Allegheny category, Page 205
Former Elizabeth police chief who stole heroin from department now faces federal charge
The former Elizabeth Borough police chief who admitted to stealing thousands of bags of heroin from his department’s evidence room to feed his own addiction has been indicted by a federal grand jury. Timothy L. Butler Jr., 45, of Finleyville, is charged with a single count of theft of government...
Bethel Park’s Vintage Radio Players take listeners back in time
When you listen to them talk, you can just picture it. Just like in the good old days. Members of the Vintage Radio Players re-enact scenes from the time there were no televisions. People gathered around and listened to shows rather than watch them. To picture it, think of those...
How I moved, lost my dog and regained faith in humanity over 5 days in July
Sometime late last fall, my husband, two sons and I decided to move. We’d lived for 17 years in Brentwood — front-row seats to the best Fourth of July parade around — but wanted a house with two bathrooms, maybe a game room and a bigger yard for the boys...
Police say Beechview man filmed teen girl in fitting room at South Hills Village
A Beechview man is accused by Bethel Park police of filming a 14-year-old girl trying on clothing in a fitting room at a store inside South Hills Village, according to a criminal complaint. Police said they found the 30-second video of the girl on a cellphone belonging to Miguel M....
Allegheny County Council overrides Fitzgerald’s veto, bans new fracking in parks
Allegheny County Council on Tuesday voted to override a veto on a bill that bans new fracking leases on county parkland. The override marked the first time in Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald’s three terms that council overturned one of his vetoes. The bill bans new industrial leases at the...
Carrie Furnace gets $7.5M in state funding to move forward with redevelopment
The site of a former blast furnace is working on a makeover that could bring a flexible technology space, light manufacturing and film production and on Tuesday, the Pennsylvania state government allocated millions of dollars to help that project along. State Sen. Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, announced $7.5 million in...
Fox Chapel officials adopt new active shooter policy for borough
Fox Chapel Council on Monday adopted a new set of guidelines for Fox Chapel Police Department to follow when responding to an active shooter situation in the borough. The council unanimously adopted the policy crafted by borough police Chief Michael Stevens, who was not at Monday’s meeting or available for...
Officials identify man killed in McKees Rocks shooting — the second shooting within hours
The man who was killed early Tuesday morning in a McKees Rocks shooting has been identified. Keith Wicks, 39, from McKees Rocks, died at around 6 a.m. in a hospital after he was shot at 2 a.m. on Island Avenue, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. Authorities said...
Churchill care worker accused of assaulting mentally disabled patient
A care worker at a Churchill residential facility faces charges for allegedly assaulting a mentally disabled resident. Another care worker reported that Megan Love, 37, of Braddock, kicked, pulled, screamed at and threatened the 52-year-old resident, who is mentally disabled, non-verbal, and has epilepsy and impulse control disorder, according to...
Bellevue councilwoman accused of assaulting police during incident at her home
A Bellevue councilwoman is accused of assaulting a police officer as he was responding to an incident in her home. Sabreena Miller, 29, is charged with resisting arrest and two counts of aggravated assault, according to court papers. Police were initially dispatched about 3:50 a.m. Saturday to Miller’s home along...
Woman testifies about deadly Penn Hills home invasion
A Penn Hills woman who was terrorized for hours during a 2018 home invasion described to a jury on Monday finding her fiance partially nude and hogtied after she was able to free herself from being bound by zip ties. Monica McWilson said she had been sleeping in the couple’s...
Butler County worker accused of buying $31K in gift cards on company tab
A former employee of an Allegheny County landscaping contractor is accused of using his employer’s credit cards to buy $31,351 in gift cards for himself between 2017-2019, according to state police. Joshua S. Carson, 36, of Butler Township in Butler County, was arraigned before Westmoreland County District Judge Jason Buczak...
Bethel Park, Scott receive state funds to improve traffic safety
Officials in Scott Township and Bethel Park received some good news from Harrisburg on July 14. Both municipalities are receiving grant money to support traffic signal upgrades through PennDOT’s Green Light-Go funding program. Bethel Park is getting $185,292 for improvements to the traffic signal at Library Road (Route 88) and...
Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO testifies about concession company ‘putting us at risk’
Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO Christina Cassotis told a judge Monday that leaving the concessions company in place at Pittsburgh International Airport is a security concern. “We cannot risk having them out there doing business as usual,” she said. Cassotis was the last witness called as part of a multi-day...
Pitcairn man seriously hurt in Somerset County crash
A Pitcairn man was seriously hurt when state police said the motorized scooter he was driving in Somerset County overturned. Andy D. McHenry, 35, was driving the scooter at 6:20 p.m. Thursday on Montague Road in Addison Township when it hit an embankment while McHenry was trying to navigate around...
Authorities identify victim of fatal crash in Pine
A Wexford man died following a crash early Saturday in Pine. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Douglas David Rockacy, 47. Allegheny County 911 said emergency responders were dispatched to the 300 block of Wexford-Bayne Road at about 12:45 a.m. There was no immediate word on...
Allegheny County Police seek arsonist suspected of setting 14 fires in Munhall, West Homestead and Homestead
An as-yet unidentified man is considered to a suspect in connection with a string of 14 arsons in Munhall, West Homestead and Homestead since April 23, Allegheny County Police said late Friday night. Police have identified a man as the suspect from a July 2 fire in Homestead. Most of...
Man who died at Allegheny County Jail identified
An incarcerated man was found unresponsive in his cell at the Allegheny County Jail this week, and he was pronounced dead shortly after. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner has identified him as 39-year-old Victor Joseph Zilinek. A cause or manner of death was not released. Zelinik is the fourth incarcerated...
Picklesburgh has begun
Lynn Grimes was a blur, her blonde hair held back by a black hair band as she hurriedly got things ready in the Aunt Carol’s Pickles & Dip booth on the Rachel Carson Bridge. The high noon opening of the seventh edition of Picklesburgh was 10 minutes away and Grimes...
Police search for shooting suspect who escaped from McKees Rocks police
A Penn Hills man wanted in connection with a double shooting in May escaped from officers trying to take him into custody Friday morning, authorities said. Taelaun Claybourne, 21, is charged with two counts of attempted homicide in the May 29 shooting at the Hays Manor Housing Community in McKees...
Allegheny County Council to attempt to override Fitzgerald vetoes
Allegheny County Council has scheduled a special meeting on Tuesday in an attempt to override two recent vetoes made by Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald concerning a proposed fracking ban and a bill to add oversight to top staffer hiring. This week, Fitzgerald vetoed a bill that sought to ban...
Mt. Lebanon school board member accused in Florida sex case resigns seat
A Mt. Lebanon school board member arrested in Florida earlier this month in connection with sex crimes against a teen has resigned, according to the school district. Andrew Freeman, 34, was charged over the July 4 holiday while on vacation in Florida with friends and family. According to the Polk...
Near drought conditions cause watering woes and halt some plantings
Backyard gardeners and nursery workers are watering like crazy, an area nursery halted tree installations and crop experts are on alert — all because of this summer’s unusually hot, dry weather. “We’re praying for rain,” said Justin Brackenrich, a Penn State Extension agronomist based in Butler County. He reports some...
Pitt students will pay more in tuition, housing, dining in coming year
University of Pittsburgh students can expect their tuition, housing and dining bills to go up next semester. On Thursday, the Pitt Board of Trustees budget and executive committees unanimously approved the university’s $2.7 billion operating budget and $667 million capital budget for the 2022-23 academic year. Highlights include:a 3.5% tuition...
Crafton man indicted by federal grand jury on child porn charges after earlier conviction
A Crafton man has been indicted on child porn charges by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, authorities announced Thursday. Timothy Bryner, 65, was charged with possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. . According to the indictment, Bryner knowingly possessed such material from June 2021 to...
