Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1114
Baldwin man gets 2 to 4 years for crash that killed cyclist in Brookline
A Baldwin man will serve two to four years in prison after pleading guilty Friday to killing a cyclist in a crash on Brookline Boulevard in 2019. Thomas Morton, 24, must also serve seven years of probation after pleading to homicide by vehicle, driving under the influence and other counts...
Police: Philadelphia officers trying to aid shooting victim fired upon
PHILADELPHIA — Police say officers trying to load the victim of a north Philadelphia shooting into a police vehicle to take him to the hospital came under fire over the weekend. Officers responded to a report of gunshots just before 11 p.m. Sunday and found a 19-year-old man with a...
A wild weather week in store for Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania residents won’t need to go to Kennywood to feel like they’re on a roller coaster this week: A weather roller coaster, that is. The week begins with blistering heat. The average for this time of year is 82 degrees, but we could be hitting at least 90 degrees...
Tastyland to open soon, as other Western Pa. ice cream shops welcome 2021 season
After nearly 45 years of owning Tastyland along Route 66 in Hempfield, owners Bill and Mary Kuhns passed the keys to the roadside ice cream shop and food stand on to someone new. Jill Gunniers became the primary owner of Tastyland in December because she wanted “an adventure” to pursue...
What you need to know as the Pa. mask mandate lifts
In light of rising covid-19 vaccination rates, Pennsylvania no longer has a mandate that masks be worn in public settings. Businesses still may require a mask to be worn, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines still call for masks in public transportation, airports, shelters, prisons and hospitals. Dr....
As Pa. mask mandate ends, some rejoice, while others say they will keep masking up
As of Monday morning, mask wearing in Pennsylvania is no longer a mandate. “It’s about time,” said Joe Dibattista of North Huntingdon. Dibattista, 69, and his wife, Chris, were among the many on Sunday at Westmoreland Mall who said they were ready to move forward, with the coronavirus seemingly in...
U.S. airstrikes target Iran-backed militias in Syria, Iraq
WASHINGTON — The U.S. military, under the direction of President Joe Biden, carried out airstrikes against what it said were “facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups” near the border between Iraq and Syria, drawing condemnation from Iraq’s military and calls for revenge by the militias. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby...
Bill Barr reportedly had profanity-laden split with Trump over election fraud claims
WASHINGTON — Former Attorney General William Barr told then-President Donald Trump that there was no evidence of election fraud, an assertion that was met with profanity from the president, according to a report in The Atlantic. Barr met with Trump in early December, weeks after Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch...
Experts: Pa. law intended to punish drug dealers in overdose cases could be backfiring
A decade ago, amid rising casualties from drug abuse, a Pennsylvania drug law was revised to target dealers responsible for overdose deaths. The new statute was termed “drug delivery resulting in death,” or DDRD in legal shorthand. It called for 20- to 40-year prison sentences for anyone who sells or...
Date set for new Abe Lincoln statue dedication in WilkinsburgVideo
A date has finally been set for the official dedication of a newly sculpted, life-size 400-pound statue of Abraham Lincoln in Wilkinsburg. Following a series of unforeseen logistical delays, the new statue of the 16th president of the United States will be erected on July 24 at 10 a.m. at...
Tarentum Bridge reopens in both directions a day early
The Tarentum Bridge reopened in both directions a half-day earlier than planned, much to the relief of many drivers headed through the Alle-Kiski Valley on Sunday afternoon. PennDOT officials had postponed the reopening of the westbound lane linking New Kensington to Tarentum until 6 a.m. Monday after a car crashed...
Bipartisan infrastructure deal back on track after walk-backVideo
WASHINGTON — A bipartisan deal to invest nearly $1 trillion in the nation’s infrastructure appeared to be back on track Sunday after a stark walk-back by President Joe Biden to his earlier insistence that the bill be coupled with an even larger Democrat-backed measure in order to earn his signature....
Police seek suspects in West End Overlook brush fire
Pittsburgh police said three male suspects are wanted for questioning in connection with a brush fire set Sunday early morning near the West End Overlook building. Witnesses said three males, estimated to be between 17 to 19 years old, attempted to break the glass doors at the front of the...
320-mile trek from Philly to Lower Burrell on track to raise nearly $300K for vets; founding charity member dies
When the climb got roughest during the 320-mile trek across Pennsylvania, Tucker McCullough mustered the energy to press forward by invoking the past. Accompanied by five comrades on the PA Hero Walk from Philadelphia to the Alle-Kiski Valley, the Army veteran recalled the many brave soldiers who traversed the same...
Man dead in New Stanton crash of classic car
A 72-year-old man was killed Sunday morning when a classic car ran off a winding road near New Stanton, state police said. According to Westmoreland County 911, rescue crews were dispatched at 8:14 a.m. to South Center Avenue near Sandworks Road in response to a report that a person had...
Alzheimer’s drug stirs hope for patients, worry for doctors
In the weeks since a new Alzheimer’s drug was approved, hopeful patients have bombarded Dr. Alireza Atri with calls and emails about a treatment that has sparked both excitement and skepticism. They want to know if the drug might be right for them. Like many physicians, Atri has no easy...
Before building collapse, $9 million in repairs needed
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Nearly three years before an oceanfront building collapsed near Miami, an engineering firm estimated that major repairs the building needed would cost more than $9 million, according to newly released emails. The email from the firm of Morabito Consultants was among a series of documents released...
Families of the missing visit site of Florida condo collapse
SURFSIDE, Fla. — Families of the missing visited the scene of the Florida condo building collapse Sunday as rescuers kept digging through the mound of rubble and clinging to hope that someone could yet be alive somewhere under the broken concrete and twisted metal. The death toll rose by just...
Alle-Kiski Valley restaurateurs contend with new challenges as they struggle to survive pandemic
Restaurants were hit hard by the pandemic and restrictions meant to curb the spread of covid-19 — and, for many restaurateurs, the struggles aren’t over yet. Navigating a pandemic — and the related rules and restrictions — has been a challenge April Platt never imagined she’d have to overcome. Platt...
Overcoming challenges, Alle-Kiski Valley businesses continue to recover
Alle-Kiski Valley businesses are beginning to emerge from the incredible challenges caused by last year’s covid-19 pandemic. Many small-business owners said they’ve experienced a significant loss of income, stress and hardship during the shutdown and subsequent covid restrictions placed on their businesses. A 2020 U.S. Census Bureau Small Business Survey...
Westmoreland County restaurants lean on combination of self, government helpVideo
After eight years of co-owning and operating J&M Export Deli, Michelle Gilson feels like it’s her first year all over again. Gilson, with co-owner Jennifer Minnick, was forced to make several cost-saving changes to the Export-based deli over the past year — like reducing the staff by three employees and...
Drone program offers job skills to Westmoreland, Fayette studentsVideo
Hannah Sutton said flying drones runs in the family. The Uniontown native, who graduated last month from Laurel Highlands High School, wants to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps that saw him serve in the U.S. Air Force and later earn a license to pilot a drone. Sutton, 18, like her...
Experts: Impact of Chauvin case on policing yet to be seen
Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin ‘s conviction and lengthy prison sentence in George Floyd’s murder could lead to better police hiring and training, law enforcement experts say. It could spur more effort to build trust among officers and communities. And it might have made the public — and future...
Report showed ‘major’ damage before Florida condo collapse
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The ground-floor pool deck of the oceanfront condominium building that collapsed near Miami was resting on a concrete structural slab that had “major structural damage” and needed to be extensively repaired, according to a 2018 engineering report that also uncovered “abundant cracking and spalling” of concrete...
Connellsville man killed on Armstrong County road
A Connellsville man was killed early Saturday when he was struck by a vehicle in Armstrong County. Pennsylvania State Police in Kittanning said Alan Lipscomb, 29, was laying in the middle of State Route 422 near Worthington Slate Lick Road shortly after 2:30 a.m. when he was hit by an...
