Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1206
Allegheny County covid hospitalizations drop by 25% in last week
The number of Allegheny County covid-19 patient hospitalizations has dropped by about 25% since last week, according to state Department of Health data. There were 152 hospitalizations as of Tuesday, down 54 from Thursday when 206 covid patients were in the hospital. Since hospitalizations peaked at 881 on Dec. 16,...
Latrobe woman’s tiny vacation house gets online magazine spreadVideo
For Jessica Hooper, part of the appeal of tiny house living is that “when you strip away the clutter and distractions in life, you are able to focus your energy on what is truly important.” That’s what the Latrobe resident told readers of Tiny House Magazine, an online publication that...
Lawsuit contends Allegheny County judge is illegally blocking access to virtual hearings
An Allegheny County court watch program filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Common Pleas Judge Anthony M. Mariani, accusing him of violating the public’s First Amendment rights by blocking virtual access to proceedings in his courtroom. The Abolitionist Law Center’s Court Watch program involves volunteers observing dozens of criminal court...
6 Dr. Seuss books won’t be published for racist images
BOSTON — Six Dr. Seuss books — including “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street” and “If I Ran the Zoo” — will stop being published because of racist and insensitive imagery, the business that preserves and protects the author’s legacy said Tuesday. “These books portray people...
Censure of Sen. Toomey for Trump impeachment vote falls short
A sharply-split Republican State Committee in Pennsylvania voted Monday night to again express its displeasure with Sen. Pat Toomey’s vote last month to convict former President Donald Trump on an article of impeachment, but stopped short of voting to censure him. Committee members were given the choice of voting for...
Estranged wife charged with killing husband, stuffing body in trash bags outside Brighton Heights home
The estranged wife of a man whose body was found wrapped in plastic at a home in Pittsburgh’s Brighton Heights neighborhood in December has been charged with stabbing him to death and hiding his corpse. Janet L. Winbush, 50, faces charges of criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse in...
Bettors have chance to give back at Live! Casino Pittsburgh
Winners at Live! Casino Pittsburgh have the chance to give back. Two donation boxes, known as The Giveback Box, are at the Hempfield casino, where guests can contribute slot tickets, cash or table game chips to support local charities. This quarter, benefiting organizations include United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania and...
City Theatre receives NEA grant to produce new play
Pittsburgh’s City Theatre is on the receiving end of a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the largest grant from the theater discipline in Pennsylvania. The grant will support City Theatre’s commissioned play, “The Rivers Don’t Know,” about immigration in Pittsburgh. It is part of the first...
Police: Man shot before wrecking SUV into utility pole in South Side dies at hospital
A man who crashed his SUV into a pole in the South Side after being shot early this morning has died from his injuries, according to authorities. Emergency personnel responding to a 911 call at around 1:10 a.m. for a vehicle crash at the American Natural gas station near the...
States easing coronavirus restrictions despite experts’ warningsVideo
MISSION, Kan. — With the U.S. vaccination drive picking up speed and a third formula on the way, states eager to reopen for business are easing coronavirus restrictions despite warnings from health experts that the outbreak is far from over and that moving too quickly could prolong the misery. Massachusetts...
Dozens of Pine-Richland parents rally for more in-person learningVideo
Pine-Richland School District officials plan to gather more parental data as they work to offer five-day in-person learning to more grade levels in the next several weeks. A survey is will be posted today asking parents of students in grades 4-12 if they want full online learning, five-day in-person instruction...
Senate confirms Miguel Cardona as Biden’s education secretary
The Senate voted Monday to confirm Miguel Cardona as education secretary, clearing his way to lead President Joe Biden’s effort to reopen the nation’s schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. Cardona, 45, a former public school teacher who went on to become Connecticut’s education chief, was approved on a 64-33 vote....
2 hospitalized after SUV crashes into Derry Township creekVideo
Two people were “lucky” to avoid more serious injury Monday when the SUV they were in veered off Route 30 and into the rain swollen waters of Loyalhanna Creek in Derry Township, according to firefighters. The pair were transported by Mutual Aid Ambulance to AHN Forbes Hospital in Monroeville after...
Ed Gainey campaign chief, Pittsburgh political activist nearly come to blows at political event
Pittsburgh mayoral candidate Ed Gainey’s campaign manager and a Democratic activist who is critical of Gainey nearly came to blows during a dispute Saturday at a Duquesne Heights union hall parking lot. The activist, Kierran Young, 28, of Stanton Heights, said he is considering whether to pursue criminal charges after...
Biden tries to reset relationship with Mexican presidentVideo
WASHINGTON — As President Joe Biden looks to dismantle the last administration’s hardline immigration agenda, he worked Monday to build a partnership with someone who found an unexpected understanding with Donald Trump: Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Biden and López Obrador met for a virtual bilateral meeting, with immigration,...
United Steelworkers to seek strike authorization at ATI
The United Steelworkers union is preparing for a strike authorization at Allegheny Technologies Inc., the union’s international vice president confirmed Monday. Although the contract that expired Sunday was extended and employees were told to continue to report to work, “the locals have returned home with instructions to begin setting up...
Troopers charge Unity man after confrontation over wearing mask in Giant Eagle
A Unity man accused of refusing to wear a mask while shopping at a grocery store and threatening to fight the manager before fleeing was charged with disorderly conduct and harassment, state police said. William A. Muir, 41, also received four traffic citations from troopers as he fled the Giant...
Minimum wage hike all but dead in big covid relief bill
WASHINGTON — Democrats’ hopes of including a minimum wage increase in their $1.9 trillion covid-19 relief bill seemed all but dead Monday as the Senate prepared to debate its own version of the House-passed aid package. Four days after the chamber’s parliamentarian said Senate rules forbid inclusion of a straight-out...
Pa. teachers could move to vaccine’s phase 1A distribution, task force says
Discussions are in progress in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly to possibly move teachers to phase 1A of the state’s vaccine rollout. State Rep. Tim O’Neal, R-Washington, sent an email Sunday alerting House GOP members of the possibility, according to WPXI. He explained that the National Guard would be involved in the...
Pennsylvania saw record declines in covid numbers in February
In February, Pennsylvania saw the steepest decline in new cases of the entire pandemic. The state went from 202,899 new cases in January to 88,418 new cases in February — a 56% drop. Even though February has three fewer days than January, if you were to add three days of...
Westmoreland County’s covid number dropped dramatically in February
When compared with recent prior months, February was much better with regard to the coronavirus in Westmoreland County. New cases of covid-19 dropped by 61.5% from January (5,370) to February (2,064). Even within the month, new cases dropped from the first half to the second. In the first 14 days...
Gov. Wolf raises capacity limits on event spaces, rescinds travel restrictions
Pennsylvania officials eased some covid-19 restrictions effective immediately, specifically those orders pertaining to occupancy limits on indoor and outdoor events, paving the way for the Penguins and Pirates to allow fans at PPG Paints Arena and PNC Park. The new orders, announced by Gov. Tom Wolf, raised the occupancy limits...
Allegheny County’s covid numbers saw dramatic decline in February
Allegheny County saw its covid numbers drop dramatically in the month of February, recording 53% fewer new cases than in January. February’s total new cases in the county added up to 7,301. In January, that number was 15,559. It was the second largest month-to-month decline during the entire pandemic. The...
Pittsburgh zoo reopens with enhanced safety measures
The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium reopened Monday with modified hours and safety precautions meant to limit the risk of covid-19. Through April, the zoo will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with entry gates closing at 3 p.m. Beginning Memorial Day weekend, gates will close at 4...
Police: 2 gas stations in Pittsburgh’s East End robbed at gunpoint overnight
Pittsburgh police are investigating a pair of armed robberies that occurred early Monday morning in the city’s East End. The first incident occurred at the 1:25 a.m. at the Marathon gas station in the 4000 block of Penn Avenue, which is in the city’s Lower Lawrenceville section, according to police....
