Monday, March 4, 2013
Forest Hills police blotter items from last week also include a vehicle fire and a lost bank card.
Forest Hills police found themselves dealing with several dog-related issues last week. About 12:51 a.m. Feb. 27, a resident of the 200 block of Forest Hills Road reported that a dog in the neighborhood had been barking for 45 minutes. Upon arrival, an officer found the white-and-black bluetick coonhound outside. The officer advised the owner of the complaint and the dog was taken inside. The same day, a black lab mix with no tags was found by a resident in the 100 block of Avenue L about 9:20 p.m. The owner was located on Sumner Avenue and the dog was returned. A resident of the 300 block of Lenox Avenue reported on Feb. 25 that his black Labrador retriever went missing about 10 a.m. The dog answers to "Katie." About 5:24 p.m., a woman …
Friday, February 8, 2013
The man and woman believed their son needed money but learned later that they'd been scammed.
Editor's note: This story has been updated. The U.S. Postal Authority and Forest Hills police are investigating a scamming incident that bilked an elderly Chalfant couple of $14,000. And Forest Hills police are hoping that others can avoid similar scams through the victims sharing their story. (Forest Hills police provide protection for Chalfant Borough.) John and Lucille Boyce told a Forest Hills police officer that they received a call on Jan. 28 from a man who claimed to be their son, a South Carolina resident. The caller claimed to have been in an accident involving a driving-under-the-influence accident and said he needed $4,000, according to a police report. John Boyce, believing his son was suffering from a cold, was instructed to …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
With the Westinghouse site on the Forest Hills/Chalfant border sold to a developer, the structure needs a new use or a new home.
The iconic blue "W" within a circle that was the Westinghouse logo is a bit faded. The odd, pear-shaped metal structure a bit weathered. And its future uncertain at best. It was on the hill above Ardmore Boulevard, nestled between Chalfant and the "lettered" avenues plan in Forest Hills, where the world's first industrial Van de Graaff atom smasher made history in 1937—and Westinghouse Electric and the nation became a dominant force in nuclear energy. The Forest Hills landmark, which smashed its last atom in 1958, is one of 50 historical "milestones" listed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. In 2000, the atom smasher was designated historically significant by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. That …
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Two DUIs round up Judge Caulfield's caseload for the week of Oct. 22.
Kink D. Sarafis, 32, of East Pittsburgh, waived his right for a preliminary hearing before District Judge Thomas Caulfield on Oct. 24 on a number of charges stemming from an accident in Chalfant. According to the criminal complaint, Sarafis drove a truck into a house on North Avenue and fled at around 1 a.m. Aug. 1. Police found the truck near the Electric Avenue Café, but could not locate Sarafis. Later that day, according to the complaint, Sarafis went to Forest Hills police station, and turned himself in. He is charged with accident involving damage to an attended vehicle, three counts of recklessly endangering the occupants in the house and reckless driving. The formal arraignment will take place Dec. 12. In other cases handled by …
Monday, October 8, 2012
The smell in the air isn't fall—it's the odor of skunks who've taken up residence in the local area.
Just a few weeks ago, a Chalfant family came home at night and let their dogs out in the backyard. The dogs started "going crazy," the woman wrote on Facebook. Then they came back in, bringing with them the distinctive odor of skunk. The fire department used fans to blow out the house while the family used the age-old remedy of washing the dogs with tomato juice. It isn't just happening in Chalfant. The smell of skunk has been wafting frequently in Churchill in the Beulah Road/Churchill Road area and Forest Hills, too. On Sept. 29, Forest Hills police were called to Woodside Road after a resident reported that a skunk was trapped in a basement tub. The resident was referred to Hoffman Kennels, the borough's animal control service. And just…
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The McKees Rocks allegedly defrauded the state by getting paid for services it didn't perform.
Triangle Pet Services of McKees Rocks, which works as a contracted animal control service in many local municipalities, has been shut down by the state. KDKA-TV is reporting that the kennel's owner allegedly ordered employees to doctor the books. The state is alleging the owner lied about the number of dogs euthanized, which cost the state in the tens of thousands of dollars. The kennel is also accused of not properly caring for the dogs. According to a Western Pennsylvania Humane Society brochure, Triangle Pet provides services to North Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, Rankin, Edgewood, Swissvale and Wilkinsburg, among other communities in the region. For KDKA story, click here.
Friday, September 28, 2012
The "Rec Crew" and the Woodland Hills community are pulling together to remember Hank Woodhall of Forest Hills and to gather donations to support his family tonight at the Wolvarena.
The Woodland Hills Wolverines are dedicating tonight's game at the Wolvarena to Hank Woodhall, the Forest Hills teen who died after a skateboarding accident in Chalfant last Thursday. The students and staff of the school district have been deeply affected by Woodhall's death, according to Korie Lozier, assistant athletic director. She said he had grown up in the Woodland Hills school system. "It really hit home," she said Friday morning. "He was really loved by people in the district." Hank, 16, who wasn’t wearing a helmet, hit his head on the pavement along Fairview Avenue in Chalfant as he was riding down the hill Sept. 20. Friends said he had been riding the RipStik, which is a cross between a skateboard and a snowboard with two wheels…
Thursday, September 27, 2012
The death of Hank Woodhall, 16, last week has Forest Hills police Chief Chuck Williams looking into securing helmets for local skateboarders.
The tragic death of Hank Woodhall, 16, of Forest Hills in a skateboarding accident last week has Forest Hills police Chief Chuck Williams working to try to ensure the safety of other local skateboarders. Williams, who has children of his own, was moved by the accident that took Woodhall's life. Because the incident occurred in neighboring Chalfant, which is patrolled by Forest Hills police, people in both communities are talking about the mishap. As a result, Williams is in contact with Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC to find a way to provide helmets for local youths who do not have them. Although details still have to be worked out, he is hoping to have some helmets available to distribute during the borough's annual hayride on …
Monday, September 24, 2012
Hank Woodhall's head hit the pavement as he was riding downhill on Fairview Avenue in Chalfant on Thursday night. His funeral is set for Wednesday at Christ Lutheran Church.
Friends and family members gathered for a vigil in Chalfant on Sunday night to remember Hank Woodhall, 16, of Forest Hills, who died after a skateboarding accident last week. The Woodland Hills High School student, who wasn’t wearing a helmet, slammed his head into the pavement along Fairview Avenue as he was riding down the hill Thursday evening. Friends said Hank had been riding the RipStik, which is a cross between a skateboard and a snowboard with two wheels, according to WTAE-TV. Though doctors performed brain surgery, it was unsuccessful and he was taken off life support Saturday night. Visitation will be from 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. Tuesday at Wolfe Memorial Inc, Forest Hills Chapel. His funeral is planned for 11 a.m. Wednesday at the …
Monday, August 27, 2012
It's easy to upload photos to share those first-day-of school moments whether your "baby" is off to kindergarten or high school.
Monday, the yellow buses rolled as students in Woodland Hills School District and those headed to other public, charter, private and parochial schools in the area begin a new school year. The first day of school is always a reminder of how time flies. That infant you brought into the world is now a preschooler, a kindergartener, a first-grader, or off to junior high or high school. Share that special day with your friends and neighbors. It's easy to upload your photos to Patch. Our first photo is of Nacho Cisneros, 14, of Chalfant, who's heading out the door for his first day as a freshman at Woodland Hills High School. Photos of college freshmen on their new campuses are also welcomed! _______________________ Forest Hills-Regent Square …
Michael Dwells
7:44 am on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
I feel terrible for the couple. This reminds me of the related scam complaints I found at http://www.callercenter.com. Well, $14, 000 is a whole lot of money for a senior to lose because it would be difficult for them to earn it back. But I admire the couple's courage for reporting this story. It may be too late to hang up or not answer the scam call but by sharing this information, it will … more ›