Regional category, Page 130
Buttigieg urges safety changes after fiery Ohio derailment
OMAHA, Neb. — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wants the nation’s freight railroads to immediately act to improve safety while regulators try to strengthen safety rules in the wake of a fiery derailment in Ohio that forced evacuations when toxic chemicals were released and burned. Buttigieg announced a package of reforms...
Gas prices edge lower in Pittsburgh, across Pa. while national average unchanged
While gas prices in some states moved higher in the past week, Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh area are among those where prices came down slightly. According to AAA, the statewide average price of a gallon of gas Monday was about $3.69. That’s about 4 cents less than last week, about...
As chronic absenteeism rises in schools, officials search for ways to entice students to stay in the classroom
It’s not by the power of the pen or a symbolic sword that Highlands School District administrators are fighting chronic student absenteeism but rather a Golden Spatula. The trinket is awarded each month during the RAMS Roundup rewards party, where behavior expectations are reviewed and student successes are acknowledged. To...
Norfolk Southern CEO visits East Palestine after derailment
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — The president of Norfolk Southern made a visit to East Palestine, Ohio, on Saturday following criticism from residents and political leaders about the company’s response to the fiery derailment of a freight train carrying toxic materials earlier this month. Fox Business reports that company president and...
Metalworking apprentices from across Pittsburgh region compete as demand for jobs remains strongVideo
The sound of milling machines filled the air Friday morning at Westmoreland County Community College’s Advanced Technology Center in East Huntingdon, as eight apprentices competed for the title of Best Metalworking Apprentice in the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Tooling and Milling Association. It was music to the ears of...
After treating pain with medical marijuana, Ryan Shazier launches new line of products
When former Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a terrifying injury during a 2017 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, he didn’t know that trying to walk again would lead to even more battles during his recovery. As his journey progressed from paralysis to relearning how to walk, Shazier not only had...
Ohio ex-speaker ill, corruption trial pauses after big week
CINCINNATI — The racketeering trial of former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and lobbyist Matt Borges was cancelled due to illness again Friday, giving jurors a long holiday weekend to mull striking new details revealed this week by players directly involved in an alleged $60 million bribery scheme. It marked...
Here are some online resources for information on Ohio train derailment
In the wake of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and the controlled burn of hazardous chemicals following that, many people are concerned about the health and environmental impact of the incident. The Norfolk Southern train was carrying hazardous chemicals when it derailed on Feb. 3, causing a fire...
White House defends response to Ohio toxic train derailment
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Friday defended its response to a toxic freight train derailment in Ohio two weeks ago, even as local leaders and members of Congress demanded that more be done. The Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, left toxic chemicals spilled or burned off, prompting...
Deluzio calls for congressional action after Ohio train derailment
U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Aspinwall, said after visiting the site of the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment on Thursday that he wants to see Congress and federal agencies take action to make railways safer. A Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed near the Pennsylvania border on Feb. 3, causing...
Indiana County officials round up drug trafficking suspects; others at large
Law enforcement officials in Indiana County arrested several people Thursday in a roundup of drug trafficking suspects. Six additional suspects remain at large, according to Indiana County District Attorney Robert Manzi. The seven Indiana residents charged with possession with intent to deliver various drugs and related offenses include: • Michael...
Pa. hits Beaver County’s Shell cracker plant with another emissions violation notice
The state Department of Environmental Protection has slapped Beaver County’s Shell ethylene cracker plant with a third violation notice because the agency said Shell again surpassed pollution emission limits. The sprawling, multibillion-dollar plant along the Ohio River opened in November. In an email to Shell dated Monday, DEP officials said...
UPMC Children’s Hospital to open new rehab facility
For some kids who suffer from brain trauma or spinal injury, one of the goals they may set for rehabilitation is being able to sit on the floor to play with their pet dog. The Zero G robot, a new supportive harness system for patients to practice walking, balance and...
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman checks into hospital for depression treatment
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman has checked himself into the hospital to receive treatment for clinical depression, his office announced Thursday. Fetterman’s Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson said in a statement that Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., Wednesday night. “While John has experienced...
West Virginia drinking water still clear of derailment toxin
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia officials have reiterated that the state’s drinking water remains safe following an Ohio train derailment that led to a toxic plume of chemicals being released. Chemicals that leaked from the derailment are being monitored as they move down the Ohio River, but they are not...
Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania names new leader
Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania has named a new executive director. Amber Farr will take the reins of the Downtown-based professional membership association. The organization, founded in 1985, includes about 90 foundations, grantmaking public charities and corporate giving programs that offer educational programs, professional development and networking opportunities. “Amber Farr brings...
EPA head sees Ohio train spill site as residents demand infoVideo
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency got a first-hand look Thursday at a creek contaminated by a freight train derailment in Ohio that spilled toxic chemicals and burned in a huge plume over homes and businesses. The visit by EPA Administrator Michael Regan, who...
Native weasel reintroduction in Pa. under consideration, Monroeville presentation planned
Pennsylvania Game Commission officials are considering a plan to reintroduce a native species of weasel to the state’s woodlands after its disappearance more than 100 years ago. The American marten, or pine marten, and its potential habitats are being studied to determine if the proposal is feasible. Tom Keller, the...
Shapiro criticizes Norfolk Southern’s emergency response to Ohio train derailment
Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned train company Norfolk Southern in a letter this week, alleging the company failed to immediately contact the state after a train derailment near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border on Feb. 3. Shapiro said his office plans to take direct action against the company, and added the state legislature...
Medical examiner identifies victim of Sunday shooting in Wilkinsburg
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office on Wednesday afternoon identified the victim of Sunday’s fatal shooting in Wilkinsburg. Daniel Richard Hurley, 40, address unknown, was shot in the 100 block of East Bryn Mawr Court, according to the medical examiner. No cause or manner of death has been released yet....
Charges dropped against reporter arrested at Ohio train derailment news conference
A cable news reporter pushed to the ground and handcuffed while covering a news conference about a train derailment in Ohio will no longer face charges, the state’s attorney general said Wednesday. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost dismissed trespassing and resisting arrest charges against NewsNation correspondent Evan Lambert, saying he...
Lawsuit: Thousands of Western Pa. residents at risk after Ohio train derailment
A class-action lawsuit alleges the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment and subsequent controlled burn of hazardous chemicals could have an adverse effect on the health of thousands of Western Pennsylvanians. In the suit, two Beaver County men say they want Norfolk Southern Railway to pay for the medical monitoring of...
Standbys, understudies, swings ensure that the show will go on
Ready to go on at a moment’s notice, some actors and actresses wait in the wings. They are in the theater in case one of their colleagues can’t take the stage because of illness, a family emergency or a scheduled day off. They often are referred to as “unsung heroes”...
Armstrong County billboard with message of inclusivity taken down
A Worthington-area billboard meant to welcome people of all faiths, genders and sexual orientations was up for six days before opponents forced its removal. Erected by the Armstrong County Democratic Committee and paid for by donations, the sign was meant to combat a nearby billboard along Route 422 that has...
PennWest president announces departure
Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, founding president of Pennsylvania Western University, also known as PennWest, is leaving her position. She announced Tuesday she is transitioning to a new role with the State System of Higher Education as President-in-Residence and CEO for PennWest Investment. She is to begin the transition immediately and will assume...
