Top Stories category, Page 881
Judge: Jury to decide self-defense claim in Greensburg shooting
A Westmoreland County judge has ruled there is no basis to dismiss attempted murder and other charges against a man wounded in a downtown shootout in Greensburg earlier this year. Following a hearing Monday, Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani said a defense theory suggesting Evan Curley, 23, acted in self-defense...
Texas man who stormed Capitol with gun gets 87 months in prisonVideo
WASHINGTON — A Texas man convicted of storming the U.S. Capitol with a holstered handgun helmet and body armor was sentenced on Monday to 87 months — more than seven years — in prison, the longest sentence imposed so far among hundreds of Capitol riot cases. Prosecutors said Guy Reffitt...
More rain, more bodies in flooded Kentucky mountain townsVideo
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Another round of rainstorms hit flooded Kentucky mountain communities Monday as more bodies emerged from the sodden landscape, and the governor warned that high winds could bring another threat: falling trees and utility poles. Gov. Andy Beshear said the death toll rose to 35, and hundreds of...
Latrobe man charged with sexual assault of teen girl
A Latrobe man was jailed Monday in connection with the reported sexual assault of a teen girl in a wooded area near a city park last month, according to court papers. Malachi J. Boone, 20, is charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault and related offenses. City police...
More states see gas prices fall below $4; Pennsylvania not among them
Average gas prices have gone below $4 per gallon in nearly 20 states, but Pennsylvania is not one of them. The state’s gas tax — 57.6 cents per gallon — and tight gasoline inventory for much of the Northeast are to blame, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis...
Burrell High School teacher faces multiple charges involving 18 minors and alcohol
A Burrell High School teacher is facing charges after, police say, they found 18 minors drinking alcohol during a party at her house July 24, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case. Heather McKallip, 52, of Lower Burrell was charged Friday with 16 counts each of corruption of...
Pennsylvania’s Bob Casey urges Senate to pass burn pit bill
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is blaming Senate Republicans for holding up a bill that he said would provide health care funding to help veterans suffering from illnesses related to toxic exposure from burn pits. Burn pits were common at military sites outside the United States, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan....
Welcoming Westmoreland brings coffee talk to New Kensington at Knead Community Cafe
An effort at helping people feel welcome in Westmoreland County held its first event Friday outside Greensburg. Welcoming Westmoreland, a project led by Westmoreland Community Action, held a coffee talk at Knead Community Cafe in New Kensington. A collaboration between a variety of groups, the Welcome Everyone Program grew out...
$500K dedicated for scholarship program for Pittsburgh housing authority residents
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh said affiliated nonprofits have dedicated more than $500,000 over four years to help students living in HACP housing with college tuition. HACP’s nonprofit affiliate Clean Slate E3 and its partner organization NEED are offering scholarships to 23 new recipients and nine returning...
Mt. Pleasant man jailed without bond after police say he threatened to kill others
A Mt. Pleasant Borough man is being held without bail after state police said he took a gun to a home in Mt. Pleasant Township Friday and threatened to kill three people there, according to court papers. Troopers said the incident came days after Carl P. McKenzie, 47, learned a...
Brian Shaw scholarship recipients say assistance from motorcycle ride transcends monetary valueVideo
When Steve Edwards graduated from the Allegheny County Police Academy in 2020, he had to buy his own gun and a bulletproof vest, among other accessories. “You don’t want to buy the cheapest vest,” Edwards said. Other unexpected expenses for Edwards included a tourniquet, chest seals and other medical supplies...
1st ship carrying Ukrainian grain leaves the port of OdesaVideo
KYIV, Ukraine — The first ship carrying Ukrainian grain set out Monday from the port of Odesa under an internationally brokered deal to unblock the embattled country’s agricultural exports and ease the growing global food crisis. The Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni sounded its horn as it departed with over...
Charges filed against grandmother after baby revived with naloxone in McKees Rocks
An infant had to be revived with the overdose-reversal drug naloxone Sunday night in McKees Rocks, according to charges filed against the child’s grandmother. Robbie Boyer, the child’s grandmother, is charged with aggravated assault, child endangerment and drug violations. Police responded to the home on Fair Oaks Street about 8:45...
When is a recession not a recession? Right now, say economists
You don’t have to tell Kevin McCallister there’s something wrong with the economy. “I’m just trying to stay under the radar as far as raising prices,” said McCallister, owner of Kevin’s Deli in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood. While businesses often raise prices every year, many small businesses have been raising prices...
Ospreys raising young atop crane along Monongahela River near Charleroi
Tarentum resident Jim Bonner, executive director of the local Audubon Society, has heard many bird stories. Over the years, he has fielded countless inquiries from the public to the Audubon Society of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s headquarters at Beechwood Farms in Fox Chapel. But there was something different about a recent call....
Biden administration challenges GOP to get burn pits bill passedVideo
WASHINGTON — Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough expressed confidence the Senate has enough votes to pass a bill to provide health care and benefits to 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, even after Republicans stalled the legislation. Forty-one Republican senators switched tactics and moved to force a debate...
Sto-Rox teachers ratify 1-year contract extension
The Sto-Rox Education Association ratified a one-year contract extension through June 2023, according to president Carrie Palermo. The extension came after a pay freeze for the 2021-22 school year for 82 teachers and professional educators in the association. A potential strike was averted with the extension, Palermo said. “Our members...
Infrastructure damage hampers flood recovery in KentuckyVideo
HINDMAN, Ky. — Damage to critical infrastructure and the arrival of more heavy rains hampered efforts Sunday to help Kentucky residents hit by recent massive flooding, Gov. Andy Beshear said. As residents in Appalachia tried to slowly piece their lives back together, flash flood warnings were issued for at least...
Man killed in single-vehicle crash in North Huntingdon
A North Huntingdon man was killed Saturday night in a vehicle crash in the township about 2½ miles from his home, according to the Westmoreland County Coroner. The one-vehicle crash was reported just after 9 p.m. on Maple Lane in the village of Larimer. Tyler J. Cubakovic, 29, was driving...
Unending anguish: Myriad reasons exist why homicide cases go unsolved, but family and police remain resolute
Dawn Dutchko expected her son’s killer would be in handcuffs in no time. “We really thought, ‘OK, it’s Belle Vernon. Everybody knows everybody,’ ” she said. “We figured it would get solved quickly.” But days turned into weeks, and the chances of an arrest seemingly evaporated. Drew Molinari, 34, was...
Westmoreland courthouse garage project moves to building phase
Demolition of the two-story parking garage under the Westmoreland County Courthouse is complete, and construction of a new structure will begin Aug. 12. Greg McCloskey, the director of county operations, said Friday the $7 million project that started in April is on budget. It is, however, several weeks behind schedule,...
Biden tests positive for covid-19, returns to isolation
President Joe Biden tested positive for covid-19 again Saturday, slightly more than three days after he was cleared to exit coronavirus isolation, the White House said, in a rare case of “rebound” following treatment with an anti-viral drug. White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor said in a letter that Biden...
Mass crash in Allegheny Township during charity motorcycle ride injures 8; 4 airlifted for treatment
Allegheny Township Police are investigating a mass motorcycle crash that resulted in four serious injuries Saturday afternoon. Participants in the 11th annual Riding For The Cure, an event designed to raise funds for breast cancer treatment and related patient care, were making their way from the 11th Frame Bar &...
North Huntingdon EMS/Rescue announces death of paramedic in the line of duty
A North Huntingdon EMS/Rescue paramedic and rescue technician died Saturday, 11 days after suffering a cardiac arrest in the line of duty, officials said. Fred Manno, 64, of Southwest Greensburg and his partner dropped a patient off at a township home July 19 when Manno had the medical emergency. He...
Illinois ticket-holder wins $1.28 billion Mega Millions jackpot
A ticket-holder in Illinois is the big winner in the Mega Millions jackpot, the second largest prize in the game’s history at $1.28 billion, according to the game’s website. The jackpot winner beat the odds of 1 in 302.5 million to collect the top prize, according to the Associated Press....
