years ago in Ohio. On Saturday, he’ll guide passengers on a Derry bus tour of sightings of the legendary creature closer to home — on portions of Chestnut Ridge overlooking the town. Offered five times throughout the day, the...
Realtors, experts weigh in on Pittsburgh housing market for median income earners
Editor’s note: This is the first in an occasional series on real estate market trends in Western Pennsylvania. Ashlea Lee was tired of hunting for pet-friendly rental apartments for Reese, her 5-year-old golden retriever. The Westmoreland County native and Greensburg Central Catholic alumna knew what she wanted: a modest ranch,...
Road work to limit local sections of Route 28 to single-lane traffic
Motorists using Route 28 will face several traffic restrictions next week. Beginning Monday PennDOT will have overnight ramp closures on northbound Route 28 in Etna and Pittsburgh, weather permitting. To allow guide rail, pavement marking, and sign installation work ramps will close overnight according to the following schedule: • Northbound...
Franklin Regional community remembers creativity of senior found dead outside schoolVideo
Schoolmates and friends said Tayson Foltz always left them smiling. About 300 candles were lit Thursday evening in memory of the Franklin Regional student, who was found dead outside the school last weekend. Those who shared memories of the high school senior at the vigil at Murrysville’s Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church...
Pitt’s new $240M rec center is a game-changer for students — and it’s free to use
Carla Panzella says she has a different answer each time she’s asked about her favorite part of the University of Pittsburgh’s new 270,000-square-foot recreation and wellness center. There’s much to pick from at the new space, which opened to Pitt students Sunday at 3921 O’Hara St. It boasts nine stories,...
Testimony undermines mental illness claim by Munhall homicide defendant
During opening statements on Monday, Darion Abel’s attorney asked a jury to find his client guilty but mentally ill of shooting his girlfriend 17 times in her Munhall home. But on Thursday, Abel’s own expert psychiatrist testified that the defendant has no mental illness of any kind. No diagnosis. No...
Shaler Area plan calls for closing elementary school, changing where some grades are housed
The Shaler Area School District has prepared a plan that calls for closing the district’s elementary school and changing where some grade levels are housed. The district announced Thursday that it will present the plan, called “Building for Tomorrow,” during a community forum beginning at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29,...
He died from pneumonia 17 years after being shot. Now it’s a homicide case.
The December death of a man who was shot more than 17 years ago in North Braddock has been ruled a homicide. William Loughner had been drinking iced tea at Crud’s Bar on Brinton Avenue on June 27, 2008, when a pair of masked gunman stormed in and demanded money,...
Fetterman breaks with party over tactics to keep Obamacare subsidies
Congressional Democrats won’t get any help from U.S. Sen. John Fetterman as they risk a government shutdown in a bid to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies. The Braddock Democrat, who has a habit of breaking with his party at inopportune times, said Tuesday his philosophical opposition to shutdowns comes before his...
Ford City woman charged again after 4th dead infant found in home she rented
Investigators say they’ve found a fourth dead infant in the Cadogan house Jessica Mauthe had been renting after police searched it last week. Police initially reported three dead infants in the residence, but new charges filed against Mauthe accuse her of concealing an additional corpse. Mauthe’s former landlord located the...
North Allegheny gearing up for annual homecoming festivities Oct. 3
It’s almost time to come home to North Allegheny for its annual homecoming football game Oct. 3, which will pit the Tigers against Mt. Lebanon at 7:30 p.m. at Newman Stadium on the high school campus, 10375 Perry Highway. The event will feature food trucks, various games and other family-friendly...
Pirates’ Paul Skenes joins Gary Sinise Foundation to serve lunch, give aid to local first respondersVideo
Paul Skenes is usually serving up fastballs, not baked beans. But the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher swapped his rosin bag for an apron and serving spoon on Thursday morning, helping members of the nonprofit Gary Sinise Foundation present a grant and serve lunch to firefighters and paramedics in Monroeville at the...
‘We will miss u’: Memorial grows to Castle Shannon teen who died in arson
Lakyn Shelleby lived loudly. Friends and neighbors adored her, recalling an upbeat, fierce-willed young woman described by her boss as a “ball of energy.” The 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh, sometimes photographed sporting a nose ring or strands of blue hair, died Sunday, an alleged homicide victim trapped...
Chat with Trump at wrestling match helped salvage U.S. Steel deal, McCormick says
Just days after being sworn into office, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick had lunch with a group of U.S. Steel workers who favored the company’s sale to Nippon Steel. That January meeting convinced the Pittsburgh Republican of the controversial deal’s merits, McCormick said Wednesday at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C....
Westmoreland County to furlough staff, partially close parks as Pa. budget impasse continues
Westmoreland commissioners said employees will be furloughed in two weeks and the county parks will partially close in early October as a result of the ongoing state budget impasse. Commissioners on Thursday instructed department heads to make recommendations for a temporary job reduction plan as part of continued cost-savings efforts....
Duquesne University to offer real estate major
A college degree isn’t required to hold a real estate license, but Duquesne University officials say a new program they’ll offer will give students a leg up in that field. Duquesne will be offering an undergraduate Real Estate major, minor and certificate program beginning next fall. “There’s a lot of...
Pittsburgh airport’s traveler satisfaction likely to rise with new terminal, survey says
Pittsburgh International Airport has ranked 13th for medium sized airport in this year’s North America Airport Satisfaction Study, just ahead of the unveiling of the new terminal project. A travel intelligence expert says the new terminal could help to improve Pittsburgh’s rankings. Mike Taylor, senior managing director of travel intelligence...
McCandless Community Day doubles its attendance with longer day, more offerings
Warm weather and pleasant skies welcomed visitors to the annual McCandless Community Day, held Sept. 13 in and around Town Hall along Grubbs Road. While it’s difficult to know for sure, Manager John Schwend estimated the number of attendees was between 2,000 and 2,500, doubling last year’s crowd. “We heard...
State budget impasse prompts Allegheny County hiring, spending freeze
Allegheny County is freezing hiring and spending because of a state budget impasse that has left funding in limbo. The county is losing out on about $75 million per quarter until the state adopts a budget. The county has a $3.1 billion budget, which has been under increasing pressure. The...
Energy Transfer gives $10,000 toward gear for McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority
A recent grant of more than $10,000 to the McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority helped purchase vital turnout gear for its members, thanks to a First Responder Fund by Energy Transfer. The grant was announced with a check presentation Sept. 15 at the MFPAA board meeting held at the main station...
Springdale to impose fines for vacant, abandoned properties
After passing a new ordinance Tuesday, Springdale may soon begin fining owners of vacant or abandoned properties in the borough. Springdale Borough Manager Terry Carcella said it’s part of an “aggressive” new plan to combat neglected properties in the area. “By doing nothing, that won’t work for the borough,” he...
Artists think big, paint small at ’24 Minis’ exhibit in Tarentum
Even if you’re painting a life-size depiction of baby birds, you don’t need a huge canvas. That’s part of the reason why Murrysville artist Betty Trout decided to focus on multiple families of robins in her backyard as the subject of her entry in the “24 Minis” exhibit at the...
Here are 5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Sept. 19-21
The last official weekend of summer is upon us. Fall is coming Monday, so plan your next few days around these events to enjoy the last moments of the season. Rod Stewart tribute Singer Rod Stewart has enjoyed a decades-long music career, performing rock to adult contemporary and beyond. This...
Allegheny Valley to construct handicapped parking lot at new turf field
Allegheny Valley School District says it’s in the initial stages of building an ADA-compliant parking area near its new artificial turf field across Butler Road from Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School. Superintendent Patrick Graczyk said the district is in discussions with FieldTurf USA, the contractor that recently installed the turf, to...
Morning Roundup: Man shot in Carrick; 5-year Fayette fugitive arrested in West Virginia
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, Sept. 18: Man shot in Carrick A 28-year-old man was shot in the foot Wednesday night in Pittsburgh’s Carrick neighborhood, according to police. At 9:45 p.m., the man arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound to...