Regional category, Page 208
Addiction treatment providers in Pa. face little state scrutiny despite harm to clients
This investigation is a joint project of KHN, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues, and Spotlight PA, an independent, collaborative newsroom dedicated to producing investigative journalism for all of Pennsylvania. When Ian Kalinowski was at work, his mom usually texted him. So when he saw her...
Pa. drug overdose deaths rose in 2020, likely fueled by pandemic, officials say
Overdose deaths in Pennsylvania ticked upward in 2020 after two years of relatively stable numbers, something officials say is likely the ripple effect of a pandemic that caused an influx of stress and isolated people from their support systems. “The uncertain, stressful and isolating nature of the pandemic has caused...
President Biden name-checks Pittsburgh in speech to CongressVideo
President Joe Biden invoked the Steel City in his speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, asking why wind turbine blades can’t be made in Pittsburgh rather than Beijing, China — essentially challenging U.S. businesses to bring manufacturing jobs back from overseas. President Biden: "There is simply...
Prosecutors won’t seek death penalty against man accused of killing Blairsville woman, dumping her body
EBENSBURG — Cambria County prosecutors informed Judge Tamara R. Bernstein that the commonwealth will not seek the death penalty for Christopher George Rowe as he stands trial for a 2016 homicide of a Blairsville woman. Rowe, of Mercer County, is accused of killing Kaylene Roedel, 26, who was the mother...
Wolf takes on vaccine hesitancy ahead of Washington County walk-in clinic
Walk-ins will be welcome at a Washington County vaccination clinic on Thursday and Friday, state and local officials have announced, in the latest attempt to entice as many Pennsylvanians as possible to get the covid-19 vaccine and inch society toward herd immunity. “We need to make sure the demand stays...
Pa. State System moves ahead with mergers of 6 universities, including California, Clarion, Edinboro
Plans to consolidate six struggling state-owned universities into two mega schools with six campuses were approved for public comment Wednesday morning. The board of governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education voted to begin a 60-day comment period on a plan to consolidate and rename California, Clarion and...
Pasta food truck to sling spaghetti in Western Pa.Video
Peter Williams came up with a pasta pandemic idea: He decided to sling spaghetti from a food truck. The manager of the Wilkinsburg-based Revival Chili food truck spent his time at home experimenting with sauces. He started with a classic red sauce and from there created grilled chicken with artichoke...
‘Pink Hat Lady’ avoids jail after judge accepts apology over mesh mask
A Mercer County woman charged in the Capitol riot facing possible contempt for wearing a mesh mask at her work place will remain free pending trial. Rachel Powell, of Sandy Lake, apologized and provided an explanation for the mask flap. A judge on Tuesday accepted the explanation “The court is...
Find out why more than 1 million visit Ohiopyle State Park each year
One of the “must see” state parks for your bucket list is located in Fayette County. Ohiopyle State Park is a unique place to stay for a day or a week. It has everything that you could imagine being part of a natural resource. The park is a place where...
Man charged with duping Western Pennsylvanians in online puppy scam
A Cameroonian man has been extradited to Pittsburgh to answer charges that he was running an online scam purporting to sell puppies. Desmond Fodje Bobga had an initial appearance on the charges on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maureen Kelly. He is being held in the Allegheny County Jail and...
Western Pa. health experts: Relaxed mask rules ‘long overdue’
Health experts in Western Pennsylvania said it’s no surprise outdoor mask-wearing is no longer part of federal health guidance. From the beginning of the pandemic, data has shown outdoor transmission of covid-19 to be a rare event. “I think that this was a long overdue step, but it was completely...
Pittsburgh region jobs rise in March, still behind 1 year ago
The seven-county Pittsburgh region added 9,000 jobs in March, but the economy still has 76,500 fewer jobs than a year ago, just before the pandemic took hold, according to state labor data released Tuesday. The Pittsburgh region — Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties — saw the...
Here come the 80s: Wild weather not unusual for April, experts say
The tail end of April has been both lion and lamb in terms of weather. A little less than a week ago, Southwestern Pennsylvania recorded more than an inch of snowfall and a low temperature of a balmy 32 degrees. About 1.6 inches fell, according to the National Weather Service,...
California, Clarion and Edinboro could be renamed under consolidation plan
California, Clarion and Edinboro universities will get a new name under a consolidation plan likely to be approved Wednesday for a 60-day public comment period. The necessity for a single name as well as a pledge to keep all three campuses open and fully operational are among the points made...
Attorney for ‘Pink Hat Lady’ says mesh mask was not meant to mock the court
The attorney for a Mercer County woman charged in the Capitol riot who was ordered to explain why she wore a see-through mask against court orders said Monday she never intended to violate the conditions of her release. In a 14-page response filed Monday, Rachel Powell apologized to the court...
Elon Musk, Starlink look to stars to fill internet broadband gaps, including across Western Pa.Video
Dictated by the peaks and dips of Western Pennsylvania’s rolling landscape, internet service is often spotty — even nonexistent — for thousands of people based on topography and a lack of infrastructure for high-speed internet services. But an ambitious project by billionaire Elon Musk promises lofty goals for those struggling...
Study: Fungal disease killing over 90% of 3 bat species in Pa., elsewhere
Southwestern Pennsylvania bats were part of a new large national study that flagged a die-off nationally of more than 90% of certain bats in less than 10 years. The bats in question are the northern long-eared, little brown and tri-colored bats. Researchers also found declines in Indiana bat and big...
Local health systems look to CDC guidance on resuming J&J covid vaccinations
U.S. health advisers on Friday urged resuming covid-19 vaccinations with Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose shot, saying its benefits outweigh a rare risk of blood clots — in line with Europe’s rollout. Federal health officials uncovered 15 vaccine recipients who developed a highly unusual kind of blood clot, out of nearly...
Biden spokeswoman: Pandemic ‘exposed what a problem we have on our hands’ in U.S. nursing homes
The pandemic shined a spotlight on problems that plagued low-performing nursing homes scattered across Western Pennsylvania and the rest of the nation long before covid-19 struck the United States, White House press secretary Jen Psaki acknowledged Friday. As vaccinations ramp up and covid-19 hospitalizations go down, the Biden administration intends...
What to do with your covid-19 vaccination card
You’ve gotten your covid-19 vaccine dose and accompanying small, white vaccination card. Now what do you do? Take a picture of the card for backup purposes. No selfie required. The card from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention serves as official documentation. The cards contain important information about a...
Emergency pet pantry needs donations to keep it stocked
When humans are in crisis, organizations like the Red Cross, fire departments and food banks are there to help. But who is there for the pets affected by those emergencies? Westmoreland/Fayette/Allegheny County Animal Response Team established a pet pantry to provide food and other supplies to furry friends whose owners...
Aliquippa man gets federal prison time for possessing cocaine, gun, ammunition
An Aliquippa man has been sentenced to just over five years in prison for possession of cocaine, a gun and ammunition. Antoine Cummings, 37, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison following his conviction on narcotics trafficking and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted...
Butler County Prison inmate charged for illegally possessing cell phone in jail
A Butler County Prison inmate was charged with illegally possessing a cell phone in jail. William Kelly Penn, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possessing contraband while in prison, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced Wednesday. Penn, a federal detainee...
State trooper in Beaver tried to fix ticket for friends, police say
A Pennsylvania State Police trooper faces misdemeanor charges after he tried to make a traffic ticket disappear for friends, authorities said Thursday, according to charges filed by PSP internal affairs. Trask Alexander, a trooper from Troop D in the Beaver County barracks, is charged with tampering with records, tampering with...
Savini makeup school grad wins contest to spend 1st night in ‘Buffalo Bill’s House’Video
When Jeannette Milo was a student at Tom Savini’s makeup effects program in Monessen, she watched movies such as “Silence of the Lambs” with the goal of one day working on such a film. Little did she know, a decade later, she’d be the first person to spend the night...
