Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1447
Pastors, hundreds gather in Hill District for peaceful George Floyd protest
Hundreds of people from varied faiths gathered at Freedom Corner in Pittsburgh’s Hill District for about 90 minutes of prayers and speeches as the nation reels from the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “Enough is enough,” the Rev. Glenn Grayson told the crowd that gathered at noon...
Medical examiner: George Floyd’s heart stopped while restrainedVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — A medical examiner on Monday classified George Floyd’s death as a homicide, saying his heart stopped as police restrained him and suppressed his neck, in a widely seen video that has sparked protests across the nation. “Decedent experienced a cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement officer(s),”...
Catholic worshippers return as Diocese of Greensburg resumes public Masses
Before the covid-19 shutdown, Ruth Morelli on three or four days a week found her way to weekday Mass at St. James Roman Catholic Church in New Alexandria. “It really is my second family,” the Blairsville resident said. “After things closed, my husband and I would watch Mass online most...
Vandergrift councilwoman sues fellow borough officials
A Vandergrift councilwoman is suing the borough in federal court, accusing five council members, the mayor and two police officers of a long list of infractions. Councilwoman Karen McClarnon filed the civil lawsuit Friday morning through attorney William Lafferty. In addition to the borough, defendants listed in the suit include...
Authorities investigating suspicious package left in Mt. Lebanon
Authorities are investigating substancesin a package left in Mt. Lebanon over the weekend by three men who participated in the protest in Downtown Pittsburgh, police said. Mt. Lebanon police said they received a call around 7:30 p.m. Saturday from a resident who reported seeing someone leave a vehicle and place...
Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett tour postponed
Fans will have to wait until next summer to see the Stadium Tour with Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett and The Blackhearts. In a post on Monday afternoon signed by the bands, the tour has been officially postponed until the summer 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic....
Trump slams governors as ‘weak,’ urges crackdown on protests
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday derided many governors as “weak” and demanded tougher crackdowns on burning and stealing among some demonstrations in the aftermath of violent protests in dozens of American cities. Trump spoke to governors on a video teleconference that also included law enforcement and national security...
Man accused of leading troopers on 100 mph chase in Hempfield, Unity
A Ligonier Township man is accused of leading state troopers on a chase exceeding 100 mph for several miles along Route 30 in Hempfield and Unity and intentionally crashing into three state police patrol cars. Robbie T. Saunders, 56, is charged with attempted homicide of a police officer and aggravated...
8 new coronavirus cases in Allegheny County; state reports 1 new death
Allegheny County reported eight new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing the total count to 1,919. The county has reported a total of 151 deaths, including one new death. That lags behind the state count of 164. County officials have said that the reason for the different death count is the...
Necco Wafers returning to store shelves this summer
Good news for people who like their candy crunchy and slightly chalky — Neccos Wafers will soon be back on store shelves after a 2-year absence. Spangler Candy Co., which now owns the iconic brand, says the candy will return in all its multicolored glory beginning this month. “Major drugstores...
Police: Shaler man linked to violence at Pittsburgh protest turns self in
A half-dozen cans of spray paint and a distinct black hoodie linked a Shaler man to the destruction of a Pittsburgh police car in Uptown on Saturday, the riotous spark that touched off hours of violence and marred what was meant to be a peaceful protest, according to police. Brian...
Pittsburgh extends overnight curfew another day
Pittsburgh will be under curfew again Monday night. The city’s Public Safety department announced this morning via Twitter that the 8:30 p.m. curfew that had been in effect Saturday and Sunday nights will be extended another night. The curfew lifts at 6 a.m. Tuesday. Authorities announced the curfew Saturday in...
Gateway Clipper to resume some cruises this weekVideo
The Gateway Clipper Fleet will resume sightseeing tours this week, officials announced on their Facebook page. The tours, which last about an hour, will resume Friday when Allegheny County moves into the green phase of Gov. Wolf’s reopening plan, lifting heavy restrictions put in place to help curb the spread...
Western Pa. experts weigh chances of catching coronavirus from contaminated objects
Fears about catching coronavirus from contaminated surfaces have driven some people to become compulsive about cleaning countertops and wiping down their groceries. As the pandemic took hold, some poison centers even reported increased calls about excessive exposure to cleaning agents. In recent weeks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
Report: Trump rushed to underground bunker during protestsVideo
President Trump was moved Friday evening to an underground bunker at the White House as protesters clashed with police and Secret Service agents outside, CNN reported late Sunday. Officials told The New York Times that they never believed the president was in danger but took the precaution as tensions escalated....
Shaler man accused of inciting riot that led to violence during Pittsburgh protests
Pittsburgh police allege a Shaler man’s actions started a wave of violence Saturday in Downtown during what were meant to be and began as peaceful protests. Brian Jordan Bartels, 20, is accused of smashing out the windows of a marked Pittsburgh police cruiser “against the wishes of peaceful protesters who...
Police release names of people arrested during Pittsburgh protests
Forty-five adults and one juvenile were arrested Saturday after violence overtook peaceful protests in Downtown Pittsburgh. The protests were one of many across the country meant to draw attention to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week. Video shows at least one Minneapolis police officer kneeling on Floyd’s...
Calm after storm: Pittsburgh vigil promotes unity; protesters spray paint Downtown roads but remain peaceful
A day after protests turned violent in Pittsburgh, groups gathered peacefully in Downtown and East Liberty to remember the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. More than 100 people congregated for an early-evening vigil outside the Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Liberty. The message was of unity. At one point,...
Protest fallout: 46 arrests involve Western Pa. residents; National Guard ready to move; man suspected of inciting ID’d
Violence that erupted in Pittsburgh after hours of peaceful protests was the result of actions by a relatively small group of people, city and state officials said Sunday. A day later, though, it was still unclear who those individuals are and whether they are affiliated with specific groups. Authorities said...
Trump says he’ll label Antifa a terror organization amid unrestVideo
President Donald Trump said Sunday that he was designating Antifa as a domestic terrorism organization after another night of violent protests over racism and police violence erupted in cities across the nation. The practical effect of the president’s declaration was unclear. While domestic terrorism is defined in the 2001 Patriot...
Protests force Target, CVS and Walmart to close some stores
U.S. retailers large and small have closed some of their stores across the country because of disruptions caused by the widespread street protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Target, CVS, Apple and Walmart all said Sunday that they had temporarily closed some locations for safety reasons....
‘Very peaceful’ protest brings people together in GreensburgVideo
Protest co-organizer Lisa Roberts wanted Sunday’s event in Greensburg to be “truly peaceful.” “No violence will be tolerated,” Roberts said on the heels of a violent eruptions in Downtown Pittsburgh the day before. She got her wish. About 200 protesters gathered and marched Sunday from the Westmoreland County Courthouse to...
‘We’re sick of it’: Anger over police killings shatters U.S.
MINNEAPOLIS — Americans began cleaning up charred and glass-strewn streets Sunday after another night of unrest fueled by rage over police mistreatment of African Americans destroyed businesses, damaged landmarks and raised tensions across a divided nation to the boiling point. The chaos reached into every corner of the country, and...
2 more covid-19 cases reported in Westmoreland County, no new deaths
Westmoreland County on Sunday reported two additional coronavirus cases and no new deaths, according to state health officials. That brings the total number of cases to 449. The total number of deaths remains at 38. Close to 9,500 people have tested negative for the virus. Neither the state nor coroner...
Pennsylvania reports 18 more covid-19 deaths, case count hits close to 72K
Pennsylvania health officials on Sunday reported 18 more covid-19 deaths Sunday, and 511 additional positive cases. That brings the state’s total number of deaths to 5,555 and case count to 71,926. Sixty-seven percent of the total cases have recovered. About 5,455 of the total cases are in health care workers....
