Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1430
ATF agent shot at home involved in ’11 Hunnit’ gang investigation, 12 suspects indicted
The house in Pittsburgh’s Uptown neighborhood where an ATF agent was shot Thursday morning belongs to one of a dozen people charged with drug trafficking in a federal indictment unsealed Thursday. A dozen defendants from Allegheny, Westmoreland and Lawrence counties have been charged with drug trafficking following a lengthy wiretap...
Photos: Rally and march for Black Trans Lives held in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, Downtown
A Pittsburgh Action for Black Trans Lives rally and march was held Thursday. Members of the black transgender community and their allies met at Freedom Corner in the Hill District before marching to the Pittsburgh City-County Building where several speakers addressed the crowd with their own personal stories. The nearly...
Former KDKA meteorologist Jeff Verszyla returns to Pittsburgh TV with freelance gig at WTAE
Former KDKA-TV chief meteorologist Jeff Verszyla returns to Pittsburgh television with a new freelance weather gig. He announced Thursday on social media that he will begin working with WTAE-TV starting Sunday. He said he expects to be on mostly weekend nights into early August. He asked fans not to “call...
PNC commits $1 billion to programs, efforts to stem systemic racism
PNC Financial Services officials on Thursday announced a $1 billion commitment to programs and efforts that would “end systemic racism and support economic empowerment of African Americans and low- and moderate-income communities.” The commitment includes $50 million in charitable support for local and national work promoting social justice, expanding financial...
Consumer Advocate: Columbia Gas 18% rate hike request seeks ‘large profit margin’
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania’s 436,000 customers counties could be hit with a nearly 18% rate hike next year if the state agency overseeing utilities approves the requested increase. Columbia Gas said it is seeking to generate $100.4 million annually to pay for replacing and upgrading aging underground pipelines. The gas...
Moving truck takes down power lines in Lower Burrell, knocks out power to 3,500 customers
A 30-foot box truck took down power lines running across Puckety Church Road in Lower Burrell on Thursday afternoon, breaking two utility poles, igniting a transformer fire and knocking out power to about 3,500 customers. Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 3 responded about 2:40 p.m. and put out the...
Oakmont Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation evacuated due to chemical spill
Oakmont Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation was evacuated Thursday afternoon because of a chemical spill. Oakmont Fire Chief Dave Carroll said the spill occurred in a second-floor washroom, and there was a strong ammonia smell seeping down to the first floor. He said all patients were evacuated safely and no...
Charges dropped for 22 protesters arrested in East Liberty melee
The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office on Thursday dropped charges against 22 protesters arrested in the aftermath of protests in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood earlier this month. Office spokesman Mike Manko said none of the charges dropped involved allegations of violence or property damage. “Until such time as we have...
Waterworks Cinemas to reopen Friday, bringing silver screen back to Western Pa.
Buckets of buttered popcorn and silver screen flicks are back. MovieScoop Waterworks Cinemas near Aspinwall plans to reopen Friday, offering $5 tickets for a lineup of some classic and superhero movies. “It will be nice to have everyone together again,” said Liz Noullet, assistant manager at the MovieScoop Waterworks Cinemas,...
Facebook removes Trump ads with symbols once used by NazisVideo
WASHINGTON — Facebook has removed campaign ads by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that featured an upside-down red triangle, a symbol once used by Nazis to designate political prisoners, communists and others in concentration camps. Nathaniel Gleicher, the company’s head of security policy, confirmed at a House...
Police: Hempfield man shot, killed woman’s ex-boyfriend outside hotel
A Hempfield man is in jail, accused of gunning down a man last month outside a Forest County hotel during a confrontation over a woman. Richard M. Gardner Jr., 36, of Country Estates Drive, is being held in the Warren County Prison without bail in connection with the May 22...
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto plans to create LGBTQ commission
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto on Thursday announced plans for an 11-member commission to help resolve problems faced by the city’s LGBTQIA+ residents and visitors. The commission would hold monthly public meetings and advise officials on ways to make Pittsburgh a welcoming place for the LGBTQIA+ community. Among other things, members...
Oakmont Greek Food fest goes on, with major changes
The annual Greek Food Festival in Oakmont will take place this month, but in a different way. The event is scheduled for 2 to 8 p.m. June 26-28 at the Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church at 12 Washington Ave. Organizers said much had to change for the celebration’s...
Pa. Supreme Court: Counties can’t ban probationers from using medical marijuana
Counties may not ban people on probation or parole from using prescription cannabis if they are registered in Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday. In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court said that people holding a valid medical marijuana card are immune from “arrest, prosecution or...
Pennsylvania reports 42 new covid-19 deaths, 418 new cases
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday reported 42 new covid-19 deaths and 418 new cases in the state, bringing the total case count to 80,236 and 6,361 deaths. The state considers 630 patients as probable cases but not confirmed. More than half of coronavirus cases in the state are...
Florida shatters daily record for new coronavirus cases – again
ORLANDO — Florida’s confirmed coronavirus cases shot up again Thursday, setting another one-day record of more than 3,200 new infections, the fifth time in eight days a new mark has been set. The increases have come as the state’s economy reopens from a partial shutdown that began in March when...
Police seek another suspect in vandalism, looting, assault during Pittsburgh protest
Police on Thursday released photos of another man suspected of assault, vandalism and looting during Downtown Pittsburgh protests last month. Authorities offered little information about the man outside of his photos, which show him wearing a white hooded sweatshirt and gray pants. He’s alleged to have damaged a marked police...
Iron City Bean coffee — a new brew suitable for breakfast
Have a cup of Iron City with your breakfast. No, we aren’t suggesting kegs and eggs. There’s no alcohol in this brew. Iron City Bean Nine to Five Blend is a slow-roasted, medium-dark coffee made with beans from Cameroon, Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil. Released in late May, it’s java made...
Allegheny County reports 9 more coronavirus cases, no additional deaths
Allegheny County health officials on Thursday reported nine new cases of the coronavirus in the county, three additional hospitalizations and no new deaths. The increase in cases brings the county’s total to 2,122 covid-19 cases since the first ones were identified March 14. The county reported no new cases Wednesday....
Fundraiser established for Somerset County man killed while protecting grandmother
Friends and family of a 30-year-old Somerset County man who was shot and killed while attempting to break up a weekend domestic altercation between his grandparents set up a GoFundMe account to benefit his family. Joshua Cale Hillegas was shot and killed about 10:30 p.m. June 14, shortly after arriving...
Supreme Court rejects Trump bid to end protections for young immigrants
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President Donald Trump’s effort to end legal protections for 650,000 young immigrants, a stunning rebuke to the president in the midst of his reelection campaign. For now, those immigrants retain their protection from deportation and their authorization to work in the United...
Smithton man accused of vandalizing American Legion post that banned him
An attorney for a 66-year-old Smithton man charged with vandalizing a veterans service club he was banned from three years ago doubts his client would hold a grudge that long. David E. Primm, the former commander of American Legion Post 790 in Smithton, is accused by state police of pouring...
ATF agent shot in Pittsburgh; suspect in custody
A federal agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was shot Thursday morning during an operation in Pittsburgh, the agency confirmed in a statement. A suspect was in custody. The incident happened on Marion Street between Forbes Avenue and Watson Street in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. The...
Former Pittsburgh officer sees difference in police killings of Rayshard Brooks, George FloydVideo
Former Pittsburgh Police officer Sheldon Williams says, judging from the public record, the Atlanta police officer in the Rayshard Brooks case had reasonable justification to shoot, after Brooks assaulted the officers and took one of their tasers. But in the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Williams believes the officers...
Mark Cuban to host SiriusXM Radio business show
NEW YORK — Mark Cuban is ready to talk business — or whatever else his radio listeners want to discuss. The outspoken Dallas Mavericks owner will host specials on SiriusXM’s Business Radio on the next two Thursdays, speaking about business issues and answering questions from callers. “Ask Me Anything with...
