How they track the flight of golf balls at the U.S. Open for TV viewers, spectators on site
When a golfer at the U.S. Open tees off, in less than one second the members of the NBC Sports broadcasting team know where the ball is headed, how far it will go and where it will land. That’s great for viewers watching at home, who see a comet-like streak...
U.S. Open meteorologist runs 1-man show from women’s locker room at Oakmont
Amid the sweeping grounds of Oakmont Country Club sits one man alone in the women’s locker room of the clubhouse — meteorologist Jake Swick — whose sole job is to monitor the weather for the U.S. Open in real time. Inside that women’s locker room is a window that opens...
USGA’s course maintenance teams work all night to ensure a pleasant U.S. Open experience
Leighton Schwob, the U.S. Golf Association’s U.S. Open Championship director of operations, wishes he had a little more darkness to work with. “Too much land, not enough night,” he said of the daily — or in this case, nightly — maintenance of public areas at Oakmont Country Club. One doesn’t...
U.S. Open volunteers share what drove them to come to Oakmont this year
Karen Beeken assured a volunteer arriving early Wednesday at Oakmont Country Club that they would get their credentials. “I’ll take care of ya,” said Beeken, 72. Beeken of O’Hara is one of more than 4,000 volunteers working the 125th U.S. Open. They come from near and far, from all across...
Photo gallery: Final practice at Oakmont sets stage for U.S. Open competition
For a third straight day, fans flocked to Oakmont Country Club to watch the world’s top players fine-tune their game ahead of the opening round of the 125th U.S. Open. TribLive staff photojournalists were on hand to capture some of the incredible moments....
Verona Council hires new police chief
Thomas Dessell wears multiple hats in the Verona community. A Verona native, Dessell has been a borough police officer and president of the Verona Chamber of Commerce. But council promoted him to police chief on Tuesday night. The hiring comes on the heels of previous chief Ron McLemore’s honorable discharge...
Make sure to bring a healthy appetite to the U.S. Open
Should you be eating a Philly cheesesteak for breakfast? It’s a culinary debate for the ages. Dick Atzeni of Sligo, Clarion County, and his granddaughter, Hannah, certainly weren’t against it, as they chowed down on their sandwiches around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the U.S. Open in Oakmont. Atzeni has been...
Young fans give tips regarding the hunt for U.S. Open autographs
To get an autograph at the U.S. Open, you must be assertive, pushy and, for the most part, you have to be a kid. On Tuesday, Oakmont Country Club was flooded with people and families coming from all over the country. Among the crowd, tiny hands gripped flags, posters, hats...
USGA Museum offers attendees glimpse of past during U.S. Open
For John Meyers, many of the items on display in the USGA Museum at Oakmont Country Club were familiar sights. An Oakmont member for several decades, the “old fan” said he’d been to every U.S. Open since 1983. But he still enjoyed seeing objects like Johnny Miller’s clubs from the...
Oakmont caddies look to fill roles during U.S. Open, on and off the bag
Aaron Williams is among a select few when it comes to Oakmont Country Club caddies: He has found himself on a bag this week for the U.S. Open. After narrowly missing an opportunity to caddie at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont, Williams was committed to working the tournament this...
A trip inside the U.S. Open merchandise tent in Oakmont
Before Yasuhiro Kano strolled over to the 34,000-square-foot U.S. Open merchandise tent Monday at Oakmont Country Club, he set a budget: $500. By the time he was done, Kano, 55, of Chicago, had shirts, hats and souvenirs for friends back in Illinois, but he stayed on budget. “I like golf,”...
FAA, county bar drones from flying near U.S. Open grounds
Amateur drone operators, take note: You need to avoid the air space this week around Oakmont Country Club. A Temporary Flight Restriction has been put in effect above the historic country club while the U.S. Open golf championship makes its 10th visit to the Allegheny Valley, officials announced Monday. The...
Traffic calm in Oakmont during 1st day of U.S. Open practice rounds
Drivers in Oakmont experienced mostly traffic-free travel as U.S. Open practice rounds kicked off Monday morning. While there might have been a bit more travel than usual, traffic wasn’t an issue, Oakmont police Chief Michael Ford said. People, however, shouldn’t necessarily get used to those quick travel times through the...
In brief: Plum, Oakmont area news, events for the week of June 9, 2025
Plum Class of 1985 to hold reunion in November Plum’s Class of 1985 will host its 40th class reunion on Nov. 28 at Veltre’s Wedding Venue on Coxcomb Hill Road. Organizers are seeking contact information for class members. Details about the reunion are available at the “Plum HS 1985 —...
Golf’s greatest face Oakmont’s ultimate test at 125th U.S. Open
The likes of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau have arrived in Oakmont with ambitions of raising a trophy Sunday at the 125th U.S. Open being held at historic Oakmont Country Club. They will be greeted, starting with practice rounds on Monday, by tens of thousands of...
Eastern Pittsburgh suburban real estate transactions for the week of June 8, 2025
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Chalfant Estate of Anna Reabe sold property at 125 Wilkins Ave. to AAE Engineering LLC for $63,000. Churchill Timothy Mullins sold property at 12 Lewin Ln to Bryce Cooper for $390,000. Cedar Brook Properties Funding 1 LLC sold property at 140 Thornberry Drive to Robert and Jeannette Fisher...
Veteran fan, former Oakmont caddie offers suggestions for fans attending U.S. Open
Derek Gionta has seen the U.S. Open both inside and out. That’s because, in addition to attending multiple opens over the years, the 44-year-old Monroeville resident also was a caddie at the Oakmont Country Club during his high school and college days. “My brother was already doing it when I...
U.S. Open offers fans full plate of culinary options at Oakmont Country Club
As soon as the U.S. Open’s final putt is sunk, Susan Lacz starts thinking about the next year’s tournament. Lacz is CEO of Ridgewells Catering in Maryland, the United States Golf Association’s longtime catering partner for the event. She’s one of the people in charge of making sure hungry U.S....
Riverview business manager recommends 2.23% tax increase
Riverview School District’s business manager doubled down on her recommendation for a tax increase for next school year. Business manager Sheila Lubert once again recommended a 2.23% tax increase for 2025-26 during the school board’s June 2 agenda meeting after reviewing the district’s proposed budget. The 0.5591-mill real estate tax...
Oakmont deer could be target of survey
Whitetail deer are on the minds of Oakmont officials. During a recent council meeting, Councilwoman Debra Ormay floated the idea to make a survey available for residents to share whether there’s a deer issue in Oakmont. She said she has received a few complaints about the presence of deer and...
Verona man arrested in connection with December robbery and shooting
Verona police made an arrest Friday morning in connection with a December robbery and shooting in the borough. According to Verona Officer Thomas Dessell, Price Riley, 37, was wanted for allegedly robbing his Uber driver and later firing a gunshot inside a gas station bathroom in December. “With the assistance...
Jury finds Oakmont rape suspect not guilty
An Oakmont man was acquitted by a jury this week of rape and sexual assault charges involving a teenage girl. Jurors spent about four hours deliberating Wednesday in the case against Jeffrey Thomas McMeekin, 63, according to a court order. He was found not guilty of 21 counts including rape,...
Championship-round tickets sold out for U.S. Open at Oakmont; limited practice-round spots remain
Tens of thousands of golf fans have secured their tickets for the 125th U.S. Open being held next week at Oakmont Country Club. The USGA announced Friday that the championship rounds, scheduled for Thursday through June 15, are sold out. Around 30,000 spectators are expected at the course each day...
Longtime fans recount stories, experiences at past U.S. Opens at Oakmont
Curt Coulter has a deep connection to Oakmont Country Club and the U.S. Opens played there. The golfing bug bit him early, at just 7. By the time he was 13, he was a junior member at Oakmont living a chip shot away. Coulter, 59, went on to win seven...
Verona’s annual farmers market returns to East Railroad Avenue
Verona Borough’s annual farmers market kicked off on Thursday, June 5. Local farmers, vendors and community clubs set up stands at 736 East Railroad Ave. to sell produce, plants and other wares. The market will take place every Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m. through October. For more information, visit...
