No Jail Time for Former PA Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin

As part of her sentencing, Orie Melvin must write letters of apology to state judges, her former staff and her family.

Convicted former State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin was sentenced Tuesday to house arrest followed by probation and must send written apologies on photographs of herself to every judge in the Commonwealth, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. An Allegheny County Common Pleas Court jury convicted Orie Melvin in February on all but one count of using her former Superior Court staff and that of her sister to run campaigns. Orie Melvin was sentenced to three years of house arrest followed by two years of probation and must serve in a soup kitchen three times a week, the P-G said.  Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge Lester Nauhaus also ordered that Orie Melvin have her photo taken with an official county photographer so…

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Mary Jo Smiley

9:00 pm on Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Deliberate ignoring of the reasonable law, using other people for your own gain, cost the tax payers a LOT of money to find you and your nasty sisters guilty..... oh but, never mind, you just stay home for a little while and you write some nice letters and say you are sorry and it is all OK???????????? NO, YOU should have to PAY to stay in jail!!!! And maybe have to write a gazliloin times, "I …   more ›

Patch Poll: Should UPMC Be Considered a Nonprofit?

Or does it act more as a business? And what about the other major nonprofits in the area?

In a June 2012 "Taxpayer Alert," Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner questioned the fairness of nonprofits that have expanded their roles beyond the traditional definition of a charitable organization, but still maintain tax-exempt status. "In these challenging financial times, it is our duty and responsibility to address the questions raised by a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling and determine if properties are used for a truly charitable purpose," Wagner said in the report. "While exemptions are justified for clearly charitable organizations such as churches, soup kitchens and many others, some are plainly unfair." A 2012 state Supreme Court decision has given local governments a tool to challenge the loopholes in a five-…

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What's Happening With North Park Lake Trail Project?

The public is invited to comment at a public meeting at North Park's Rose Barn.

Allegheny County and the Allegheny County Parks Foundation will host a public-input meeting to discuss improvement projects in North Park. Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 23, at the Rose Barn on Pearce Mill Road to learn about the projects and provide feedback and comments. GAI Consultants will present schematic design options for the North Park Lake Trail Gateways and Municipal Row Path. An open forum and public discussion to gather input will follow the presentation. A map of North Park showing the location of the Rose Barn is available for download at www.alleghenycounty.us/parks/maps.aspx. Like Us on Facebook | Follow Us on Twitter Check out some of today's other top stories here .

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Allegheny County Plans Annual Gift Drive to Benefit Children & Youth

A new online list makes it easier to support Allegheny County's Holiday Project for children and youth.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has kicked off the 2012 Holiday Project gift collection drive for children and youth who receive services through the county Department of Human Services Office of Children, Youth & Families. The gift drive runs through Dec. 3. This year, DHS is seeking help with direct sponsorship of individual children in an effort to ensure the Holiday Project reaches its goal of providing each child with at least one meaningful gift.  “It is through the generosity of our community that gifts are collected for the thousands of children who receive services through CYF,” Fitzgerald said. “I encourage the business community, nonprofit organizations and individuals to sponsor as many children as possible.” Project…

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When is the Deadline to Apply for an Absentee Ballot in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvanians who intend to vote in the upcoming general election by filing absentee ballots must apply by Oct. 30.

Pennsylvania voters who intend to cast absentee ballots in the upcoming general election Nov. 6 must apply to obtain those ballots before 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30. Absentee ballots are available to registered voters who will be away from their community or cannot vote due to illness or physical disability. In Butler County, voters may obtain absentee ballots by visiting or contacting the county elections division, Floor LL, County Government Center, 124 West Diamond Street, P.O. Box 1208, Butler, PA 16003. Eligible voters may also obtain an application by visiting www.votespa.com. Registered voters are encouraged to request absentee ballot applications as soon as possible. Those voting by absentee ballot will be required to provide a …

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Tentative Transit Agreement Reached

A tentative contract agreement that could prevent Port Authority service cuts has been reached.

The Port Authority, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85 and Allegheny County have reached a tentative contract agreement. If approved, the agreement is the first step in preventing the 35 percent service cuts, resulting in layoffs and closing of the Collier Garage and various park and ride lots around the area. The cuts were scheduled to take effect in September. That agreement will be considered by the Local 85 membership on Aug. 19 and the Port Authority Board, which will meet in the days following the union vote.  Details will be made public at that time. Continue to follow Patch as details become available.

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Ed M

10:56 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012

The trolley's use to go all over the city! West End, Oakland but PAT eliminated those routes decades ago, They kept the trolley routes where the population boom was - the South Hills. Remember, NYC and Boston have had a subway system in place for decades. Comparing Pittsburgh's T to NYC & Boston is apples to oranges. Did you ever drive a subway car??? If you answer is no, then you have no idea …   more ›

Around the Rivers

Around the Rivers: State Police Inspect Area School Buses

Here's a look at other Patch headlines this week from around our region's three rivers.

It didn’t matter to Trooper Brian Davies that the school bus he was inspecting Wednesday morning was brand new. Pennsylvania State Police troopers out of the Moon Township barracks inspected nearly 1,700 buses this summer, but Davies was taking no chances with the 2012 International bus right off the assembly line. “I try to look at every bus the same, whether it’s brand new or 10 years old,” Davis said, noting a recent inspection revealed a new bus had a broken brake line. “It can be brand new and have problems or be 10 years old and in perfect condition.” Five troopers at the barracks inspected 1,687 buses from across Allegheny County this summer and found 445 violations, mostly malfunctioning light bulbs or other minor problems that are…

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Area Police Celebrate Drug Collection Success, Prepare for Fall Event

Among 65 participating counties in Pennsylvania, Allegheny County ranked first, Washington County, ninth.

Allegheny County is No. 1, according to a statewide tally of prescription drug collection in the most recent national Drug Take-Back initiative. Among 65 participating counties, Allegheny County ranked first, collecting nearly 2,150 pounds; Washington County ranked ninth, collecting 705 pounds. The program is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and state and local law enforcement agencies to rid the country of unwanted prescription drugs and prevent abuse. For many local departments, this was the second collection date since the program began on Sept. 25, 2010. Cranberry Township saw a 100-pound increase the second time around. “We had a pretty significant increase,” Lt. Kevin Meyer said. According to …

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