Mayor defends New Kensington water authority board appointment
A divided New Kensington Council appointed a retired Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County employee to the New Kensington Water Authority board. Council voted 3-2 to appoint Tom Ceraso to the water authority board, for a term that expires at the end of 2027. One resident, Melvyn Smith, believed Ceraso’s appointment...
Judge slashes bond amount needed to block Strip District bike lane work
A judge on Wednesday dramatically reduced the bond the Strip District Business Association must pay to force Pittsburgh to temporarily halt efforts to change a portion of Penn Avenue to a one-lane street with a bike lane. Despite the move, the business group continued to object to paying any amount....
Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School’s lobby renovations to wrap by end of November
The monthslong lobby improvement project at Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School will be nearly complete by the end of next month, according to district Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Jay Zangrille. Construction of larger restrooms in the lobby, as well as a separate one for use by one person at a time,...
Section of Pillow Avenue in Springdale Township to remain closed through October
A small stretch of Pillow Avenue in Springdale Township will remain closed through late October for drainage improvements, according to PennDOT. Traffic will be detoured between Hite and Low Grade roads. Motorists will have to divert their routes through Harmar via Route 28. Crews from A. Liberoni, Inc. will conduct...
Retention, community college transfers highlight Pa. state system’s enrollment increase
Fall enrollment at the 10 universities that make up the state system of higher education increased for the first time in more than a decade, with the biggest gains coming from retention and community college transfers, according to data released Tuesday. Enrollment in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education...
Fire departments spread awareness with annual prevention night at Westmoreland Mall
Fire trucks from area departments descended on a Westmoreland Mall parking lot Tuesday to spread awareness about fire prevention. The 29th annual Hempfield-Greensburg Fire Prevention Night drew families who, despite rainy weather, got to check out the rigs and demonstrations from firefighters. It was a regional opportunity for fire departments...
Habitat project at Deer Creek cuts sediment, boosts water quality
Thousands of trout stocked each year in Indiana Township’s Deer Creek will soon have a healthier habitat. A project to stabilize a portion of the creek’s eroding streambank is expected to cut excess sedimentation by 18.7 tons a year, according to the Western PA Conservancy. The nonprofit partnered with the...
Street smarts and online safety seminar offered in Harrison
Social media safety and trending scams will be the topics of discussion during a free presentation at the Allegheny Kiski Health Foundation in Harrison. Township police will present “Street Smarts and Safety: Exploitation, Awareness and Staying in Control,” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19. The program is for all...
Penn Township dental office plans free care day for veterans, service members
A Penn Township dental office is joining ranks with similar practices in multiple states this week to provide free care to military veterans and service members. It’s the first year for the Pearl Dentistry office to participate in Freedom Day USA, a program founded in 2013 by a West Virginia...
The Stroller, Oct. 8, 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. Halloween costumes available at...
New Kensington man charged with causing serious injuries to his baby
A New Kensington man is accused of causing serious injuries to his 2-month-old infant. New Kensington police filed aggravated assault, child endangerment and obstruction charges against Jacob Alexander Piontek, 25, after his child suffered seizures, a stroke and brain trauma after being in his care, according to a criminal complaint....
12th Trick or Trot benefiting NA Foundation coming up; 2026 distinguished alumni named
The spirited Trick or Trot 5K and 1-mile fun-run race, one of North Allegheny Foundation’s biggest fundraisers, returns for its 12th year Oct. 25 on the campus of Marshall elementary and middle schools off Wexford Run Road in Marshall. Students, families, staff and community members can register to race, walk...
Cause and manner of death released for Castle Shannon teen killed in September arson
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office has formally issued the cause and manner of death of a Castle Shannon teen who died in a house fire in September. Lakyn Shelleby, 19, died of thermal injuries and inhalation of products of combustion. Her death was ruled a homicide, according to a...
Man found dead along Route 28 near Chesnut Street
The Pittsburgh police’s Collision Investigation Unit responded Tuesday night to the city’s East Allegheny neighborhood after a man was found dead along Route 28. Police said they received reports at about 7:30 p.m. of a man who may have fallen in the road near the Chestnut Street exit. First responders...
Derry Township OKs solar farm permit over objections by neighbors
The Derry Township Supervisors on Tuesday approved a permit for a proposed solar farm along Newhouse Road after hearing objections to the project from several neighboring residents. The supervisors indicated they aren’t any more pleased about the proposed 27-acre solar array than residents are. But they said they are issuing...
Westmoreland extends election bureau hours, OKs polling place changes for November
Westmoreland County announced it will extend hours of operation for its election bureau for a two-week period prior to the Nov. 4 general election. The county’s election board on Tuesday also approved new locations for five voting of the 306 precincts that will be used on Election Day. Voters will...
U.S. Steel sues Canadian company over refusal to honor multimillion-dollar contract
U.S. Steel on Tuesday sued a Canadian steel company alleging that it is refusing to pay for millions of tons of iron ore pellets it agreed to purchase five years ago because of new Trump administration tariffs. Algoma Steel Inc., based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, is accused of breach...
Ex-Allegheny County chief public defender, who made history before being fired, settles lawsuit
Allegheny County’s former chief public defender, who was fired in May, has settled her lawsuit against the county. Lena Bryan-Henderson, who served in the position for about 15 months, will receive one year’s salary to conclude litigation she filed in June alleging wrongful termination. Bryan-Henderson’s salary was $140,415. She would...
For school districts, federal funding impeded by lack of state budget
The federal government shutdown isn’t what’s preventing New Kensington-Arnold School District from accessing its federal funding this school year. Instead, the $2.79 million is tied up because of the ongoing state budget impasse. “Funding for these (federal) programs are passed through the Pa. Department of Education,” New Ken-Arnold Business Manager...
Pittsburgh WWII serviceman, unknown for 80 years, coming home to rest
A Pittsburgh-area World War II serviceman whose remains were unidentified for 80 years will be laid to rest back home on Sunday, Oct. 12. Paul F. Eshleman Jr., 21, was a technical sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Forces. He was a radio operator on a B-24 Liberator that was...
Pittsburgh parents charged with conspiring to delay medical care for gravely injured infant son
A Pittsburgh man charged with fatally abusing his infant son now faces allegations that he and the boy’s mother conspired to delay medical treatment because they feared child welfare officials. Seth Williams and Aleah Ostruh waited more than 12 hours to take a gravely injured Micaiah Williams to the hospital,...
Assault trial begins for suspended state police trooper
Sarah Hellmann told a Westmoreland County jury Tuesday she was hesitant to contact police to report allegations that one of their own had assaulted her during a fight in a Derry Township home. She said it was only after she was encouraged by her employers that she went to the...
Trump’s funding offer to colleges sparks debate in Pennsylvania
Jonathan Zimmerman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, fears for his academic freedom. His concerns are shared by many colleagues as the Trump administration tries to broker deals with universities for new educational goals. “The big picture is that the administration has calculated that attacking universities, especially elite universities,...
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato pitches $3 billion budget with no tax hike
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato on Tuesday proposed a $3 billion 2026 budget with no tax increase or layoffs. “The budget is tight, but we’re committed to living within our means,” County Manager John Fournier said, adding officials never seriously considered raising taxes for 2026. Council will hold public hearings...
Tenant future clouded as Walmart plans demolition of Monroeville Mall site
Rick Murray would like to help Walmart pitch its vision of a mixed-use development on the site of the Monroeville Mall, because he thinks it could someday be a real asset to the community. The problem is, despite being a mall tenant, he has no idea what the future of...
