Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1312
Police deploy gas to get man barricaded inside East Liberty apartment building to surrender
Pittsburgh Police were able to safely evacuate residents from an East Liberty apartment building when an armed man threatened responding officers before barricading himself inside. Officers from the city’s Zone 5 station were dispatched to the 600 block of Collins Street shortly after 10 p.m. on Wednesday after receiving a...
19-year-old woman fatally shot in Hazelwood, man wounded
Pittsburgh police responding to a Shotspotter alert in the 300 block of Flowers Avenue in Hazelwood on Wednesday night were stopped on the way by a vehicle carrying two people suffering from gunshot wounds, according to authorities. Officers from the city’s Zone 4 station were alerted to the gunfire shortly...
Pittsburgh to honor local jazz musicians virtually for Black History Month
Pittsburgh jazz legend Roger Humphries marches to his own beat. The musician from Pittsburgh’s North Side began playing the drums at the age of 3. He wanted to be like his older brothers. “Music is in my blood,” said Humphries, who turns 77 on Saturday. “I recall lying on the...
State Rep. Frankel builds support for hate speech bill in wake of Capitol riots
When an angry mob of anti-government extremists carrying symbols of hate stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, it may have been a wake-up call for some — but not for state Rep. Dan Frankel, a Democrat from Squirrel Hill. Frankel is Jewish and represents a district that includes the...
Pittsburgh Public Schools delay returning to classrooms until April 6
Pittsburgh Public Schools has delayed the return to in-school instruction another two months, until April 6. The district targeted the return to classroom instruction at the end of February. One after the other, several board members spoke at their meeting Wednesday in support of continuing to teach classes online, though...
Pandemic concerns trigger postponement of Pittsburgh’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Organizers are postponing this year’s Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade because of pandemic concerns regarding large gatherings. The decision to postpone the annual event, which would have been held on March 13, was made jointly with city officials. The parade committee is working with the city to identify a date...
Biden orders sweeping actions to pause drilling and fight climate changeVideo
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Wednesday a moratorium on new oil and gas leasing on public lands, one of a slate of executive actions he is taking to demonstrate his commitment to fighting climate change, despite opposition from the fossil fuel industry. The move effectively hit pause on the...
Hearing on Crack’d Egg restaurant closure orders focuses on mask efficacy
Allegheny County’s chief epidemiologist testified Wednesday that restaurants operating at full capacity and without mask requirements during the covid-19 pandemic “absolutely” pose a risk to the community. LuAnn Brink, who also serves as deputy director of the county health department, was the first witness called in a hearing involving the...
Former Allderdice coach, police academy cadet accused of selling cocaine from house
A former Pittsburgh Allderdice High School football coach who was going through a police academy is accused of selling cocaine out of his Squirrel Hill home, according to charges filed Wednesday by state Attorney General Josh Shapiro. Branndon Pezzelle, 36, allegedly had 1,252 grams – nearly 3 pounds – of...
Allegheny County officials expecting improvements to vaccine rolloutVideo
Allegheny County officials said Wednesday they are making plans to take vaccine doses into senior high rises and similar communities, setting up a phone registration and looking for ways to streamline the registration process. The steps take time, officials said, and take a larger and more reliable supply of vaccine....
Pittsburgh Police find boy missing since Saturday unharmed
A teenage boy who was reported missing over the weekend was found Wednesday evening, according to Pittsburgh Police. Ceonte Young, 16, had last been seen around 6:30 a.m. Saturday, police said. A Tweet from city police said authorities found Ceonte and that he is “safe.” The message also thanked the...
Pennsylvania Senate OKs $912M pandemic recovery aid bill
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s state Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation to distribute just over $900 million to aid schools and hospitality-related businesses hit hard by the coronavirus, as well as people struggling to pay rent or utility bills. The bill still requires approval from the state House of Representatives and...
Pa. voters to get final say on limiting governor disaster powers
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania voters will likely soon get the final say about whether to limit the governor’s powers during a disaster emergency after a divided state House of Representatives endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment Wednesday. House members voted 116 to 85 in the latest legislative approval vote. One more vote...
Child sexual abuse lawsuit ‘window’ moves near referendum
HARRISBURG — The state House has given its final approval to a proposal to change the Pennsylvania Constitution to give those who say they were victims of child sexual abuse a retroactive two-year “window” in which to file civil lawsuits, no matter how long ago the alleged abuse occurred. State...
U.S. terrorism alert warns of politically motivated violenceVideo
WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security issued a national terrorism bulletin Wednesday warning of the potential for lingering violence from people motivated by anti-government sentiment after President Joe Biden’s election, suggesting the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol may embolden extremists and set the stage for additional attacks. The...
Richard King Mellon Foundation to award $1.2B in Pittsburgh region over 10 years, seeks public input
The Richard King Mellon Foundation, the region’s largest philanthropic organization, plans to give away $1.2 billion over the next decade, its director announced Wednesday. And it will continue a new practice in doling out the old money by soliciting public input on where it will do the most good. The...
Board won’t probe alleged election night imbibing by Pittsburgh officers
The Citizens Police Review Board will not dig any further into allegations several Pittsburgh Police officers imbibed while on duty on election night last year, the board has decided. The Nov. 3 incident involved a group of 17 officers who were working an extended shift the night of the election,...
Jim Rutherford resigns as Penguins GM, Patrik Allvin to serve as interim as club starts search
Jim Rutherford has resigned as general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, citing personal reasons, the team announced Wednesday afternoon in a news release. Assistant general manager Patrik Allvin has been promoted to interim general manager. The search for a new GM will begin immediately, the team said. “It has been...
Excela planning for vaccine distribution when supplies become available
Excela Health plans to open coronavirus vaccination appointments to community members meeting the state’s guidelines when the health system has enough vaccine to go around. But not just yet. Dr. Carol Fox, the system’s chief medical officer, said health care workers at Excela’s three hospitals and other independent community providers...
Allegheny County covid cases continue to trend lower than past months
Allegheny County added 376 new coronavirus cases to its totals on Wednesday, the second-highest total in the state, but far removed from where it stood a month ago. Allegheny’s new cases trailed only Luzerne County, which added 468, yet the numbers have declined greatly in recent weeks. Just one month...
Gov. Wolf defends moving smokers to top covid vaccine priority group
Smokers are among people included in Pennsylvania’s first priority group for the covid-19 vaccine, a move state officials tried to justify this week. Health officials announced Jan. 19 that the state would follow updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that recommended anyone aged 65 or older...
Shaler man apologizes, ordered to halfway house for vandalizing police car during riot
A Shaler man who pleaded guilty to vandalizing a Pittsburgh police car during protests May 30 over the death of George Floyd will serve six months in a halfway house. Senior U.S. District Judge Arthur J. Schwab ordered Brian Bartels to spend one day in the custody of the U.S....
Man injured in East Liberty protests sues Pittsburgh officials, police
A man who claims his face and skull were fractured by an aggressive Pittsburgh police response to a protest in East Liberty is suing city officials in connection with his life-changing injuries. The civil rights suit was filed in U.S. Western District Court on behalf of a man who says...
Butler man admits to stealing nearly $1.5 million from electric company
A Butler man who served as his company’s controller pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to taking more than $1 million. Paul Harmon, 63, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Nicholas Ranjan. He will be sentenced on May 25. Harmon worked for Fuellgraf Electric...
1 person treated at scene of early-morning house fire in Sheraden
Firefighters battled a blaze in Pittsburgh’s Sheraden neighborhood Wednesday morning. The fire was reported at 6:40 a.m. in a two-story house in the 2700 block of Glen Mawr Street, according to authorities. Sheraden is located the city’s West End. First responders encountered heavy smoke and flames shooting through an attic...
