Top Stories category, Page 790
What Josh Shapiro’s transition team says about how he’ll govern, and why some picks are raising eyebrows
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan 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 newsletters. HARRISBURG — The transition team helping Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro prepare for office is wide-ranging and, in some cases, controversial, offering a...
Buy Now, Pay Later options heat up during holiday season
Whether you’re shopping for tech deals on Amazon or indie crafts on Etsy, you probably noticed there are more options at checkout than just using a credit card. More retailers are using “Buy Now, Pay Later” platforms such as Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay and Paypal to spread out payments in installments....
Leet Zoning Hearing Board declines to appeal judge’s ruling regarding a proposed Quaker Valley High School
The Leet Township Zoning Hearing Board will not appeal an Allegheny County Common Pleas judge’s ruling on a proposed Quaker Valley High School. Its members decided in a 2-0 vote Thursday night to close the book on its part of the process in the school district’s pursuit of a new...
Jan. 6 panel releases report, describes Trump ‘conspiracy’
WASHINGTON — The House Jan. 6 committee’s final report asserts that Donald Trump criminally engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol, concluding an extraordinary 18-month investigation into the former president...
Fire severely damages North Huntingdon home, pets die
A fire severely damaged a home at 231 Main St. in North Huntingdon early Thursday afternoon, but no people were hurt. Two dogs and two cats were in the home at the time of the fire, and one dog and one cat died. The other cat was still unaccounted for...
Pittsburgh officials urge residents to stay off roads, help neighbors as winter weather approaches
Pittsburgh officials on Thursday said they’re preparing for a weekend of winter weather with warming centers, extended hours at homeless shelters and overnight snow plowing and salting efforts. They urged residents to do their part by staying off the roads Friday if possible. “Our forecast is showing there’s going to...
Pittsburgh’s new Fern Hollow Bridge reopens to traffic
Pittsburgh’s new Fern Hollow Bridge opened to traffic in the East End early Thursday afternoon, less than a year after it collapsed. Officials had initially said the bridge, which carries Forbes Avenue over Frick Park, would open Friday. Instead, PennDOT said motorists began using it at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Officials...
16-year-old boy surrenders to police, is charged in Monessen teen’s death
A 16-year-old boy accused in the fatal shooting of another Monessen teen surrendered to authorities Wednesday evening on homicide charges. Terry Newton was arraigned and is being held without bail at Regional Youth Services Center in Hempfield. Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said authorities and sheriff’s deputies had searched...
Holiday travel upended as forecasters warn of ‘bomb cyclone’
MISSION, Kan. — Thousands of flights were canceled and homeless shelters were overflowing Thursday amid one of the most treacherous holiday travel seasons the U.S. has seen in decades, with temperatures plummeting 50 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas and forecasters warning of an impending “bomb cyclone” that could make conditions...
Winter storm latest: What we’ll get, when we’ll get it
For several days, Pittsburgh area residents have been told that severe winter weather is heading to the area for Christmas weekend. The burning question has been exactly when will it hit and how bad will it be? According to the National Weather Service in Moon, a cold front will move...
A home for the holidays: Central Westmoreland Habitat hands over keys to Jeannette resident
This time last year, Tia Bentley of Jeannette was mourning the loss of her father and sinking $900 each month into a rental home. On Tuesday afternoon, Bentley received the keys to a newly renovated Jeannette home after spending nine months working with Central Westmoreland Habitat for Humanity officials getting...
Family of Franco Harris says he represented ‘what is best in humanity’
Saying they are “truly heartbroken,” the family of Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris released a statement Thursday, their first public comments since his passing a day earlier. Harris, 72, died in his sleep. His death happened two days before the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception...
Westmoreland emergency services prepare as cold temps approach
As well-below-freezing temperatures approach Western Pennsylvania, emergency assistance services and cold-weather shelters in Westmoreland County are gearing up to help anyone who needs it. United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania encourages people who find themselves without heat to call the 211 hotline, a call center, chat, text and web resource for...
Franco Harris fans remember on-field finesse, off-field generosity
Longtime Steelers fan George Muentzer has missed the chance to have his prized photo of Franco Harris autographed by the Steelers Hall of Famer, whose unexpected death overnight was reported Wednesday. But he still can treasure his many memories of encounters with Harris during his faithful yearly attendance at the...
Defense accuses government of providing empty tubes for DNA testing in Tree of Life case
Defense attorneys in the Tree of Life synagogue shooting said in a court filing this week that 11 of 17 plastic tubes of evidence provided to them for independent DNA testing were empty when they arrived at the lab in England. Attorneys for Robert Bowers are asking the federal judge...
Storm adds uncertainty to strong holiday travel demandVideo
Concerns about illness or inflation aren’t stopping Americans from hitting the roads and airports this holiday season. But a massive winter storm might. Forecasters predict an onslaught of heavy snow, ice, flooding and powerful winds from Thursday to Saturday in a broad swath of the country, from the Plains and...
Man arrested after fatal January shooting, hit-and-run in Pittsburgh
Nearly a year after a fatal shooting and hit-and-run in Pittsburgh’s Sheraden neighborhood, police have arrested a suspect. Alec Stefanovits, 27, faces criminal homicide charges after, police say, he shot two people early Jan. 23 in the the 300 block of Minton Street. When police arrived at the scene, they...
Pair of Immaculate Reception anniversary events canceled in wake of Franco Harris’ death
The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum has canceled its public event Thursday honoring Pittsburgh Steelers great Franco Harris following his death Wednesday. The program, entitled “Franco Harris and the Immaculate Reception: 50 Years Later” was set to take place at 6:30 p.m. The sports museum said ticket holders will receive further...
Dozens of bridges maintained by Pittsburgh in need of repairs within 6 months, report says
Structural issues with dozens of bridges maintained by the city of Pittsburgh are significant enough that they should be addressed within the next months, according to a report commissioned by Ed Gainey. Gainey called for the report when he unveiled his plans for a new Comprehensive Bridge Asset Management Program...
Jan. 6 panel prepares to release final report on insurrectionVideo
WASHINGTON — An 800-page report set to be released by House investigators will conclude that then-President Donald Trump criminally plotted to overturn his 2020 election defeat and “provoked his supporters to violence” at the Capitol with false claims of widespread voter fraud. The resulting Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection of Trump’s...
Fans flock to Immaculate Reception marker, airport to remember Franco HarrisVideo
Lifelong Steelers fan Don Kinnamon, 65, came all the way from Santa Cruz, Calif., with plans to attend ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception on Friday afternoon. Then, he planned to witness the retirement of Franco Harris’ No. 32 at the Steelers-Raiders game Saturday at Acrisure Stadium....
Pitt’s chancellor, top deputies receive 4.25% raises
Ten top University of Pittsburgh officials will receive 4.25% raises next year, boosting their base salaries to between $260,625 and just more than $1 million. The Compensation Committee of Pitt’s board of trustees approved the raises for Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and nine of his top deputies in a unanimous vote...
Explainer: Arctic blast sweeps U.S., bomb cyclone possible
NEW YORK — An arctic blast is bringing extreme cold, heavy snow and intense wind across much of the U.S. this week — just in time for the holidays. The weather system, which may build into a “bomb cyclone,” is expected to move east in the days leading up to...
Pedestrian identified who was killed by dump truck in Hazelwood
The woman who was killed Wednesday when a dump truck hit her as she crossed a road in Hazelwood has been identified. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Cynthia Haskell, 73, of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh police, EMS and fire crews responded to the accident in the 5000...
Steelers’ Franco Harris timeline: From Rookie of the Year to the Hall of Fame
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris embodied the Steelers teams of the 1970s. His career and the team’s success were intertwined for many years. Here are some highlights from his illustrious career. Feb. 1, 1972 The Steelers selected fullback Franco Harris in the first round, 13th overall, after...
