Feast of the 7 Fishes fuels Christmas Eve frenzy in Pittsburgh’s Strip District
Brad Quartuccio refused to allow fate to disrupt a Christmas Eve tradition — prepping for his family’s Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian-American celebration revolving around succulent seafood. The Morningside resident and his son Sal, 7, marched proudly around 10 a.m. Wednesday through Wholey’s packed aisles, bags of shrimp...
Monroeville man will march in Tournament of Roses Parade with a band of, well, band directors
Michael Buckstein might be an assistant band director at the University of Pittsburgh, but it has still been a while since he practiced his heel-toe marching step. He’s been brushing up lately, though, after being chosen to perform with the Band Directors’ Marching Band at the annual Tournament of Roses...
Hempfield awards $1.3M contract to connect new municipal complex to Five Star Trail
Hempfield awarded a $1.3 million contract Monday for a project that will connect the township’s new municipal complex with the Five Star Trail. Construction firm A. Liberoni Inc. of Plum was the lowest bidder for all five facets of the project. Township manager Aaron Siko said work is anticipated to...
More than 100 academic offerings on PennWest’s chopping block
Pennsylvania Western University could end more than 100 academic programs as the college prepares to adapt to demographic and enrollment declines impacting schools nationally. In a Dec. 12 email to faculty and obtained by TribLive, Interim Provost James Fisher recommends more than 100 academic programs to be placed in moratorium...
Merry Christmas from the Stroller
Merry Christmas, dearest readers A very Merry Christmas to all our loyal readers and their families! May the peace and joy of the season remain in your heart all year-round. - Carol Pinto-Smith Supply donations welcome at Knead Community Cafe Knead Community Café in New Kensington has a wish list...
Man accused of trying to pull gun on police in Verona
A routine foot patrol turned violent Tuesday evening after, Verona Police say, a man tried to pull a gun on police when they attempted to arrest him. According to Verona Police Chief Thomas Dessell, officers were “conducting a proactive foot patrol” on the 400 block of School Street just before...
Annual Oakmont Christmas tree collection to benefit goats
Oakmont is giving folks another chance to supply tasty treats to the goats that help keep weeds under control in the borough. For the fourth year, the borough will collect Christmas trees for the furry friends at Capricious Goats LLC. The group of working goats, affectionately known as the “Munch...
Crews extinguish Lower Burrell house fire
Crews across the Alle-Kiski Valley battled a house fire with hoarding conditions Wednesday morning in Lower Burrell. The fire was reported just before 8 a.m. in the 4000 block of James Drive. Upon arrival, crews saw smoke showing in the basement and rear of the building, said Brennan Sites, chief...
All 750 Clairton City students get grocery gift cards for Christmas
Every student in Clairton City School District went home with a $50 grocery gift card to help fill their pantry over the holidays thanks to a partnership between two local nonprofits. The Will Allen Foundation, founded by the former safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, along with the Eden Hall Foundation,...
Pedestrian struck and killed in Brownsville
A pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle Monday evening along Route 40 in Brownsville, according to TribLive news partner, WTAE. The victim was identified as Mark Smith, 30, according to the Fayette County District Attorney’s Office. The driver initially kept going, allegedly unsure of what she hit, according...
Morning Roundup: Shooting in Beechview; North Park skating rink begins its season
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Dec. 24: _______________________________________ Shooting in Beechview A man is recovering after being shot Tuesday in the city’s Beechview neighborhood, authorities said. Police responded at about 9 p.m. to the 1500 block of Rockland Avenue where they found a...
Faces of the Valley: Teacher provides special experiences for New Ken-Arnold kindergarten students
Julie Erb remembers one of her kindergarten students years ago telling her all they wanted for Christmas was a blanket. “A lot of kids, we don’t know them. Kids in the past have told me, there’s no Christmas tree at home,” said Erb, a kindergarten teacher at Martin Elementary School...
The Stroller, Dec. 24, 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. Merry Christmas “No one...
Toys for Tots campaign: More Western Pennsylvania children in need
Demand for Toys for Tots assistance climbed in the Alle-Kiski Valley this holiday season and held steady in Westmoreland County, reflecting continued financial strain on families. In the Alle-Kiski Valley, coordinators reported about 700 more children in need of holiday gifts this year, a significant jump from last year, when...
Ligonier Valley School District silent on how graduate entered high school, harassed student
A Ligonier Valley graduate pleaded guilty Monday to harassing a student inside the high school, but district officials are refusing to say how the graduate bypassed security to enter the building — or to commit to changing safety measures. Xavior P. Reynolds, 18, of St. Clair Township entered Ligonier Valley...
Officers bring gifts, holiday cheer during 14th annual Presents From PoliceVideo
When Aspinwall police Deputy Chief Michael Vith enters a room, it isn’t typically accompanied by whooping and applause. Then again, he’s not typically carrying a sack full of presents with Santa and Mrs. Claus trailing close behind. “It’s a little different from when we walked into the hospital, huh? Everyone’s...
Plum’s Make-A-Wish telethon cracks $1.25 million all-time total in 25th edition
When Rick Berrott started Plum’s Make-A-Wish telethon in 1999, the event lasted a few hours and was filmed on VHS tapes. But in its 25th edition on Monday and Tuesday, students stayed on the digital airwaves for more than 12 hours to crack an all-time total of $1.25 million. Berrott,...
Federal agency recommends 2 safety recommendations in Clairton Coke Works plant
An independent, nonregulatory federal agency investigating a deadly explosion at the U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works plant this fall issued two interim safety recommendations Tuesday. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board recommends U.S. Steel thoroughly evaluates all buildings at the Clairton facility that are currently occupied or could...
Court papers shed light on ICE arrest of Latino man in Mt. Washington
A man who struggled with federal immigration officers last week in Mt. Washington before being whisked away in a white van is a Nicaraguan national targeted after he tried to buy a gun, according to papers filed Tuesday in federal court. Darwin Alexander Davila-Perez, whose age is not listed in...
Pa.’s top election official battles DOJ demand for voter data
Pennsylvania’s top election official wants a judge to toss out a lawsuit by the federal government demanding “highly sensitive personal information” about the state’s voters. The U.S. Department of Justice sued Pennsylvania in September after the state initially failed to turn over data about its nearly 9 million registered voters....
In brief: Happenings across the North Allegheny Journal area
North Park’s ice rink to open Dec. 24 North Park’s ice-skating rink at 1101 Pearce Mill Road in Pine will open for the season on Wednesday, Dec. 24. Public skating will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 24. The rink will be closed on Christmas Day. It will...
Body of missing Avonmore man found after multiday search, EMS official explains the difficult recovery process
Authorities confirmed Tuesday that the body of 31-year-old Cory Dominic Cook has been recovered, ending a multiday search along the Allegheny River near Manor Township in Armstrong County. Cook’s body was pulled from the Allegheny River around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to a press release by Armstrong County Coroner Brian...
Burrell’s Kids for Kids market grows, engages older students in 6th year
Madison McMann and Lyla Twidwell had their business strategy down to a science Tuesday morning at Charles A. Huston Middle School in Lower Burrell. Lyla, 10, had a display of earrings she molded and created together with her aunt, Laura Twidwell. Madison, 10, was selling art pieces she had made....
Gainey to let 2026 Pittsburgh budget become law without his signature
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey plans to let next year’s $693 million, City Council-backed budget — and the 20% property tax hike set to come with it — become law without his signature. Gainey, in a letter Tuesday to council President R. Daniel Lavelle, called the 2026 budget he initially pitched...
Gilpin passes budget with no tax increase
The Gilpin supervisors have passed a 2026 budget with no tax increase. The budget includes a little over $971,000 in revenue and just over $1.06 million in expenditures. Sharon Long, the township secretary/treasurer, said the township will be using money left over from this year to close the gap. Larger...
