Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1021
Pennsylvania to begin counting covid reinfections
Thousands of new covid-19 cases could appear in the state Department of Health’s Monday report as Pennsylvania begins counting reinfections, officials said. For the past 19 months, state health officials have counted only one case per infected person, even if that individual contracted the virus again at some later time....
Pittsburgh Veterans Day parade honors those who served
Pittsburgh’s annual Veterans Day Parade was back in force on Thursday, with representatives of all branches of the military in attendance to honor veterans past and present. “We’re out here to say thank you to those who served before us,” said Master Sgt. Cameron Culliver as he prepared to march...
Ligonier man walks memorial-to-memorial to raise awareness about veteran suicides
In the United States, more than 6,200 veterans committed suicide in 2019. And the suicide risk for veterans that year was 52.3% higher than that of the general population, according to the Veterans Affairs Department’s 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Report. Veteran David Rogers of Ligonier wants more people to...
Route 66 in Gilpin reopens after crash
Minor injuries were reported in a crash that closed part of Route 66 in Gilpin Thursday morning, state police said. Crews responded to the highway around 6:30 a.m. for reports of a crash involving a tanker truck, Tribune-Review news partner WPXI reported. The road, which was closed between Schenley and...
‘They’re priceless’: Pa. Treasury program reunites unclaimed military medals with veterans, families
More than 500 military medals and memorabilia items — from Legion of Merits to Bronze Stars — sit unclaimed inside the country’s largest working vault in Harrisburg. It is Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity’s mission to return those decorations to their rightful owners. “As a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Army...
Editorial: Veterans deserve our leaders’ respect and support beyond just Veterans Day
Everyone loves a veteran. Especially a politician. On Veterans Day, that pride and appreciation of those who stood up and did their duty when asked or stepped forward to volunteer will be on display in many corners. Flags will be flown and speeches will be given. Ceremonies will be held,...
Part of Butler Street in Lawrenceville closed after building facade fell
Hundreds of bricks were piled up on Butler Street in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood Thursday morning as cleanup began after part of a building’s façade crumbled overnight. A majority of the bricks had been piled up by midmorning, but dozens more remained strewn along the sidewalk in the 4300 block of...
Norwin High School Band goes through final tune-up before national competition
Like athletic teams preparing to play for a championship, the Norwin High School Band went through a dress rehearsal Wednesday night of the show it will perform at a national band competition in Indianapolis over the next three days. Playing before several hundred people under the lights at the high...
SpaceX crew launch marks 600 space travelers in 60 yearsVideo
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A SpaceX rocket carried four astronauts into orbit Wednesday night, including the 600th person to reach space in 60 years. The repeatedly delayed flight occurred just two days after SpaceX brought four other astronauts home from the International Space Station. They should have been up there...
Unity looks to hold line on taxes next year while continuing expanded paving program
Unity Township looks to hold the line on property taxes next year under a proposed $9.1 million budget while planning to continue an expanded road paving program. Supervisor Mike O’Barto noted the supervisors this year drew upon about $2 million from the township’s first-ever bond issue to pave a number...
Longtime nurse chief tapped to lead UPMC’s flagship hospital in Pittsburgh
A longtime champion for engaging front-line health care workers in executive decision-making will take the helm of UPMC’s flagship hospital operation at the start of next year. Sandra Rader — a seasoned chief nurse and vice president of patient care services before becoming chief operating officer — has been promoted...
Judge OKs $626 million settlement in Flint water litigation
DETROIT — A judge on Wednesday approved a $626 million deal to settle lawsuits filed by Flint residents who found their tap water contaminated by lead following disastrous decisions to switch the city’s water source and a failure to swiftly acknowledge the problem. Most of the money — $600 million...
3rd lawsuit filed over injuries on Mammoth Park’s Giant Slide
A third lawsuit has been filed against Westmoreland County over the newly built Giant Slide in Mammoth Park. Katherine McClelland of Fayette City, in court documents filed this week, claims she broke her ankle and suffered other injuries as a result of a ride down the slide July 14, 2020....
Allegheny County leaders ask all businesses to require employee covid vaccinations
Allegheny County officials are asking all businesses to require their employees to be vaccinated against covid-19 by Jan. 1. “Jan. 1 will be a year since these vaccines have been available,” Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said during a news conference Wednesday. “We know how safe they are, we know...
A massive probe of Pa.’s largest pension fund is nearly done, but taxpayers may never know the results
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 — After months of work, prolonged silence from pension fund management, and more than $175,000 in legal bills, a law...
Pittsburgh attorney, frustrated with metal detectors, ‘dropped his drawers’ in court building, official says
A Pittsburgh attorney removed his pants at the entrance of a Downtown court building Wednesday afternoon after becoming frustrated when his suspenders repeatedly set off metal detectors, according to the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office. Jeffrey Pollock, 59, was on his way to a hearing in the family court division when...
Pittsburgh looks to create new Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs
Pittsburgh is looking to establish a new city office dedicated to helping the growing immigrant and refugee population. City Council legislation introduced Monday would create the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. The office would help connect immigrants and refugees with resources and benefits offered through the city, county, state,...
Levin installs 1-megawatt solar array atop Smithton distribution facility
Robert Levin, chairman of Levin Furniture, was a fan of solar energy long before it could earn him tax incentives. Levin had a solar array installed at his Monroeville furniture store in 2004. Almost two years ago, he had solar installed at his home. On Wednesday, Levin flipped the switch...
1,000 rounds of ammunition disappear on way to Allegheny Township Police Dept.
Allegheny Township police Chief Duane Fisher didn’t have to open the box delivered to his station Monday to know there was something wrong with the delivery of ammunition for his department. “As soon as I saw the (United Parcel Service) driver get out of the truck carrying the box rather...
Police memorial flag causes a flap in Aspinwall
A flag honoring fallen police officers is causing a flap in Aspinwall. Council members fielded comments during last week’s meeting from about 15 residents either supporting or opposing the flag that has flown outside the borough building for 12 years. Aspinwall resident Karen Hart took to social media to express...
Loaded gun found in Greensburg Salem High School student’s backpack, police say
A resource officer responding to a report of someone vaping marijuana in a bathroom at Greensburg Salem High School on Wednesday morning made another discovery: a loaded handgun hidden inside a student’s backpack, authorities said. City police continued questioning a 15-year-old student into the afternoon. Capt. Shawn Denning said the...
Pennsylvania court throws out state’s school mask mandate
Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court ruled Wednesday that the state’s acting health secretary did not have authority to issue a mandatory school mask mandate at the beginning of this academic year. In a 31-page opinion, the court found that because there was no emergency declaration in place governing covid-19 in Pennsylvania at...
Wilkinsburg man accused of brandishing gun, threatening UPMC police officer
A Wilkinsburg man is accused of shoving, threatening and spitting on a police officer at UPMC Mercy after police said he became irate that a phone charger lent to him by a hospital staffer didn’t work. It wasn’t until Roderick Cook Jr., 28, flashed a gun at the UPMC officer,...
Pandemic adds stress to already strained rural fire departments
Over the past 30 years, fire departments in both urban and rural areas have struggled to recruit new firefighters into a profession that’s more than half volunteers. In rural America, the pandemic has brought the crisis to a new apex. Rural firefighters have been on the front lines of the...
North Huntingdon police: Couple arrested, nearly 6 bricks of heroin seized in undercover drug buy
A McKeesport couple accused of selling 282 stamp bags of heroin to an undercover police officer in North Huntingdon told police they were “only runners” who received heroin for making deliveries, according to court papers. The couple, Eric Carbonneau, 39, and Erin K. Manning, 43, were taken into custody by...
