Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1413
4 firefighters hurt battling blaze in Pittsburgh’s South Side
Four firefighters were injured Sunday while battling a blaze on Mt. Oliver Street in Pittsburgh’s South Side, according to public safety officials. Crews responded to a call about 8 p.m., where they rushed to extinguish flames in a third-floor apartment. Firefighters found heavy flames in the back of one of...
Former Homestead church, now an agility course, is still a place to reach a higher powerVideo
When you’re 17 feet in the air about to take a step onto a tight rope, you might need some inner strength. That fortitude is something that can be brought out of you at the Dragon’s Den. Housed in the former historic St. Mary Magdalene Church in Homestead, this ropes...
Trump leaves hospital briefly to greet supporters outsideVideo
BETHESDA, Md. — President Donald Trump declared, “I get it,” in a message to the nation Sunday evening before briefly leaving the hospital to salute cheering supporters from his motorcade, a surprising move that raised new questions about the president’s understanding of the coronavirus that has killed more than 209,000...
Pa. agency websites back online after weekend technical issue
A technical issue that affected the online services of multiple state agencies over the weekend appeared to have been fixed as of early Monday. Online Voter Registration and other services on the Department of State, Department of Revenue, Department of Human Services and the Liquor Control Board websites were having...
West Deer couple, neighbor invite people to come and see their haunted housesVideo
If you ask Greg McWilliams why his West Deer house looks like a Halloween paradise, he’ll give you a simple answer: It’s for the kids. “If it was just me and (my wife), we probably wouldn’t do it. It’s all for our kids,” McWilliams said. “We love seeing the smiles,...
Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley holds pet blessing ceremony as new building nears completionVideo
Construction of Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley’s new $1.9 million shelter is nearing completion after being delayed because of the coronavirus. On Sunday, about two dozen dogs and their owners turned out for a pet blessing ceremony at the shelter’s new home along Church Street in New Kensington. Officials with...
Pennsylvania reports 2,251 new coronavirus cases, 37 new deaths over past 2 days
Pennsylvania on Sunday reported 2,251 new cases and 37 new deaths attributed to the coronavirus for the past two days. The state Department of Health said a technical issue caused a delay in Saturday’s reporting and the need to report a two-day total Sunday. The state has generally stopped issuing...
Report: Sen. Pat Toomey may not seek reelection
Sen. Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania’s highest-ranking Republican in office, is expected to talk about his future plans Monday. A spokesman for Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, would not confirm or deny a Sunday report by the Philadelphia Inquirer that he will not seek re-election to the Senate. Toomey will make an announcement at...
Hershey School proposes $350M network of 6 early childhood centers in Pa.
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan 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 weekly newsletter. The super-rich Milton S. Hershey School for poor children, which has faced criticism over how few students it helps, has...
A changing story by police on a rural Pa. shooting helped fuel white vigilantes and misinformation
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan 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 weekly newsletter. SCHELLSBURG, Pa. — It was a bit after 11 p.m. in late August when Frank Nitty and a group of...
How Pa. state troopers seize big money from drivers, many of whom are never charged
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan 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 weekly newsletter. This article is a collaboration with The Appeal. HARRISBURG — Since 2017, Pennsylvania State Police has seized $608,000 in cash...
Allegheny County posts 204 coronavirus cases, no deaths over past 2 days
Allegheny County on Sunday reported 204 new coronavirus cases with no new deaths for the past two days. The county has generally stopped posting updates on Sundays, but the daily report was not available Saturday, so a report was issued on Sunday. With the new cases, the county’s total number...
Pittsburgh featured in ‘Saturday Night Live’ skitVideo
Pittsburgh TV news was featured on the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live.” A local TV news report on a potential super-spreading event at the legal change of name office in the Pittsburgh federal building was the setting for a skit on “SNL” with a lot of sexual innuendo. The...
Derry Township man accused of attempted homicide after trip wire found at top of basement steps
A Derry Township man is accused by state police of installing a trip wire at the top of his basement steps this weekend in hopes that a woman there would fall down the wooden staircase, according to court papers. William Joseph Dankesreiter Jr., 60, was jailed Sunday morning on charges...
Doctors: Trump’s blood oxygen level dropped twice recentlyVideo
BETHESDA, Md. — President Donald Trump’s blood oxygen level dropped suddenly twice in recent days, his doctors revealed Sunday as they continued to evade basic questions about his health during treatment for covid-19. Still, they said he “continued to improve” and suggested he could be discharged as early as Monday....
‘Saturday Night Live’ recreates debate in 46th season openerVideo
LOS ANGELES — “Saturday Night Live” went political with a parody of this week’s presidential debate, Chris Rock’s jab at President Donald Trump and Megan Thee Stallion’s message supporting Black people during her performance. The NBC late-night sketch series on Saturday night jumped into the reenactment of the recent debate...
1 resident, 1 staff coronavirus case added at Westmoreland Manor
One more resident and a staff member at Westmoreland Manor tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday, according to county Commissioner Doug Chew. That brings the total number of affected residents to 83, about a quarter of the population. The Pennsylvania National Guard was brought in last month to take...
4 displaced, 1 firefighter hurt in back-to-back Pittsburgh blazes
A Pittsburgh firefighter was hurt Saturday and four people displaced as city firefighters spent the afternoon battling two residential fires in the Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighborhood, according to Pittsburgh Police. The first fire was reported just before 1:15 p.m. on Lincoln Avenue, according to spokeswoman Cara Cruz. Four people were treated at...
Level Green Elementary closes for 14 days after 2 more coronavirus cases
Two more staff members at Level Green Elementary School have tested positive for the coronavirus and the building will be closed for 14 days, according to Penn-Trafford School District Superintendent Matt Harris. In a message sent to parents Saturday, Harris said the new cases bring the total count at the...
Retired Gilpin couple’s hobby keeps them busy as beesVideo
Life is sweet for Jim and Sylvia Walters of Gilpin. The retired couple took up beekeeping as a hobby about five years ago. “We heard of the honeybees being in decline and wanted to do something. It wasn’t about the honey in the beginning. It was about helping the bees...
Steelers’ Jarron Jones accused of strangling, assaulting woman at Airbnb
A Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad player was arraigned and charged by Pittsburgh police in connection with an alleged incident involving a woman Saturday. Offensive lineman Jarron Jones, 26, of Rochester, N.Y., is charged with one count each of aggravated assault and strangulation — both felonies — and simple assault, a...
Editorial: UPMC says covid-19 vaccine will take longer. That’s normal.
We need a vaccine for covid-19. But we need a vaccine that will work. Maybe it would be something that would be done annually like the flu shot, tweaked every year to address new strains. Maybe it would be like a tetanus shot that would work for a certain number...
Large fight in Homewood results in 2 shot, 1 in critical condition
A fight among about two dozen people in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood escalated when two people drew handguns and starting shooting at each other. One male, whose name or age were released, was shot in the back and was in critical condition, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz. Cruz...
Dravosburg shooting victim in critical condition
A man was shot multiple times Saturday afternoon in Dravosburg, police said. Allegheny County Police say the shooting occurred in the 100 block of Euclid Street. A vehicle crash associated with the incident took place elsewhere in Dravosburg. A press release issued by the county police did not explain the...
UPMC doctor: ‘No idea’ whether Trump’s treatment will work
The experimental treatment given to President Trump is a reasonable move to prevent the progression of covid-19, but it’s unknown whether it’s going to be effective, a top UPMC doctor said Saturday. “We have no idea, in the president, whether it will hasten his recovery,” said Dr. John Mellors, chief...
