Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1353
Astronomers see possible hints of life in Venus’ clouds
Astronomers have found a potential sign of life high in the atmosphere of neighboring Venus: hints there may be bizarre microbes living in the sulfuric acid-laden clouds of the hothouse planet. Two telescopes in Hawaii and Chile spotted in the thick Venutian clouds the chemical signature of phosphine, a noxious...
Steelers’ helmets to have Antwon Rose’s name on them throughout season
Helmets worn this season by the Pittsburgh Steelers will bear the name of Antwon Rose II. Rose was 17 when he died after being shot by an East Pittsburgh police officer in June 2018. The officer, Michael Rosfeld, stopped a Chevy Cruze matching the description of a vehicle reportedly involved...
Federal judge rules Gov. Wolf’s shutdown orders were unconstitutional
A federal judge in Pittsburgh on Monday ruled that orders issued by Gov. Tom Wolf restricting the size of gatherings and closing nonessential businesses to protect against the spread of covid-19 were unconstitutional. In a statement, Wolf said his office will seek an immediate stay to halt the order and...
‘Floating Cinema’ passing on Pittsburgh; company blames covid
An Australian entertainment company that initially touted a floating cinema tour of U.S. cities, including a stop scheduled Wednesday through Friday in Pittsburgh, now says it is postponing the events because of the coronavirus pandemic. Officials with the Pittsburgh Special Events department and the U.S. Coast Guard’s Pittsburgh auxiliary unit...
Allegheny County posts 142 new covid cases over past 2 days
On Monday, the Allegheny County Health Department announced 142 new covid-19 cases — but over a two-day span. Pennsylvania’s Department of Health said last week it will begin skipping a Sunday update on cases, choosing instead to publish a two-day report on Mondays. The result could lead to a seemingly...
2 more facing charges in Hempfield neighborhood dispute over football
Two more people were charged Friday in connection with the alleged theft of a football after it landed in a neighboring Hempfield yard during a family reunion. Catherine A. Martino, 90, is accused of kicking a state trooper in the ankles while Sharon Martino, 63, is charged with obstruction, theft...
TikTok owner picks Oracle over Microsoft as U.S. tech partnerVideo
Oracle said Monday that the Chinese owner of TikTok has picked the U.S. company to be its “trusted technology provider,” beating out rival Microsoft in a deal that could help keep the popular video-sharing app running in the U.S. Oracle spokeswoman Deborah Hellinger said she was confirming remarks made by...
Walmart to test drone delivery with Zipline in latest deal
NEW YORK — Walmart is teaming up with a company called Zipline to launch drone delivery program early next year that will deliver health and wellness products close to the retailer’s headquarters in Northwest Arkansas. Walmart, based in Bentonville, Ark., said Monday that it plans to eventually expand to general...
Amazon to hire 100,000 to keep up with online shopping surge
NEW YORK — Amazon will hire another 100,000 people to keep up with a surge of online orders. The company said Monday that the new hires will help pack, ship or sort orders, working in part-time and full-time roles. Amazon said the jobs are not related to its typical holiday...
Mediterra Cafe to open second location in Mt. Lebanon
Cars have barely left the parking lot for the final dinner service at The Fairlane, but there’s already a taker for the space that caps one end of Mt. Lebanon’s Beverly Road retail district. Mediterra Cafe will open its second location there by early November. Mediterra Cafe, also a bakery...
Speed, cellphone use believed to have played role in fatal Rostraver crash, deputy coroner says
A West Newton man was killed in a head-on crash Sunday in Rostraver, according to the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office. Allen Lee Roberts, 26, was pronounced dead at the scene of the two-vehicle crash on Route 201, also known as Rostraver Road. It was reported around 4:30 p.m. Roberts was...
In defiance of Nevada governor, Trump holds indoor rally
LAS VEGAS — In open defiance of state regulations and his own administration’s pandemic health guidelines, President Donald Trump on Sunday hosted his first indoor rally since June, telling a packed, nearly mask-less Nevada crowd that the nation was “making the last turn” in defeating the virus. Eager to project...
Police seek help identifying man’s body found in Allegheny River near Kittanning
Police are seeking the public’s help to identify the man whose body was found Sunday afternoon in the Allegheny River near the Kittanning Marina. The body was found in the water around 3 p.m. several hundred feet north of the Allegheny Mariner restaurant, according to Armstrong County 911 dispatchers. He...
VA Pittsburgh nurse accused of illegally obtaining opioid painkillers
A former nurse at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System faces drug charges in the theft of opioid painkillers, federal prosecutors said. Ann Makepeace, 30, of Pittsburgh’s Point Breeze neighborhood was indicted by a grand jury in Pittsburgh for violating federal narcotics laws, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said. According to...
Schools allowed to extend free meals to students for rest of the year
Students across the country will continue to receive free meals throughout the remainder of the year in an attempt to help families struggling during the coronavirus pandemic. Several local school districts are taking advantage of programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, allowing students from age 2 to 18...
Here’s what you should know about different covid-19 tests
Allegheny County and state officials have each begun including antigen test results in daily updates of covid-19 case counts. The new protocol, beginning in late August at both agencies, is approved by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. But it can still cause confusion when analyzing covid-19 data trends....
Huge budget cuts could hurt people with mental illness, disabilities most, Pa. providers fear
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan 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 weekly newsletter. HARRISBURG — Eight years ago, as the state was still recovering from the fallout of a severe economic recession, lawmakers...
Sally set to become hurricane and threaten Gulf CoastVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tropical Storm Sally slowed down Sunday as it churned northward toward the U.S. Gulf Coast, increasing the risk of heavy rain and dangerous storm surge before an expected strike as a Category 2 hurricane in southern Louisiana. “I know for a lot of people this storm...
Massive nighttime migration of birds to cross Pittsburgh
A “high intensity” migration of birds is expected to move across Pennsylvania on Monday night. According to BirdCast, more than 50,000 birds per square mile could be flying south above Pittsburgh by 7 p.m. Monday. Over Philadelphia it could be more than 41,000 birds. And, over Harrisburg it could be...
Teacher departures leave schools scrambling for substitutes
INDIANAPOLIS — With many teachers opting out of returning to the classroom because of the coronavirus, schools around the U.S. are scrambling to find replacements and in some places lowering certification requirements to help get substitutes in the door. Several states have seen surges in educators filing for retirement or...
Bloomberg to spend at least $100M to help Biden in Florida
WASHINGTON — Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is committing at least $100 million to help Joe Biden’s presidential campaign in the crucial battleground state of Florida. Bloomberg’s late-stage infusion of cash reflects Democrats’ concerns about the tight race in a state that is a priority for President Donald...
Virus America, 6 months in: Disarray, dismay, disconnect
For years, Erin Whitehead has been a committed fan of the crisis-fueled medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy.” She has watched its doctors handle all manner of upheaval inside their put-upon hospital — terrifying diseases, destructive weather, bombs, mass shootings, mental illness, uncertainty, grief. Today, she turns to the emotionally draining show...
Death toll from wildfires reaches 33 on the West Coast
SALEM, Ore. — Nearly all of the dozens of people reported missing after a devastating blaze in southern Oregon have been accounted for, authorities said, as crews continued to battle wildfires that have killed at least 33 victims from California to Washington state. The flames have destroyed neighborhoods, leaving a...
Man shot in South Side Slopes, police investigating
A man was critically injured in a shooting early Sunday in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes neighborhood, according to police. Police officers and paramedics were called to the 1700 block of Arlington Avenue around 1:20 a.m. for reports of a man shot. Police said a citizen flagged down a police officer...
Police: Aliquippa man shot near IUP campus, suspect soughtVideo
An Aliquippa man shot early Sunday morning multiple times during a late-night party at an apartment complex about a mile from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania campus was reported in critical condition at a Pittsburgh hospital, state police at Indiana said. The 19-year-old victim, who was not identified, is expected...
