Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1545
Rahmael Holt officially sent to death row for killing New Kensington Officer Brian Shaw
Rahmael Holt simply said “no” when asked Wednesday whether he had anything to say before his death sentence was formally imposed. Holt, 31, of Harrison, Allegheny County, officially became the 133rd person on Pennsylvania’s death row when he was condemned to death by lethal injection for shooting and killing New...
Rare painted bunting captivates birdwatchers in O’HaraVideo
One of North America’s most gorgeous birds, aglow in the outrageous color combination of red, blue and yellow-green, has showed up at a bird feeder in O’Hara Township — a rarity for Pennsylvania. About 400 bird-watchers have stopped by the O’Hara neighborhood to see the rare visitor the size of...
Former witness in Wilkinsburg mass shooting case says he was paid to cooperate; prosecutors deny allegation
A former witness used by authorities to file homicide charges against suspects in the 2016 Wilkinsburg mass shooting case is alleging prosecutors paid him for information and encouraged him to lie, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday. The District Attorney’s Office called the allegations a “desperate attempt” by defense attorneys...
Golden retriever ‘Daniel’ from Ligonier Twp. captures hearts at Westminster dog show
Everybody loves a golden retriever, and everybody’s favorite golden after this week’s Westminster dog show is Ligonier Township’s very own Daniel. The 5-year-old, bred and trained by Tammy Tomlinson of Hillock Golden Retrievers, won best-in-breed and best sporting dog at the 144th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at New...
Transgender felons seek to ease Pennsylvania rules on name changes
HARRISBURG — A Pennsylvania court this week will consider a legal challenge by three transgender women to a two-decade-old state law that prohibits people who have committed serious felonies from ever changing their names. Commonwealth Court will hear oral arguments Thursday in the lawsuit brought by plaintiffs who live as...
Beltzhoover neighborhood mourns death of 3-year-old shot while in bedVideo
Dozens of family and friends Tuesday mourned the death of 3-year-old Chassity Clancy during a candlelit vigil in Pittsburgh’s Beltzhoover neighborhood. Clancy was killed when she was shot in the neck while in bed early Sunday morning. Marlin Pritchard, 51, of Beltzhoover faces homicide, child endangerment and gun charges in...
Analysis: Bernie Sanders’ narrow New Hampshire win ups pressure on moderatesVideo
WASHINGTON — For Bernie Sanders, not all victories are created equal. In 2016, Sanders carried New Hampshire by 22 points, pummeling Hillary Clinton and setting the stage for a protracted fight over the Democratic presidential nomination. On Tuesday, he won the state’s primary by less than 2 points, raising questions...
Penn State suspends Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity over ‘serious misconduct’ allegations
Penn State’s Office of Student Conduct suspended the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity Tuesday morning, citing “multiple allegations of serious misconduct made against the fraternity,” according to a Penn State News release. The fraternity allegedly held an unregistered social event Jan. 30 that the university said “potentially endangered students” and contained...
Man working on power lines in Bloomfield left dangling after pole snaps
A utility contractor working in Bloomfield on Tuesday afternoon was saved by the harness he was wearing when a pole snapped and fell onto the bucket truck he was using, according to Pittsburgh police. The incident happened around 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and South Matilida Street....
Pittsburgh police investigate attempted abduction of teen girl near Bakery Square
Pittsburgh police are investigating a report of an attempted abduction Tuesday of a teenage girl by two men near Bakery Square in East Liberty. Officers from the city’s Zone 5 station were dispatched to the 300 block of North Euclid Avenue shortly before 7 p.m. to investigate, according to a...
Siba the poodle wins best in show at Westminster; Ligonier Township golden retriever Daniel falls shortVideo
NEW YORK — Primped and poised, Siba the standard poodle owned the ring. Even with the crowd at Madison Square Garden chanting for a popular golden retriever, the statuesque Siba strutted off with best in show Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club. Adorned with black puffs and pompoms, the...
Woman, 2 pets die in Brookline house fire
Pittsburgh firefighters responding to a structure fire Tuesday night in Brookline found a woman dead inside the house, according to city public safety officials. Two pets, a dog and a cat, also died, a public safety spokeswoman said. The fire in the 2000 block of Pioneer Avenue was reported shortly...
Sanders edges Buttigieg in New Hampshire, cementing Dem front-runnersVideo
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire’s presidential primary election Tuesday night, narrowly edging moderate rival Pete Buttigieg and scoring the first clear victory in the Democratic Party’s chaotic 2020 nomination fight. In his win, the 78-year-old Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, beat back a strong challenger from the...
Army Corps to get $7.7 million to upgrade Upper Ohio River locks and dams
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will get $7.7 million for pre-construction engineering and design for its Upper Ohio River Navigation Project at the Emsworth, Dashshields and Montgomery locks and dams. U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon, announced the funding Tuesday as he and other lawmakers pursued the money to...
Allegheny County to roll out $400K marketing campaign ahead of new voting system, laws
Allegheny County will spend $400,000 on a marketing campaign to familiarize the county’s 900,000 registered voters about the new voting system, procedures and laws ahead of the 2020 primary and general elections. “This is the largest marketing effort that we’ve ever undertaken,” Kevin Evanto, chief marketing officer for Allegheny County,...
Allegheny County Council votes to ban conversion therapy
Allegheny County Council voted Tuesday to ban the practice of conversion therapy in the county. Conversion therapy is a widely discredited practice used to attempt to change a person’s feelings of same-sex attraction or to change their gender identity. Council voted 13-2 in favor of the ordinance, which was introduced...
Federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh reportedly to vet Biden info Giuliani providing from Ukraine
Information being passed to the Department of Justice from President Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, regarding Democratic rival Joe Biden, his son, Hunter, and Ukraine apparently will be vetted in Pittsburgh. The office of U.S. Attorney Scott Brady is tasked with examining information being gathered and shared by Giuliani, the...
Scottdale man gets 3-8 years in prison for sex assault; victim gets support from biker groupVideo
A teenage girl was kept hidden by her new biker friends outside a Westmoreland County courtroom Tuesday so she didn’t have to see the man she said sexually abused her last year. Members of the Southwest Pennsylvania Bikers Against Child Abuse formed a human shield to surround the girl, who...
Pittsburgh Council proposes another plan for spending park tax money
Pittsburgh would use a plan created by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy as a template for spending revenue generated by the city’s controversial parks tax under a resolution introduced in city council Tuesday. Two council members — Anthony Coghill and Deb Gross — who opposed the tax, said the resolution sponsored...
Flu deaths climb to 47 in Pennsylvania this season
The flu contributed to another seven deaths in the past week of a flu season that shows no signs of letting up, according to data the state Department of Health released Tuesday. Through Saturday, 47 flu-associated deaths had been reported this flu season, up from 40 the week before. It’s...
Pennsylvania hemp farmers look to future at conference
Pennsylvania hemp farmers saw a lot less green than they were hoping for in 2019. A sudden glut of supply and lack of infrastructure caused national hemp prices to plummet throughout the year. “We had a bunch of people who threw hemp in the ground and expected at the end...
GM hired for soon-to-be Hempfield mini casinoVideo
Operators of the soon-to-open casino in Hempfield have tapped a former general manager of the Meadows Racetrack & Casino to serve the same role at Live! Casino Pittsburgh. Sean Sullivan, who has worked in the gaming industry for over 40 years, will oversee development along with day-to-day management and operations...
As jurors deliberate in Wilkinsburg shooting case, questions ariseVideo
Jurors in the 2016 Wilkinsburg mass shooting deliberated about seven hours on Tuesday before going home without reaching a verdict. Judge Edward J. Borkowski, who is presiding over the case, said he’s letting jurors set the pace of the deliberations. The jurors – six men and six women – reported...
Pitt to host coronavirus panel discussion Wednesday evening
Public health, history, political experts and epidemiologists will gather Wednesday at the University of Pittsburgh to discuss the coronavirus outbreak. The event is sponsored by the Pitt Asian Studies Center. Mari Webel, an assistant professor of history, pulled together the panel in an effort to address the lack of information,...
Clark Bars are back in time for Valentine’s Day
They are as much a part of the taste of Pittsburgh as Iron City Beer, Primanti’s sandwiches and Heinz ketchup. The Clark Bar, with its crispy peanut butter and spun taffy core, coated in milk chocolate, is back. The bars are returning to Steel City candy stores on Valentine’s Day...
