Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1916
Top section of new Steel Curtain coaster installed at KennywoodVideo
The tallest piece of Pittsburgh’s newest roller coaster has been bolted into place. Crews on Thursday hoisted the top section of the Steel Curtain about 220 feet above Kennywood Park and attached it to the growing structure. The ride is expected to set several records when completed, including tallest roller...
Woman killed in hit-and-run crash in Fayette County
A pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Dunbar Township, Fayette County on Friday evening, according to state police. The driver who struck the woman fled the scene and is at large. Police do not know what kind of vehicle he or she was driving. The crash happened on...
When gunman advanced on New Zealand mosque, 1 man ran at him
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — When the gunman advanced toward the mosque, killing those in his path, Abdul Aziz didn’t hide. Instead, he picked up the first thing he could find, a credit card machine, and ran outside screaming “Come here!” Aziz, 48, is being hailed as a hero for preventing...
Pittsburgh-area Muslims aim to quell fear, hate; pray for victims of Christchurch, Tree of Life
Abdul Malik Mujahid visited the Muslim Association of Greater Pittsburgh’s mosque in Richland Township for the first time Friday. Mujahid is an American Muslim imam and nonprofit leader based in Chicago. He was asked to deliver a sermon addressing the mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that...
Trump claims not ‘really’ a rise in white nationalism after racist kills dozens of Muslims in New Zealand
A racist gunman had only hours earlier killed dozens of Muslims in New Zealand and hate crimes in the U.S. have been on the rise since he took office — but President Donald Trump shrugged Friday when asked if he considers white nationalism a growing problem. “I don’t really,” the...
Washington DA appeals Supreme Court decision vacating homicide verdict in McClelland case
The Washington County District Attorney wants the state Supreme Court to reverse a lower court ruling that overturned a Mon Valley woman’s conviction of conspiracy to commit homicide in the 2011 death of her 92-year-old neighbor. The neighbor was murdered after being repeatedly burglarized by the inmate’s family. In his...
Learn historical, monetary value of items Saturday at Fox Chapel library’s appraisal fair
From crumpled baseball cards to pristine porcelain, treasure hunters can learn the value of items stashed away in their own closets this afternoon in Fox Chapel. Art expert Kurt Shaw will be on hand from 1 to 4 p.m. at Cooper-Siegel Community Library to take a peek at old, unique...
Calls for former Steeler Lynn Swann to leave USC amid college admissions scandal
Pittsburgh Steelers great Lynn Swann is facing calls to resign as the University of Southern California’s athletic director in the wake of the national college admissions scandal that has entangled four USC athletic department employees. The employees — Swann not among them — are accused of accepting $2 million in...
Pa. Senate GOP accuses AG Shapiro of overstepping authority in UPMC legal fight
Senate GOP leaders on Friday accused Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro of usurping the Legislature and violating the state constitution in his legal attempt to force UPMC to rescind a controversial prepay rule and contract with rival Highmark. Senate President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati, R-Jefferson, filed documents in Commonwealth Court...
Trump issues first veto after rebuke of border order
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump issued the first veto of his presidency on Friday, overruling Congress to protect his emergency declaration for border wall funding. Flanked by law enforcement officials as well as the parents of children killed by people in the country illegally, Trump maintained that he is not...
Fire damages prairie dog exhibit at Living Treasures Wild Animal Park
A fire early Friday damaged a wooden frame and wires at Living Treasures Wild Animal Park in Donegal Township, said owner Tom Guiher. Fire officials confirmed a heating pad in the prairie dog exhibit started the fire. No animals were injured, but the exhibit was damaged, Guiher said. The prairie...
Jury convicts driver of third-degree murder in 2016 East Huntingdon pedestrian death
Jurors deliberated about three hours Friday before convicting a New Stanton man of third-degree murder in the death of an East Huntingdon pedestrian on Christmas Eve 2016. Matthew Ramsay, 31, was found guilty of being under the influence of drugs when he deliberately veered his car across traffic on Ruffsdale-Alverton...
How New Zealand attack may impact Pittsburgh’s Muslim community
As a Muslim living in Pittsburgh, Mohammad Sajjad struggled to put into words what he felt about yet another place of worship becoming the scene of a mass shooting. “It’s horrific that someone would go into a mosque and be able to kill almost fifty people, possibly more,” Sajjad, program...
Feds seize $600K from accused Mt. Pleasant doctor; plea hearing delayed
The federal government wanted more than $600,000 connected to a former Mt. Pleasant doctor who has been charged with illegally selling opioid medication. This month, the government got it. But prosecutors will have to wait until June for a plea hearing that has been delayed since October for Mamdouh El-Attrache,...
Jeannette police: Woman shot during child custody incident
Jeannette police and Westmoreland County detectives are looking for two people they said are involved in a shooting that injured a woman Friday in Jeannette. Police said the shooting started as a child custody incident before 2 p.m. at a North Third Street home. DeJanette Crosby, 23, was visiting her...
Pitt lawyers say East Pittsburgh never requested Michael Rosfeld’s employee file from Pitt
The borough of East Pittsburgh hired Michael Rosfeld as a police officer without asking for employment records from at least one of his previous departments, according to a civil court filing last week in a lawsuit related to his killing of Antwon Rose. Rose’s parents — Michelle Kenney and Antwon...
Pittsburgh salt truck driver wins job back after he was fired for failing to report crash
A Pittsburgh Department of Public Works salt truck driver who was fired last month after failing to report a crash involving three parked cars has won a reprieve. The Mayor’s Office said Friday that the driver won his job back through a union grievance procedure. City officials have not released...
Feds: Penn State should not be permitted to trademark ‘Happy Valley’
Penn State officials are decidedly unhappy after the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office declined a request to trademark the “Happy Valley” nickname for university merchandise. “Happy Valley” is a longtime nickname for the State College area. However, it was that precise geographical association that factored into the office’s decision to...
Where’s Franco? Harris, George Washington statues removed from Pittsburgh airport
Two iconic Pittsburgh greeters went missing Friday. For the first time in more than 10 years, travelers arriving at Pittsburgh International Airport did not get a glimpse of statues of Steelers legend Franco Harris and founding father George Washington. We miss them already. *sigh* pic.twitter.com/fBzuuzKMHe— Pittsburgh International Airport (@PITairport) March...
South Side’s Dish Osteria and Bar plans spring reopening after 2-year sabbatical
Almost two years to the day after announcing a “sabbatical,” the owners of Dish Osteria and Bar are ready to reopen the popular Italian and seafood eatery’s doors. On March 26, 2017, the operators of the restaurant located at 128 17th St. in Pittsburgh’s South Side posted on Facebook their...
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, others express solidarity with Christchurch
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto took to social media Friday to express solidarity with people in Christchurch, New Zealand, and promise protection for Pittsburgh’s Muslim community in the wake of the mosque shootings that left at least 49 dead. Mayor @LianneDalziel - the people of Pittsburgh are with you and our...
Juror in Michael Rosfeld case excused for illness, alternate will fill spot
A juror in the upcoming homicide trial against former police officer Michael Rosfeld has been excused from jury duty, officials said. Juror No. 1, a 66-year-old white man, has been excused because of an illness, according to Stacey Witalec, communications director for the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. The man...
New Zealand mosque killer’s rifles bore white-supremacist references
The man accused of killing 49 people in an attack on a New Zealand mosque during Friday prayers used rifles covered in white-supremacist graffiti and listened to a song glorifying a Bosnian Serb war criminal. These details highlight the toxic beliefs behind an unprecedented, live-streamed massacre, which Prime Minister Jacinda...
Man pleads guilty in drive-by shooting that preceded Antwon Rose killingVideo
The man charged in connection with the June 19 drive-by shooting that preceded the officer-involved shooting death of Antwon Rose pleaded guilty to several charges Friday, just days before the officer who shot Rose is set to go to trial. Zaijuan Hester, 18, pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated...
Post Office to release ‘Sesame Street’ stamps
Perhaps it’s the U.S. Postal Service’s way of giving their carriers more sunny days. This week, the Post Office announced three new stamp lines, including characters from “Sesame Street,” the classic PBS children’s show. With images of Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Grover, Bert and Ernie, and 11 other Muppets, the...
