1-800-909-8742 © 2025 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved About Us Advertise Career Opportunities Contact Advertising Contact Circulation Contact Newsroom Contact Us Feedback Request Correction Resource Center Scholarship Opportunities Send Letter to the Editor Send News Tip Subscribe Subscriber Services Blog eFeatures Email Newsletters eTrib Facebook Home Delivery Instagram LinkedIn Marketing Minute Store Locations TribLIVE App - App Store TribLIVE App - Google Play X (formerly Twitter) Arts & Entertainment Best of the Best Business Directory Circulars Contests Coronavirus Lifestyles Local News YaJagOff Obituaries Opinion Our Publications Photos Real Estate Sports Video Weather Cookie Settings Privacy Policy Terms of Service OLIVESBURG — Crestview senior Chesnie Patton can count on one hand the number of times she has received the bunt sign from head softball coach Scott Durbin they were both asked to come through in the clutch with one of the most selfless plays in softball COUGARS CRUISING: Richland County Softball Power Poll: New No. 1 team riding seven-game winning streak With the game knotted at 0-0 through four and a half innings the Cougars finally got a runner in scoring position with one out in the fifth Patton stepped up having struck out her first two at-bats and executed a perfect squeeze to get the Cougars on the board Endicott followed with a squeeze of her own on the best next pitch and the 2-0 lead ballooned to 9-0 after costly errors by the Eagles "I wasn't hitting off of this girl because she is a great pitcher," Patton said I just focused on getting the bunt down and I knew it was what was best for the team 6-0 FC) to a sweep of Monroeville for the first time since 2022 and a comfortable lead in the Firelands Conference standings "Sweeping them means the entire world to me," Crestview senior Kalee Hamman who earned the win in the circle with five shutout innings "It is the biggest game we have had so far and it can really tell the story of our season That was the defending conference champs and the state runner-up we just beat twice Durbin approached Hamman and asked her if she wanted to have her shot at the Eagles and she didn't hesitate She wanted the ball after Patton shut down the two-time defending FC champs the night before Monroeville has been the reason we finish second or third in the conference," Hamman said I stepped in today with a completely clear mindset and just went after it right away." Hamman cruised her way through five innings before the Eagles put a few runners on in the sixth inning Patton came in and closed the door with minimal damage done and preserved the victory Hamman had a plethora of pitches working well but her changeup was other worldly "The one that hit the batter in the first inning I thought it was perfect right out of my hand," Hamman said My screwball was a major focus because of the number of left-handed batters they have in their lineup and I wanted my pitches to move away from them My drop ball was working nice so it was one of those days where everything clicked." "Monroeville is an amazing team," Patton said "They are outstanding and they make you focus every second of the game because they can take advantage of mistakes in a hurry I am very proud of my teammates because they all did amazing tonight But it was all set up by the unselfish play of two of the best power hitters to come through the Crestview softball program Durbin reflected on the job he did in 2024 and saw plenty of mistakes he made as a coach he didn't try to manufacture runs instead left it to his hitters to come up with the big hit to score It cost the Cougars some games when those timely hits didn't come through he changed his mindset in 2025 and that means more squeeze bunts by anyone at the plate "I dedicated myself to making sure everyone in our lineup could lay down a bunt "The big hit wasn't coming tonight because that Monroeville pitcher was throwing a gem We got an opportunity with a runner on third and decided it was time even with Chesnie at the plate It worked so we went with it again with PJ." And it worked to perfection in more ways than one but it sent a message to the rest of the team If Patton and Endicott were willing to take the bat out of their hands and lay down a bunt for the betterment of the team then everyone else shouldn't have a problem doing it either It started in preseason scrimmages and carried over into a potential Firelands Conference championship clinching game "An important part of the other girls buying in was seeing those two square up and lay one down," Durbin said they saw them lay one down in the biggest game of the year for the betterment of the team I think it is going to make a huge difference the rest of the way." the Cougars turn their focus to a two-game series with New London to close out the week but they have a huge upper hand in getting back to their FC championship ways "We have to treat every game like it is Monroeville We have to lock in if we want to get back on top of the Firelands Conference We can't take a breath with New London coming up." TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need Hillcrest United Presbyterian Church will host a Scottish Heritage Day on May 4 The all-ages event is open to the public and will be from 11 a.m The day will kick off with a worship service recalling the origin of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland in the 1500s Additional programs and refreshments will be held after the service call the church at 412-824-5600 or see HillcrestUPC.org Cross Roads Preschool will host a May 3 yard sale from 8 a.m All proceeds will go toward upgrading the school’s playground Light concessions will be available to purchase The school is at 2310 Haymaker Road in Monroeville For more, see CrossroadsPreschool.net Gateway School District is seeking sponsors for numerous facilities throughout the district Individuals or businesses interested in sponsorships can email Jeremy Tepper at jtepper@gatewayk12.org The Association of University People invites potential new members to join them at an event The association invites singles age 50 and older to join them for activities and to meet new people a book group and meetups at local concerts and wineries For more, call 412-353-9088 or email AUPsingles@gmail.com Registration is open for Divine Mercy Academy’s Saber Summer Cheer Camp June 23-26.This year’s theme is “Neon Lights and Saber Nights.” Camp is open to all school students entering kindergarten through eighth grade in the fall Students will learn basic cheerleading skills while building school spirit and teamwork A showcase for family and friends will be held June 26 Students will receive pompoms to use at the showcase and then take home. Register by June 1 to receive a free Sabers Cheer T-shirt. The fee is $30; payment (cash or check made out to DMAAA) can be dropped off or mailed to Divine Mercy Academy, 245 Azalea Drive, Monroeville, 15146. To register, contact Tina Cuda at tina.caruso8@gmail.com by June 18 The East Suburban Artists League will feature fiber artist Dorothy Gallagher at its May 8 meeting Gallagher will demonstrate how she spins her own yarn using spindles and fibers from local farmers Gallagher’s presentation will begin at 7 p.m It will be at Christ’s Lutheran Church For more, see ESALart.org The Head Turners Pittsburgh car group will host a May 4 car show from 12-4 p.m at the Community College of Allegheny County’s Boyce Campus Proceeds will benefit Tiny Cause rescue and foster service in Vandergrift The afternoon will include entertainment by DJ Never Nice trophies and dash plaques and driver bags for the first 100 cars to register The Boyce Campus is at 595 Beatty Road in Monroeville For more, email Thompsonjt1018@gmail.com The third annual Peter Flaherty IV Memorial Golf Outing will take place July 27 in Penn Hills died in 2021 of complications related to type 1 diabetes Proceeds benefit the Flaherty Memorial Scholarship Fund which is distributed to seniors graduating in 2026 it has generated about $15,000 in scholarships (registration at 7 a.m.) at the 3 Lakes Golf Course Lunch will follow at the Pitcairn Park Building around 1:30 p.m Register online at Zeffy.com/ticketing/peter-flaherty-iv-2025-memorial-golf-0uting email jbreid26@gmail.com or call 412-584-6811 The following events are scheduled at the Monroeville Convention Center see Gratzieventures.com/tattoos-booze-tacos-expo • May 16-18: Main Line Autograph show featuring local and national sports figures see MainLineAutographs.com/pittsburgh-show • May 29-30: PA Association of Numismatists (P.A.N.) coin show For more information, see MonroevilleConventionCenter.com Gateway Class of ’75 reunion set A 50-year reunion is planned for Gateway Senior High School’s class of 1975 Entertainment will be provided by classmate DJ Mark Magyar and checks can be mailed to Patty Venturella Email Venturellap@gmail.com with any questions Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com Stay up-to-date on important news from TribLIVE Monroeville council will see some changes after this year’s elections with second-term mayor Nick Gresock finishing his time with the municipality and multiple council seats in play however only one of those seats will have multiple candidates vying for it in the May 20 primary two Democrats will face each other in the primary: Dennis Biondo Jr “I want to serve the community,” said Singh who currently serves on the Gateway school board “I’ve lived here since 2010 and have been active on the local library and school boards and so thought this could be another good way to serve the community.” who is is finishing up his first term as a councilman said he was approached by Gresock about running for mayor “Initially I kind of wanted to stay on council,” Biondo said “But he kept asking about it and along with school board member Sean Logan Biondo is the council’s liaison to the municipality’s Convention Visitors Bureau and had a front-row seat to the 2024 efforts to save the Monroeville Convention Center “I think the mayor did a great job with that I think I could be in a good position to address an issue like that if it comes up,” he said Biondo also is running for reelection to his Ward 7 council seat and will be challenged in the primary by fellow Democrat Allison Ramsey “I’ve always done volunteer work with Monroeville and we’ve lived here for a long time,” said Ramsey a paramedic and medical coding technician with Monroeville Fire Company 6 “I’m looking to bring some diversity to the council.” keeping the municipal budget under control and working to bring more small businesses to Monroeville Republican Gary DeLorenzo and Democrat John Washington do not have primary challengers and will likely face one another in the general election incumbent Democrats Joseph Hyzy and Mike Adams are running unopposed As spring starts to bloom across the region Monroeville residents with a mind toward civic improvement are looking for volunteers to help welcome the season and beautify the town tidying the municipality’s roads is an old habit This year Sedlak will mark the 30th anniversary of the Jack Sedlak Cleanup Day “My father strong-armed some neighbors grabbed some garbage bags and started Monroeville’s first cleanup day,” Sedlak joked in a promotional video for the event’s anniversary Today the program is affiliated with the Great American Cleanup bags and vests distributed through the state 400 and 500 volunteers choose a section of local road and get to work the event has collected and disposed of more than 2,300 bags of trash more than 70 tires and about a dozen televisions Sedlak’s group cleans a section of Monroeville Boulevard near the municipal building “We have a husband and wife who are in their 80s now and just did their last year of cleaning Laurel Drive heading toward (the Garden City neighborhood),” said Sedlak Monroeville’s director of human resources “They’ve done that same stretch for three decades now My brother always does the same section of Old William Penn Highway.” “We have places we can point people toward or where the wind picks up litter and regularly drops it,” he said Registration forms for the April 26 cleanup are available at Monroeville.pa.us the Monroeville Botanical Garden Committee will be looking for their own volunteers in May to help beautify Monroeville Community Park on Tilbrook Road and we put them in after Mother’s Day,” said committee member Laraine Hlatky The all-volunteer group was established when park opened in 2007 divide plants and do maintenance throughout the season,” she said “We plant perennials everywhere except the gazebo where we do annuals and add some more color.” Hlatky credited horticulturist and former committee member Joe Burgess for setting the group on its current path “He helped plan how we were going to plant everything,” she said and now when we need some advice we can call the Penn State Extension and the county master gardeners.” Hlatky said the committee welcomes new volunteers to help with the planting in May as well as watering and cleanup maintenance in the summer and fall Those interested can email laraineh@verizon.net or call 412-373-6906 and federal government websites often end in .gov Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address Before sharing sensitive or personal information make sure you're on an official state website This $70.1 million I-376 Parkway East Betterment Project will include​ a superstructure replacement over Old William Penn Highway two bridge rehabilitations over Old William Penn Highway/Lougay Road/Sunset Drive and Thompson Run Road/Thompson Run/Union Railroad and six bridge preservations along the I-376 Throughout the project motorists can expect long-term single-lane restrictions several weekends with traffic down to a single lane The improvements on the 4.5 miles of the Parkway East between the Churchill/Route 130 (Exit 79B) and Monroeville/Route 48 (Exit 84A) exit are anticipated to conclude in the fall 2026 Subscribe to news alerts for this project: To help keep motorists informed as work progresses, PennDOT has created an email distribution list for Parkway East traffic advisories and construction updates. Enroll by sending email addresses to ymanyisha@pa.gov​ Please write “Subscribe – Parkway East” in the subject line.​ 03/27/2025 - PennDOT District 11 is announcing the closure of Old William Penn Highway in the Municipality of Monroeville Old William Penn Highway will close to traffic between Evergreen Drive and Duff Road from 9 a.m Monday to allow crews to conduct bridge demolition work on the I-376 (Parkway East) structure over the roadway Traffic on Old William Penn Highway will be detoured 03/21/2025 - A traffic crossover on I-376 (Parkway East) in the Municipality of Monroeville March 22 and is anticipated to remain in place through mid-July Eastbound (outbound) traffic on I-376 is expected to be crossed over into the westbound (inbound) lanes on Saturday to allow crews to begin the demolition and replacement of the bridge that carries the Parkway East over Old William Penn Highway Friday night beginning with eastbound I-376 being reduced to a single-lane of traffic between the Penn Hills (Exit 81) and the Monroeville/Route 48 (Exit 84A) interchanges Crews will conduct barrier installation and line striping operations in advance of the crossover The project documents can be made available in alternative languages or formats if requested If you need translation or interpretation services or have concerns that require individual attention please contact the PennDOT Project Manager listed above Pursuant to the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 PennDOT does not discriminate on the basis of race If you feel that you have been denied the benefits of or participation in a PennDOT program or activity The body of a Monroeville man who went missing while kayaking in Tennessee has been recovered News station WTVF reported that the body of Don Slusser Slusser and his wife were camping at the Seven Points Campground on the lake’s northern shore and had been kayaking First responders were called around 8:30 p.m Thursday night when Slusser could not be located as a sizable storm system moved through the region “It’s devastating news,” said Mark Courtney but he’s not a white water guy or anything like that.” Slusser is part of a small group of runners that had never missed the marathon or the annual Pittsburgh Great Race “He started running it in 1977,” Courtney said “He’s run more than 204,000 miles and he’s one of the members of our 70,000 Mile Club.” Courtney once went on a trip to Virginia with Slusser and witnessed his dedication to fitness firsthand “All we did was exercise the whole time,” Courtney said “And he’d be calculating how many miles we biked and then he’d try to figure out our calorie count and finally he told me he was pretty sure we’d burned about 80 more calories than we consumed during the trip.” owing to age and two knee replacement surgeries A lot of people would roll their eyes or shake their heads when they saw him coming,” he said “But he just kept his head up and kept going.” In the first major purchase of its kind for the company the retailer tapped a Texas firm to lead redevelopment of the 1.2 million square foot property Walmart is now the proud owner of a shopping mall near Pittsburgh the company confirmed to Retail Dive Tuesday It plans to redevelop the Monroeville Mall and Annex in Monroeville a Texas-based real estate and development firm “Walmart did purchase the Monroeville Mall and is very interested in being part of any future redevelopment of this site,” the retailer said in a Tuesday statement “Walmart is working with Cypress on mall operations and potential redevelopment of the site.” This is the first time the company acquired an operating mall of this size The company said it was unable to share specific plans about the Monroeville Mall project The mall deal further builds on Walmart’s store expansion plans. In 2023, the company said it invested over $500 million to update 117 stores. Then last year, the company announced an expansive, five-year plan to build or expand 150 locations and remodel 650 stores The new and remodeled stores will feature expanded product selections and improved layouts as part of a larger goal to enhance store growth Cypress CEO Chris Maguire told Retail Dive in an email they're in the initial planning stages and will spend the next several months evaluating redevelopment options Because the work is still in the early stages Maguire said there's no project timeline yet CBL Properties said Friday that it sold the Monroeville Mall and Annex for $34 million The 1.2 million-square-foot property occupies 186 acres and is near an existing commercial corridor It sits at the junction of several major highways Interstate 376 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Built in 1969, the mall’s last renovation was in 2003, the Monroeville Times Express reported in December. CBL bought the mall in 2004 for $231.2 million Cypress said “the property is well suited for a major redevelopment and repositioning into a mix of uses including retail and entertainment Located about 15 miles east of Pittsburgh, the two-story Monroeville Mall has more than 130 stores, including Macy’s, Best Buy, J.C. Penney, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Barnes & Noble and a Cinemark theater.  In 2023, CBL said the mall had nearly 3.5 million annual visits CBL also owned the adjacent Annex at Monroeville, an open air shopping center, with eight more stores including a Dick’s-owned Going Going Gone and music retailer Guitar Center Some retailers have sought to move out of shopping malls in recent years as traffic has declined The mall and annex’s trade area is over 420,000 people who have an average household income of about $83,000 The Monroeville Veterans Affairs Clinic opened on the mall property in 2023 and two other hospitals operate nearby as do about a dozen colleges and universities Citing its experience in redeveloping underutilized malls and commercial centers Dallas-based Cypress said the Monroeville Mall is a good candidate for a major mixed use redevelopment that could see its current slate of retail and restaurant offerings augmented with residential “We believe this redevelopment will create a vibrant and dynamic destination that serves the community and drives economic growth in the region,” Maguire said Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts it remains key to growth for many retailers But the era of the DTC brand as we know it is over It could be an attempt to broaden revenue streams Subscribe to the Retail Dive free daily newsletter The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines An Ohio man pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to bringing an underage girl and two adults to Monroeville to work as prostitutes District Court to sex trafficking of a child and coercion of an adult to engage in commercial sex Prosecutors said police observed Cole renting a room at the Rodeway Inn & Suites in Monroeville in May 2023 and subsequently dropping off a female police suspected to be a minor Cole and another adult then left the hotel and were followed by police to the Ohio border where Cole was stopped for a vehicle code violation police spoke with the female Cole dropped off at the hotel as well as two adult females who were also in a rented room pregnancy tests and only a few items of clothing Police also said during observation over the past 24 hours they’d seen several individuals going in and out of both rooms The two adult women told police they were commercial sex workers who would send photos of themselves to Cole which he would then post in online advertisements for sex The third female at the hotel told police she was 16 years old and was an Ohio resident one that police said contained texts with Cole’s phone number and discussed payments for commercial sex work police determined the juvenile’s phone had traveled from Cleveland to Monroeville on May 9 Police made contact with the girl’s parents who were not aware she was in Pennsylvania She was returned to her mother’s custody on May 10 The adult women at the hotel said their conversations with the juvenile indicated she had been performing commercial sex work with Cole since the age of 12 Additional information on Cole’s phone indicated that he was aware the juvenile female was underage and that she relied on Cole to provide food Police said they saw numerous instances with messages indicating Cole had refused to provide her anything beyond fast food because she had not earned enough money Police learned Cole had placed commercial sex advertisements in Pittsburgh Records from his phone indicated he had traveled to many of those cities as well Two ads offering the juvenile female’s sexual services were posted shortly after police observed her entering the Rodeway Inn on May 9 Five months after she was returned to her parents’ custody the juvenile’s photos were again seen by police in online advertisements for commercial sex using some of the same phone numbers posted in earlier ads arranged a commercial sex transaction with her at a hotel in North Randall where the Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force retrieved her on Oct federal agents obtained an arrest warrant for Cole and served it at his home on East 256th Street in Euclid District Judge William Stickman IV scheduled Cole’s sentencing for Aug In light of a chilly weather forecast for this weekend Monroeville’s annual egg hunt will shift venues from Community Park West to the Monroeville Convention Center The “Egg-Stravaganza” will take place April 12 at the center Participants will still be grouped by age (2-4 years The hunt will take place in the north side of the convention center There is an overlapping event taking place the same day in the south hall Attendees can park in the convention center lots and can enter through the main doors Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet Dive into the data to explore domestic migration patterns over the past four years – and uncover states and metro areas emerging as relocation hotspots in 2025 Gain hands on experience with the data Meet our advisors to learn more about Placer Walmart’s recent acquisition of the Pittsburgh PA-area Monroeville Mall signals a new chapter for the retail giant creating opportunities for both Walmart and the mall itself Why did Walmart choose this particular property what makes it such an appealing prospect – and what might the company do with the space shoppers also interact differently with malls – including the Monroeville Mall purchased by Walmart – than they do with Walmart 39.4% of indoor mall visits nationwide took place on weekends Mall shoppers were also more likely to travel further for their visits and stay longer partly due to the entertainment and dining options malls typically offer Walmart stands to reach a new kind of shopper Why did Walmart choose to begin its foray into malls with the Monroeville Mall Foot traffic data points to a unique balance here: The Monroeville Mall audience is different enough to expand Walmart’s reach yet still similar in ways that could make it easier to convert new shoppers Analyzing Walmart’s trade areas with demographic data from STI: PopStats indoor mall shoppers tend to be more affluent than Walmart shoppers the median household income (HHI) of Walmart’s captured market was $64.5K – noticeably below the indoor mall median of $88.5K But Monroeville Mall’s captured market had a median HHI of $62.8K – slightly below that of local Walmarts in the Pittsburgh Monroeville shoppers were also more likely to visit Walmart than shoppers at other malls suggesting a natural overlap between the two visitor bases Monroeville Mall offers Walmart access to new audience segments Monroeville Mall’s captured market showed significantly higher proportions of “Singles and Starters” and “Suburban Style” visitors (the latter encompassing middle-aged its share of the older “Autumn Years” segment – though still high – was smaller than that of Walmart’s base highlighting the opportunity to engage a wider range of demographics Walmart has yet to announce specific plans for its new acquisition – though some have speculated that its partnership with Cypress Equities to “reimagine” the space signals a mix of retail Location analytics hint at several potential directions Walmart might pursue As consumers have changed their shopping habits many malls have doubled down on experiential offerings – including on-site gyms And location analytics show that adding a fitness club to the Monroeville property may be especially beneficial for Walmart Monroeville visitors were more likely to visit leading gym chains like Planet Fitness and LA Fitness compared to the average mall-goer nationwide And examining some of Monroeville Mall’s successful tenants highlights additional potential  strategies for Walmart Malls have faced considerable headwinds in recent years and the downturn appears to have impacted the Monroeville Mall as well with overall foot traffic dipping somewhat year over year (YoY) in 2024 But some tenants – including Barnes & Noble and Harbor Freight Tools – saw YoY visit upticks Visits to entertainment-focused offerings also increased with the complex’s Full Throttle Adrenaline Park logging a 6.1% YoY foot traffic boost And taking a broader look at the consumer habits of Monroeville visitors reveals an affinity for eatertainment: In 2024 14.3% of Monroeville Mall-goers frequented a Dave & Busters compared to just 7.4% for indoor mall visitors nationwide While Walmart’s ultimate intentions for Monroeville Mall remain under wraps location analytics reveal a world of possibilities Monroeville Mall may stand as a powerful case study of how a traditional big-box brand can successfully bridge into the mall space capturing new audiences and invigorating a retail property ready for reinvention For more data-driven retail insights, visit Placer.ai PICKLE PARLOR HAS OPENED IN THE DISTRICT AT MONROEVILLE MALL OFFERING THREE PICKLEBALL COURTS AND HIGH-TECH PLAY A GROUP OF PLAYERS ALREADY HAS GOTTEN STARTED THIS WEEK AT PICKLE PARLOR AT THE MONROEVILLE MALL Monroeville council members approved a voluntary drug treatment facility for the former Independence Court building on Center Road Pyramid Healthcare was seeking conditional use for the inpatient treatment center and today has more than 80 facilities in eight states “Our plan is to convert it into a private residential inpatient substance abuse treatment facility with medical detox services run by physicians and with 24-hour nursing,” said Pyramid founder and Board Chairman Jonathan Wolf although he added Pyramid facilities do not usually operate at full capacity Residents who attended council’s citizen night session this month had concerns about security at the proposed rehab center “Having this facility near our property and any spillover from people there hanging out near our property would not be good,” said Andrew Yalch who owns Charlie’s Ice Cream and the adjacent pizza parlor located in front of the former Independence Court building on Center Road “I don’t want to see people go without treatment But the experience I’ve had with addicts over the years is that most of them end up back on whatever drug they were using I just think it’s a bad idea for Monroeville.” Albert Lardo of Monroeville said he is vehemently opposed to Pyramid’s proposal “This should be in a remote section of Allegheny County someplace,” Lardo said “If someone walks out of this facility (Pyramid) has no legal liability if they leave and hurt someone.” Wolf stressed that Pyramid’s treatment centers are strictly voluntary “It’s not a prison treatment program People aren’t court-ordered to go,” Wolf said “It’s not a halfway house or a recovery house — all of those places exist We’re providing acute inpatient services I heard someone comment that patients will be ‘hanging out’ — our patients don’t hang out We’re legally liable for them in the facility and we know where they are every minute of the day.” Wolf did say that patients are kept under force at Pyramid and that staff has a fleet of vans to transport patients if they choose to leave The facility does not employ security guards said similar concerns about other rehab facilities — which he shared at one time — did not materialize “When Recovery Centers of America went in on McGinley Road I thought it was going to be chaos,” Krut said “But we never really saw any of those issues I think we had more elopements from Forbes Hospital than from (Recovery Centers of America) And when a suboxone center went in on Monroeville Boulevard A rehab facility is a permitted use for the property under Monroeville’s zoning ordinances Council voted 5-2 to approve Pyramid’s proposal with councilmen Mike Adams and Bob Williams voting no “I’ve worked in a 100% voluntary facility as well as one that’s 100% court-ordered,” said Laura Bartolomucci-James who was at the council meeting requesting conditional use for a day care facility on Northern Pike “They’re completely different types of patients People who come in voluntarily are not the people you see on the news that person is highly motivated and isn’t going to run out the door and hurt somebody.” Bartolomucci-James said a lot of people don’t realize how just common an issue addiction can be that could easily be your neighbor or the person who cuts your hair,” she said “It’s a rampant mental health crisis and something like this can only help.” Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bkikel@triblive.com The afternoon will include entertainment by DJ Never Nice retired college administrator and musician Gemma Stanley on April 21 Stanley played the flute professionally for several years She will be the featured artist at a 1 p.m The East Suburban Artists League show is being held at the Latrobe Art Center Sixty-five original pieces from 33 artists are on display telephone 412-372-4165 or visit monroevillecob.com Monroeville United Methodist Church will host an April 23 forum for the public to meet Gateway school board candidates call 412-372-7474 or email MUMC@monroevilleUMC.org Churchill is hosting a backyard composting workshop from 6 to 7:30 p.m April 23 at the Churchill Municipal Building The workshop itself is free and open to residents from the surrounding area If registrants choose to purchase a compost bin The bin has an 82-gallon capacity and is ideal for urban and suburban areas It will cover the importance and benefits of composting and reducing food waste proper maintenance and ways of using finished compost will mark Drive Electric Earth Month in April with a car show from 10 a.m It will be in the parking lot at First Presbyterian Church Register online at DriveElectricEarthMonth.org/event?eventid=4765 The club meets the third Saturday of each month see ThreeRiversEVA.org or call 724-387-8210 will be held April 27 at the Tanglewood Shelter on Pierson Run Road at Boyce Park in Plum and Monroeville New dog and cat items will be collected for rescues Walk participants must register and sign a release Proceeds benefit local rescues including Wildflowers Sanctuary Homeless Cat Management Team and Bridges from Kuwait visit amongthewild flowerssanctuary.com or email amongthewildflowerssanctuary@gmail.com • April 17-19: The Great American Tent Sale A free community Easter dinner will be held from 12:30-3 p.m April 20 in the Lourdes Center of Christ the Divine Shepherd Parish crafters and food trucks are wanted for the Pitcairn Night Market April 25 at Broadway street from Dan’s Floral to Dick’s Sports Bar with the aim of promoting small businesses in a family-friendly environment The cost is $25 per vendor space and applications are due at the borough office by April 12 visit Facebook.com/PitcairnNight Market or contact event organizer Lisa Petrosky at lisa@tech2nite.com Divine Mercy Academy is seeking vendors for its Spring Makers Market Vendor fee is $50 and includes one 8 foot table and two chairs Vendors are asked to provide one raffle donation The maker’s market will be open to the public Advertising for the event is done via social media Applications will be processed on a first-come All vendors will be set up at the Lourdes Center Contact Tina Cuda at DMA monroevillePTG@gmail.com toregister Email Venturellap@gmail.com with any questions Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Indiana passed away surrounded by his family Monday evening David had a kind and gentle spirit that left a lasting impression on everyone he met and celebrating his birthday at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve were among his greatest joys He also loved watching reruns of classic TV shows from the 70s and 80s and had a keen interest in tracking the weather David’s life was a testament to kindness and the simple joys that make life meaningful He will be deeply missed by all who loved him Minnesota and numerous nieces and nephews who cherished him dearly David was preceded in death by his brother A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m Indiana with Pastor Charlie Williams officiating Burial will follow at Monroeville Memorial Cemetery in Monroeville The family will receive friends from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m and one hour prior to the service at the funeral home Preferred memorials can be given to the Monroeville EMS or the Monroeville Fire Department Arrangements by Zwick & Jahn Funeral Homes Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home- Jacobs Chapel Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors A West Deer man was charged with attacking a doctor and nurse last month at Forbes Hospital in Monroeville of West Deer’s Russellton neighborhood was taken by ambulance to the hospital on March 14 after he was found unresponsive on a bench in an Allegheny County park Brewer was taken to the emergency room for evaluation where a doctor and nurse began assessing his vital signs police said Brewer sat up in the bed and kicked the nurse in the face and left ear He then turned to the attending doctor and punched her in the face Hospital security and Highmark police were called to the room where they secured Brewer to his hospital bed using soft restraints While Brewer was being undressed and changed into hospital clothes cast-iron “shiv,” a homemade improvised blade He was charged with two counts each of aggravated assault Court paperwork lists charges of resisting arrest two counts of disorderly conduct and public drunkenness He was unable to post bail and taken to the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh An April 7 preliminary hearing is set in District Judge Tom Swan’s West Deer court Brewer was already due in court on April 9 for a preliminary hearing on charges of harassment he has an April 23 preliminary hearing on charges of resisting arrest public drunkenness and two counts of disorderly conduct filed by county police in connection with the March 14 incident Exhibit at libraryFriends of the Monroeville Public Library will host Stacey Pydynkowski's "Portraits of Spring" exhibit from April 29 - May 27 at the library's Gallery Space 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd.Some of Pydynkowski's paintings will be for sale along with greeting cards and journals featuring her work .For more visit thoughtsinpaint.com or on Instagram @thoughts.in.paint Stacey Pydynkowski didn’t encounter much art in the traditional sense of visiting galleries or museums but was instead fascinated by the visual imagery in everyday life — especially in nature “The vibrant flowers in my neighbor’s garden bed in the trailer park I grew up in inspired me to grow morning glories in yogurt containers on our porch,” said Pydynkowski “I gathered little bouquets of dandelions and blades of grass to give to neighbors — I was captivated by the idea that something as ordinary as a flower could communicate so many universal feelings without needing words — declarations of hope congratulatory wishes — all in a flower.” She majored in psychology and studio art at Saint Vincent College in Unity Pydynkowski didn’t plan on becoming a full-time artist; she worked in retail after graduation Pydynkowski was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system “Life events transformed my relationship with the creative process and led me to take the leap in pursuing art and — in a very full-circle moment — just like when I was a kid Friends of the Monroeville Public Library will host Pydynkowski’s “Portraits of Spring” exhibit at the library’s Gallery Space Pydynkowski would receive bouquets of flowers from loved ones and she wanted to find a way to commemorate the care and kindness of each petal before they wilted “I started exploring preservation techniques and began embedding the preserved petals into my acrylic portrait paintings and it’s still a big part of my creative practice seven years later,” the artist said “I will forever associate flowers with what they symbolized during that time — each petal is a reminder of the way we band together during difficult times searching for little pockets of joy and cheer during moments that feel void of those things.” Pydynkowski paints at her home studio; she is represented by Firebox Art Studios in Carnegie Pydynkowski is a member of Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Society of Artists and several local art centers Pydynkowski currently teaches acrylic painting workshops at You are Here Gallery in Jeannette in order to support others in their own artistic journeys collaborated with and facilitated multiple public art and mural projects So the realization that there were other ways to communicate beyond verbal language changed the course of her life “Before I ever could fully conceive the notion of being identified as an artist I had accidentally been living a life full of art,” Pydynkowski said It’s no wonder that most of Pydynkowski’s painting are of flowers and nature and her mixed media pieces feature pressed flowers felted wool fibers and acrylic paint on wood and celebrate the beauty and the messiness of the human experience,” Pydynkowski said I strive to help others have that same experience of finding comfort solace and a feeling of belongingness through visual imagery whether through art making or viewing art.” Leslie Savisky is a Tribune-Review contributing writer “Craziness at Monroeville Mall!!!” “Active shooter at Monroeville Mall in Allegheny County.” “Hearing reports that some people were trampled in a stampede.” These posts and others like them spread across social media the Sunday afternoon before Christmas when the mall was packed with holiday shoppers Police were called to the mall just before 3 p.m Video from several mall patrons showed multiple officers rushing through the food court with their weapons The information was posted online and shared nearly instantaneously with everyone in the world who had an interest in the topic Social media reports followed that someone had been shot in the face Monroeville police Chief Doug Cole said his detectives spent much of the Monday after the incident combing through video and audio footage from the mall They could not find any evidence that anything related to weapons ever happened nor did anyone show up at area hospitals with any injuries consistent with the reports police received “We were getting all kinds of reports of someone shot in the face and other things and that just did not happen,” Cole said “We can’t verify that there was ever a gunshot at the mall on Sunday.” At a time when anyone with a cellphone is potentially in a position to capture breaking news 22 can just as easily be helped or harmed by out-of-context social media posts Cole said there may have been an argument or an altercation “and someone made an emergency call with good intentions,” Cole said “But when people see all the police coming in it causes them to see or assume things that aren’t necessarily happening They saw a cop running into the mall with a rifle Shoppers described the scene in the mall as chaotic with several telling media outlets they heard people claiming there was an active shooter inside the mall an associate professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo well-intentioned users of services like X and TikTok can exacerbate a situation in an attempt to be helpful and I think there’s an urgency and a tendency to share unconfirmed information because they think it’s the right thing to do,” Joseph said social media posts during a recent blizzard were a tool that was used in some cases to save lives But a social media user tweeting about icy or snowy conditions on a road they’re using is very different from someone extrapolating or making assumptions based on seeing police running through a mall food court with weapons drawn Joseph pointed to research by University of Washington professor Kate Starbird on the use of social media during emergencies Starbird said rumors and misinformation can spread rapidly online after disaster events Users who see those posts sometimes amplify them and “People have a lot of motivations for putting information like that on social media,” Joseph said “Part of it is genuine concern and an attempt to help But there’s also the attention economy.” particular on fully-public platforms such as X or TikTok imagine they are simply posting to their followers you might just be sending it to your friends To try and get the most accurate information to citizens mall staff operates a text service they utilized regarding the end of the mall lockdown around 4 p.m The police department also uses the Nixle text alert system but shoppers and residents must register to receive the texts police must operate based on the information available “People really swear they heard a gunshot,” he said “I don’t want to call anyone a liar but it just doesn’t seem to be what happened Cole said he held off on calling in additional resources until first responders could get a better handle on the situation “We had a lot of other personnel available to us and I held back because you want to stop a threat but you don’t want 40 or 50 cops showing up without a good reason.” Dallas, TX, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cypress Equities a national real estate investment and development firm announced that it will lead the redevelopment of the Monroeville Mall a significant commercial hub located in the eastern trade area of Pittsburgh The 1.2 million square foot property sits on 186 acres fronting Highway 22 and benefits from unparalleled connectivity with Interstates 76 CBL Properties recently sold the property to an undisclosed buyer Cypress Equities will manage the property on behalf of the buyer and lead the efforts to re-imagine Monroeville Mall into a new retail and commercial destination The property is well suited for a major redevelopment and repositioning into a mix of uses including retail and entertainment With extensive experience in redeveloping underutilized malls and commercial centers Cypress Equities will provide the vision to revitalize the property to conform to today’s retail and commercial standards of excellence “We are excited to embark on this transformative project and bring a new vision to Monroeville Mall,” said Chris Maguire “We believe this redevelopment will create a vibrant and dynamic destination that serves the community and drives economic growth in the region.” "We are thrilled to have Cypress Equities join our community and look forward to their vision to reimagine the Monroeville Mall,” said Dr “I'm optimistic their long-term plans are going to have a very positive impact on Monroeville." CBL Properties was represented in the transaction by JLL and Tom Flynn at CBRE represented the buyer Cypress Equities (Cypress) was founded in 1995 and has since established a national reputation synonymous with the premier development operation and management of destination-class retail and mixed-use properties throughout the United States Cypress has developed and acquired more than 20 million square feet and currently is developing and managing a portfolio primarily focused on retail and mixed-use properties Visit www.cypressequities.com for more information A traffic crossover in Monroeville will start March 22 as work begins to demolish and replace the bridge carrying I-376 over Old William Penn Highway in Monroeville Eastbound I-376 traffic will be routed to the westbound lanes The Parkway East will be reduced to single lane between the Penn Hills and Monroeville exits as work crews install barriers and new striping for the crossover Two of the eastbound lanes will be crossed over and the crossover is expected to remain in place until mid-July the westbound lanes will be crossed over to allow for work on that side of the bridge The work is part of the $70 million Parkway East Betterment Project that includes superstructure replacement two bridge rehabilitations and six bridge preservation projects The work is expected to be complete in the fall of 2026 To join an email distribution list for Pennsylvania Department of Transportation emails related to the project, email stcowan@pa.gov and write “Subscribe - Parkway East” in the subject line