Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1470
Verona man charged with assault in connection with altercation at Giant Eagle while not wearing a maskVideo
A Verona man faces disorderly conduct and assault charges in connection with an incident at a Monroeville Giant Eagle in which he was not wearing a mask, police said. Nick Conley, 37, said he has shopped in various stores without a mask, even after covid-19 reached pandemic proportions in March,...
Pittsburgh Food Bank responding to covid-19 needs in variety of ways
Since mid-March, images of long lines of cars waiting for boxes of food being distributed by the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank have become a common sight. “I know that in March our pantry network contributed a million more pounds of food than it did the previous March,” said food...
New Kensington man returned from Florida to face charge that he killed Brackenridge man
The New Kensington man accused of fatally shooting a Brackenridge man in an Arnold kitchen in January was returned Wednesday night after being extradited from Florida. Mario Matthew Gatti, 30, was arraigned before Allegheny Township District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec for allegedly shooting Michael Coover Jr., 33, of Brackenridge on...
Gov. Wolf signs order granting civil immunity to health care providers during covid-19 pandemic
Gov. Tom Wolf signed an executive order Wednesday that could shield health care workers from potential lawsuits while confronting the covid-19 pandemic. The order grants civil immunity to individual licensed, certified and registered health care workers acting in “good faith” across all types of state-defined health care facilities — among...
Many new Allegheny County coronavirus cases linked to long-term care facilities
Nearly half of recent cases of the coronavirus reported in Allegheny County are linked to long-term care facilities, Allegheny County Health Department officials said Wednesday. Between April 20 and May 5, county health department staff started investigations on 352 new cases of covid-19. Of that total, 123 people, or 35%...
Big ‘thank you’: Cheswick resident and pizza shop owner feeds health care workers during National Nurses Week
Arslan “Allen” Ovezgylyjov came to the U.S. from Turkmenistan, central Asia, in 2008 in search of a better life. “I can’t say thanks enough to be living in the United States and to have my business and my family here,” said the Cheswick resident. “I have made a life here,...
Peduto: Coronavirus could bring pop-up drive-in theaters to Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is looking for creative ways to allow safe social activities — including pop-up drive-in theaters — if coronavirus restrictions are necessary through summer months, Mayor Bill Peduto said Wednesday. Peduto, addressing reporters during a teleconference, said traditional activities such as Little League baseball, the city’s annual Fourth of July...
Pittsburgh HIV/AIDS advocate August Pusateri dies
August “Buzz” Pusateri played an integral role in the Pitt Men’s Study, a confidential research study of the natural history of HIV and AIDS. Not only did he believe in the importance of recruiting volunteers to help further research, he was one of the project’s first volunteers. Twice a year,...
Ruth Bader Ginsburg weighs in on Trump v. Pennsylvania birth control case from hospital bedVideo
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg made history as a lawyer, scoring courtroom victories for clients in sexual discrimination cases. On Wednesday, the 87-year-old justice made history again — this time by participating in oral arguments in a pivotal hearing on insurance coverage for birth control from her room at...
Pennsylvania to hire civilians to ramp up coronavirus contact tracing
Pennsylvania will hire civilians to bolster contact tracing across the state in an effort to better contain and mitigate the coronavirus, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Wednesday. The group, called the Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps, “will reduce our unemployment rate while making a lasting health and economic contribution to our Commonwealth,”...
Some beaches popular with Pittsburghers have reopened, others waiting during pandemicVideo
Western Pennsylvanians eager to get to their favorite beaches once stay-at-home orders are lifted might have to wait a little longer as beach towns rebound from effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Down the East Coast from New Jersey to Florida, officials are working to determine the best times to reopen...
Rats are eating each other in Pittsburgh amid waste shortage caused by coronavirus closures
Turf wars among rats that are resorting to cannibalism because of less available garbage to scavenge isn’t something just happening in New York, New Orleans or some other far-away metro areas during the coronavirus pandemic. “It is no different here in Pittsburgh as just like these metro cities, with restaurants...
PWSA: Water in shuttered buildings could contain contaminants like Legionella
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority is warning building owners that water in structures shuttered during the coronavirus pandemic could contain contaminants. PWSA advised owners Wednesday to develop a water management plan before reopening buildings for employees and the public. Water standing in pipes for long periods can contain contaminants,...
Police: Dispute over ‘intimate partner’ led to killing of Pitt coronavirus researcher
The recent murder-suicide in Ross Township that left two men dead from gunshot wounds was the result of a long-running dispute over an intimate partner, according to investigators. Bing Liu, 37, was shot to death inside his condominium at The Mews of Town North shortly after noon May 2. He...
Google’s Pittsburgh office raises $110,000 for families hit by coronavirus crisis
Google’s Pittsburgh office has raised over $110,000 for the GiveDirectly relief fund which will provide $1,000 direct cash payments to area families hardest hit by the covid-19 crisis. In all, the money donated by Google employees and Google.org will go to support 110 local families. Google.org’s seed donation is part...
4 new cases, no additional coronavirus deaths reported in Westmoreland County
Health officials reported four new cases of the coronavirus in Westmoreland County on Wednesday as the state’s death tally continued to catch up with the coroner’s count. The new cases bring the countywide total to 409, according to the state data. County Coroner Ken Bacha was reporting 31 covid-19 deaths...
Pennsylvania reports 94 new coronavirus deaths, 4th straight day with under 1,000 new cases
Another 94 Pennsylvanians have died from the coronavirus, state health officials said Wednesday, pushing the statewide death toll above 3,100. The state also added 888 new cases of covid-19 between 12 a.m. Tuesday to 12 a.m. Wednesday, officials said. The running state total is now 51,845 cases since the first...
Brighton Heights artist shares puppet costumes with Pittsburgh during pandemic
Giant puppets are popping up around Pittsburgh. One might see them standing near a front door, walking down a street or dancing to music. The colorful characters are courtesy of Brighton Heights artist Cheryl Capezzuti. She has hundreds of puppet costumes housed in her North Side studio. They’ve been used...
Pittsburgh to begin street repaving on Monday, advises residents to move vehicles
Paving crews will start resurfacing Pittsburgh streets on Monday, and city officials are asking residents to make sure to move vehicles in advance of the work. Workers will put fliers on vehicle windshields 48 hours before a street is paved and residents registered for telephone alerts from the Pittsburgh Water...
Outside sources charged in alleged scheme to get drugs into Westmoreland jail
Four women who investigators said acted as outside sources were charged Wednesday in connection with an alleged year-long scheme that used fake legal mail to deliver drugs to the Westmoreland County Prison. The women communicated with inmates to send them mail containing synthetic marijuana and pass them papers soaked in...
Allegheny County reports 19 more coronavirus cases, 2 deaths
Allegheny County officials reported 19 additional cases of covid-19 and two more deaths Wednesday, bringing the total to 1,394 confirmed or probable cases and 111 deaths countywide. That’s compared to 10 additional cases and seven deaths reported Tuesday. The county reported no new deaths Monday or Sunday, which could have...
Trump: Covid-19 task force not dismantling, just refocusingVideo
PHOENIX — One day after saying that the covid-19 task force would be winding down, President Donald Trump said Wednesday that it would continue indefinitely, but focus more on rebooting the economy. Trump tweeted that the panel’s focus would be on “SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN.” Trump’s reversal...
Limited in-store sales to resume at 77 Pennsylvania liquor stores
State liquor stores in Clarion, Lawrence, Mercer and Venango counties will be the closest to Pittsburgh resuming limited in-store public access on Friday, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced Wednesday. The 14 stores in the four counties north of Pittsburgh are among 77 Fine Wine & Good Spirit locations in...
Where to get takeout, delivery in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Alle-Kiski Valley residents might not be able to eat-in at their favorite local restaurants, but that doesn’t mean they have to go without their favorite foods. Many area restaurants remain open for takeout, home delivery, or both. Some use delivery services such as Door Dash. For specific information, call the...
Hunting-related shooting fatalities increase in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG — The number of hunting-related shooting fatalities in Pennsylvania went up in the past year, according to the state game commission. There were 26 hunting-related shooting injuries in Pennsylvania in 2019, four of which were fatal. The number of fatalities is up from the previous year when only one...
