Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1454
Police disperse overnight protesters at Peduto’s house, mayor decries neighborhood harassmentVideo
The handful of protesters who camped out overnight in front of Mayor Bill Peduto’s Point Breeze home were dispersed Wednesday morning after Pittsburgh police declared the small contingent an unlawful gathering. A protest group that grew from about 150 to more than 300 Tuesday night marched from East Liberty to...
Allegheny County reports just 27 new coronavirus cases
Allegheny County on Wednesday reported its lowest number of new coronavirus cases in almost two months. Just 27 positive cases were added in the latest data released by the Allegheny County Health Department, the lowest since 19 were reported on June 23. The new cases bring the county’s total to...
Post-Gazette files lawsuit claiming Pittsburgh’s discrimination inquiry is ‘unconstitutional’
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this week claimed a discrimination inquiry by the city’s Commission on Human Relations — opened in June after a Black reporter accused the newspaper of violating her civil rights — is unconstitutional. In a lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday, the Post-Gazette asked the court to declare...
WHO walks back advice to delay routine dental work, blames mediaVideo
When the World Health Organization in early August advised people to postpone routine dental work during the pandemic, Pittsburgh oral surgeon Dr. Eric Smiga was livid. “I was shocked, quite frankly. I thought it was a sad commentary from the WHO without any scientific basis,” Smiga said. “The Centers for...
Democrats make it official, nominate Biden to take on TrumpVideo
NEW YORK — Democrats formally nominated Joe Biden as their 2020 presidential nominee Tuesday night, as party officials and activists from across the nation gave the former vice president their overwhelming support during his party’s all-virtual national convention. The moment marked a political high point for Biden, who had sought...
Protesters gather outside Mayor Peduto’s home for second day
A largely peaceful group of protesters took to the streets of East Liberty on Tuesday night in opposition of the recent arrest of a local activist by Pittsburgh police. Around 150 protesters started the march from the Target store in East Liberty, down Centre Avenue into Shadyside where they converged...
Wavering voters targeted by Democratic National Convention; some say too much Trump-bashing, not enough substance
U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle recalled what high spirits he and like-minded politicos had during the Democratic National Convention four years ago, and how confident most of them were that Hillary Clinton would clinch victory in Pennsylvania. The Forest Hills Democrat’s wife often would drive through Westmoreland County suburbs. She told...
WISH 99.7 morning host Cris Winter announces she’s left the station
On-air personality Cris Winter announced Tuesday on her “Cris Winter In The Morning” Facebook page that after working close to 40 years in Pittsburgh radio, her days on the air are over — for now. Winter said she was dismissed Friday after her show on WISH 99.7. “When you look...
Findlay sues Moon, airport authority over water and sewer service
The Findlay Township Municipal Authority is suing Allegheny County, the Allegheny County Airport Authority and Moon Township’s Municipal Authority over which entity gets to provide water to Pittsburgh International Airport. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Common Pleas Court, contends that the airport authority is improperly purchasing all of its water...
Car slams into AAA office in Lower Burrell injuring the driver and an employee inside
An employee of the AAA travel office in the Crossroads Plaza in Lower Burrell was hospitalized Tuesday after a car slammed into the front of the building. A Toyota Prius jumped the curb, crashed through the storefront and pushed the woman into the front counter, according to Lower Burrell Fire...
AG Shapiro, Sen. Casey won’t back down on Postmaster General, even as changes scrappedVideo
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s announcement that he is suspending changes to the postal system until after the November election was met with skepticism by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. The announcement Tuesday afternoon came as Shapiro and Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson were announcing a pair of multi-state federal...
Tales from ‘The Cage’: Bartenders chronicle the Squirrel Hill Café, Pittsburgh’s classic watering hole
When Anthony Bourdain asked novelist Stewart O’Nan to appear on the Pittsburgh episode of his “Parts Unknown” CNN program in 2017, O’Nan insisted on recording the interview at the Squirrel Hill Café. There are a lot of other places he could have picked. Why the Squirrel Hill Cafe? “It’s not...
2 Pitt students test positive for covid-19
Two University of Pittsburgh students tested positive for covid-19 in the school’s first round of surveillance testing, according to data released by the university. The university had announced it would choose students at random to participate in the self-administered testing. In the first round of testing conducted Aug. 12-13 as...
Flu vaccines are important, safe in midst of pandemic, experts say
With flu season rapidly approaching and covid-19 still spreading, health experts say it’s imperative — and safe — to get a flu shot this year. Dr. Marc Itskowitz, an internal medicine physician with Allegheny Health Network, said he recommends the flu vaccine this and every year. “It gives the immune...
Postal Service halts some operational changes amid outcry
WASHINGTON — Facing public pressure and state lawsuits, the Postmaster general announced Tuesday he is halting some operational changes to mail delivery that critics warned were causing widespread delays and could disrupt voting in the November election. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said he would “suspend” his initiatives until after the...
Amazon’s hiring of 1,500 in Pittsburgh region provides boost during pandemic
Amazon announced Tuesday that more than 1,500 people will be hired to work in its new 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center and a new delivery station, both of which are in Findlay and are set to open later this year. When Amazon broke ground on the fulfillment center in October, the...
Move over pumpkin spice, Primanti’s and East End Brewing bring back pickle beer
Primanti Bros. and East End Brewing Co. are bringing back their “Almost Famous Pickle Beer” collaboration. They hope the second serving is as good as the first. “Last year, it was bonkers how fast it went,” said Scott Smith, owner of East End Brewing in Larimer. “People came to the...
Pennsylvania adds 735 new coronavirus cases, 31 deaths
The Pennsylvania Department of Health added 735 coronavirus cases and 31 deaths on Tuesday. The counts come a day after the state reported its lowest number of new coronavirus cases in more than a month and no deaths Monday. Those figures were slightly skewed because data from Philadelphia County —...
Pennsylvania to launch ‘Covid Alert PA’ contact tracing appVideo
The Pennsylvania Department of Health will launch a mobile app in September that will use Bluetooth technology to assist state officials in contact tracing efforts, to curb the spread of covid-19. The state partnered with experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Pennsylvania and the developer NearForm...
Allegheny County posts lowest new covid case count since June
On Tuesday, Allegheny County continued its trend of lower daily covid-19 case numbers in August. The county Department of Health reported 45 new cases — the lowest number of new cases since June 25. In the month of August, the county has added 1,455 covid-19 cases, as compared to 3,365...
State’s health secretary says Gov. Wolf won’t mandate cancellation of high school sports
If the PIAA ignores Gov. Tom Wolf’s advice and allows fall sports to continue, his administration won’t turn his strong recommendation into a mandate. “The governor has been very clear about that: There are no plans to do that,” state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said Tuesday. Wolf’s administration wants...
Greensburg’s Lynch mansion, with 38 rooms and carriage house, on market for $900KVideo
A historic three-story brick Greensburg mansion built by an associate of industrialist Henry Clay Frick, replete with seven bedrooms, seven bathrooms, parlor room and a brick carriage house, is on the market for a mere $895,000. The 38-room, 6,000-square-foot stately manor was built for Thomas Lynch between 1905 and 1907...
Former Latrobe firefighters sue city, allege misconduct by fire chief
Five former Latrobe volunteer firefighters filed a federal lawsuit alleging they were kicked out of the department after speaking out against Chief John Brasile. The suit accuses Brasile of routinely showing up late to emergency scenes, falsely claiming to have responded to scenes where he wasn’t present, attempting to manage...
Plan to replace Abraham Lincoln statue in Wilkinsburg moving along
Abraham Lincoln could be back on his Wilkinsburg perch in time for his Feb. 12 birthday next year. For the past 18 months, a group of Wilkinsburg residents have been working to raise $70,000 to build a new bronze, life-size statue of the 16th president of the United States. The...
Owners of Live! Casino Pittsburgh release online gaming site prior to casino opening
A new online gaming site will give a “sneak peek” into two casinos being built on opposite ends of Pennsylvania, including one under construction at Westmoreland Mall. PlayLive!, which launched this week, features more than 100 gaming options, including classic slots and table games, along with online-only titles and jackpot...
