Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 951
Pittsburgh claims damages exemption for cop who beat up teen caught smashing pumpkins
The state Supreme Court must decide if the City of Pittsburgh should be responsible for paying a $75,000 jury award against an off-duty Pittsburgh police officer who chased down and assaulted a teenager who had been smashing pumpkins in his neighborhood nearly 10 years ago. The appellate court heard arguments...
Elon Musk wants to buy Twitter, make it ‘maximally trusted’
In 10 days, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has gone from popular Twitter contributor and critic to the company’s largest individual shareholder to a would-be owner of the social platform — a whirlwind of activity that could change the service dramatically given the sometimes whimsical billionaire’s self-identification as a free-speech absolutist....
Police: Tarentum couple accused of child abuse after 5-month-old found to have broken bones
A Tarentum couple has been accused of child abuse after a doctor treating their 5-month-old son for a shoulder injury told police the boy suffered 10 previous fractures for which he did not receive medical treatment. Ryan Scholl, 22, and Breanna Airgood, 26, of the 400 block of West Ninth...
Pittsburgh region’s economy rebounding from pandemic more slowly than other metro areas
The Pittsburgh region has the slowest employment growth coming out of the pandemic among the nation’s 40 largest metropolitan areas, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Pittsburgh’s labor force participation remains nearly 5% below what it was before the pandemic and is well below the U.S....
Pfizer to seek covid booster for healthy 5- to 11-year-olds
Pfizer said Thursday it wants to expand its covid-19 booster shots to healthy elementary-age kids. U.S. health authorities already urge everyone 12 and older to get one booster dose for the best protection against the newest variants — and recently gave the option of a second booster to those 50...
Google says it will invest $15M in Pa. this year, including Bakery Square expansion in Pittsburgh
The tech giant Google said it will invest more than $15 million in Pennsylvania this year, including plans to add another floor at its Bakery Square campus in Pittsburgh’s East End. The company said it plans to invest $9.5 billion in offices and data centers across the country this year,...
Clean air group asks for more Allegheny County Health Department oversight over Neville Island scrap yard
One year after a fire at the Metalico plant on Neville Island, residents from the area delivered a petition to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald asking for increased health department oversight over the scrap yard. The April 2021 fire at Neville Recycling burned for hours before crews brought the flames...
Bloomfield Starbucks becomes 1st unionized location in Pennsylvania
Workers at the Starbucks on Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood unanimously voted to form a union Wednesday. The Bloomfield store was the first of the chain’s locations in the Pittsburgh region to file to unionize — and the first in the state to vote in favor of unionizing. Workers...
Shooting in Homewood South leaves 1 in critical condition
A male victim was in critical condition as a result of a shooting Wednesday evening in Pittsburgh’s Homewood South neighborhood, according to a city Public Safety spokesperson. City police responded at about 6:45 p.m. to the 7300 block of Idlewild Street following a ShotSpotter alert and a call to 911....
Penn Hills School District residents sound off on potential mascot change
The Penn Hills School Board listened to residents, students, alumni and staff April 13 regarding the possibility of changing the name of their mascot from the Indians. No vote was taken, and the school directors did not speak or answer questions. Instead, the board listened, took notes and made audio...
Washington County contractor pleads guilty to bilking 16 victims, ordered to pay $400K
A Washington County man has pleaded guilty in Allegheny County Court to bilking 16 Pittsburgh area victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars through uncompleted construction projects and payments owed to subcontractors and suppliers. Daniel Michael Bull, 39, of Washington pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of theft by...
Pennsylvania Senate votes to end drop boxes, outside money for elections
HARRISBURG — Drop boxes for depositing mail-in and absentee ballots would be banned and donations to run elections would no longer be permitted from groups outside government under bills approved Wednesday by the Pennsylvania Senate. Senators voted 37-12, a potentially veto-proof margin, to prohibit the types of grants issued during...
Teen shot in Stowe Township expected to survive
A 15-year-old boy is expected to survive after being shot Wednesday in Stowe Township. The Allegheny County Police Homicide Unit responded to reports of a shooting at 3:50 p.m. on Ninth Street and Bennwood Avenue, according to a press release. Police said first responders found the victim had been shot...
Westmoreland County hires back former Shuman Juvenile Detention Center director
Westmoreland commissioners rehired the man who ran the county’s juvenile detention center nearly a decade ago before he took the helm of the of the now-shuttered Shuman Juvenile Detention Center in Pittsburgh. His new salary will pay him 64% more than the woman he is replacing. Rich Gordon served as...
Presidents from countries on Russia’s doorstep visit UkraineVideo
KYIV, Ukraine — The presidents of four countries on Russia’s doorstep visited Ukraine on Wednesday and underscored their support for the embattled country, where they saw heavily damaged buildings and demanded accountability for what they called war crimes carried out by Russian forces. The visit by the presidents of Poland,...
Kiski Township police identify and are looking for suspect who led them on a chase Friday
Kiski Township police identified a Leechburg man who they say led them on a car chase last Friday, April 8. Police say that Jeffrey Nedley, 39, has been identified as the man driving a white Mitsubishi Endeavor that nearly struck a marked police car along Garvers Ferry Road in Kiski...
New Kensington-Arnold teachers accept new contract
New Kensington-Arnold School District’s teachers ratified a new contract Wednesday, a representative of the Pennsylvania State Education Association said. The teachers union and the school district reached a tentative five-year agreement Friday night, averting a strike that the teachers had announced would begin Monday. According to a joint statement from...
Motion to censure Allegheny County Councilman withdrawn
A motion to censure an Allegheny County councilman for words he directed at another councilman following a meeting last month led to more fighting Tuesday as tempers flared among members before the censure motion was withdrawn. Councilman DeWitt Walton, angry over the motion made to censure Councilman Thomas Duerr, D-Bethel...
Biden approves $800M in new military assistance for Ukraine
WASHINGTON — In anticipation of a new Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine, President Joe Biden on Wednesday approved an $800 million package of military assistance, including additional helicopters and the first provision of American artillery. The Ukrainians also will receive armored personnel carriers, armored Humvees, naval drone vessels used in...
Arnold Council approves plan for Freeport Road gas station, convenience store
Arnold Council has approved plans for a gas station and convenience store on Freeport Road. Following a public hearing Tuesday, council voted unanimously in favor of a conditional use that Mike Thakkar, owner of Yashvi Oil, needs to turn the former auto repair shop at 1610 Freeport Road into a...
2 Duquesne Light employees shocked during pole replacement in McCandless
Two Duquesne Light employees were shocked by a power line Wednesday during work in McCandless, officials said. The employees were working on a utility pole along Brandywine Drive at the time, said Duquesne Light spokeswoman Ashley Macik. Both were taken to the hospital, she said. Macik said around 30 customers...
Pittsburgh City Council condemns proposed Save Women’s Sports Act
Pittsburgh City Council voted Tuesday to condemn efforts in the state legislature to ban transgender girls from competing in female youth sports. The council measure, known as a will of council, comes in response to the proposed Save Women’s Sports Act, which would bar transgender athletes in youth sports from...
Brooklyn subway suspect Frank James tipped off police to his locationVideo
NEW YORK — The man accused of shooting 10 people on a Brooklyn subway train was arrested Wednesday and charged with a federal terrorism offense after the suspect himself called police to come get him, law enforcement officials said. Frank R. James, 62, was taken into custody about 30 hours...
Allegheny County health officials have no plans to reinstate mask mandate
Allegheny County health officials said Wednesday they have no plans to reinstate a mask mandate locally as officials in Philadelphia did. “Cases in Allegheny County continue to be low, particularly when compared to the omicron surge in late December and January,” said health department spokesman Chris Togneri. He said there...
2 people carjacked in Hill District, police say — with 1 person still inside
Pittsburgh police said two people were carjacked early Wednesday in the city’s Hill District neighborhood. Police said they were alerted at 1:15 a.m. about the incident on the 2900 block of Bedford Avenue. A woman in the car was able to exit the vehicle before the three suspects drove off,...
