Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, June 6:
Pittsburgh-based Triangle Tech school closing
A school teaching technical skills across Pennsylvania is closing its doors after 80 years in operation.
Pittsburgh-based Triangle Tech announced Wednesday it will shut down its six campuses located in Pittsburgh, Greensburg, DuBois, Sunbury, Bethlehem and Chambersburg.
The for-profit school currently serves more than 260 students teaching carpentry, electrical, welding, HVAC and other technical skills. About 110 staff serve at Triangle Tech schools.
Triangle Tech president emeritus Timothy McMahon said the covid-19 pandemic, changes in the industry landscape and government regulations have made it more difficult to run post-secondary schools like Triangle Tech.
“As a result of these factors, as well as declining enrollments, we have made the very difficult, but necessary, decision to close,” McMahon said in a statement.
Employees and students were informed of the school’s decision to close on Wednesday. About 20 positions of the school’s remaining 110 staff members will be immediately impacted, and the school said it is working to support those affected by the changes.
McMahon said Triangle Tech intends to honor its commitment to its current students, and those remaining will graduate with associates degrees through June 2025.
The Worksmith Institute, a local educational nonprofit, has awarded each student a $1,500 tuition scholarship to help them complete their degrees, according to a press release.
Allegheny County to provide update on Patton Street Bridge project
The Patton Street Bridge in Wilmerding is getting an upgrade, and Allegheny County officials want to hear from the public on its final design.
Allegheny County officials will hold an online meeting Thursday evening to discuss the upcoming Patton Street Bridge rehabilitation project, which will primarily affect Wall, Wilmerding, and North Versailles.
The purpose of the project is to provide a sustainable crossing over Turtle Creek for all road users and to improve and extend the useful life of the bridge, according to county officials.
The Patton Street Bridge received a rating of five when it was last inspected in April 2022, said officials. Bridges with a rating of four and below are considered to be in poor condition.
“If left to deteriorate further, the bridge would soon move into poor condition and possibly become unsafe for the traveling public,” according to a news release.
Construction for this project is currently anticipated to begin during the second quarter of 2026, and the bridge will require a one-year closure during rehabilitation.
The meeting is scheduled to run from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
Those wishing to attend the Thursday meeting can register by filling out a form at http://alleghenycounty.us/pattonstreetbridge. A link and phone number to attend the meeting will be emailed to those who register.
Driver flees from rollover crash in South Park Township
A truck was abandoned after a rollover crash Wednesday night in South Park Township, according to the Library Volunteer Fire Company.
The fire company told TribLive news partner WTAE that a driver ran from the scene of a crash that happened sometime Wednesday night.
The crash occurred in the area of Brownsville Road and Wallace Road.
As of early Thursday morning, it was not clear if police had caught up with the driver, according to WTAE.
Ryan Deto is a TribLive reporter covering politics, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County news. A native of California’s Bay Area, he joined the Trib in 2022 after spending more than six years covering Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh City Paper, including serving as managing editor. He can be reached at rdeto@triblive.com.