Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1192
5,000 covid-19 vaccine appointments to open at 2 pharmacies in Penn Township and Indiana Co.
More than 5,000 appointments for the covid-19 vaccine will be available next week through two area Mainline Pharmacy Group locations. Bushy Run Pharmacy, in Penn Township, and Blairsville Pharmacy, in Indiana County, have appointments available for those who qualify in phase 1A of the state’s vaccination plan. This phase includes...
Ross woman charged with involvement in Capitol riot
When the FBI was investigating a Bridgeville man for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, they spoke to an acquaintance of his, Jennifer Heinl. During that Jan. 28 conversation, Heinl, of Ross, said she had gone to Washington, D.C., the day before the attack, but that she hadn’t...
Penn State announces in-person commencement plans
Penn State officials say the university will host in-person commencement ceremonies at University Park and at its other campuses across the state. The state’s largest university cited increasing vaccination rates and a relaxation in state guidelines in its decision to move forward with a more traditional graduation for the class...
Pitt plans a return to normal operations at Oakland for fall 2021
In yet another indication of growing optimism surrounding the covid-19 vaccine, officials at the University of Pittsburgh are planning a return to full in-person operations at the university’s Oakland campus as well its campuses in Greensburg, Johnstown, Bradford and Titusville. Pitt Chancellor Patrick Gallagher on Thursday announced that the school,...
One of Pittsburgh area’s first Chick-fil-A stores set to close
One of the first Chick-fil-A locations in the Pittsburgh area is closing at the end of the month. March 31 will be the last day of operations for the Chick-fil-A at Ross Park Mall, according to a sign at the business. The mall’s food court eatery first opened in August...
Fox Chapel cheerleader Sloane Simon to perform on ‘American Idol’
Fox Chapel Area High School cheerleader Sloane Simon is going to Hollywood. The 16-year-old sophomore from O’Hara is a contestant on “American Idol.” She announced the news Tuesday on her Twitter account. So my audition didn’t air, but I got THREE YESes and I’M GOING TO HOLLYWOOD!! Make sure you...
Google announces expansion of Bakery Square campus
Google is about to make its large footprint in Bakery Square even larger. Thursday morning, the company announced plans to expand its Bakery Square campus by adding three new floors this year, bringing its total footprint in the building to 320,000 square feet. Google said it will be taking the...
Allegheny, Westmoreland counties covid cases, deaths stable; Pennsylvania surpasses 12% fully vaccinated
In Pennsylvania, the number of people vaccinated from the coronavirus has continued to climb, while covid cases and deaths have remained relatively stable. In Allegheny County on Thursday there was a slight uptick in new cases and hospitalizations. Westmoreland County saw a decrease in cases and one new death. And...
Restaurant owners in eastern suburbs brace for change next month with cautious optimism
Restaurant owners in the area are bracing for yet another change to operations come next month. This time, though, they are welcoming the change as it means coming one step closer to pre-pandemic days, even if it presents a new challenge of finding staff to meet a potential uptick in...
U.S. schools prepare summer of learning to help kids catch up
After a dreary year spent largely at home in front of the computer, many U.S. children could be looking at summer school — and that’s just what many parents want. Although the last place most kids want to spend summer is in a classroom, experts say that after a year...
PNC closing 3 more Pittsburgh-area branches
PNC will close three more bank branches in the Pittsburgh area in June. The branches that will close June 11 are in McCandless, Oakdale and Ambridge. Each will be consolidated with another location, bank spokeswoman Marcey Zwiebel said. The closings are driven by changes in the way customers are doing...
White supremacist propaganda surged in 2020, report says
NEW YORK — White supremacist propaganda reached alarming levels across the U.S. in 2020, according to a new report that the Anti-Defamation League provided to The Associated Press. There were 5,125 cases of racist, anti-Semitic, anti-LGBTQ and other hateful messages spread through physical flyers, stickers, banners and posters, according to...
AMC opening 98% of movie theaters
It’s showtime! AMC Theatres says it will have 98% of its U.S. movie theaters open on Friday, with more expected to open by March 26. Shares of AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. are up more than 4% before the market open on Thursday. Movie theaters all over shuttered their doors a...
Bill would make daylight saving time permanent in Pennsylvania
If some Pennsylvania lawmakers get their way, you won’t need to remember the phrase “spring forward, fall back.” Lawmakers are pushing a bill that urges Congress to authorize states to make daylight saving time apply year-round. The House State Government Committee approved the bill on Wednesday. The bill, which passed...
Divided House OKs Dems’ bill helping Dreamer immigrants
WASHINGTON — The House voted Thursday to unlatch a gateway to citizenship for young Dreamers and immigrants who have fled war or natural disasters abroad, giving Democrats a win in the year’s first vote on an issue that once again faces a steep uphill climb in Congress. On a near...
TSA finds loaded handgun in woman’s carry-on at Pittsburgh International Airport
Another gun has been caught at the main security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport. According to Allegheny County Police, Transportation Security Administration officers found a loaded .380 caliber handgun in a woman’s carry-on bag around 5:42 a.m. Thursday. The TSA said the woman, a resident of Pittsburgh, had the gun...
TV Talk: Mister Rogers gets a new statue at his alma mater
The late Fred Rogers carried the words found on a plaque at his alma mater, Rollins College, in his wallet: “Life is for Service.” Now Rogers’ life of service to children through PBS’s “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” will be honored with a sculpture to be unveiled on the Rollins campus in...
Biden agrees Putin is a killer, says he’ll pay price for meddling
President Joe Biden agreed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a “killer,” and said in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday that Russia would pay for alleged interference in U.S. elections. His comments, recorded Tuesday, came the same day as a U.S. intelligence community report that said Putin ordered...
Ohio attorney general sues Biden administration over federal pandemic relief law
The Ohio attorney general is taking the Biden administration to court over federal “American Rescue Plan.” A.G. Dave Yost is suing the administration over rules in the stimulus bill that prevent states from using the billions of dollars in funding for tax cuts, Cleveland.com reported Wednesday. Yost told Cleveland.com that...
Republicans seize on immigration as border crossings surge
WASHINGTON — Delegation trips to the border. Apocalyptic warnings. A flurry of press conferences. Republicans still divided over former President Donald Trump’s legacy are seizing on his signature campaign issue, turning their focus to immigration as they try to regain the political upper hand. Faced with President Joe Biden’s early...
IRS will delay tax filing due date until May
The Internal Revenue Service is delaying the traditional tax filing deadline from April 15 until May 17, according to the House Ways and Means Committee. The IRS and Treasury Department didn’t immediately comment Wednesday or provide further details. But the committee confirmed and applauded the move, which provides added time...
Vaccine eligibility to expand in Allegheny County, but on certain conditionsVideo
The Allegheny County Health Department will expand eligibility for its vaccine distribution — starting Friday — to include people 50 and older who have certain health conditions. Up to this point, the department has only been vaccinating people 65 and older, citing vaccine supply constraints. Dr. Debra Bogen, the county’s...
Pennsylvania sets out to tackle disparities highlighted by pandemic
Health and social services officials hope a data-driven approach — one focused not on equality, but equity – will help begin to move the life-expectancy needle higher in some of Pennsylvania’s most disparate areas. The goal of the region-based coalitions, called Regional Accountable Health Councils, is in essence to lift...
Excela Health to open North Huntingdon vaccine clinic; to give 2K shots daily by appointment
Excela Health is upping its capacity to provide coronavirus vaccine by opening a clinic at an empty building in North Huntingdon. The clinic will begin operations Thursday at the former Galaxy Fitness building near Excela Square at Norwin, Chief Medical Officer Carol Fox said. Staff members will be able to...
Covid cases hit Allegheny County court records division, causing procedural changes
At least six employees from the Allegheny County Department of Court Records criminal division office are out this week after testing positive for covid-19, and 16 more are being quarantined, according to several sources in the courthouse. No one in county administration, which oversees the office, or court administration, which...
