Teghan Simonton stories, Page 17
Pittsburgh Zoo employee tests positive for coronavirus
A seasonal employee at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium tested positive for covid-19, officials said Monday. The employee was asymptomatic, and had been tested after an extended family member tested positive. The employee has not been on zoo property since June 23, according to a statement. Employees who interacted...
Priests of St. Benedict the Moor host BLM vigil in Pittsburgh’s Hill District
The priests of St. Benedict the Moor Church in the Hill District hosted a prayer vigil Sunday, in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. The church was recently designated a “personal parish” to serve the Black community, and priests were assigned to the newly-formed parish only the day before....
‘Bubbles for Bella’ vigil pays homage to 3-year-old Oakmont girl who died from abuse
In some ways, the scene Sunday afternoon in Verona looked like a child’s birthday party. A picnic table wrapped in pink plastic was crowded with family and members of the community, surrounded by coolers of water and soda. There were decorations of butterfly wings and pop hits playing on a...
Police: Wilkinsburg man charged in 2013 shooting death of 1-year-old Marcus White Jr.
A Wilkinsburg man has been charged in connection to a 2013 triple shooting at a picnic that killed 15-month-old Marcus White, Jr. in Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood. Gregory Parker, 22, is charged with criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy, four counts of aggravated assault and gun charges, Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesman Chris...
Pittsburgh zoo welcomes new cheetahs, hosting naming contest
The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium has five new cheetah cubs and there’s a contest to name them. The zoo announced Friday it had welcomed the five female cubs and their mother, Naya, from the Metro Richmond Zoo. The cubs are about eight months old. The zoo is hosting a...
Priests assigned to Catholic parish in Pittsburgh’s Hill District
Three priests have been assigned to the church in Pittsburgh’s Hill District that has been designated to serve Black Catholics in the area. Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik announced the clergy assignments Saturday for St. Benedict the Moor personal parish. The church was designated a “personal parish” last week to serve...
Permanent speed humps to be installed on Grandview Avenue
Permanent speed humps will be installed on Grandview Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington neighborhood, the city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure announced Saturday. Speed and volume data found that 61% of motorists traveled over the speed limit of 25 miles per hour on the road, according to a news release....
Universities to advocate for international students amid visa restrictions
Leaders in higher education, including at local instititutions, are concerned over President Trump’s executive order Monday that suspends new visas for many international workers. The order, passed Monday and put into effect immediately, denies entry into the U.S. to four visa categories: H-1B, L, J and H-2B. These visas apply...
Police charge McKees Rocks man with homicide in Robinson motel shooting
Allegheny County Police have arrested a McKees Rocks man in the fatal shooting of a Beaver County man Friday morning at the Pittsburgh Motel on Steubenville Pike in Robinson. Jaquay Murray, 25, is charged with criminal homicide in the death of Christopher Langham, 48, of Hookstown. Police and medics were...
61 new coronavirus cases reported in Allegheny County, highest in 2 months
Allegheny County health officials reported 61 new cases of covid-19 Friday, a record high for daily cases in nearly two months. One new hospitalization and two deaths were also reported. The new cases reported Friday in Allegheny County represent the highest daily number since April 23. The new cases ranged...
Biddle’s Escape coffee shop owner sues WESA-FM, alleging defamation
The owner of a Wilkinsburg coffee shop is suing a Pittsburgh radio station over a story last year that contained allegations of sexual misconduct. Joseph Davis, owner of Biddle’s Escape, a popular indie coffee joint in the Regent Square neighborhood, claims in a lawsuit that the story was defamatory and...
Teen killed, others injured in South Fayette train crash
A teenage girl was killed and two others were hurt Wednesday, after they were struck by a train in South Fayette. The crash happened near the intersection of Wabash Avenue and Millers Run Road, according to a news release from Allegheny County police. The teenagers were walking across an elevated...
UPMC: Coronavirus patient outcomes are improving
While parts of the nation are dealing with an increase in covid-19 cases, local patient outcomes are actually improving, UPMC officials said Wednesday. Dr. Donald Yealy, UPMC’s chair of emergency medicine, said the health system is seeing the lowest number of hospitalized covid-19 patients since a spike in early April....
Many students displaced by Blessed Sacrament closure to attend Greensburg Diocese school
Nearly a week after the announcement of the closure of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament School in Harrison, the future is still uncertain for many students, faculty and staff. But at Mary Queen of Apostles School, nearby in New Kensington, Principal Cathy Collett said she’s been giving back-to-back...
Kiski Area tax bills will go up slightly in Westmoreland, but down in Armstrong
The Kiski Area School Board approved a $62.9 million budget for the coming school year that slightly increases the tax bill for the district’s Westmoreland County property owners, but decreases it for ones in Armstrong County. Westmoreland County property owners will see their millage rate go up 0.34 mills to...
Contact tracing IDs more than 4,000 exposed to covid-19 in Pennsylvania
More than 4,000 people who were exposed to covid-19 have been identified through contact tracing efforts throughout the state, the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced Friday. “We are now equipped with hundreds of contact tracers that can help us mitigate the spread of this virus,” Secretary of Health Rachel Levine...
Kiski Area School District approves guidelines for sports, band to resume
Kiski Area School Board on Wednesday approved a health and safety plan for student-athletes and band members to resume practice during the summer. The guidelines, outlined on the district’s website, include restrictions and safety measures aimed at preventing the spread of covid-19. “We wanted to do it in a way...
Rivers Casino employee tests positive for covid-19
An employee at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh tested positive for the coronavirus, the company said Wednesday. “Rivers Casino Pittsburgh was informed today that a team member has tested positive for covid-19,” casino officials said in a statement. “Safety protocols put into place for reopening worked as intended, and all notifications...
Former Wilkinsburg resident sentenced on drug and firearms charges
A former Wilkinsburg resident has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for violating federal drug and gun laws. According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh, Jordan Thompson, 23, possessed fentanyl and heroin with intent to distribute. He also illegally possessed a Glock .40-caliber...
Beaver County man sentenced to 10 years in prison after sexual exploitation of a minor
A man from Rochester, Beaver County, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possessing videos depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. According to information presented in court, Elijah Winchester, 23, had 14 videos of himself engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl. Prosecutors said the...
32 lawsuits filed against Giant Eagle over pandemic mask policy
More than 30 lawsuits have been filed against Giant Eagle over the grocery chain’s mask policy, with plaintiffs claiming it is discriminatory under the Americans with Disabilities Act. A wave of lawsuits against Giant Eagle began in late May with seven cases filed in federal court. Plaintiffs included residents of...
Justice Department launches portal to report civil rights violations
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced today the launch of a new online tool to help the public report civil rights violations. The Civil Rights Reporting Portal — at civilrights.justice.gov — will consolidate 30 different reporting pathways, according to a news release. The form is fully accessible to people...
Pittsburgh’s MSA Safety repurposing industrial masks to use against covid-19
Hospitals are struggling with a global shortage of personal protective equipment during the covid-19 pandemic, but one regional company received national acclaim for easing the burden. MSA Safety, founded in 1914 in Pittsburgh and now based in Cranberry, is a global manufacturer of safety equipment for mining, construction, energy and...
Vandergrift residents reflect after peaceful protests, see a better future
After a hectic two weeks of protests planned, canceled and rescheduled, many residents say there has been a shift in Vandergrift. The town braced itself for riots that never came June 4 after a planned protest spurred backlash and threatening messages online. The protest’s organizers called off their event, but...
Route 28 restrictions in Pittsburgh set for next week
There will be lane restrictions on Route 28 in Pittsburgh next week, PennDOT announced Friday. Crews from Larson Design Group will inspect the bridge that carries Chestnut Street over Route 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, June 15 and 16. Single-lane restrictions will occur in each...
