Julia Burdelski stories, Page 9
Judge rejects effort to keep Montour Trail fatal stabbing defendant in psychiatric hospital
An Allegheny County judge on Thursday ruled the person accused of fatally stabbing a Pennsylvania State Police Liquor Control Enforcement agent last year along the Montour Trail in Moon could not spend more time in a state psychiatric hospital. Common Pleas Judge Edward J. Borkowski said he believes Anthony Quesen,...
Proposed $500M Bakery Square expansion on track for council vote
A $500 million proposal to expand the Bakery Square development in Pittsburgh’s East End is inching forward nearly a year after it earned approval from the Planning Commission. City Council on Tuesday held a public hearing on the matter, a required step before council can vote on the legislation that...
Pittsburgh agent among 6 Secret Service members suspended over Trump assassination attempt in Butler
Six Secret Service agents were suspended over “failures” during a July 2024 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump — then a presidential candidate — at a rally in Butler, ABC News reported. The suspensions were confirmed just before the one-year anniversary of the July 13 shooting, which left Trump’s ear...
Morning Roundup: Police say convicted felon had drugs, guns during Kittanning traffic stop
Here are some of the latest news items happening this morning, Thursday, July 10: Police say convicted felon had drugs, guns during Kittanning traffic stop A man was arrested after police said they found drugs and guns in his duffel bag during a traffic stop in Kittanning. According to federal...
Pittsburgh officials bullish on police recruiting, but union stays skeptical
Pittsburgh officials on Wednesday struck a cautiously optimistic tone about police recruitment efforts after struggling for years to attract officers to a shrinking police force. “It’s a little too early to bring the champagne into the locker room,” Councilman Khari Mosley, D-Point Breeze said. “But by all indications, it seems...
Morning Roundup: Brookline vape shop robbed; pedestrian fatally struck in Mercer County
Here are some of the latest news items happening this morning, Wednesday, July 9: Police investigating after stolen car crashes into Brookline vape shop Pittsburgh police are investigating after a vehicle smashed through the doors of a Brookline vape shop as part of a robbery early Tuesday morning. Police were...
Pittsburgh boosts protections for LGBTQ+ people, pares prostitution penalty
Last month, Pittsburgh Councilwoman Barb Warwick said she hoped a package of bills she was introducing would spark a larger conversation about supporting LGBTQ+ people and signal that everyone is welcome at a Pittsburgh, even as the Trump administration put vulnerable communities “under attack.” On Tuesday, Warwick claimed a victory...
Pittsburgh exempts native, pollinator gardens from plant-height limits
Pittsburghers with a green thumb will now be able to cultivate native and pollinator gardens. City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved legislation that would exempt people planting vegetation native to Pennsylvania from the city’s ban on plant growth more than 10 inches high on residential properties. People will be able...
No penalty sought over Pittsburgh cop’s call for backup at heated council meeting
Pittsburgh City Council President R. Daniel Lavelle on Tuesday said he was not seeking any punishment for the sergeant at arms who called for backup during a heated council meeting last week despite issuing a public statement calling for an investigation into the incident. John Svitek, a uniformed Pittsburgh police...
Pittsburgh council rejects 1 of 2 competing zoning reform bills
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday struck down one of two competing zoning proposals that have sparked controversy and outlined different paths to creating more affordable housing. Inclusionary zoning — which mandates that a percentage of housing units in large new developments be designated as affordable for low-income people — already...
Pittsburgh council strengthens oversight of $15M Stop the Violence fund
Oversight will increase for a multimillion-dollar fund to combat violence in Pittsburgh amid City Council concerns that supervision was weak. Council voted unanimously to add reporting requirements and other safeguards to the Stop the Violence fund, which has around $15 million in taxpayer money that is allocated to numerous grassroots...
UPMC ended trans care for kids, teens after letter from Dr. Oz seeking data
UPMC was among several hospitals that were sent a letter by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services before ending gender-affirming care for patients under 19. The letter, dated May 28 and signed by Dr. Mehmet Oz, the agency’s administrator, warned of “significant issues concerning quality standards and specific...
Morning Roundup: Woman injured in serious crash in Beltzhoover; lottery win in Brighton Heights
Here are some of the latest news items happening this morning, Tuesday, July 8: Woman injured in serious crash in Beltzhoover A woman was trapped in her vehicle after a serious crash Monday in Pittsburgh’s Beltzhoover neighborhood. First responders were called to the 400 block of East Warrington Avenue for...
Earlier bar time? More police horses? Pittsburgh councilman spitballs how to tame South Side chaos
A Pittsburgh councilman whose district includes the troublesome East Carson Street entertainment district is mulling strategies to curb unruly crowds there, from asking bars to voluntarily close earlier to using horse-mounted police more frequently. Councilman Bob Charland, D-South Side, acknowledged that violent incidents in the area over the past few...
Pittsburgh councilmen bristle over call for police backup at public meeting
Two Pittsburgh City Council members are calling for an investigation and report on why council’s sergeant at arms — a uniformed Pittsburgh police officer — requested backup during a heated public meeting last week. In a statement over the weekend, Councilmen R. Daniel Lavelle, D-Hill District, and Khari Mosley, D-Point...
Morning Roundup: Teen shot in Pittsburgh’s Knoxville neighborhood; vehicle crashes into Charleroi home
Here are some of the latest news items happening this morning, Monday, July 7: Teenager shot in Pittsburgh’s Knoxville neighborhood A teenager was shot Sunday night in Pittsburgh’s Knoxville neighborhood, public safety officials said. Police were dispatched around 10 p.m. to the 200 block of East Amanda Avenue for a...
Officials shut down South Side homeless camp
Officials this week shut down a homeless camp along the Southside Riverfront Trail in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood, making it the latest in a string of closures meant to relocate people from streets to shelters. Close to 50 people lived along the trail at its peak, Councilman Bob Charland, D-South...
Corroded steel prompts closure of Jacks Run Road Bridge in Ross
Allegheny County officials on Thursday announced the closure of a bridge described as a “vital link” spanning Interstate 279 in Ross after inspectors discovered corroded steel. The Department of Public Works closed Jacks Run Road Bridge No. 3, which sits between Bellevue Road/Bellpark Drive and Kane Lane in Ross. There...
Pittsburgh looks to formalize guard rails for Stop the Violence fund
Pittsburgh officials are looking to formalize “guard rails” to ensure accountability and proper use of the Stop the Violence fund. Legislation before City Council aims to ensure organizations receiving grants from the fund report to the city on how it spends the cash. It outlines the responsibilities of a steering...
Pittsburgh council splits on planned public safety facility some deride as ‘cop city’
Pittsburgh City Council members are sharply divided on whether to spend nearly $2 million to advance plans for a new public safety training facility amid concerns that it could become the kind of “cop city” that sparked protests elsewhere. Council is considering a proposal to launch a $1.8 million master...
Allegheny County faces ‘unsustainable’ financial challenges, O’Connor warns
Allegheny County’s financial position is unsustainable, according to Controller Corey O’Connor, who said leaders must prioritize economic growth. O’Connor, who also is the Democratic candidate for Pittsburgh mayor, released financial reports Monday that show the county’s property, sales and drink tax revenue declined last year. The county spent $45.5 million...
Activists, elected officials rail against UPMC’s decision to end gender-affirming care for minors
Dozens of LGBTQ+ advocates, elected officials and supporters gathered outside UPMC’s Downtown Pittsburgh headquarters Sunday to rally against the health care giant’s decision to stop providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth. UPMC has confirmed it will end gender-affirming care for patients under age 19 in response to an order from...
Driver taken into custody after breaching barricades, striking pedestrian during OpenStreetsPGH event
Allegheny County sheriff’s deputies took a woman from Duquesne into custody after she plowed her car through barricades at Sunday’s OpenStreetsPGH, an event that allows pedestrians and bicyclists free rein on certain roads. The sheriff’s office filed charges, including first-degree aggravated assault and assault of a law enforcement officer, against...
Cars, motorcycles, tattoos on tap at inaugural Whiskey Throttle Fair
Joe Fidanzato loves to flaunt his shiny, silver 1981 GMC Caballero Diablo any chance he can get. Fidanzato, 75, of Monongahela polished the wheels after parking the car Saturday morning off a dusty road at the Westmoreland Fairgrounds in Mt. Pleasant Township for the Whiskey Throttle Fair. The fair featured...
Man arrested after stabbing in Downtown Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh public safety officials said a man was arrested near PNC Park after allegedly stabbing a convenience store employee Downtown. Police were dispatched to the 600 block of Liberty Avenue for reports of a stabbing around 1:14 p.m. Friday. Officers found a man who had been stabbed in his ribs....
