Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1535
Family escapes fire in Mt. Pleasant Township, home a total lossVideo
High winds fueled a fire early Thursday that leveled a Mt. Pleasant Township house owned by an area dentist, firefighters said. “The call came in as a deck fire, but when we got here it had already gotten into the walls and up to the roof. The wind was blowing...
Leechburg Area School Board meeting ends abruptly when ‘Zoom-bomber’ shares pornographic image
The Leechburg Area School Board ended its Wednesday meeting early after someone attending online aired a pornographic image. The school board was winding down its work session and was set to begin its regular meeting, when the pornographic image first appeared. “Oh dear, we just got ‘Zoom-bombed,’ I apologize,” Board...
Editorial: The uncommon sense of Levin deal
Let’s try this again. Way back in February, Levin Furniture was in danger of closing, but owners of the Art Van Furniture company that purchased it in 2017 said not to worry — everything was “business as usual” and a solution would be found. That solution, as it turned out...
Largest yet: $1.3 billion contract for border wall awarded to Trump-preferred firmVideo
PHOENIX — A North Dakota construction company favored by President Donald Trump has received the largest contract to date to build a section of Trump’s signature wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Republican U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota confirmed the $1.3 billion contract for building the 42-mile section of...
Officials: Too soon to tell if reopening will lead to spike in coronavirus cases
Allegheny County officials said it’s too soon to tell if there has been a spike in coronavirus cases as Southwestern Pennsylvania settles into life in the yellow phase of the state’s reopening plan. It will likely take another 10 to 14 days before test results start to show whether more...
Man indicted on federal kidnapping charges in connection with Bethel Park woman’s death
An Oakmont native has been federally indicted in connection with the death of a Bethel Park woman. Authorities charged John Matthew Chapman, 39, with felony kidnapping resulting in death, according to federal documents filed Tuesday. He is accused of taking Jaime Feden, 33, on a trip to Nevada last September....
In wake of coronavirus, Excela’s ink runs from black to red with nearly $36 million in losses
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the current title of Excela Health CEO John Sphon. Until early March, the financial turnaround that Excela Health officials had been expecting for the past year was in full swing. Just two months later, a nearly $3 million profit has turned...
Allegheny County reports no new coronavirus deaths, 29 new cases
Allegheny County officials reported 29 new covid-19 cases but no new deaths Wednesday afternoon. That leaves the total number of deaths countywide at 144, while the total number of confirmed and probable cases rose to 1,687. The county typically reports those daily figures around 11 a.m. but Wednesday’s report was...
Supreme Court blocks House from Mueller grand jury material
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday temporarily prevented the House of Representatives from obtaining secret grand jury testimony from special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. The court’s unsigned order keeps previously undisclosed details from the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election out of the hands of Democratic...
Gov. Wolf talking with sports leagues, says it could take until vaccine for Pennsylvania to reach ‘normal’
Gov. Tom Wolf said Wednesday he is talking with professional sports leagues about holding events in Pennsylvania, but he doesn’t believe residents will be completely comfortable going back to pre-pandemic normalcy until there is a coronavirus vaccine. “Ultimately, I think what it’s going to take for everybody to feel safe...
Police charge 3rd person in murder of Armstrong County man in Arnold alley last June
A third person has been charged in the murder of an Armstrong County man in a drug deal gone bad in Arnold last year, police Chief Eric Doutt said Wednesday. Santyna Marie Bennett, 26, of Arnold is or was the girlfriend of Allen Duwayne Herring, 33, of Braddock, who is...
CDC issues detailed reopening guidance after initial rejectionVideo
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a 60-page document that provides detailed suggestions for different phases of reopening workplaces, schools and restaurants, after an earlier draft was rejected by the White House for being too prescriptive. The document, which expands on several tools the agency released last...
Western Pa. Gordmans stores could close after parent company files for bankruptcy
Several local Gordmans stores, including those in Allegheny Township, East Huntingdon and Rostraver, are at risk of closing for good, another victim of the coronavirus pandemic that left stores largely shuttered across the country. Houston, Texas-based Stage Stores Inc. — the parent company of Gordmans, which has been in operation...
State reports 143 more coronavirus deaths, 746 additional cases
Pennsylvania on Wednesday reported 143 more covid-19 deaths and 746 additional cases, bringing the state’s total number of cases to just over 64,400 , state officials said. There have been 4,767 people who have died from the virus, which has been reported in all of the state’s 67 counties. More...
The Porch restaurants to reopen in Pittsburgh area
There will be two additional options for takeout this Memorial Day weekend. The Porch at Schenley in Oakland and The Porch at Siena in Upper St. Clair are reopening for takeout beginning Friday. The restaurants, operated by Pittsburgh-based Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, have been closed since March 18. Curbside pickup...
Products from Somerset’s Moo Echo Dairy should be discarded, state says
Several products from a Somerset County dairy farm should be discarded because they were not properly pasteurized, the state Department of Agriculture said. Products from Moo Echo Dairy were sold at several Westmoreland and Somerset county stores including Lapp’s Family Market in Unity Township, Dormina’s Kitchen Cupboard in Jenner Township,...
Pair plead guilty to drug charges stemming from Salem traffic stop
Two Allegheny County residents pleaded guilty to conspiracy, drug and other charges in connection with their September 2018 arrest in Salem Township. Police said Joseph J. Baughman, 38, of Green Tree, and Samantina Maria Perri, 31, of Crafton, were passengers in a car that was stopped for a traffic violation...
Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto urges URA to approve plans for Civic Arena site development
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto is urging members of the city’s Urban Redevelopment Authority to approve plans for redevelopment of the former Civic Arena site that include a new $200 million headquarters for First National Bank. The URA meets again on Thursday. Last week, its board delayed voting on the plans,...
Pennsylvania doles out $51 million to child care centers to help with reopening
More than $50 million from Pennsylvania’s first round of federal coronavirus aid will go to nearly 7,000 child care centers across the state, Gov. Tom Wolf said Wednesday. Wolf said reopening the state will require “robust and healthy” child care. Of the money, which is part of CARES Act funding...
Pennsylvania joins pilot program allowing SNAP users to buy groceries online
Pennsylvania will participate in a pilot program allowing recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to purchase their groceries online through participating retailers. “Many people have been purchasing groceries online to facilitate social distancing, but SNAP recipients were not able to do so due to federal restrictions on...
Free coronavirus testing available for uninsured Pennsylvania residents
The ability of uninsured Pennsylvanians to be tested for coronavirus was an early concern in the fight against covid-19. Now those without health insurance can be tested for free. Gov. Tom Wolf has announced that federal stimulus funds will be used to reimburse providers who test uninsured patients. Access to...
Peduto wants to block off streets for outdoor dining in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto is exploring options to revive Pittsburgh’s restaurant scene with outdoor dining. “We’re in danger,” he said, when asked if some restaurants could close in the next year. “I think within the next month will be critical time. If we can get outdoor seating established this next...
WDVE’s Memorial Day 500 returns again this weekend
A pandemic can’t stop WDVE’s Memorial Day 500. The massive music countdown of the top 500 rock tunes of all time begins at 1 p.m. Friday and ends around 6 p.m. Monday, said John Moschitta, program director for WDVE/WXDX iHeartMedia Pittsburgh. (Update: The countdown began at No. 500 with “Everlong”...
Western Pa.’s libraries see e-books, audiobooks become more popular during pandemic
With libraries in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties closed since mid-March to stem the spread of the coronavirus, more patrons are using the electronic resources — books, audiobooks, movies and music, a trend that likely will continue when they reopen, library officials and library directors say. “There has been a significant...
Police search Unity property in Cassandra Gross disappearanceVideo
State police investigators equipped with an excavator, searched a Unity township property Wednesday possibly connected to the 2018 disappearance of Cassandra Gross. Just after 8 a.m., multiple marked and unmarked police cruisers drove down White Fence Lane, adjacent to Unity Cemetery, to serve a search warrant on Almira F. Stanko....
