Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1130
New records reveal the cost of Pa.’s failure to clarify rules around addiction treatment and marijuana
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — The failure by Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration to clarify federal rules around addiction treatment funding and medical marijuana caused...
Allegheny County: All executive branch employees must be vaccinated by December
All employees working for Allegheny County’s executive branch must be vaccinated against covid-19 by Dec. 1, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said Wednesday. “As we continue to see cases of covid in our county, and different populations being affected than were previously, it is even more important that our workforce be...
Crumbling foundation at Cross on the Hill poses safety hazard, donations sought
Major structural repairs are being eyed for the Cross on the Hill, an Alle-Kiski Valley icon that shines from the bluff over the Allegheny River in Lower Burrell. A crumbling foundation will require up to $10,000 to fix, said Karen Snair, executive director of the Allegheny Valley Association of Churches...
Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show adds fall edition
A smaller version of the annual spring Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show – The Pittsburgh Fall Home Show – will bloom Oct. 8-10 at the David Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. The 10-day spring show, a staple for four decades, was postponed until March 2022. Organizers decided to host an abbreviated...
1 dead in South Greensburg crash that shut down Route 119, pickup truck driver had heart issueVideo
A Pitcairn man died and a Latrobe policeman was injured Wednesday morning in a crash along Route 119 in South Greensburg, authorities said. Robert J. Borst, 57, of Fourth Street died as a result of cardiovascular disease, the Westmoreland County Coroner said. Borst was pronounced dead at Excela Westmoreland Hospital...
Century III Mall: Video showing mall’s current state of disrepair hits 1 million viewsVideo
A recent look inside Century III Mall in West Mifflin doesn’t paint a pretty picture of the once-bustling shopping center. Water dripping from the ceiling pools in puddles on the ground. Broken ceiling tiles litter the floor. An empty water fountain and dead palm trees in giant pots serve as...
First round of American Rescue Plan funds allocated by Allegheny County Council
The $380 million that Allegheny County will receive from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan Act will improve programs that help people who need it most, Allegheny County Councilman DeWitt Walton said Tuesday. “These dollars really begin to address many of the challenges that we’re confronted with in...
U.S. says ivory-billed woodpecker, 22 other species extinct
BILLINGS, Mont. — Death’s come knocking a last time for the splendid ivory-billed woodpecker and 22 more birds, fish and other species: The U.S. government is declaring them extinct. It’s a rare move for wildlife officials to give up hope on a plant or animal, but government scientists say they’ve...
Holiday cheer: The Tipsy Elf serves festive drinks at Greenfield pop-up bar
It’s advertised as a “No Grinches Allowed” establishment. The Tipsy Elf is a Christmas-themed pop-up bar that opened its doors on Nov. 24 in Greenfield. The sparkling holiday space is at 557 Greenfield Ave., next door to Hough’s Taproom & Brewpub. There’s Christmas music, festive decorations and holiday drinks. Guests...
5 things to know about covid-19 vaccine booster shots
Some people who are at risk for severe complications from covid-19 are now eligible for a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine. First of all, the booster — a third dose of the mRNA covid-19 vaccine — is identical to the original doses. Here’s what people should know if they...
2 drivers hurt when horses fall during race at Meadows track
Two drivers were injured at the Meadows Racetrack in North Strabane Township on Tuesday when a race horse took a bad step during a turn and fell. The incident happened during a qualifying event at the harness racing track shortly before 2 p.m. when a horse entering one of the...
Pittsburgh council OKs seeking $8M in state grants for 3 streetscape projects
Pittsburgh officials are seeking $8 million in state funding for three streetscape projects. Mayor Bill Peduto asked city council to approve applying for the grants Tuesday and council advanced legislation to that effect. The city is seeking the money from the state Department of Community and Economic Developments Multimodal Transportation...
Judge to decide jail or house arrest for New Kensington man convicted of neglect of mother’s corpse
A Westmoreland County judge on Tuesday said he can’t decide whether to send a New Kensington man to jail for neglecting to report to authorities that his mother died and left her sealed up alone in her home for two months. Robert Hawk, 49, through his defense lawyer asked to...
Police seek gun from FBI Pittsburgh vehicle stolen from Schenley Park
FBI agents and the Pittsburgh police are searching for a gun that was inside a vehicle owned by the FBI that was stolen Tuesday, officials said. An FBI vehicle was stolen from Schenley Park around 1:30 p.m., said FBI Pittsburgh spokeswoman Catherine Policicchio. Inside was a Glock 19M 9mm. Following...
Aviary asks Pittsburgh residents for help in finding Kodiak, the missing Steller’s sea eagleVideo
The National Aviary in Pittsburgh’s North Side is asking the public to help them find Kodiak, the Steller’s sea eagle that escaped from his outdoor enclosure on Saturday. The aviary has been closed since Saturday as groups of staff and volunteers fan out across Pittsburgh’s North Side and nearby communities...
Guilty plea entered in North Huntingdon Valentine’s Day fatal crash that killed 4
Thu Thanh Carole Nguyen knew her mother was a slow driver and didn’t initially worry when she and her three friends were late in returning home after a Valentine’s Day special Mass at a Pittsburgh church. Months after she learned her mother and two friends were killed in a head-on...
Some tickets are under $50 for upcoming Rolling Stones concert at Heinz Field
You most likely won’t stick your tongue out at these prices. With six days left before the Rolling Stones arrive at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, tickets are still available on various websites. And some are at reasonable prices. Time is of the essence as these prices can change quickly, according...
Gov. Wolf pushes state lawmakers to boost vaccination rates in their districts
Americans have seen vaccination rates by state, county and ZIP code. Now, as Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration tackles vaccine hesitancy, there’s yet another metric in Pennsylvania. A new report that breaks down vaccination rates by Pennsylvania legislative district suggests there is a significant rural-urban divide, with the highest vaccination rates...
Former Frazer cop accused of using police-tracking software to monitor woman’s whereabouts
A Harrison man who has worked as a police officer for multiple Alle-Kiski Valley departments is accused of using police-tracking software to monitor the whereabouts of a woman who had broken off a relationship with him, court paperwork shows. Michael A. McSherry, 29, also is accused of secretly placing a...
Bill would give parents front-row seat to what students are being taught in Pa. schools
Parents of public school students would be able to access the contents of a school curriculum, textbook titles and lesson plans with a few clicks on a computer keyboard under legislation that is advancing in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Andrew Lewis, R-Dauphin County, would...
Mt. Lebanon High School steps up police presence in light of violence rumors
Mt. Lebanon Police have stepped up the police presence at the high school in light of rumors circulating regarding possible gun violence, school officials said Tuesday. High school principal Joel Thompson wrote in a letter to families that multiple tips have been received through Safe2Say, an online and app-based system...
Point Park threatens discipline against students who misgender others
Point Park University has issued a policy that threatens disciplinary action for students who misgender other students. In an email dated Sept. 13, university officials warned that misgendering students could result in a violation of the Policy on Discrimination and Harassment for gender-based discrimination. According to the email, “action could...
Pittsburgh council adopts ban on declawing cats
Pittsburgh City Council Tuesday approved legislation that would ban the surgery used to declaw cats from being performed in the city. The measure passed unanimously, without discussion. Mayor Bill Peduto supports the legislation and will sign it, Peduto’s Chief of Staff Dan Gilman said. Veterinarians who perform the surgery, which...
How many parents would get young children vaccinated against covid? What a poll found
A new poll found a slim majority of parents would get their young children vaccinated against covid-19. The Gallup poll released Tuesday found 55% of parents with children under 12 plan to get them a coronavirus vaccine when one is authorized for use in younger kids while 45% said they...
Maryland newspaper gunman gets more than 5 life prison terms
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A man who killed five people at a newspaper in Maryland was sentenced on Tuesday to more than five life sentences without the possibility of parole. Anne Arundel County Judge Michael Wachs ordered the sentence for Jarrod Ramos, whom a jury previously found criminally responsible for killing...
