Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1163
Wine Store at Vallozzi’s Restaurant in Hempfield offers unique varieties
While other folks were learning to crochet or bake bread during quarantine, restaurateur Ernie Vallozzi turned his attention to wine. The results of his study are on display — and for sale — in the new Wine Store at Vallozzi’s Restaurant in Hempfield. “We had a realization (during pandemic restrictions)...
Court tosses ruling against Pennsylvania covid-19 measures
PHILADELPHIA — A federal appeals court has dismissed a judge’s ruling that threw out Gov. Tom Wolf’s sweeping covid-19 restrictions, saying the case is now moot because statewide mitigation measures have expired and Pennsylvania voters have since constrained a governor’s emergency powers. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled...
CDC urges covid vaccines during pregnancy as delta surges
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged all pregnant women Wednesday to get the covid-19 vaccine as hospitals in hot spots around the U.S. see disturbing numbers of unvaccinated mothers-to-be seriously ill with the virus. Expectant women run a higher risk of severe illness and pregnancy complications from the...
Duquesne University invokes mask mandate as students head to campusVideo
Citing a troubling increase in covid-19 infections regionally, Duquesne University announced Wednesday it is invoking a temporary mask mandate, effective Friday. The Pittsburgh university, which has required covid-19 vaccines as a condition of attendance this fall, said officials are requiring all individuals on campus to mask indoors, both in public...
Oakmont Country Club to be anchor site for U.S. Open, with 8 more USGA championships scheduled
Western Pennsylvania golf fans will have plenty of chances to see some of the world’s top golfers. The USGA named Oakmont Country Club its second “anchor site” for future USGA championships Wednesday, and the famed course will host the U.S. Open in 2025, 2034, 2042 and 2049, as well as...
Cuomo dynasty sputters out as scandal ends in lonely resignation
Andrew Cuomo’s resignation as governor of New York this week brought to an end a political dynasty stretching back to the 1980s, as a once-towering presence in Democratic politics was forced off stage for sexual misconduct ahead of a possible impeachment trial. It was an ignominious ending to the once-bright...
U.S. consumer prices keep rising, up 5.4% from a year ago
WASHINGTON — Prices for U.S. consumers rose last month but at the slowest pace since February, a sign that Americans may gain some relief after four months of sharp increases that have imposed a financial burden on the nation’s households. Wednesday’s report from the Labor Department showed that consumer prices...
Heinz Field Kickoff and Rib Festival returns for 5 days next month
Labor Day. Football. Ribs. The Heinz Field Kickoff and Rib Festival returns Sept. 2-6 at Heinz Field. Hours will be 4 to 9 p.m. Sept. 2, noon to 11 p.m. Sept. 3-5 and noon to 9 p.m. Sept. 6. The event was canceled last year because of the pandemic. Solomon...
Democrats renew push on elections bill that Republicans vows to block
WASHINGTON — Democrats are renewing their push to enact their marquee voting bill, pledging to make it the first order of business when the Senate returns in the fall even though they don’t have a clear strategy for overcoming steadfast Republican opposition. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced early Wednesday...
Senate nears OK of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget, despite GOP attacks
WASHINGTON — Democrats pushed their expansive $3.5 trillion framework for bolstering family services, health, and environment programs toward Senate passage early Wednesday, as Republicans unleashed an avalanche of amendments aimed at making their rivals pay a price in next year’s elections. Congressional approval of the budget resolution, which seems assured,...
Woman in critical condition following Manchester shooting
A woman was taken to the hospital in critical condition after being shot Tuesday evening in the city’s Manchester neighborhood, according to Pittsburgh police. Officers from Zone 1 responded to a report of shots fired along Bidwell Street near Pennsylvania Avenue around 6:15 p.m., and arrived to find a woman...
Man charged in arson damage to D’s Six Pax & Dogz in Swissvale
Wheeling Police arrested a Pittsburgh man on Wednesday wanted on charges he started a fire that damaged a Swissvale bar over the weekend, according to police and West Virginia news reports. Joseph Pepp, 28, is charged with three counts of aggravated arson. Pepp is accused of setting fire to a...
Latrobe wrestling coach on trial, accused of failing to stop and report alleged hazing incidents
Ritual hazing among members of the Greater Latrobe Area Junior High School wrestling team was ongoing as the boys’ coach stood feet away, a district administrator told a Westmoreland County judge on Tuesday. That testimony came during the first day in the nonjury trial of former wrestling head coach Cary...
Pa. is trying county fairs, text messages and door-knocking to raise the vaccination rate. Success is slow coming.
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. Nicole Diehl attended the Wayne County Fair in northeastern Pennsylvania last weekend, not for the livestock exhibitions, carnival games, demolition derbies,...
Unvaccinated students will have to pay $750 at West Virginia Wesleyan
BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — West Virginia Wesleyan College says it will charge a $750 fee to students who aren’t vaccinated for covid-19 for the fall semester. The school in Buckhannon also said in its campus arrival guidance for the upcoming semester that students who come down with the virus and can’t...
Video of South Side fight sparks investigation of Pittsburgh police officers
An incident involving several Pittsburgh Police officers on the city’s South Side is under investigation, according to a public safety spokesperson. A video circulating on Facebook appears to show a fight Aug. 8 outside of the Cambod-Ican Kitchen at the corner of East Carson and South 17th streets. The footage...
Highmark, AHN step up covid vaccination requirements for employees
Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network officials said Tuesday they are taking strict measures to ensure their more than 43,000 employees get vaccinated against covid-19. The health systems said they expect to reach a 100% vaccination rate for all eligible employees by the end of September unless they have a...
Arnold Palmer airport director optimistic after Spirit flights remain cancel-free so far this week
After a week of mostly canceled and delayed flights, Spirit Airlines’ service improved dramatically this week at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. Spirit, the sole commercial carrier at the Unity airport, “had definite issues,” said Gabe Monzo, executive director of the Westmoreland County Airport Authority. But he expressed confidence at the...
Gov. Wolf mandates vaccination for new hires at state-run health care facilities, prisons
Pennsylvania will mandate covid-19 vaccination for all new hires at state-run health care and congregate care settings, and current employees at those facilities must either get vaccinated or test weekly for the virus, Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday. The mandate will affect around 25,000 employees at state hospitals, state homes...
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigns over sexual harassment
NEW YORK — Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned over a barrage of sexual harassment allegations Tuesday in a fall from grace a year after he was widely hailed nationally for his detailed daily briefings and leadership during the darkest days of covid-19. The three-term governor’s decision was announced as momentum built...
Big win for $1T infrastructure bill: Democrats, GOP come together
WASHINGTON — With a robust vote after weeks of fits and starts, the Senate approved a $1 trillion infrastructure plan for states coast to coast on Tuesday, as a rare coalition of Democrats and Republicans came together to overcome skeptics and deliver a cornerstone of President Joe Biden’s agenda. “Today,...
Perseid meteor shower is peaking; here are 5 things to know
The famous astronomer, astrophysicist and author Carl Sagan once said, “The sky calls to us.” He could very easily have been referring to the annual Perseid meteor shower. Each year from about late July to late August, a celestial laser light show graces the night sky in the form of...
Pittsburgh Public Schools pushes back start of school
Students of Pittsburgh Public Schools won’t return to class until Sept. 8 to give the district more time to iron out transportation issues, administrators said Tuesday. “We are also listening to the concerns raised by our staff related to the impact traditionally high temperatures in August have on our facilities,...
Pittsburgh Restaurant Week returns with dining safety in mind
The next two weeks are an opportunity to dine out and support struggling food establishments returning to business amid the pandemic. The semiannual Pittsburgh Restaurant Week kicked off Monday and runs through Aug. 22. It also is held in January. Nearly 40 restaurants will participate. They are offering new menu...
Man hit, killed by train on South Side
A man was killed Tuesday after being hit by a train on the South Side, according to Pittsburgh police. Emergency responders were called by a CSX conductor to an area near Muriel Street just before 2:30 a.m. The conductor reported that a person spotted on the tracks was hit by...
