The Biggest Stories in Moon

Six Allegheny County men face a bevy of charges after what police describe as a year-long string of burglaries and car thefts in the region.  

Moon Police Chief Leo McCarthy said the men targeted suburban communities, including Moon, that were easily accessible to major highways. He said the men stole thousands of items from residents in Allegheny, Washington, Butler and Mercer counties, including laptops, a motorcycle as well as cash and credit cards. 

Police from more than a dozen jurisdictions used finger-print evidence to identify the men involved. 

Joseph Manna, the 27-year-old McKees Rocks man charged with a string of aggravated assaults and a carjacking in Moon, has again had a hearing in his case postponed. 

Earlier this week, Manna was scheduled to appear in Coraopolis District Court for a preliminary hearing. But when a court reporter failed to come to court, the hearing was re-scheduled for March 1. This is the second time that the hearing has been rescheduled. 

Manna remains held at the Allegheny County Jail. 

The Moon Area School District and its teachers union met for a bargaining session on Feb. 15, marking the first time the two parties have met since the Moon Area School Board voted down a contract proposed by an arbitrator in January. 

The board also met for a meeting on Feb. 14, where they formally welcomed the district's new assistant superintendent  and approved the district's preliminary budget. 

Patch talked to a mental health expert who oversees a network of Fairweather lodges in Erie to find out what the group homes are all about. 

A Fairweather lodge, which is a group home for people with severe mental illness, will soon open at  Neighbors on the street oppose this use of the home.

Residents got a chance to see the newly completed $76 million Moon Area High School this weekend at the district's open house. Students began classes in the building earlier this month.

The district held a dedication ceremony and tours of the 186,011-square-foot building for residents. Check back with Patch today for coverage of the event.