Top Stories category, Page 373
Penn Hills woman killed in crash on Route 28 in East Deer
State police say a woman died Tuesday morning after her vehicle crossed over the grass median on Route 28 in East Deer and went airborne before colliding with two oncoming vehicles. Sheena Marie Fitzgerald, 36, of Penn Hills had been driving south at a high speed between the highway’s Tarentum...
Morning Roundup: Pittsburgh firefighters deal with car fires
Here are the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Aug. 27: Pittsburgh firefighters respond to 2 vehicle fires in 3 days Pittsburgh firefighters responded to two vehicle fires that damaged three vehicles over three days, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety. Around 5 a.m. Saturday, two vehicle fires were reported...
Heat prompts Pittsburgh Public Schools to change schedule at 37 facilities without AC
Hot and muggy weather is expected today and Wednesday, prompting some schools in the area to change their schedules. While air temperatures are expected to be in the low-to-mid 90s both days, when combined with the humidity it will feel close to 100 degrees, National Weather Service meteorologist Rich Redmond...
Frazer puts Pittsburgh Mills owner on notice: Fix potholes or face court
Fix the potholes or end up in court. That’s the message Frazer officials gave the owner of the Pittsburgh Mills mall, saying the condition of the parking lots and roads at the shopping center have become a public safety hazard. Potholes at the Mills have become an infamous sore spot...
West Nile virus infections reported in 7 Westmoreland communities
West Nile virus has been detected in five more Westmoreland County communities as high levels of the virus are being found across the state. Since Aug. 7, mosquitoes have tested positive for the virus in Youngwood, Midway, Scottdale, Trafford and New Kensington — joining infected insects sampled earlier this season...
Democrats sue to block Georgia rules that they warn will block finalization of election results
ATLANTA — Georgia’s Democratic Party sued Monday to block two recent rules adopted by the State Election Board that could be used by county officials who want to refuse to certify an election, potentially causing delays in finalizing the state’s results. The lawsuit, filed before a state judge in Atlanta,...
Authorities use tech tools to tie Florida man to vehicle break-ins in Allegheny, Westmoreland counties
Cellphone towers, hotel records, GPS locations of rental cars and license plate readers helped agents from the state Attorney General’s Office nab a Florida man they believe was involved in at least 14 vehicle break-ins spanning two counties. Authorities charged Amahad K. Ware, 26, with numerous counts of dealing in...
Slow, steady, bipartisan: Facts, not fiction, guide Rep. Mike Kelly in Trump shooting probe
Controversial claims and conspiracy theories have proliferated in the six weeks since the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. On Monday, the conservative Heritage Foundation hosted an event at which some Republican lawmakers claimed the Secret Service might have been criminally negligent and pushed the notion that...
Woman severely injured in tractor crash in Allegheny Township
A woman was flown from Allegheny Township to a Pittsburgh area hospital with a severe leg injury sustained in a crash Monday afternoon. Westmoreland County Public Safety reported a tractor rolled over onto a woman shortly before 6 p.m. at 1357 Route 356, not far from Leechburg Road. Township police...
Carnegie Mellon restricts protests, demonstrations in updated policy
Protests, rallies and other expressive events at Carnegie Mellon University with 25 or more participants must be registered in advance or officials may prevent or disband the gathering and weigh sanctions against its organizers. The language comes from an updated policy on such demonstrations that senior leaders notified campus of...
How Nintendo nostalgia is driving a new wave of video game production in Pa.
This story first appeared in PA Local, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA taking a fresh, positive look at the incredible people, beautiful places, and delicious food of Pennsylvania. Forty years after the cinder block-sized Nintendo Entertainment System introduced America’s youth to virtual duck hunting and Mushroom Kingdom plumbing, devotees...
Jeannette, Greensburg Salem expect supervision of younger students at high school athletic events
Elementary age children attending sporting events at McKee Stadium must have a parent or guardian with them under a new policy approved this month by Jeannette City school directors. Superintendent Matt Jones said the policy stands for any event at McKee Stadium, but it is primarily geared toward high school...
Guards at fault for jail cell escape; inmate tampering claims dropped
Westmoreland County officials on Monday said guards failed to ensure a cell door was locked, an oversight that led to an inmate’s escape attempt earlier this month. Three guards were fired by the prison board, although no explanation was given as to the reasons for the terminations. Commissioner Doug Chew,...
Special counsel urges appeals court to reinstate classified documents case against Trump
WASHINGTON — Special counsel Jack Smith urged a federal appeals court on Monday to reinstate the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump, saying a judge’s decision that dismissed the prosecution was at odds with longstanding Justice Department practice and must be reversed. Smith’s team said U.S. District Judge...
Police say North Huntingdon Walmart employee used fake return scheme to pocket nearly $48,000
A scheme that police said involved creating fake returns at the North Huntingdon Walmart store led to a Jeannette man pocketing nearly $48,000. Robert O’Brien, 21, of Jeannette, is awaiting a preliminary hearing next month on charges of theft, receiving stolen property, computer trespass and misapplication of property. Township police...
Tim Benz: Ben Cherington’s response to Paul Skenes-Barry Bonds question should remind Pirates fans how time flies
One of the prevailing sentiments from those in attendance at Barry Bonds’ induction into the Pirates Hall of Fame this weekend was, “Wow! Did he really leave 32 years ago? Has it really been that long?” Another was, “Wow! Was he really only here for seven years?” Fast forward to...
Dave & Andy’s ice cream shop reopening in Oakland
Jason and Laura Kasten had their first date at Dave & Andy’s Homemade Ice Cream shop more than two decades ago. So when the couple heard the iconic store was closing, they and their daughter Sarah reached out to owner Andy Hardie to reopen the business. Jason and Sarah are...
Trump to rally Friday in Johnstown
Former President Donald Trump will return to Western Pennsylvania on Friday to rally with supporters in Johnstown, his first visit back to the region since an assassination attempt injured him last month in Butler County. Trump is scheduled to speak late Friday afternoon at 1st Summit Arena in downtown Johnstown....
Joe Rutter’s 53-man roster projection for the Steelers
Initial 53-man roster projections are a risky proposition as NFL teams prepare to reach that limit by 4 p.m. Tuesday. It is called the “initial” roster for a reason. Much can change between the cutdown deadline and when the regular season begins next week. Like every other NFL team, the...
Traveling over Labor Day weekend? Have a back-up plan for cancellations and delays, and be patient
Many children have gone back to school in the U.S., and the days are getting shorter, but there is still one more excuse to use the swimsuits and beach towels before packing them up: Labor Day. Airports, highways, beaches and theme parks are expected to be packed for the long...
Task force investigating Trump assassination attempt to tour shooting site in Butler
Members of a House task force investigating the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump will tour the shooting site in Butler today. Butler County Rep. Mike Kelly, the Republican chairman of the bipartisan task force, and other members will meet with local officials and tour the site of the...
Morning Roundup: Woman shot in North Braddock; school start delayed for Brentwood middle, high school
Here are the latest news items from this morning, Monday, Aug. 26: Woman shot in North Braddock A woman was shot in North Braddock early Sunday morning, according to Allegheny County Police. In a release issued late Sunday night, police said the shooting in the 900 block of Bell Avenue...
‘Not much you can do about it’: Penn Township’s Harvison Road bridge to close, removal slated
Bob Miller was one of the first people to cross the bridge carrying traffic over the turnpike from Harvison Road to Pleasant Valley Road when it was built in 1949. Friday, he became one of the last. The Penn Township bridge will be permanently closed to traffic beginning Monday, as...
Hiking and biking routes leave a trail of short-term rentals across Western Pa.
Between the plain cedar furnishings, olive carpeting and antique phonograph, the interior of John Blinkhorn’s Airbnb appears frozen in various points of the 20th century. But its existence speaks mostly to the future of Export and similar communities along the region’s growing trail network. Blinkhorn bought the triplex in his...
St. Januarius Catholic Church in Plum to close
St. Januarius Catholic Church in Plum is closing next month. The final day for the church along Renton Road that is part of Holy Family Parish is set for Sept. 23, according to a decree from Bishop David Zubik posted Sunday on the parish website. “The age and physical condition...
